Memories (Of Dreams and Demons)

To Vetusta

This is the first rough draft for Chapter 30 - To Vetusta - plot and action outline, needs polish and to paint the background scene.

The moment we jump on the train it is, yet again, as if I'm transported to another world. Intricate wooden carvings decorate the entrance, paintings of forest and waterfalls are splashed joyously on every wall. Rolling hills covered in oak and high power lines zip past beyond the windows.

The first carriage door opens, and it's immediately obvious we won't be finding a seat here. Every available spot is taken by exotic looking creatures and well-dressed animals from all around the world. They eat and celebrate one anothers company, loudly chatting away, many in alien languages.

The occasional man and woman, dressed in business attire, holding black briefcases, sit quietly amongst them, minding their own business. Both human and animal co-exist here as if they were completely unaware of one another. Animated animals live in stark contrast beside gloomy humans.

The air is thick with herbal smoke and strangely-scented perfumes, many of the creatures in the cabin enjoying lavish luxuries. Some eat bugs and smaller creatures from golden platters; a number of the supposed delicacies still squirming. A classical song of fast-paced pianos racing faster to musical climax plays over old-fashioned speakers fastened in the corners of the carraige walls.

So many exotic varieties of life, all seeming to hail from different times and spaces. Freshly clean pigs dressed in ballroom gowns and laden with pearlled jewellery, dogs in top hats and monocles eyeing us suspiciously over newspapers covered in gibberish, mice in overcoats and beanies. If they ignore the adults dressed for work, some most certainly notice us.

"Children!" One particularly large pig turns its nose away in horrifying disgust, "what are children doing in here?"

The carriage becomes even more alive, animals popping their heads up from slumber, food or newspaper, their eyes darting about frantically.

Children? The tone of her alert labels us as undesirable as rats scurrying about a kitchen floor amongst the scraps. A bearded wolf in a grey, tailored suit raises his paw to forehead and proceeds to faint, knocking over a nearby plate and sending cheese and wine over the carriage floor.

Chaos follows the commotion as a number of passengers jump up from their seats in both surprise and disgust. The dropped metallic plate rolls noisily down the carriage passageway, clanging away against the base of the seats, destroying the atmosphere of merriness and piano.

As sharp banging and alerts fill the space, discomfort and distress abound, a train conductor storms in from the front engine carriage. His attention falls on us immediately, for how could any but two wayward children be the cause of any and all trouble.

"Children!" The large pig points one final time with overly dramatic affect, before turning away to hold perfurmed handkerchief over her nose.

The train conductor stands over us, waving his hand in acknowledgement to the pig; he will indeed handle this situation immediately. Beneath the ironed suit, the hat full of badges signifying authority, it's almost as if the train conductor were a.. tiger!

"Tickets, please," he announces to the cabin, his words rolling a deep purr, yet an order aimed only for Naoko and I.

There's no doubt about it, fiery-orange fur puffs out from his neck and beneath his cuffs, black markings fuzz out just along the edges of his coat enough for me to notice them. His leathered nose twitches as he draws close, his black eyes pierce the depths of my soul. He's.. reading me.. seeing far more than some mere train conductor should.