Dance on the Tracks

Dance on the Tracks

Written by: David Cseh
Translation: Anna Berczi, David Cseh

         Three young men stood motionless in the evening twilight and watched the shrieking train depart. A quiet breeze was blowing, the scent of the wide fields surrounded them, and the railway tracks and the embankment on which they lay stood out from the plain like an angry man's vein. Before the young men the tracks disappeared into the endless distance, behind them, dull hills hid them from their eager eyes.

         It was difficult to notice the trains here, which meant a danger, since they appeared suddenly from behind the mountains. The boys knew this, so they hurried. The next one could have been coming any minute, so they quickly stood between the tracks.

         Their leader, a tall, thin boy with straw-colored hair stepped onto one of the tracks and looked down at the others.

         "Well, come on then! Chickens!"

         One of his companions, a short, plump boy drew himself up and stood on another track. The third boy, who was also thin and a few inches shorter than the leader did not move. The plump boy spoke.

         "There, Aaron, we're here. What’ve we gotta do?"

         Without a word, the leader moved forward on the thin track, slowly, placing one foot in front of the other as he inched forward. The others watched quietly. He stopped, then with a quick move, spun around and stared them in the eyes. He did not fall down.

         "Do what I just did!"

         The fat boy started forward anxiously. He moved with much greater difficulty, leaning either left or right, but he managed to cover the distance. He spun around. Neither of his feet found the track again; he landed with a painful squeal on the crackling pebbles. The others did not see his scarlet face.

         Aaron, the leader laughed.

         "Not too bad, Pete! You may try again in a moment, but until then…" he fixed his gaze on the third boy "let Attila try!"

         The thin boy shook his head slowly.

         "I won't…won't do it."

         Aaron glared at him as Pete got to his feet with great difficulty. The leader's tone was irritated, foreboding.

         "What do you mean you won't? You don't want to join the Society?

         Attila sighed and looked back and forth along the tracks.

         "I do, but not this way…Isn't there another way to enter?"

         Aaron spat, jumped up and spun around twice on the track. Like an experienced dancer, he never faltered. He towered self-confidently over Attila and Pete, as though the track were his dance floor.

         "No! And if you don't set to it right now, maybe you can't join at all!"

         Attila felt his throat tighten. To join the Society was a great honor, he could get a permanent seat among the Members, and he would be protected from the non-members, the older students…

         He nodded.

         "All right, I'll try."

         Aaron nodded approvingly; Attila stepped onto the track. He took a deep breath and started. He covered the distance quickly; he didn't sway. He spun around. Aaron thought he was going to fall off, but the boy managed to stay on and even get back to where he started. Pete clapped him cheerfully on the back.

         "Attila, you did it! I hope I can do it the second time…"

         Aaron cleared his throat; both of them looked at him.

         "All right, you've done it. Pete, try again."

         The fat boy tried again. This time he found the track after the spin, and laughed with joy. He, too, needed the protection of the Society, the strength…

         Aaron said:

         "Pete, I’ve accepted you into the Society."

         The plump boy cried out joyfully, but Attila drew himself up and glared at their leader.

         "But I've done what you asked too!"

         Aaron looked at him coldly.

         "You did not obey right away, so you're getting an extra task. Don't worry, I think you'll get in, think of this as your first little lesson in the Society."

         The scream of a train sounded from behind the hills. All three of them turned in alarm. The sun had almost entirely disappeared behind the western hills; all they saw was that a smoking, screaming shadow was nearing. Pete backed away from the tracks and Attila took a few uncertain steps as well. Aaron, however, remained standing stiff as before. He spoke.

         "If you leave, Attila, I won't let you join. Hear the official penalty task of the Society!"

         He reached into the pocket of his pants and drew out a silver coin. He tossed it into the air and caught it without falling off the track.

         "We'll see, how brave you are."

         He bent down and placed the coin on the gleaming steel. He gracefully leaped down from his dance floor, stood beside Pete, a safe distance away along the bed.

         "Pick the coin up a few moments before the train comes."

         Attila felt his stomach lurch. He glanced at the nearing train, then at Aaron. The leader smiled.

         "And, of course, you start from here. That way it's a little harder."

         The short, thin boy was next to Aaron in a few slow steps and watched the coming train, stepping from one foot to the other. Pete whispered in horror:

         "Attila, don't do it! It's not worth it…"

         His friend answered irritably.

         "Pete, you're already in! Stay quiet, don't worry…I'll manage somehow…"

         Aaron watched Attila thoughtfully; not knowing when to interrupt. This task was a test of courage. No one had done it for a long time, maybe a few of the Elders… Attila stared intently at the train. It was only about two hundred meters away and coming very fast. The boy was afraid, but he had to do it, so he tensed his muscles and waited, ready for the jump. Aaron watched with admiration.

         The train was less than a hundred meters away when Aaron spoke.

         "Stop, Attila, you don't have to do it…"

         But the boy didn't hear, he watched only the train. He leaped forward.

         Pete cried out, Aaron stepped back in disbelief. The train ran shrieking in front of them; its racket was so great, that both of them clapped their hands on their ears. It thundered; growled, sending it's stinky black breath into the night air.

         Once it was gone, the two boys looked anxiously down onto the tracks. Attila was nowhere to be seen. Pete sat down in shock and buried his face in his shirt; Aaron stepped forward to look for the coin.

         He found it; it lay there as though it hadn't been touched. Aaron's voice was shaking.

         "I can't believe it…It took him, the train took him…"

         His hands were shaking; he was pale as he stared at the tracks. Then his eyes lit up.

         "Hold on…" he narrowed his eyes "This isn't the track I put the coin on!"

         "You're right."

         Aaron glanced up. Attila emerged from the bushes growing on the other side of the tracks. He was smiling. Pete sprang up and hurried to his friend with a smile on his face.

         "Attila, you're all right! Oh boy, I was scared!"

         Their leader smiled and glanced at Attila with admiration.

         "I don't often meet one who can do that…You're in, the Elders will hear about this…"

         Attila smiled.

         "Thank you."

         Aaron looked down on the tracks again, then up at the train. It had long since vanished in the darkness. He never thought he would pass the test…Maybe he will have an important role in the Society yet?

         "Do you know what this penalty is called?"

         The new Member shook his head.

         "It was made by one of the founding Elders who was a dancer. This is the Dance on the Tracks."