Chapter: 40 Minutes
The fastest trains used to be about 300 mph. Average trains back then went from about 22 mph to 79 mph. Average high speed passenger trains went from 135 mph to 190 mph. Li Cheng has told me that here in China, they've perfected bullet trains that run at exactly 1000 mph. I was skeptical that this was truly perfected/safe for anyone.
"With regular trains, it might take us 16 hours to get from Beijing to Zhengzhou, the closest city to Mang Shan. The ZhenZhen takes only 40 minutes!" exclaimed Li Cheng to me.
I raised my eyebrows. "Has it been tested? Is it safe?"
"Its affordable, fast, and will get us to Mang Shan quickly for us, Savanna. How about that?" said Li Qiang irritably.
I groaned. "I just have doubts about 1000 mph trains not getting us killed."
"Don't stick your head out a window and you'll be fine." Li Qiang shoved me on board.
The bullet train was a short fat triangle with at least nine jumbo rockets strapped to the back. It seemed futuristic-inspired, it was painted all white on the outside, except for the bug splat that tinted the front of the train brown. At least this wasn't ZhenZhen's first voyage. Most of the train top was a giant window and so were the sides where there weren't doors. Inside was an attempt at comfort, the walls painted royal blue, while the seats were scarlet vinyl.
Li Jie sat in a seat and buckled himself in as the others did. He told me, "Fasten yourself in quickly, Savanna, you don't want to be loose in the cabin when this train is moving."
I sat beside him and pretty much mangled the seat buckle, but I got myself fastened more or less (more like less). We were all set. I think.
An electronic sign blinked in front of us. It was all in Chinese, which I can't read any better than I can French. I've never spoke or read a word of French in my life. Chinese is even worse than me. Traditional writing is basically a crazy squiggle mess to me.
"Li Cheng, what's that say?" I inquired.
He squinted for a moment and answered, "Three seconds and counting until departure."
"Hey Li Cheng, where's the train attendants and where's the piloting cockpit?" I asked. I didn't see one while getting unto the train and I can't spy one from here.
Li Cheng said, "Oh, there's none of those. Its the future, everything's automated."
"WHAT?! NO ONBOARD CONDUCTOR?!?!" I exclaimed. Something about the person driving directly on the train makes me feel better, because at least they probably don't want to get us all accidentally wrecked. A machine doesn't care and has "errors" all the time.
Li Qiang snorted at my rising panic. "Calm down, the trip takes only 40 minutes, you should be able to deal with it."
BAM!!!!!! The train rushed forward and the force of us moving slammed me against the back of my seat. No wonder these are vinyl, leather or something weak would wear out really fast. I ended up for the rest of the 40 minutes screaming my lungs out, the force of us going so fast pressed me against my seat firmly the whole time, and guess what? I DIDN'T deal with it at all.
Don't trust a 1000 mph bullet train no matter what your older cousins say.
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Light's Fright (formerly Lightwielder in China)
FantasySavanna's lost her home and everyone she's grown up with to shadowhiders (shadow/darkness-controllers). Her only consolation was finding her older sister Carrolee; who brought down the shadowhider organization with her. But Carrolee IS a shadowhider...
