Train to Peace

Clack, clack, clack’ 

The noise from my favourite pink rollie suitcase echoed as I hurried through the Sydney tunnels heading towards the Country Link terminal.

If only I bought a new suitcase after the last disastrous holiday. Now the wheel was clacking and the risk of it falling off was becoming a real possibility.

I had some time before I needed to board the Indian Pacific and begin my journey to Perth.

Getting rid of the noisy bag was my first step. My suitcase limped into the checkin department, finally loosing the battle and its wheel as I dragged it into the checkin line beside me.

‘Need some help with that’ an attractive man, mid to late 50’s I guessed. Probably married or perhaps gay, all the good ones were taken.

‘Thanks’ I smiled back, as he lifted my suitcase onto the scales. 

‘You are overweight’ the railway worker said without lifting her head. 

‘Well, I’ve been dieting’ I laughed. The man laughed; the worker did not laugh.

‘Your over by 300gms, are you removing or paying excess’ 

‘Let me take your excess and I will return them to you at Perth, I’m going all the way’

The worker lifted her head and sneered.

‘I don’t know’ I hesitated.

 ‘Is this gonna take long, there are people waiting’ the worker was getting impatient.

‘I guess so ‘I opened my bag, hoping like hell none of my personal items would fall out. I hastily grabbed a couple of pairs of shoes and a bundle of shirts and quickly zipped my suitcase back up. The worker handed me my check in docket and with an unnecessary Next! dismissed me with a stare.

An announcement that pre boarding drinks and snacks were being served in five minutes was announced. I hurried out, I was starving, having missed breakfast I headed off to find the food.

What a magnificent spread they had put on, cakes, finger sandwiches, sparkling water and an assortment of fresh fruits. I literally gouged myself. I spotted the man I had handed over my belongings to further down the platform standing with a very glamorous stern looking looking woman, I assumed to be his wife. I wondered if she knew he had a complete strangers belongings in his suitcase. I turned away without making eye contact and scanned the train for my carriage.

I found it a few carriages down from where I was and boarded as soon as I could. 

The corridors on the train were a lot narrower than I had imagined. With no chance of two people being able to pass each other. Passengers wandered along looking for their cabins, laughing as each had to duck into cabins to allow others to pass.

Finally, I found mine and had just stepped in when I heard a familiar voice.

‘This is the one’ the man’s voice spoke.

‘Are you kidding me, it’s a shoebox, surely we can get a bigger one’ the woman screeched, reminding me of a parrot.

‘We already discussed this, they have nothing else, the train is fully booked’ he sounded patient with just a hint of frustration.

‘Well, if you had booked when I told you to, we wouldn’t be in this shoebox, now would we’ the woman replied with sarcasm.

There was no answer from the man as he shut the door. 

Oh, great now I’m stuck with an angry couple for three nights and four days. 

I agreed with the woman the room was a bit of a shoebox but there was a lovely little gift pack on the bed with a toothbrush, toothpaste, an eye mask, some ear plugs and a small packet of tissues, among other goodies.

There was a tiny toilet and shower room no bigger than a cupboard. Everything was tiny but I absolutely loved it.

A magazine lay on the small table, and it had all the train information including mealtimes and our off-train excursion choices. I sat on the seat that would later turn into a bed. Gazing out at the fantastic view from the large window. I was sure it was going to be perfect for taking in the promised scenery as the train made its way across Australia. I could feel peace engulf my entire body as I felt the slight jolt as the train begin to move and leave central station. Finally escape, from the past, from the present and from life in general. Everything was going to be ok now I told myself as the trains whistle blew shaking me back to the present. I decided to go down and check out the bar and lounge carriage.

There was a slight tap on my door. I gingerly opened it a crack. The train guard stood outside.

‘Ticket please’ he held his hand out.

I grabbed my phone and showed my digital ticket.

‘Thank you, Miss, Robert’s would you prefer first meal sessions or second and also can I ask if you could have your off-train excursion choices by dinner time please’

I opted for second and informed him my name was Ronnie, and he told me his was Raymond.

He informed me that he would come during my dinner time and prepare my room for bedtime. He seemed like a lovely man if not just a little stiff. After he left, I flicked through the magazine. It had a wealth of information about when the train was built and by who. The distance it would travel and a detailed map of where we would stop. I decided that I would study it more intently after dinner.

I stepped out into the corridor, trying to find the lounge and bar. Windows lined each carriage along the corridors. It was a fantastic view. I turned right, but then decided it was left and ran straight into the arms of the man.

‘We have to stop meeting like this’ he laughed.

‘Jason, for god’s sake will you get out. Why on earth are you hovering in the doorway’

His wife gave him a shove, causing him to push even harder against me.

I managed to peel myself from under the man, now I knew to be Jason.

He apologised, I blushed, his wife glared.

I stuttered an apology and ran down the corridor, making my way to the bar, I needed a very large drink.

I found an empty table and ordered a large Chardonnay. I sat sipping my wine enjoying the view, when Jason and his wife entered, still arguing. Horrified they were heading towards my table. The man approached first, with his hand outstretched ‘We haven’t been introduced; my name is Jason Browning and this is my wife, Claudette.

‘Ah please take a seat, if you would like, sorry, I’m Ronnie Roberts.

‘We have met’ Claudette sat with a thud into the seat, as the train jolted.

‘I don’t think we have, I could be wrong, I guess’

‘Brankston, ring a bell, Mrs Robert’s’ she spat.

‘I’m so sorry, my husband made stupid decisions, got in with the wrong people, I’m so very sorry’

I stammered trying to stand but the jolting of the train pushed me back into my seat.This was not the first time I had been attacked by disgruntled people my husband had swindled with his investment company, known as Brankston.

‘We lost everything!’ she yelled.

Jason leaned over close to my ear ‘Someone has to pay Mrs Roberts and that someone will be you’

‘I have no money, it’s all gone, I sold everything I had to pay for the train, I’m sorry I can’t give you what I don’t have’

I finally managed to stand, and swaying made my way back to my cabin.

I burst through the door with burning tears I flung myself onto the seat and sobbed my heart out again.

When would this hell end, Colin taking his own life, the damn coward, had changed nothing. The vultures had been circling for months and now obviously they were about to feast.

After what seemed like hours of crying, a slight tap on the door and a voice called for second meals to head to the dinning room. I washed my face, hastily ran a brush through my hair and headed to the dinning car. Unfortunately Justin and Claudette were seated at my table for dinner. I gave them a slight nod as I seated myself behind the very narrow table. Determined not to make contact with them. Claudette was red with rage. Justin just looked uncomfortable. I attempted to crawl inside myself and disappear.

‘Excuse me, hey you’ Claudette signalled to the waiter.

‘Is everything ok’ he asked.

‘Obviously not, remove this vermin from our table’ she demanded.

‘I don’t understand, is there a bug ‘ the waiter looked around the table nervously. The last thing they wanted was bugs of any description on the train.

‘Claudette, that’s enough’ Justin snapped at her.

‘Everything is ok here’ he assured the waiter.

‘No it’s not , Justin get rid of her now, she’s putting me off my food’

I was embarrassed and horrified. I felt the tears well up and attempted to get out from behind the narrow space between me and the table, with as much dignity as I could muster.

‘Yes, you go, get out of my sight you life sucking leech’ Claudette yelled at me.

She picked up her glass of wine and threw it in my face.

Enough, it was enough, damn Colin and his embezzling and damn Claudette and all her kind who he had taken advantage of. I was done, it wasn’t fair, it wasn’t and had never been my fault.

It took all my strength to get up and out from behind the table and even more to stand stable as the train jolted around. I held Claudette’s glare with as much hatred as she did mine.

‘Enough’ I yelled.

‘You and all the likes of you can go to hell. Let me make it clear for the last time. I did not have anything to do with Brankston so leave me the hell alone or the next time you attempt to harass me I’m going to punch you fair in the nose. Do we understand each other?’

With that I turned and walked out of the dinning car. I actually stagger along the corridor from the train. I reached my cabin, the seat was now l lovely single bed, looking all cozy. I lay down on it and took a deep breathe. A huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. Peace at last. Peace from the past. Never again would I take anymore abuse from anyone for Brankston and what Colin had done. No more hiding no more fighting. A new life awaited for me on the other side of Australia when I stepped off the Indian Pacific in Perth.

I guessed I wouldn’t be getting my clothes back though.

The end.