Bullet Train to Keyka

I have to run fast. The next train will be next year.

This is it. I pick up my bag, tumbler, and some cookies. Oh! Phone. There we go, enough to survive the ride.

3:00 am, Keyka here I come.

Keyka is a place most children dream of. Things people strive for in our place are free in there. Who wouldn’t want it?

I step onto the bus and see all seats are taken. Most are children. Looks like there are no one over twenties in here.

A sign placed in the middle, “No Standing Policy”.

“You can sit here.” The old man said. He looked over fifty. He is wearing a cap and patched clothes. He points to a spot beside him, a sturdy small chair big enough for a kid to sit on.

“Come on now kid. Why hesitate? This is the best seat you can have.” He said smiling.

The driver. It’s not that I’m hesitating. I’m afraid, happy, and excited. One moment I’m here, the next I thought I have to leave, and here I am offered an emergency seat. How good the one in power is.

“Front seat! Thanks, Mister.”

“Buckle up kid.” He adjusts his cap preparing for my once-in-a-lifetime ride.

I’m nervous.

“So what’s your name kid?” He asked.

“Keisha. My mom gave it to me together with this necklace. She said a sweet name and a necklace are great for babies to welcome a good fate.” Mister keeps on throwing me questions. My nerves calmed down a bit.

“A loving mother, how lucky you are kid. So how’s life back there?” He didn’t look at me but something in the way he asks will make any child answer it with all earnest.

“ I’m just a child, Mister. We have a pretty simple one. I rarely see my father back there. He’s always working. He goes home once a month to rest and give Mom enough Mins (like “money”) to spend on daily living. He chose Sundays for his rest day. We spend the day outside our little house together with Mom, Luka, and Fim. My two naughty brothers. We have a year age gap. They are 10 and 11. I’m the youngest. We play hide and seek with Mom and Dad. Guess what? I always win by hiding on those trees Mom planted when she was a kid. I’ll tell you a secret Mister!”

He looked at me nod.

“There was a tiny hole in that big tree! I can see where they hide. Buzz! Haha. But they were happy even if I was the one who got to eat the cookies Father made during those Sundays. Mom was always at home. She takes care of us. She’s doing everything — cleaning, cooking, and laundry. Oh! I rarely see her sleeping. Maybe she waits until all of us are asleep before she goes to bed. At night, she makes rags that we can sell on weekends. On weekdays we go to school. Mom tries to teach us house chores and make small little things we can do to have fun. Some of those we can sell. Some we can keep.” Mom told me to not trust strangers. But I don’t know why I’m comfortable telling Mister what I feel now. Children trust easily, maybe. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s on others what they will do with the trust given.

“You seem happy back there.”

“Yes.”

“Then why leave?”

“Who wouldn’t? Everything is free where we’re going.”

“I didn’t. I worked for the Mins though.”

“But why?”

“Because I’m not willing to pay the price.”

“What price? Eh? It’s free.”

“There’s always a price Kid,”

I wonder why he didn’t take the ride. I’m too happy to dig the reason behind it.

“Okay, Kid. In ten minutes we’ll make a stop at Lein. You have to go and change clothes. Put all of your belongings in a box and change into a suit they have prepared for you.”

“Can I keep my necklace?”

“You can’t take anything that is previously yours Kid. That’s their rule.”

“But this is important to me.”

“Hmm, there is a train there that goes back every decade. It is 2030.”

“You mean I can go back?”

“Yes, if you want to.”

“But I want to go to Keyka.”

“I can only make you see the price but it’s still your choice Kid”

It is still our choice.

Are you willing to lose all those small moments for what you want?

Your choice Kid.