The Runaway Train

A crisp autumn breeze sent a handful of bright yellow leaves swirling down to the busy Los Angeles street, and whipped up the scarf of a young woman who was hurrying down the sidewalk. She brushed it away with a sigh of annoyance made visible by the chill, and tugged her petticoat more tightly around. As she approached a rustic-looking cafe, glowing string lights and the smell of hot coffee beaconed her inside. She opened the door, accompanied by the welcoming chime of small bells and proceeded to place her order. Making her way toward the window view, she sat down heavily at one of the small metal tables with her hands wrapped around the warm paper cup.

To any onlooker it would have seemed like an ordinary day, but to Elena Belmont it was significant indeed. It was her twenty-first birthday, marking exactly three years since her best friend Shay had gone missing. The two had grown up together, and bonded over the fact that they'd both become orphaned at a young age. Elena was raised in a downtown loft by her older sister who had been a mere 20 years old at the time of their parents’ accident, whereas Shay was raised in a large group home with 7 other children, having been abandoned as an infant. Shay had turned to fantasy books as a sort of therapy, and would always joke that she wished one of the novelty centaur knights would reach through the pages and whisk her away.

Elena stared out the window, absent-mindedly tracing the owl shaped pendant around her neck. It held two bright yellow topaz gems for eyes, and was the only keepsake she had of her friend, aside from the memories that rose painfully to the surface of her mind on days like this one. Shay would swear up and down that owls were real protective guardians, sent to her as angels in times of duress. It was under this pretense that she had given Elena the pendant, leaving attached to it a note that read,

To my dearest friend; may you walk protected through this world and know that I am with you, even when I am not.

The memory of the note made her feel heavy with sadness as she recalled going excitedly to invite Susan to celebrate on her eighteenth birthday, only to find that a small box holding the pendant was all that remained in a room that had been left destitute. There had not been any other signs of where she could have gone, and the residents in charge of the house were of no help, responding only in a disgruntled tone that she was almost an adult and would probably not return. Elena could still hear Shay's chipper voice in her head, chattering excitedly about whatever new novel she'd gotten into that week. The image of her wide amber eyes shining bright with excitement through over sized glasses, and the way she would tug the ends of her bright orange curls every time she talked fervently about books sent a sting of sadness through Elena's heart. At the time, Elena would listen to her ramblings with a fond sort of tolerance but now, alone at the cafe, she thought about how she would do anything to sit and listen to her again. A tear slipped down her cheek, bringing her back to the present moment.

The sun had started to set behind the tall buildings, casting a warm glow over the city as the first twilight stars appeared in the sky. Elena stood up, tossed her empty cup in the trash and headed back out into the cold towards the train station. Her studio apartment was a 30 minute train ride outside the city, so she would use the time to catch up on podcasts or listen to music to avoid small talk with local transients. The wind grew colder as she hurried past endless bustling restaurants, aloud with Friday night dinner parties and bar crowds. She took a shortcut through a local quiet botanical garden and sat for a moment under a tree on a delicately carved bench, staring up at a twinkling blue star. She wiped away the tears that still streaked her face and whispered silently, holding her pendant. Wherever you are, Shay, know that I miss you. If I could wish for one thing on my birthday, it would be to see you again. She closed her eyes as they began to well up with tears, and took a deep breath. She released the pendant, feeling an unusual warmth as it landed back in its place.

Elena got up and walked the few remaining blocks to catch the last train. That night the train station was particularly empty, with only two other people waiting on the stone bench. However, what caught her attention wasn’t the desolation of the train station but rather the company present. One was an unusually tall gentleman in what appeared to be a purple silk trench coat with a matching top hat. He had a smooth, dark complexion and a waxy-looking mustache that curled dramatically at the ends, and wore a slight smirk on his thin lips underneath it. The other was a person of short and very plump stature who sat huddled beside him, and who was almost completely shrouded in an enormous black cloak, presenting only a shock of fuzzy black hair that framed the deployed hood. Intrigued, but still cautious, Elena kept her distance and tried not to stare as the train arrived. The queer duo stood, and as the tall man looked her way, Elena had to stifle a gasp. His eyes were like that of a goat, with a horizontal black line centered in a luminous pool of pale blue. He sent a fleeting smile and wink her way, then seemed to glide graciously onto the train. His companion, whose face was still concealed by the hood, followed suit in what could only be described as a waddle, however quickly.

Elena chose to believe they must be disguised for some kind of act or show in the city, pushed the lingering image from her mind, and chose a window seat sequestered far from the suspicious company. She tugged her scarf down from around her neck, folded it into a makeshift pillow, and leaned her face against the window.

******

Elena awoke with a jolt, looked up, and panicked. All around her, through the windows of the train car, she could see that the landscape had changed. It was no longer the chilly autumn night that it had been, and the city streets were no longer peppered with colorful leaves from deciduous trees. In fact, there appeared to be no streets at all. The train was moving steadily through mountainous terrain, blanketed in perfectly untouched and sparkling white snow. She looked around, only to find the same two passengers from the station, who were seated quietly on the opposite end of the train car as though nothing of note had happened. She inwardly chided herself for having fallen asleep on a train while she traveled alone. But there was no way she could have slept for long enough to have reached an entirely new landscape, she thought. Don’t trains have stops and make speaker announcements? For the first time, she realized that this train didn’t have any modern technology.

“Excuse me…sir,”Elena said haltingly, not able to mask her hesitance, “Do you know where we are, or how long it has been since we left downtown Los Angeles?”

The man looked up, and she could see his face more clearly. His skin seemed to shimmer and glow as he moved, which she assumed was from a stage makeup of sorts, even though its brilliance stirred an uneasiness within her. He responded to her question by leaning down to his companion and whispering something she couldn’t quite hear. The smaller of the two seemed to shake off the large cloak before a fuzzy head popped up beside the man and this time Elena yelped in surprise, for it wasn’t a person at all, but a very large, black goose that regarded her carefully with red eyes. She stumbled from her seat, desperately trying to convince her mind that this was a dream and that she could wake herself up at any moment. She was pinching her arm in an attempt to do so, when a bleating laughter snapped her attention back towards the strange man and what she could only guess was his pet. He seemed to be laughing at her, and with a voice that was deep and uncharacteristic of the laugh, addressed her panic.

“Why do you trouble yourself so, child? One does not encounter this vessel who did not request to be here.”

“Request?” Elena breathed, as disbelief colored her tone. “ I requested to be dropped off at the train station near my house, and I am not a child, I am a woman and my name is Elena. Is this some kind of trick, or a trap? What do you know about this?”she demanded. At that, and even further to her own disillusion, the goose began to speak in uneven emphasis.

“Perhaps you should ask yourself what might lead you into the mountains that brim the convergence of realms, daughter of man,” she said, not without a touch of arrogance.

“But I didn’t…I didn’t request to be here,” Elena sputtered, feeling the blood drain from her face after the goose spoke. “Who are you two, anyway? How is it possible that a goose can speak?” she added, immediately regretting her impulsive directness as the goat man’s bewitching eyes narrowed at her.

“You may call me Aris,” the man said decidedly after a moment of scrutiny. “I am here to protect your mortal life as you are guided through this journey. You have been determined to be pure of heart, and thus your wish to rediscover your comrade has been granted.” He removed his purple silk top hat to reveal two elegantly curved horns.

A goat, she thought. Not a costume… half man, and half goat. The air around her felt thin as Elena tried to wrap her head around that, as well as what Aris had said. “My…my comrade,” she whispered. “Shay? This endless train ride will lead me to her?” she asked as her breath quickened.

“Indeed,” the goose’s irregular tone cut into her slight hysteria, “and I am Metis, sent to guide you with wisdom toward what you seek.”

Elena thought she might pass out, when there was a sudden blast of sun like radiance that filled the train from the outside in. The car rocked violently, throwing Elena halfway down the aisle of seats where she landed neatly in the fold of a ginormous black wing. She shrieked and scrambled to clutch onto one of the seats, but the train had already stopped rocking and proceeded its smooth and swift course down the track. However, as she hauled herself up from the floor, she was shocked to see that the landscape outside had changed yet again. The sky was now a deep emerald color, with unruly clouds of hues she had never seen and could not begin to describe with words. There were fields of bright flowers that danced in the wind and for a moment, she thought she could see small faces with delighted expressions on them. She gaped, and pressed closer to the window in amazement. Behind her, she heard the goose vigorously shake out her feathers.

“This will be a long ride if she’s going to scream like that every ten minutes,” she huffed.

“So,” Elena said abruptly, “Let’s say I accept that this is happening right now, and I’m not going insane. How would I even find Shay? Does she… live here, somehow?”

Aris brayed his harsh, goat-like laugh. “I almost forgot how delightful the presence of humans can be. No, child, she resides in the land from which she was created. We must travel quite a distance to reach our destination.”

“Which is why we are here with you,” Metis interjected musically.

“Wait, but Shay was born in the same city I was,” she protested tersely, annoyed that he had continued to call her a child.

“Oh? And who told you that information?” Aris inquired smoothly.

“She told me herself! As a baby she was found in a basket right outside downtown, which means she had to have–” Elena stopped herself, and felt as though her heart was rising into her throat.

“Yes?” Aris drawled slowly in a goading tone.

“So she’s not from the same place…she’s not human, which means she won’t come back.” Tears threatened to fall again as her voice broke. “How do you know all this?” she demanded.

“I am a god, and have no obligation to explain myself to a mortal,” said Aris haughtily, “But I have chosen to lead you to her, and so I shall be true to that liability.”

“Can you at least tell me where we are? Or the way off this train so I can look for her?” she pleaded.

“This is the realm of the goddess Flora, where her beloved peoples live eternally in a state of bliss and comfort. And most certainly, you are not permitted to leave this train, as you have not been invited to this realm. You are simply passing through, and are fortunate that they are a race gracious enough to allow even that,” Aris’s tone was firm and informative. “But even so,” he continued, “We shall not be here for much longer.” As he spoke, the scenery changed from bright fields and skies to a dark and rocky cave. Elena rushed to grip one of the poles, preparing for another jolt to throw her off the seat. But there was only darkness, and no other sounds except the workings of the train itself. The moment of nothing seemed to stretch unbearably before any light returned.

Then suddenly, all throughout the train there were blue, glassy reflections of water which the train sped effortlessly through, leaving a neat trail of bubbles in its wake. Looking around, Elena could see a multitude of different fish, whales, and sea creatures that were unfamiliar to her. She also noticed colorful glowing orbs that surrounded beings who looked to resemble mermaids, but when one of them caught sight of her, its eyes filled with a predatory glint as it came near and its face stretched impossibly wide into a smile that displayed rows of razor sharp teeth.

“Do not fear, for you are protected by a potent force,” assured Metis, inclining her long neck toward Aris. Just then, the space around Aris began to shimmer with a bright red luminescence that almost looked like a heat wave. Elena watched it expand outward and encase the train, causing the creature that had begun to advance to hiss ferociously and depart with a sound that made her flinch.

“Th-thank you,” she said, feeling shaken. She was met with silence as the two others were focused on looking vigilantly out the windows. She drew her feet up onto her seat and hugged her knees to her chest, silently hoping for this part to end. As if on cue, they were engulfed by a massive gurgling sound and the underwater world vanished.

However, another deafening silence followed as the train began to travel through an empty field. There was absolutely nothing to be seen but an endless stretch of dry, yellow grass and a cloudless blue sky. Even the sounds of the train’s machinery sounded hushed.

“So, what’s this place?” she asked cautiously, breaking the stillness between them. That time, Aris did answer her.

“This is the in-between,” he said solemnly, though still alert. “It seems harmless but is in fact the most dangerous stretch of our journey. It is also the last hindrance before we reach our destination.”

“But what’s so dangerous about it if we can clearly see that absolutely nothing is here?” she insisted, making a sweeping gesture at the empty fields.

“Just that, young mortal,” Aris said as he quirked up one delicate brow, “Your assumption that something must be visible in order to pose a threat is naive and childlike, which would make you scornfully attainable prey to the watchful guardians of this realm. That is, if you didn’t have us to protect you,” he added hastily when he saw her pale.

At that moment, an unseen force with a very tangible brutality careened into them, and Elena’s vision blurred as her body was racked with a wave of piercing cold fear. She fell to the ground, ready to surrender as it felt to her like she was being sapped of all her courage. Metis’s voice seemed to float to her mind through the commotion. Be strong, it said.

“I can’t!” she responded aloud with all the force she could muster. Just like a nightmare, what she had tried to shout only eked out in a strained whisper. Somehow, though, she received a response in Metis’s goose-like tone. Your strength can only be taken if you allow it to. Focus on your greatest power, the force that brought you here.

Elena moaned helplessly and crumpled in on herself. She didn’t know her greatest power or what brought her there, what magical force was keeping her trapped on the runaway train or granting her passage across imperial thresholds. She would die here with these celestial animals, forever in search of her best friend because she did not know the rules of magic. That was when it dawned on her. She was there because of the person she adored most in the world. She was there because of love. As the realization formed, a gentle warmth spread across Elena’s chest where her pendant hung. She looked down to see its two gemstone eyes glowing with a remarkable shade of amber, and she gasped. The pressure surrounding her vanished, leaving her stunned as she looked up to see both Metis and Aris looking at her proudly.

“You’ve done it,” said Metis with gentle finality.

“Done what?” said Elena, still crouched on the floor of the train, her gaze focused over the pendant as though it might come to life.

“You’ve embraced your greatest power, young one,” said Aris. “Look up.”

She looked up and found that they were now surrounded by a delicate and beautiful grove, with peaceful animals grazing in orchards of abundant fruit trees. The train slowed and although it did not stop, Elena took notice of a large owl perched in a nearby tree that was peering into the window. She didn’t need to ponder before recognizing the curious amber eyes.

“You’re here!” she shouted blissfully, finally letting the tears flow freely down her face. Without hesitation, she thrust open a train window and the owl flew up and hopped gingerly inside, onto one of the seats. She hesitantly regarded Aris and Metis, who were still in their seats and reached a long, striped wing out toward Elena, who looked at her friend questioningly but did not move away. As the tip of the wing grazed her pendant, Elena watched as the owl became Shay herself. Seeing her familiar orange curls and over sized glasses flooded her with such relief that she hurled herself into her friend’s arms, crying and praising and reprimanding her for having gone off that way.

“What happened?” was all Elena could manage to say when she finally released Shay from the embrace.

“Well, the thing is,” Shay started nervously, shifting from foot to foot, “I never felt exactly human, and it turns out I was right. I knew I couldn’t find a place in that world. One night I wished on a star to find where I belonged, and I woke up…well, here. Like this,” she indicated her wings by lifting her arms. “And to be honest, I’ve never felt as happy and at home as I do in this place.”

“So that must have been how I got here too,” Elena said. “I wished on a star on my birthday, and I’ve missed you so much that there was nothing else I could ask for. I want to stay here and live in this little peaceful garden with you,” she said excitedly. “We can build a tree house and live out our days without a single worry…” her voice trailed off as Shay’s expression became crestfallen.

“You got here because of the love in your heart that led you to me,” Shay said wistfully, “But you’re still human, and you couldn’t survive here.” She reached out and pressed the owl pendant gently. “With this, though, I’ll know you are watched over and protected and you will never be alone. I love you Elena, and you will always be my best friend.” Her appearance began to waver and Elena shouted in protest. She rushed toward her and enveloped her in a tight hug that she never wanted to let go, cherishing the fleeting moments that remained as Shay returned to her owl form. She blinked her large eyes once, slowly and intently at her friend, hopped back out the window, and flew into the receding trees. Elena, suddenly exhausted, collapsed back onto the seat of the train that had never stopped, and let sleep overtake her racing thoughts.

*****

Elena woke up to the screeching halt of a train and bolted up out of her seat in alarm. Outside the window, she saw a sign with large block letters that read, ‘HIGHLAND PARK.’ She looked frantically around for Metis and Aris but the train car was empty. She knew she was home, and that the experience was probably just a dream, but she desperately wanted it to be true. Exhaling a long sigh, she turned to grab her purse and prepare for the rest of the journey home. As she slid her purse off the seat, something fluttered gracefully to the ground. Elena reached down and picked it up, hope filling her heart once more as she held in her hand the long, elegant feather of an owl.