Runaway Train

Act II - Scene 2

What was all this? More importantly, how in the world were these kids even here?

No one had any answers to these questions, among the many others making their minds squirm around. The four companions just stood where they were, slack-jawed. Johnny was still just processing what he was seeing; it all seemed so out of place, and yet so natural. After all, the train was pretty classy; normally a banquet or tea party wouldn't seem unusual somewhere like this. But after the mess they'd just been through? It was snow in summer, the sun at midnight. Even though they were the adults here, they were the ones struck dumb!

A long moment passed when finally the one who had first spoken cocked her head. "Hello?" she said again. "Oh, names! Goodness, where are my manners? My name is Anne Sommer, and this is my friend Salem!" —she pointed across the table at the older child, who waved back excitedly— "What are yours? And why are you carrying that man?" She then gasped and beamed with joy at an idea she seemed to get. "Oh, is he dead?"

Though Johnny was taken very far aback by her sudden assumption, he had no time to clarify why they all had the stranger propped up on their shoulders; the other one interrupted much too quickly. "He's DEAD? Wow! How'd he die???" Salem suddenly blurted out. They seemed to have a habit of doing that.

My, these kids are grim! Johnny thought. Well, if you grew up here, I do guess you'd have to be. "N-no, no one's dead!" he managed to stutter, recovering from his shock just enough to say something.

"Just sleeping," Sally elaborated smoothly. "We're moving him out of a jam he got into. Well, a jam he put us in." Suddenly, that sweet smile spread over her face as easily as honey on toast. Somehow, it was even more sugary than usual. "Oh, you are just the cutest little things! Look at you, all fancy at your little party. Say, how long have you two dears been here? I don't think I've seen you around."

Salem leaned back into their chair from how they had been craning towards them in excitement. They shrugged. "Uh, a couple weeks? I got here when I was exploring!" they said.

"I've been here for a while," Anne added cheerfully. "It really is such a coincidence I'm meeting so many friends in one day! Thank the old ones, the world is so happy!" They've only just met today? They practically finish each other's sentences! Johnny exclaimed inwardly. And... if they hadn't been working together until now, that just brings us back to the matter of how they've survived so far! He didn't even remember to wonder at that last bit of what Anne had said. He was just too concerned for them at the moment to think of it.

Suddenly, the most high-pitched squeal Johnny had ever heard buzzed through the car. Orla, seeming to have broken out of her shock, suddenly dropped her side of the strange man and darted over to the kids in a flash. Curtis yelled angrily after her as the right shoulder fell and took the whole front of the man with it, leaving Johnny and the sailor holding only his feet up in the air—it was all quite the sight.

Orla was too distracted to care; she was already completely taken by the kids. "Oh, isn't this just such deadly fun?!" she practically screeched. It was nearly impossible to understand her, what with her thick accent already being present. "Yes, do let me join!"

"Why of course!" Anne said with just the most sunny smile, not in the least bit shy from the overexcited dancer. "Please, everyone join in! We have enough room for everyone!"

"Wait!" Salem suddenly exclaimed. They stood from their seat and leaned over the table, much like a businessperson about to make a big pitch. "You said this guy got you in trouble, right?"

Sally, who was now standing aside from the fallen man and trying not to look conspicuous in front of the kids, flicked her eyes back to the child. "Ahem. Yes, I suppose I did. It's true, anyway."

A gleeful smile took over their face. "Hey, I have the perfect idea!" they announced, pushing their enormous glasses up their nose. They must have had fallen in their excitement. "Let's sit that guy down and wait for him to wake up, and then juice him for all the info he's got! 'Who are you and what do you want?'" —they made a serious face and did an impression of what Johnny assumed was a cop— "Just like in the movies! Then we can figure out why he did whatever!"

"What- wh-" Johnny was at a complete loss for words. Gosh, these kids are a handful! They run at a mile a minute!

Surprisingly, Curtis didn't snap back at the idea. "Huh. Could be useful, actually..." he muttered. "Might get some answers easier, anyway."

What? Johnny turned to him in dismay. That could hurt the poor guy! Besides, he was sure Curtis wouldn't take a "no thanks" from the man easily; this could go south fast. "But that's—" The moment he began to speak, Curtis shot him a chilling glare over his shoulder. Johnny gulped, his own sense of boldness freezing over under his eyes. He shrunk down with a nod. "Sure, that could be an idea," he said meekly. But if he tries anything, he better know I won't let it go through.

The two kids were just ecstatic. They were running about in a frenzy, straightening things out even more, helping set the man at the head of the table (Salem was especially excited to show all their knot-tying skills when it came to fixing him to it; in all fairness, they did a very good job), pulling out a chair for Orla, and then practically pushing all the rest of them into their own seats. Last of all was distributing the tea, of course; each of them got their very own cups of make-believe tea, with milk and sugar as they asked for it (only Orla asked for it. She seemed much too taken with the fantasy of this all).

With everything perfect at last, all that was left to do was wait for their last guest to wake up. They didn't have to for long; unsurprisingly, after all that flurry of activity, the strange man finally began to stir just as the two kids took their own seats.