The Tracks

Diamond

He kept returning to the tracks where he saw her get her foot stuck. The days following his trip to the North, he finds himself going back every afternoon after his shift at the store. His friends, try as they can to persuade him not to take his chances, let him be after three days of pestering him, of trying to keep him distracted with other stuff. He takes Rhonda to the tracks, turning off the engine just as he approaches the jump. He walks towards the wooden bar that lowers whenever a train approaches, looking over to the other side of the tracks, down towards the Northern side, in hopes that he would catch a glimpse of her. He knows that it's a long shot, but somehow, he is being pulled towards to this spot for the past days. He feels that anytime, she, too, will be peering across the tracks, probably looking for him.

On the fifth day, his hopes were beginning to wane. He stayed a little longer at the store, past his shift, because he was beginning to hesitate to go back to the tracks. There was still no sign of her. Not even a wisp of her hair. Chip and Basti told him to just let it go, that she's probably too scared to even approach the tracks anymore, what with the trauma of almost getting hit by he train, and then that scene with her brother. It then struck him that it might indeed be her brother who's preventing her to go to the tracks.

"Jay, dude, did you and that girl agree to even meet at the tracks again? Don't you think you're just wasting your time?"

"What if her brother held her hostage? What if she wanted to go back to the tracks and see me?"

"What if she didn't?! Jay, seriously, you said her foot swelled twice its size. She's probably in the hospital, resting her foot."

"Yeah... yeah, you're right, Basti. She might be in the hospital. I should go visit her then."

"What? Hey, Jay, wait up! Jay! You said you'll cover the next shift!"

"Good suggestion, Basti. Now he's off again to the North. We'd be lucky to see Jay alive."

"I wasn't suggesting anything Chip! Shit, he's going back to the North! What if those guys gang up on him again?!"

"Nah. Jay can take care of himself. He's a monster on Rhonda. That bike of his can very easily lose anyone who tries to run after him."

//

As what he usually does, he turned off his engine and parked Rhonda before walking towards the jump. He wanted to check the other side first as quietly as possible for any signs of Dei's brother or his minions. He looked around and saw that no one was in sight, so he went back to get back to his bike, thinking that he should slip into the North as quietly as possible. It was a little past four in the afternoon and though the sun was still up, the afternoon breeze was beginning to be felt. All that can be heard were the chirping of birds flying above, the rustling of leaves on the trees on either side of the tracks.

And a faint voice calling his name.

"Jay!"

He turned around and saw her, slowly wheeling her bike towards the tracks. He could see that she was still limping, her left foot slightly lifted revealing some bandage. He ran towards her but she raised her hand, stopping him. He stopped and looked at her questioningly. Dei looked around, then signaled for him to follow her towards the diamond, where two tracks meet at the center. She began walking to the eastern part. He ran back to Rhonda and without turning his motor on, wheeled it alongside the tracks, while Dei walked alongside her own bike on the other side. They kept walking on either side of the tracks for some meters, until they reached a spot which was near the tunnel that led to the eastern town. She waved for him to follow her across, down to one of the larger trees that could hide them both from any passerby. The next train schedule was at six in the evening, and until then, the tracks was devoid of any other sound, save for the crackling of the earth as the wheels of his motorcycle runs over them.

She leaned her bike on the tree, and waited for him. She couldn't believe how fast her heart was beating, seeing him across the tracks. She had wanted to go back the day after her foot got stuck, but her brother kept her under watch, scolding her to let her foot heal, and warning her to not even attempt to go back to the tracks, more so going across to the South. She was restless the past four days. She always felt that something was pulling her to go back, to see the place where she almost got hit by the train, the place where Jay pulled her and took her in his arms and saved her life. Until finally, as her godfather called Harry to help out on something at the town hall, she quickly calculated the time for her to sneak out to the tracks and safely make it back home, without her brother suspecting anything. Their parents were always out in the fields, thus she need not worry about them.

And so when she finally got there, she hid behind some trees, looking out every now and then for someone to cross. Then she heard the faint sound of the motorcycle, and right then she knew that it was him. Her foot slowing her down, she went up the jump and saw him turning away. So she called out and felt her heart beat faster and her stomach flutter when he turned back to look at her.

They should not be seen by anyone else. Thus she led him towards the big tree near the tunnel. And now, as they face each other, they find themselves with no words. Yet their eyes speak more than just the exhilaration that their hearts felt.  

***

Diamond. The crossing of two railroad tracks at grade without a bridge. Named for the diamond shape of the center section of the intersecting rails if the lines cross at other than 90 degrees, which is often the case. (Railroading Glossary. TRAINS Magazine)