A Chance At Life

• Shaylea Strinati-Kerr, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2014

The huffs and grunts of the out-dated, smoke covered, metal steam train as it steadily rolled into the station as it released a noise that would only be described as a the scraping of nails on a chalk board. The newest addition to this war-torn country that was more than half destroyed, the home that I was forced to flee, watching and waiting as the train slowed down, gradually coming to a halt.
My case was placed at my feet waiting for the train to come to a stop and the conductor’s call.
Looking into my wife and daughter, I explained to them how I would hopefully be back soon.
“I promise I will come home, for us.” Before I could turn and leave, I was tackled by my wife’s warm embrace; with my head nestled in the nape of her neck, resting against her scratchy, wool-covered shoulder, I savoured these last few moments. The train conductor blew the warning whistle; I had to leave now or there was little to no chance that we would make it through this alive. But to save us from this warmonger, ruled country. I had to, whose autocrat commanded power with an iron fist and was described as a shadow dragon, as mysterious and dangerous as wolf infested woods in the night, always there but never to be seen, glowing eyes to make you scream, always watching and waiting for something to happen, so it could attack with razor claws and lightning jaws occupied with dagger like teeth.
Breaking away from the embrace of my family, I turned towards the train. One more glance, that’s all I allowed myself of them before picking up my case. Before I continued my short walk towards the train, with shuffled steps in my only pair of shoes, only to stop when something had grabbed my hand. Without turning around I knew it was my wife,
“Remember to come home safe, and that we love you.” The tremble in her voice made my heart shatter slightly. Giving her hand one last reassuring squeeze and a reply with.
“I will come back I promise, we can and will survive this.” Finally letting go of her hand as I continued on to the train. Not a moment after I had taken my seat did the wheels start into motion. After what felt like hours, but was most probably only one, there was a noise that echoed around the cabin of the train, before a series of harsh bumps, my head was thrown forward by the sudden movement, slamming into the metal seat in-front of me, the world going back, finally figuring out what the noise from before was, it was screams, screams that would be to describe as the song of the dead. My last thoughts that ran though my head where four mere words.
“Will I survive this...” before I succumb to the darkness and the world went numb.