Month: July 2023

Part Two

Geoff felt himself rousing, the gentle rocking of the train summoning him back from sleep. He was content to doze for a while, listening to the rhythmic clunks of the wheels on the track. Gradually, slowly creeping into his conscience, he became aware of no other sounds around him. He sat upright in his seat.

He looked about an empty carriage. Whilst surprised to see no other passengers, he was especially alarmed by Susan’s absence. If she had gone to the toilet, she had been careful to take all her personal belongings with her. Perhaps a little overcautious, but understandable, considering he had been in such a deep sleep, he thought.

He noticed that it had become dark outside. It was difficult to see through the windows, with the bright lights of the carriage projecting the interior of the train.

Geoff remained seated for a little while, becoming increasingly anxious and a little annoyed that Susan hadn’t returned. Feeling he could wait no longer, he stood, his head bobbing from side to side like a curious owl as he began to sidle down the train. He peered into each vacant seat as it came into view. He reached the intersecting doors and hesitated as he looked through. Something wasn’t right. The next carriage appeared empty too.

Geoff decided to turn back and check the carriage behind. He remembered that it housed the nearest toilet and reasoned that Susan had most likely gone in that direction. As he approached, he could see that the toilet sign indicated it was vacant. He opened the toilet door as he passed, needing to be convinced that she wasn’t there.

He continued, determined to walk the entire train until he found her. Geoff gathered pace as he cleared each carriage. He paused only momentarily as he waited impatiently for each one to slide open. He soon arrived at the final coach, having seen no one. By the direction the train was heading, he assumed that the driver must be on the other side of a locked compartment. He was tempted to bang on the door but decided against it, believing the conductor must be at the other end of the train. He set off to find him.

Halfway down, noticing his luggage resting in the rack, Geoff realised he was back in Coach D. Seeing his suitcase sitting alone, he began to panic. If Susan is still on the train, where is her luggage? And why do I appear to be the only passenger? he thought.

Geoff picked up his suitcase and placed it on the floor. He extended the telescopic handle and towed the luggage behind him, heading off to search the remainder of the train.

Although trying to reign-in his emotions, he now found himself running down the aisles, desperate to find anyone who might answer his questions.

As the train flexed round a curve in the track, he thought he spotted a figure in one of the carriages ahead. Temporarily obscured by the bend in the train, the figure re-emerged as the carriages straightened. Geoff recognised the conductor’s uniform, and began to shout whilst still several coaches away, ‘Hey, you. Hey, come here.’

The conductor was walking towards him. As they approached one another, Geoff could see that the man was looking straight at him.

Geoff opened the final doors between them, venting his frustration immediately. ‘Can you possibly explain what the bloody hell is going on?’

The conductor raised his hands. ‘Ok, Geoff, try to remain calm.’

‘Excuse me,’ replied Geoff, taken aback. ‘Ok, Geoff? Since when were we on first-name terms?’

‘Oh,’ replied the conductor, ‘what would you prefer me to call you?’

‘Well, the last conductor was a bloody idiot, but at least he managed to call me, “sir”’.

‘Ok, sir. Please try to calm down.’

‘Hold on a minute,’ said Geoff. ‘How do you know my name? And where’s everyone else? Where’s my wife.’

‘There was an incident earlier. Everybody’s left the train,’ explained the conductor.

‘Everybody? And my wife?’

‘Yes, sir, and your wife.’

‘What about me?’ asked Geoff. ‘Why am I still here?’

‘I’m afraid you couldn’t. They did everything they could to try and wake you.’

‘Bollocks,’ said Geoff. ‘Susan wouldn’t leave me on the train just because she couldn’t wake me. I want to speak to somebody else, someone in charge. And you still haven’t told me how you know my name.’

‘Please try to remain calm, sir. I suggest you take a seat and try to get some rest.’

‘Why, so I can fall asleep again and you can rummage through my pockets? Is that how you know my name? Had a good look in my wallet, have you?’

Geoff produced his wallet from his trouser pocket and looked inside, quickly filing through his bank cards. Satisfied that nothing was missing, he shoved it back in his pocket. ‘I want to speak to somebody in charge,’ he repeated.

‘I’m the train manager, sir. I am in charge,’ replied the man.

‘Bollocks!’ snapped Geoff. ‘You’re just a conductor. Get me someone responsible.’

The conductor edged slowly towards him. ‘Please try to get some rest. We’ll be at our destination before you know it,’ he said, trying to shepherd Geoff into a seat.

Compliant for a moment, Geoff suddenly batted the conductor’s arms away. ‘Get away from me,’ he shouted, bursting past the startled man.

He ran as fast as he could down the remainder of the carriages, the conductor shouting behind him, ‘Geoff, Geoff, please stop. Please, you need to rest.’

Geoff reached the driver’s compartment at the head of the train. He hammered loudly on the locked door. ‘Hey, let me in, let me in,’ he shouted.

The conductor approached, slowing down as he reached the end of the carriage. ‘Come on, Geoff,’ he bargained, ‘let’s go and sit down and have a little chat about this.’

Geoff continued to bang on the driver’s door, his fists clenched in anger. ‘Hey, let me in, let me in,’ he raged.

The conductor continued in his attempt to appease Geoff, adding softly, ‘Come on, mate, let’s talk about this, eh?’ He reached out an arm, momentarily resting his hand on Geoff’s shoulder.

Geoff immediately swung around, aiming a fist at the man. He landed a blow in the conductor’s face. Geoff was shocked. Susan would be mortified, he thought.

Geoff watched the conductor steady himself.

Thinking of his wife and the combination of his violent outburst overwhelmed Geoff, and he started to cry. ‘Stay back,’ he pleaded. He held his head back theatrically, eyes open wide, the overemphasis of a silent movie star. His wild gaze rested upon the mechanism by his shoulder. With the dramatized moves of a hammy actor, he slowly raised a hand across his chest, glancing from hand to conductor, hand to conductor, back and forth until his fingers reached the edge of the plastic flap covering the emergency brake.

The conductor spoke calmly. ‘That really wouldn’t be a good idea. We don’t want the train stopping. Not here.’

Geoff didn’t answer, his fingers now lifting the plastic guard.

The standoff held against the sound of the wheels on the track below, and the gentle rocking of the train.

The conductor pounced. He grabbed Geoff, wrestling him away from the brake. He tried wrapping his arms around him and keeping hold, but Geoff broke free, careering off down the carriage. The conductor steadied himself before taking pursuit, but the gap between them was too great. As Geoff reached the end of the compartment, he made straight for the next available exit.

‘NO!’ boomed the conductor as he was thrown to the floor under the squeal of brakes. For a moment he couldn’t move; the force of the train pinning him down. He found himself lying amongst seats, joined by rolling coffee cups and drink bottles. Liquid residue smelling of caffeine and syrup slopped around him. He was able to clamber onto his knees, encouraged by the desire to avoid a further soaking. Once seated, he tried to gather his composure. He was winded and he ached. He wasn’t sure if he had been badly injured, though that wasn’t his main concern. What he feared most was the danger awaiting a stationary train.

The conductor rose from the seat. He steadied himself, hands on the table, stretching his back as he stood in the aisle.

A voice shouted from further up the train. ‘What the hell is going on? What’s the emergency? Do you know where we are?’ The driver was running towards him, clearly panicked.

‘Another one. Another one’s freaked out,’ replied the conductor, rubbing the back of his neck.

‘Again? You know what happened last time. Well, where is he?’ asked the driver.

‘I think he got off,’ said the conductor.

‘You think? For God’s sake, Clive. Go and find him.’ The driver turned and made his way back towards his cab. He shouted over his shoulder as he continued to run. ‘Five minutes, Clive. Just five minutes and we’re out of here. You hear?’

‘Yeah, yeah,’ said Clive. Then raising his voice, he shouted after the driver, ‘Make it three minutes!’

Clive reached the exit where Geoff had alighted. The door was wide open and there was no sign of him. The darkness outside was total.

© 2023