Persephone and the Magic Track Jumping Train

Persephone was awakened by a soft glowing light in the corner across from from where she slept. Her eyes bolted open thinking she had been found out, but settled down as soon as she realized the train was still moving.

She slowly rose, stepping gingerly across the floor over to the illuminated...device. She was sure it had not been there before, or rather, the light certainly was not. Looking around, she could see no source for the glow which was interesting to her.

Her curiosity was getting the best of her and she was lifting her finger to press the button when the train started to slow. She quickly ran to hide.

She had ridden enough trains across her country to know what was happening by the sounds, and this sounded like a car was being unloaded some ways up the train from her.

She quietly moved over to the sliding door, opened it just enough so she could peek out and perhaps see where they might be. The station looked familiar, and she thought she knew exactly where they were. They had recently been to this city and she did not like to return to a place this quickly.

At that moment, Percy poked his little mouse head out of her pocket and looked up at her, as if to say no. She slowly closed the door, and returned to their corner.

Since she saw where they were, she knew where they were going. It looked like jumping on this train was actually taking her back the way she had come, which was no bueno. There had been a bit of trouble each time she left a place and having time in between was always best.

When the train started moving again, she got up and went back over to the odd little button on the wall. Percy looked at her and at that moment she thought she could hear him whisper in her head, " do it."

So she did.

The moment she pressed the button, it was if the train had lifted up off of the track it was on. She quickly removed her finger and it settled back down.

"What is this?" she said to Percy, who had no response.

She reached back up and this time held the button down. The train lifted up again and seemed to float for a bit before she felt it move a bit sideways.

Amazement overcame all thought she had in her head and when she finally released the button, the train slowly settled onto what seemed like a completely new track.

Persephone quickly went over to the door and risked sliding it open just a little bit, so maybe she could see what was what. And when she looked outside...surprise! The countryside looked very unfamiliar to her and she stood mesmerized as she watched foreign trees and hillsides roll past.

In the distance to the right where it looked like the tracks circled toward, was a city with tall buildings glittering in the sunlight.

The sunlight! That was the most different thing about the landscape she looked out upon. She was used to grey, cloudy weather that never did much else. She turned her face to it and basked in the warmth and light.

A voice cleared behind her. Startled, she turned to face it. There stood a man in a glowing gold suit and on the top of his head was a little hat with a silver plate which had the word 'Conductor' engraved on it.

"Hello Persephone, my name is Alphonso and I am your Conductor. If you will please follow me?"

"Excuse me sir, I do not have a ticket." She said as she started to walk behind him.

"You pressed the button. That is your ticket." He said.

He led her back to where she had been sitting and magically, there was a door. In fact, when she bothered to look around her, the whole inside of the car she was in had also changed!

The boxes had been replaced with travel cases of all sorts, mostly of beautiful leathers and many different colors and sizes. As she went by them, she saw a whole stack with her name on them. She was in awe.

"Sir, those cases have my name on them."

"Not to worry, young miss, when we arrive at the station, someone will be there to assist you with them."

She thought she must've fallen asleep and was having a very life-like, delightful dream. And as soon as the she thought the thought, Alphonso spoke.

"It is no dream, my dear. It is very real. You have ridden this train many, many times and yet THIS was the first time you SAW. We are all very happy for you. We see so many people who are down on their luck, who are barely surviving and who have no hope. When they jump on this train, we watch over them to make sure they make it to the next stop safely. YOU are the only one we ever sensed hope in. Not only hope, but a longing for better. This is not the first time we made the button appear while you were riding, this is the first time you were in the space to actually perceive it."

As he spoke they were going through doors and walking through cars with many comfortable looking seats covered in red velvet, paneled in mahogany, and had warm lights in sconces peppered throughout. There seemed to be some people sitting in some of the seats that were not wholly there, as if they were riding the train in another dimension.

She took in his words and was thinking about what had actually happened that evening she jumped on the train. About what had actually been going on in her brain.

They walked through another door and this one had a brass plate on in which read "First Class".

"Come, come. Time for you to go to your Suite, get cleaned up, eat some delicious food, and get some rest, for tomorrow we arrive. One of your cases is waiting for you. And of course, there will be cheese for Percy."

In a daze, Persephone followed Alphonso into her suite which was the most opulent thing she had ever experienced. (Opulent was a word she learned reading at the library and she loved how it felt to say and the meaning.)

He gave her a quick tour and left her and Percy alone.

There was a table already filled with covered dishes and plates with pitchers of water and what looked like juice. She went over to the room with the bed and opened the case that was sitting at the foot on a stand.

Inside she saw such beautiful clothes, with fabrics that were soft and colorful. Her eyes wide, she chose some things to wear and went into the bathing room to clean up.

After dressing, she sat down at the table, put Percy at one side and removed the covers and they ate the best meal she had eaten in her whole life so far!

When they were done, they went over to the bed, got all snuggled up in the blankets and pillows and slept the deepest of sleeps.

Persephone didn't even care if it was all gone when she woke up, that's how grateful she was to have had what she had so far.