Legends (Part 6 - The Train)

Danny, Maria and their guide Boris with his pet bear Toby boarded a train near the Drachmann border at around 8 in the evening, and now they were far away from the place where they boarded. Almost 24 hours had passed, but Othon was still approximately a 100 miles more. Everyone was sitting quietly, gazing the pitch black sky through the opening at the top of the door while the train was running on the tracks. Toby on the other hand, was in slumber. But then suddenly, the train started slowing down without blowing the horn. Gradually, the speed of the train reduced to zero and it stopped with a squeaking.

Out of curiosity, Boris stood up and looked through the opening at the top of the closed door.

"Why did the train stop?" Maria asked curiously.

Boris could see that the train had stopped in between some wilderness. In that pitch black night, he could only see the dark images of the big pine trees shaking due to the strong wind blowing outside. After listening to Maria's question, he replied, "I don't know. It has stopped at some forest."

Boris again peeked out to observe the situation. Soon one person emerged from the wilderness and got inside a wagon. After that, the train started moving again. Boris couldn't understand the situation on why a train would pick up a person from a forest. He turned around and informed everything to Maria and Danny about the weird event. Everyone was confused and trying to make theories on what could have happened.

While they were discussing among themselves, the train again started slowing down after 1 hour of the first stop. This time, all of them gazed through the opening and saw that the train had again stopped in between some wilderness. And this time also, a person came out of the wilderness and entered inside the wagon next to the wagon where the first person entered. The same incident happened again after some time when the train stopped at a forest and someone entered in a wagon next to the wagon where the previous person entered.

Boris and others understood the pattern that after a certain time interval, the train was stopping and somebody was getting inside a wagon next to the wagon where the previous person entered. After six hours since the first person who boarded the first wagon, the next person was supposed to enter the fifth wagon, and Boris and other were inside the sixth wagon. As expected, the train stopped at an isolated place and a big bulky man wearing shredded clothes entered inside the fifth wagon. And after that man boarded, the train again started moving.

"Something doesn't seem right. I think after some time, someone is going to enter this wagon," Boris shared his concern.

Maria and Danny gulped out of fear when they heard Boris because they were also expecting the same thing.

"Why is only a single person getting into each wagon?" Danny asked with a tensed face.

"I am as clueless as you are," Boris replied.

"I have a bad feeling…we should get out of this train before it stops the next time," Maria advised with a frightened face.

"I think you are right, even I have a bad feeling about this train," Boris said.

Danny's eyes widened upon listening to Boris' reply. Meanwhile, Boris explained the escape plan, "As the train is at full speed, you two shouldn't jump. Go to the roof of this wagon and walk to the last wagon, and when the train will stop next time, just get off this train."

Boris' plan was only for Maria and Danny, so Maria raised her eyebrows and asked, "What about you?"

Boris looked toward Toby, who was sleeping quietly and sighed. "I can't leave my friend," he said.

"You are staying with Toby?" Danny exclaimed.

Boris looked at Danny, and replied very calmly, "Yes."

"But, what if something happens to you?" Maria showed her concern.

"It was my plan to board this train, it was my plan to bring along Toby. So I should be the one to face the consequences. Also, it will be really bad if you two get caught," Boris explained.

"We thought the man General Armstrong believed in, would be smart," Maria smiled while teasing.

Meanwhile, Danny got out of the door and started climbing toward the roof. Maria also got near the door and began climbing.

"She has the tendency to trust stupid and broken people…do you know why?" Boris said while Maria was climbing.

Soon after listening to Boris' question, Maria stopped climbing and looked toward Boris, and asked, "Why?"

"Because they are loyal," Boris grinned

Maria was amazed the way he spoke about General Armstrong as if he knew her very well. She then continued climbing and reached the roof.

Maria and Danny then started walking on the roof toward the back of the train while Boris stayed in the wagon waiting for the mystery to uncover. And as expected, after some time the train started slowing down and stopped. Boris and Toby were sitting, and looking toward the opened door waiting for some mystery person to show up from the wilderness.

They waited for 10 minutes, but neither anyone came nor the train started. Boris decided to go out to have a look and Toby followed him. Both of them got off the train and stepped on the land covered in snow. Because of the absence of the moon, the snow covering the area and light snowflakes falling from the sky were unable to show their beauty. Boris and Toby walked further ahead, but due to the darkness, Boris was unable to see anything clearly. He was fully relying on Toby's night vision. Suddenly, the train started moving and no one came out of the wilderness to board the train, which Boris wasn't expecting. As the train was gone, Boris had no option but to proceed toward the forest in front of him with Toby.