“The Long Wait”
It’s midnight by the time the train finally arrives. I’ve been standing here, in the cold, getting pelted in the face by snow, for the past forty minutes. All I want is to go home and climb into bed.
Unfortunately, the train has other plans.
It screeches to a stop in front of me, throwing chunks of snow and ice onto my pants and into my boots. I wince as the slush seeps into my socks.
The train whistles. Once. Twice. I wait for the doors to open, my reflection staring back at me. I’m standing so close that my breath clouds the glass. Still, I wait.
Ten seconds.
Twenty seconds.
Nothing. I raise a fist to knock on the door, but my mittens muffle the sound. I open my mouth to scream for help, but the train whistle drowns out my voice.
I can only watch, helpless, as the train begins to roll away.
