Runaway Redemption

There is no escaping demons if those demons reside within your mind. Or, perhaps you know deep down inside that you are the demon. How would you ever know, unless you decided to go and find the world’s demons yourself? Maybe there is a place out there where the demonic beings have not laid their snares and plied their trade?

That is the very last thought I remember ever having. Whoever it is I am, that is. I sat up, feeling groggy and shaken up, but was unsure as to why I felt this way. I was lying on my back insde of a train moving much too fast.

The train was certainly moving very fast, without any indication that we were coming to the end of this strange trip any time soon.

I decided to put on the shoes which I assumed were my own and try to figure out who I was. Perhaps the train conductor would know who I was. I must have a ticket someplace. Or, at least some luggage or other indication of who I was.

The train was an old model, it seemed to me. I have very little knowledge of locomotives, but I could at least tell that this particular train was not in stellar condition. There were small burning lamps along the cherry wood walls with small windows peering out into the starry night spaced several feet between each other.

Everything was silent save for the consistent rumble of the tracks and the engine. There was no sign of people or animals anywhere. Nor did I see any luggage or indication of who I was. I blinked, realizing there was a pain in my head similar to a headache. I groaned and leaned over to glance out the small window to try and figure out just where I was.

“Your tea awaits, my lord,” a British voice said from behind me. I suddenly wondered if I was British, and what exactly being British was? I knew the accent was British, but I had no idea what the name meant. Maybe that was my name?

“I am British!” I suddenly declared, pulling my face away from the window before I could see anything clearly and tuned to the voice behind me. I was shocked by what I saw standing before me.

It was a man, I believe, with green skin, black hair, pale blue eyes, with linen clothes on. He seemed a bit shocked at my outburst but simply nodded.

“I see, sir,” he said. “I am not British.”

“Oh, I see,” I said with a sigh of relief. “So, I am British, and you are not British. These are our names, then?”

“I suppose, sir,” the other man nodded. “I have had many names over the centuries, so you may call me whatever you wish. But, in this world we now find ourselves in, I am the conductor, “Not British.” You are the passenger, “British.” Now that we know our stations in life, perhaps you can tell me where you put it?”

“I do not know,” I admitted feeling a little embarrassed.

How could I lose something so valuable? I can’t remember what I lost, but I know it was valuable!

“That is too bad, sir,” he said, his blue eyes growing greyer. “We really need that for our world. Everything has become very hot and humid ever since it was lost. It’s been millions of years since we lost it, and I arranged for this ride so you could put it back for us.”

“I honestly do not know where I left it,” I lamented. “But, I think it might be with my luggage. Do you know where my luggage might be?”

“Oh, it is in the tunnel cart,” Not British told me, his eyes growing brighter at my words. “This is such a great thing! Our world will finally be put back together, and we may depart from your planet after spending centuries with you people.”

“I hope we were good hosts for you,” I answered with a smile as I followed him through the train carts.

“You certainly were,” he told me. “We watched you crawl down from the tree tops to the ground. We showed you how to build homes, hunt food, and write spells. But, some of my kind became too haughty. You people started to worship my people as gods. They liked it far too much, which is why I must return our world to order so we can go home and leave you creatures at peace.”

“I had no idea,” I admitted. “Well, I am happy I found it so we can put it back.”

Not British smiled, bowed, and opened the last train cart door. To my astonishment, there was something strange about this train cart. There was no floor, no cubbies, and nothing that even resembled a train cart. Rather there was a cobblestone street, a stormy gray sky, and a tall clock tower. I turned back to Not British, but he nodded, encouraging me to continue.

Unwilling to disappoint Not British, I stepped off the cart and into this new world. This world appeared strangely familiar. The rainy skies and gray colors made me think of home. Unsure of what “home” was, I decided that this strange, gray land was the closest thing to home I ever knew.

There were many thatch and brick buildings lining the roadways, but none of these buildings attracted me. Rather, the tall, stately building poking out from the center of the village drew me close. Something about this clock tower made me think there was something important lying within its walls. So, I decided to search for the object there.

The tower had a small door at the bottom, welcoming visitors to walk up the winding staircase. I caught sight of the Moon shimmering brightly in all her glory before I made my way up the stairway. I nodded to it and started my ascent.

However, as I ascended higher and higher, I noticed the staircase changed. First, there was no sign of there being an end to this strange journey. Second, there was a foul odor permeating from the top of the stairs, as if something living had died in this cavity. Last, I started to hear something growling the higher I went.

At last, I realized the tower was no longer a tower. Rather, it was a serpent and I was inside of the serpent. The serpent was trying to regurgitate me and vomiting me out of its system. I knew I could not stop, though.

“I am British!” I shouted at the serpent. “You can’t stop me from completing my journey.”

“The British have taken my lands away from me!” The Serpent growled. “I am Apophis, Lord of the Sands of the Desert. I won’t allow you to send me back to that fiery hellscape you call Venus!”

“You are Apophis?” I asked in shock as memories began to sink back into my mind. I suddenly remembered that my name was not “British.” My name was “Earnest Alfred Wallis Budge.” I am an Egyptologist, but I’ve been dead for over a century. Who sent me back here?

“I am Apophis and you have ravished my homeland!” Apophis screamed at me. “I know what Osiris has planned! He wishes for the gods of Egypt to depart and return to Venus and return our homeland to her former glory. But, he needs Neith before he can do that! So, I have consumed Neith so the Moon of Venus can never return.”

Suddenly the scene of the past few days came back to me. I remembered sitting at my desk, writing my latest book when a strange man appeared to me. He was green-skinned and wearing a mummy wrap of Egypt. He told me the British Museum had an object he needed. A silver disk known as Neith.

“Are you the ghost of Osiris?” I asked, alarmed.

“No, sir,” he answered. “You are dead.”

I gulped and struggled to understand. Before I had a chance to, the wrapped figure continued to press me to return the silver disk.

“I do not have this object anymore,” I admitted to the man. “I donated it, and I do not know what it was used for.”

“It is Neith,” the man told me. “The lost Moon of Venus, my homeland. It is time for the gods to return home so that humanity can thrive on their own. Please, return this to me before Apophis consumes it.”

Then, everything went black. I awoke in the train cart with no memory of what occurred. My life’s work has always been controversial, and I wanted to have a chance to redeem myself. Returning this silver jewel to the gods of Egypt would let my soul rest peacefully at long last.

I let out a loud roar and ran to the back of the Serpent’s stomach. Apophis growled angrily, but was unable to stop me. Just as my heart was about to burst I laid my hands on the shimmering, stunning lunar disk. Everything became very bright and hot as Apophis burst into flames and shriveled and died.

I opened my eyes. I was back on the train once again. I looked around and spotted Osiris (the man I called “Not British” previously”) with a lovely woman standing beside him. I recognized her as the Great Mother Goddess, Isis. I bowed to them and handed them the jewel.

“My lord and lady,” I said, holding the gemstone out to them. “Here she is, Neith. The lost moon of Venus. May she restore you home to its former glory. Thank you for coming to humanity. I hope we will make you proud.”

“There is no need to make us proud,” Isis said in a gentle tone as she lifted the jewel from my hands. “You must make yourselves proud. You have come a long way in correcting the theft you committed to Egypt. I hope your people honor this legacy and the world can thrive in honor together.”

“I ask your pardon,” I begged, lifting my eyes for mercy. “I only did what I did to save the treasures of Egypt. I never planned for England to keep this treasure.”

“You do not need my pardon,” she said with a smile. “We know your heart was in the right place, even though your kingdom acted unfairly. We only hope your people will correct this error. Now Venus can resume her glorious place in the heavens beside her sister, Earth.”

I sat again on my bed in my train cart as Isis and Osiris vanished to the surface of Venus. I gazed out my window and saw Venus and Earth orbiting in space with their glorious Moons. I knew one day Venus will be alive and green once again. I could only pray that Earth would remain her beautiful, green self as well.

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I really hope you enjoyed this entry to the Runaway Train challenge. It took me a very long time to put it all together, but I hope it came together well for you. I first conceived of this story when I dreamed about the late E.A. Wallis Budge came to me in a dream. He had a remorseful look on his face as he held his leather hat to his chest.

Ever the controversial figure, E.A. Wallis Budge dedicated his life to exploring and understanding ancient Egypt. He was a childhood hero of mine, and I studied his works on Egyptian Hieroglyphics to help me learn how to read them for myself. However, as I grew older, I came to better understand the controversy surrounding what he and the British, Islamic, and French empires did to Egypt.

Deep down, I knew he did what he did to preserve Egyptian history. But, this doesn’t make the occurrences correct. This is why he visited me, hoping for a chance to redeem himself. So, I started this difficult story.

I also wanted to give a shout out to the controversial legend of Neith, the lost Moon of Venus. According to scientists of the time, such as the great Cassini, this mysterious object was spotted orbiting Venus in the 1600 and 1700 hundred. After the 1780s, though, it vanished. Never to be seen again. Hypothetically, if Venus had a Moon, her surface would be much more hospitable for life.

Here are links to several sources:

https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/neith/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neith_(hypothetical_moon)#:~:text=Neith%20is%20a%20hypothetical%20natural,this%20moon%20was%20in%201650.

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Wallis_Budge

Especially, please watch this amazing video on YouTube! This YouTuber gets very little recognition for all the effort and work he puts into his creations!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJPUqpROPCc&list=PL2d9m95LG0iIerPuipFgNFgH5_XqnCAmK&index=7