The Last Train Ticket

Tangent walked with practiced ease, barely noticing the sway of the maglev train, as she checked on the electrical systems in each car.

Her watch gave a beep and she picked up her step.

“I can’t be late,” she murmured to herself. The last car was storage and her sanctuary. She leaned her forehead against the glass window and held her breath so her vision wouldn’t be fogged. Trees and grass flew by. Crumpled buildings from the Days Before littered the landscape. Tangent stared in awe, as she did every day, at the animals that roamed the broken country. There was the mama bear and her cub in the distance, as usual, fishing in the shimmering river. The train rushed past and she squinted and made out a flock of sheep in a meadow. She bit her lip in anticipation and there he was, sitting on a familiar heap of rocks. She waved and he returned the gesture with a grin before the train whisked them apart.

“Twenty-three hours and fifty-nine minutes until we meet again,” Tangent sighed.

Her watch chimed and she rolled her eyes as the Conductor’s voice echoed from her wrist.

“All personnel! Meeting in Car One in five minutes!”

“Crap,” Tangent grunted, pushing away from the window. If she hurried, she might just make it in time.

The Conductor was nothing but prompt. Tangent had just pushed through Car One’s doors, slightly breathless, when the meeting began. At first it was basic updates on the train’s systems. She was able to easily answer all queries about her duties and was ignoring the routine reports and the usual complaints from the chef that his produce orders needed to be fresh, when the Conductor stood and startled them all.

“I’ve decided to allow more passengers onto the train.”

There were a few gasps and several raised eyebrows.

“Maria, we are at full capacity. There is no way—”

The Conductor held up a hand, cutting off Colonel Arnold’s complaint.

“I’ve spoken with Doctor Smith after concerns were raised about the genetic diversity on our train,” Maria said.

“What about it?” Colonel Arnold snorted. Maria nodded at the doctor, who grimaced.

“We’ve started to have some genetic disorders,” Doctor Smith said with a shrug. “After almost a century of seclusion on our train, the genetics have began to...falter. We’ve come to the point where we need new blood in our community.”

Tangent felt her heart flutter with excitement. She never expected the Conductor to allow newbies on the train. The few times the idea had been whispered, it was nipped in the bud. The citizens of Maglev were taught they were the elite and there was no room in their safe haven for commoners to join in. Those on the outside were mere peasants, doomed to live their lives with the beasts that roamed the land. Now that new people joining was no longer taboo and was, in fact, being encouraged by their leader Tangent found her mind drifting to the young man that waited every day to smile and wave.

“My plan,” Maria’s voice cut through Tangent’s daydreams. “Is to give each unmarried single adult in Maglev a ticket that they can then use to invite an outsider—”

Mrs. Peters, the high school teacher, cleared her throat and Maria quickly corrected herself. “I mean, invite one person from the Land Beyond, to join us.”

“This is ridiculous!” Colonel Arnold huffed. “How do you expect to fit another fifty people on this train? As I said before, we’re at full capacity. Not to mention the security risk in bringing a group of unvetted immigrants on board!”

The Conductor sighed. “Then vet them, James. And I’m a little offended that you would assume I didn’t think this through. I’ve spoken to Jeremy,” she nodded at the Chief Engineer, “and he’s assured me we can safely add ten more cars to the train. I’ve already sent in an order and they’ll be attached by the month’s end.”

Tangent held back a giggle as Colonel Arnold snapped his mouth shut, though she was sure he would come up with more complaints before the meeting was over.

“There will be a printout of every eligible outside, uh, person, with details about their lives, their interests,” Maria waved her hand dismissively. “Etcetera and so forth. Our single adults will be advised to choose wisely. We may even be able to accommodate short calls on the com, in my personal office, between our people and the, er, immigrants. After being cleared with Colonel Arnold, we’ll slow the train to load the new passengers.”

Again, there were murmurs and gasps of shock. For their safety, the train never slowed. Even deliveries needed to keep the train going, provided by the Land Beyond, were hung in specific locations in grab bags and snatched on the run, so to speak. The fact that the Conductor was willing to allow such a change in speed made them all realize how serious the situation actually was.

Despite the air of gravity in the room, Tangent couldn’t hide her grin as Maria opened a file and pulled out a stubby piece paper.

“I’ve sent a ticket and instructions to each eligible member of our community.” Tangent felt the Conductor’s eyes fall on her. “There’s only one left. Tangent?”

Tangent felt awkward when everyone silently stared as she reached for the last train ticket. Her fingers left moist circles on the precious piece of paper plucked from the Conductor’s outstretched hand.

“Any questions you have will be answered at our next meeting,” Maria was saying, but Tangent was having a hard time focusing on the words. She felt a hand on her wrist and looked up from the ticket clenched tightly in her grip. The Conductor was smiling at her, a twinkle in her eyes.

“Good luck, Tangent.” Maria said, and winked.

Tangent hugged the ticket to her chest as the Conductor left her alone in Car One with her hopes and dreams.


Chooo-Chooo! ▼

1000 words
Written for "The Writer's Cramp - Poetry Week" 
Prompt: Title must be "The Last Train Ticket" /genre Travel

Story is based on a dream I recently had where there was a community of people that lived on a train that never stopped. Those on the outside lived dangerous lives surrounded by wild beasts (some of which were strange mutants) while the train-people were protected and safe and snobs.