The Tracks

The Northern End

"Harry, just let me do this. They don't know me, and I only want to see how well their harvest is! We are only a few kilometers apart! I don't understand why they are getting a better harvest than we are!"

"Stop it, Dei! You will never, ever set foot in the South! It's too dangerous!"

"They managed to come to the North, why can't we do the same?"

"Because they will kill us there! That's why!"

She stared at her brother angrily. Her heart was beating so hard. They've been arguing for the past half hour, and their parents have not said a word to stop them. Harry is the 'law' in their household, but only Dei can stand up to him. She loves her brother, no doubt about it, but she couldn't understand his logic most of the time.

For as long as she could remember, her brother has been looked up to in the North. He is the right-hand arm of their Mayor, her Godfather and her father's best friend. Theirs is not a political family, her father opting to tend to their farm instead of going after a position in government, even when his best friend encourages him to do so, assuring him of a sure position. But Harry was ambitious, and he made sure that everyone knows it. Dei believes her brother still has a good heart, and that the long drought in their town just froze it.

The Northern town has been suffering from a terrible cold spell, and it was affecting their livelihood. She helps in their farm, where they plant vegetables that they sell off to the western and eastern parts of the county. But the cold spell has caused their harvest to dwindle, with most of the produce rotting too quickly or not growing to maturity at all. Her godfather and his government could not offer any additional assistance, much to the dismay of the Northern people.

She brought up the idea of going across the border to visit the South, when she saw how green and bright everything was when she rode the train going to the western parts. She could not believe that the South, a town almost similar to theirs in terms of size and expanse, could be so different, not suffering from any calamity.

Thus the argument with her brother.

"Why the hell will they kill us, Harry?! We won't be stealing anything from them! They might even be able to help us!"

"Dei, you have no idea of how things are between the North and South..."

"Don't you think this animosity between us and them has gone too far?"

"Dei, I'm telling you, just don't go there."

"Or what? What will you do?"

Harry stared back at his sister, whose brown eyes bore into him like they were daggers. He never wins in staring contests with her, even when they were kids, so he backed away and took his jacket from the back of the door and left.

"Argh!"

"Dei, just listen to your brother."

"Why has he become this stubborn, dad? Why is he not listening to reason anymore? This whole fight with the South has gone far too long!"

"Dei, the Southern folk are not to be mingled with, you know that. Your godfather..."

"I know he's the mayor, dad, but his laws here in the North are sometimes unreasonable. Why shouldn't we trade with the South? Why can't we even learn from what they're doing there? Does he want us to suffer our whole lifetime?!"

She stormed off, leaving her father shaking his head.

//

She knows the shortcuts by heart, for she's been escaping her afternoon tasks to bike her way to the border of the tracks leading to the South. She easily crossed with no hitch. She was on a high, feeling the excitement rising in her as she tries to brush away the potential dangers of what she's doing. She made her way to the rice fields, these blankets of green and gold that she longed to see in the North. She was getting envious by the minute, knowing that these parts of the county are better blessed than theirs. She could not understand how it could be different, when they are just separated by a stretch of railroad tracks.

She was pedaling leisurely when she heard the faint sound of a motorcycle engine from afar. She didn't need to turn around, for she knows she's been found out. She pedaled her bike faster than she's ever done, and went through the very narrow path leading to the border of the tracks.

She's heard of the Southern gang before from her brother, impressing on her that this gang is dangerous. She knows that soon as she gets across the tracks, they would no longer dare to chase after her.

She reached the uphill, and as she made her bike jump off the first set of tracks, she looked back back and saw that the rider skidded to a brake. She felt victorious, knowing that she's escaped him, but then she landed badly and got her foot stuck in between the rails. She tried to pull her leg free, but it only hurt her more.

Only a few meters before the train reaches her.

Large hands set her foot free, and strong arms carried her to safety. When she looked at her savior, she felt trapped and free at the same time. She could not take away her eyes from him, and the beating of her heart could not be stilled.