The family train

"Ughh…" I groaned as I woke up from the most comfortable sleep I've had in transportation. "Seems like I will be using the train from now on", I thought. I moved the juice glass, safety brochure and what seemed to be a hundred napkins on the table to look for my phone. As I looked for it, I noticed the train moved a bit faster than normal but nothing outrageous. The unfamiliar scenery outside piqued my curiosity as I saw a new red bait shop amongst the rural atmosphere of farmers. The shop had a small but noticeable sign saying, "don't be caught up in the mix". "Ha…not a bad pun", I thought. 

I looked around the train's surprisingly beautiful and spacious economy car admiring the state of it. The gray and cream interiors had an air of sophistication with black outlines. I continued looking around in search of others, as much as I appreciated the shared seat for four, I wanted to see how many people were left for Toronto. In searching for my phone, I started worrying especially after seeing only a few heads on board. 

"She said she was going too…her son had a toy train and his sister had a Nintendo Switch…where are they?", I thought trying to understand the reduced number of people. I finally saw a conductor behind me making his way to the next car. "Excuse me?", I called out before he could leave and he turned around looking for where the call came from. He seemed confused so I got up to meet him. I try walking but my legs like me were asleep. 

Befuddled, he asks if I needed anything and I ask if he saw a phone with "a mirror phone case with hearts on it". His eyes clinch and he suggests I must have forgotten "the phone collection bin during the earlier Canada day surprise performance". "I don't remember too much of that… hmm…I do see a few flags", I thought before laughing it off and asking for the bin. He brought out the black rectangular bin with a few more phones that looked the same in black protective cases. As I searched, my emotions spiked and depleted after two more bins. I lost hope and was about to leave before bright colours beneath the trolley caught my eye. I moved towards it on the floor behind him and my phone was revealed. "Wow, how did we miss that one", he said and I replied, "That's alright…Dan".

"Oh, by the way, I don't remember if I've eaten yet but is there anything to eat?", I asked and he replied, "Not yet, forty minutes more". I endured my hunger as I returned to my seat. As I was going, I saw a purple satin scarf my Aunt owns and remembered, I didn't board this train myself. I moved closer to it and the chair it hung from but was notified we have to seat back now. 

"What time is it anyway? I should have gotten there by now. It's just a 5-hour trip." I thought before realizing I left without my mask on. I found my reusable mask a bit wrinkled on the chair. I returned to the matter of finding my aunt or at least asking her if she came on the train with me and finding out what my arrival time would be. I checked my phone's wallet for the boarding pass information but it wasn't there. I checked my email to check the details and just as I thought, it shows I got the ticket on the 13th of July to travel and arrive on the 15th of July 2021. "But it shows only one ticket and I remember getting two…", I thought trying to remember the booking process. I check again to clarify and see this is a wrong boarding pass actually for 2019, not 2021. I remember getting them and I got one for her because she was supposed to be my guardian for this trip as well as a co-organizer for my birthday with Chelsea. "Chelsea!" I screamed internally remembering we planned Sav and Chelsea's 18th together and realized she would be upset I haven't said anything since.

"Hopefully our friendship can survive her anger", I thought. I look for her contact to call but the contact has no number. "That is odd", I thought. I searched through our messages but nothing and I was logged out of my social media accounts. "Alright, I'm getting extremely concerned", I thought. I decided to look through pictures to calm down and await my reunion with everyone but there were no pictures. As I looked up and around, I see the scenery outside and we pass the same red bait shop with the sign now saying, "don't be caught ". I am terrified trying to play calm as I turn around and see Dan on his way to serve food but I wondered why everyone was still sleeping. 

I wait trying to remember anything about the train, my aunt and the booking. I look at my phone turning it as I think, remembering I had a black backpack as well which my aunt held for me but my thoughts are interrupted as I see a camera above me. It is disguised as a bulb within a shade and I realize something really terrible must be happening. I start questioning everything and hear, "Sandwich or muffin". I am snapped back to reality by Dan asking what i will eat. I say a muffin and take the banana one. He gives me a bottle of water and a glass of grape juice which I question before he states everything is complimentary as everyone is asleep. 

Suddenly, I remember a glass of grape juice I took earlier but that felt like a while ago, actually a long time ago. Before he leaves, I ask if he saw any lady who tied her hair in a purple scarf or any scarf at all. He is silent for a moment and the train starts moving faster. I am confused and ask why the train is moving so fast, he replies "we're moving normally but have to get there soon". I see a restroom and ask if I could use it which he allowed. As I head toward the bathroom, I see a reflection almost of my older brother's outline behind a tinted wall but continue heading to the bathroom. I check my phone for the time and it's showing the same 3:49 pm, it showed earlier. My departure was 2:40 pm and I've been on board for what seemed like hours. "Something is wrong… everything is wrong… I'm going to die…is this an operation?…what is happening…where is Aunt Gina?…this train is not stopping…how do I save us…this can't be happening!", I thought frantically. 

"Oh, but it is"

"Who said that?"

"Oh, don't pretend…"

Photo by Antoine Boissonot on Unsplash