An unexpected train ride with a stranger
I’m suddenly aware of my body and the feeling of being in motion. I’m in the foetal position on a hard surface, I concentrate on regaining my consciousness. Clack, clack, clack sounds are coming to focus, and I realise it’s the sound of a train on its tracks. I am indeed in motion; only I don’t remember buying a ticket. My eyes spring open and all that I see is darkness, I look around confused. I stretch out my hand and as I do a blanket moves with it. The light is too bright after the darkness, and I blink many times before I can take in my surroundings. I’ve been curled up on a bench seat in a small carriage of the train. Opposite me a man appears to be sleeping, no one else is with us. The blinds are drawn on all the windows, so I have not yet seen anyone else. I sit up, inducing a slight dizzy spell. Had I fallen and hit my head? Or had I been drugged? Maybe I was just dehydrated. There was no one I could ask, I would have to wait and hope my memory came back to me. I peeked behind the blind of the outside window, it was cloudy and grey. Not at all helpful in telling what time of day it was. I saw trees and mountains, we appeared to be quite high up, but I saw no buildings at this point. The trees are all blurring into one another, it almost makes me feel like the train is going faster than it should be. A heavy, uneasy feeling begins to grow in the pit of my stomach.
