Christopher Cooper

Dark Side of the Tracks

It’s always the worst kind of sleep that’s the longest. Peter wasn’t totally sure why he felt so terrible, but the sensation was familiar. A long shift in the trainyard could take a toll on both the body and mind but it was relaxing afterward that made it worse. Peter knew his last shift had been particularly awful, but the details were fuzzy, kind of like a hangover. It doesn’t matter, thought Peter. In a few minutes his alarm would screech, forcing him to get out of bed and figure out what he could get done during his 18 hours off.