Chapter two: My Train of Thought

Chapter two: My Train of Thought



I continued following the tracks for some time, not seeing anything new and I began to once again grow bored. What if I was never to escape from this field? What if I’m to just keep walking this endless track forever?

I sighed and sat down on the rail to rest my legs. I rested my chin on my hands and began to think. I then remembered something I dreamt a couple nights before, well, I tried to remember. Then it hit me, I had dreamt this all before, well, something like it. I remember that I was walking down a dirt path through a field, much like this one. Then a ways down the path I saw someone. But now I can’t remember who it was, I scratched my head trying to remember. The dream seemed so faint. All I can remember was a silhouette of someone ahead of me on the path. It…it was someone I knew…a girl, I think.

I groaned, why I can’t remember! I ran through the list of girls I knew, Jordan was first on mind, then J.J. But I wasn’t sure if it was either of them, though I was pretty sure. My head started to hurt and I gave up. But the thought of Jordan and J.J. still lingered in my head. I abandoned all thoughts when I felt the railing I was sitting on vibrate. I jumped up, surprised, and in the distance I saw a pillar of smoke rising. The shaking grew, sending small rocks flying every which way, and the smoke grew. It was coming from a large black mass which was steadily growing as it drew closer. It was a train, a huge steam train. The puffs of smoke looked like clouds as they climbed into the air, the clattering of the wheels could be easily heard. The horn sounded and I covered my ears, it was a loud horn, even for that of a train. It stopped right where I was sitting moments ago and steam hissed out of various crack on the side of it. I looked up at it, it was much bigger than any train I had ever seen and was painted a brilliant gold color, With the initials T.O.T painted in dark green letters. Behind it car dragged on over the horizon from which it came for miles. Up by the window of the engine a door opened and a rope ladder fell to meet my eyes. I took it as an invitation and began to climb.

The door was a good ten feet off the ground and I was not too fond of heights, so I resisted the temptation to look down and continued climbing. I was almost at the door when a hand shot out in front of me, the fingers spread and inviting. I grabbed it and I felt myself being pulled up. I was clumsy crawling into the compartment, but once I regained my composure I turned to look at who had saved me.

He was a short man, though still very skinny. He wore blue corduroys and a white button up shirt. Atop his head sat a train conductor’s hat, some curly blonde hair poked out from the sides and he had a neatly trimmed mustache, which was as blonde colored as his hair. His blue eyes bore into me and I felt insecure, as though he were trying to invade my mind.

“Er…hi,” I stammered, it felt weird talking, not have doing so for a long time.

The man stared at me for a while before saying, “Hello…Alex.”

“But..uh, how do you know my name?” He just stared at me, and then smiled.

“But of course, where are my manners,” he remove his hat so his curly blonde hair stuck out in every which way, “my name is Thomas O. Track, conductor of the T.O.T.” he put his hand out and I took it.

“Uh…I’m Alex, but you already seem to know that, how?” I was beginning to get confused and suspicious.

“There will be plenty of time for explanations later, but you are famished.” He let go of my hand and walk over to a table, “come, get something to eat and drink.” He sat down and beckoned me over.

I then remembered how hungry I was; eager to eat I sat down opposite him and looked around. It was a large room; on one side was a door, the one I had entered, on the wall next to it was another door, and the wall behind me was covered completely in hundreds of knobs, switches and levers. Dials and buttons flashed and whirred, some moving by themselves. I turned back to look at Thomas, he had not taken his eyes of me and I opened my mouth to say something. He raised a finger to silence me and said calmly.

“You are very hungry, are you not? And thirsty?” I nodded, “You are also very tired, but of course you would be after all of that walking.”

Now I was confused, how did he know all that? “How…how did…”

He cut me off, “I’ll explain later, come, I’ll show you a place to rest, and I’ll get you something to eat.” He rose and walked through the door I had not yet been through, “Come on then.” He called after me.

I got up, still dumbfounded and walked through the door. On the other side was a small compartment, windows on two sides and a bed. In the corner was a small desk with paper piled on it.

He told me to sit on the bed and I obeyed, he walk back through the door and returned moments later with a tray full of food. He handed it to me, on it was a bowl of hot soup, a sandwich, and a glass of water.

“If you need more come and get me, I’ll just be in there,” he pointed to the door, “I’d better get this train going again, you just stay here and rest.” He left the room closing the door behind him.

I looked down at the tray and began to eat. It feels so good when your hungry and you take that first bite of a meal. As I continued eating the sandwich, which turned out to be my favorite kind, ham and mustard, the train started moving again. It didn’t jerk at all, but started off very smoothly and stayed that way. I continued eating and soon the tray was empty except for the bowl and the glass. I set it aside, not wanting to disturb Thomas, and I looked out the window, which the bed laid right by.

The green hills rolled past as the train gained speed. Like waves in an ocean they seemed to rise and fall, never stopping. I yawned and realized how tired I was. I felt my eyes grow heavy and soon I found myself drifting into a deep sleep.

When I woke up the light outside was growing dim, the field was now bathed in twilight. In the sky those three stars were visible and shining brightly, I smiled. Still feeling a little drowsy, I didn’t feel like getting out of bed, so I simply sat there looking out of the window. The sky grew darker and more stars became visible, the same ones I had created the night before. I heard a noise and turned around. There was Thomas, standing at the doorway smiling.

“So, you’re finally awake,” he stated, striding over to the bed, “I was getting a little worried. I came in here earlier to talk, but you were fast asleep, can’t blame you though, I’d have been tired too, if I had been walking all day.”

There he went again, knowing exactly what I had done, even though he had been no where around me. “How do you know all of this?” I asked casually, not trying to sound suspicious.

“Relax,” he smiled even more, “I’m not spying on you or anything like that.”

“Than how did you know all those things about me?”

He ignored my question, and instead asked one of his own. “So, what are you going to do about Jennifer?” He stared at me.

Now I was getting irritated, “You didn’t answer my question. Tell me who you are.”

“I believe I’ve already told you that, my name is Thomas O. Track, conductor of the T.O.T.”

“Yes, I know, you have already…wait T.O.T…what does that stand for?”

“Why, don’t you know? T.O.T stands for Train Of Thought, which we are in right now.” He waved his arm.

“To…Train Of Thought?” I was really confused now.

“That’s right; I’m your Train Of Thought. I know everything you ever thought about. That’s how I know your name, Alex, and how I knew about Jennifer, or J.J. as you call her, and about how you had been walking in that field. I also know that you are thinking that I’m a crazy wing-nut right now.”

I turned red, indeed that is more or less what I was thinking at that very moment. “So, you’re my Train Of Thought?”

“Yep, So what are you going to do about J.J.?”

“I don’t know, there are so many things going on in my head right now.”

“I know,” he smiled, “I know.”



Thomas and I talk for a long while; I sat there explaining everything that had happened. He sat there and listened, though he already knew all of it, as though this information was new.

After a long time he said, “It sounds like to me you need to make a decision. But it is a tough decision, I understand that. I’m sure, though, that in time you’ll make the right choice. Now, you still look tired; try to get some more sleep in before I drop you off.”

“Drop me off? Where?” I looked quizzically at him.

“I’ll explain later.” He stood up and walked back out the door.

I sighed, and lied back down; so many things were drifting through my head. What Thomas had said earlier only seemed to complicate things. I started thinking of my friends, and of Jordan, and eventually, Jennifer. But I grew tired and eventually I lost my train of thought, and drifted back into sleep.