Chapter 3
The Independence Express
We packed out bags…
We took our seats…
We said our goodbyes…
We were ready for take off. (I know it’s a train and not a plane. But what should I say? Ready for ‘drive off’)?
There was me, Jack, Sarmoo, Benjamin and Benny Bear going to this next holiday world.
Mathew wanted to stay behind. He was a little shy about going to a new world. Especially if he got lost and couldn’t talk to anyone or hear anyone calling him.
At least he could look after himself in Christmas Town. He could morph into lion if he wanted to.
So, it was just me, Jack, Benjamin, Benny Bear and Sarmoo travelling in luxury on this shining train.
“If only Dr. Finklestein was here to see this.” Said Jack. “Emma, you’re a genius!”
“I learned for the best. My mother.” I said.
“When can we set off?” Asked Sarmoo.
“As soon as you and Benjamin are ready. We’d better set off as soon as possible anyway.”
Sarmoo ran to the back of passenger cart 1 to see if Benjamin had got himself comfortable yet.
“I want this seat!” He rushed over to the sofa-like seat next to the window.
“As long as your gonna stop chopping and choosing like this.” Said Benny Bear. “All your rushing around is making me dizzy.”
“Hey, Benjamin, Benny Bear.” Sarmoo cried as he came running up from the train cabin. “Are you ready to get going?”
“Yeeeeey!” Benjamin bounced up and down on the sofa.
“Oh, I give up trying to teach that boy how to behave. What’s a toy bear supposed to do when he’s acting like this?”
Sarmoo took pity on Benny Bear and decided that he would try to calm Benjamin down.
“Benjamin,” Sarmoo began. “Why don’t you come with me to the front of the train? You can see out the front through the windscreen when we drive off.”
“Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyy!” Benjamin jumped even more.
“But you’ll have to stop jumping about like this. You have to be sensible in the train cabin.”
Benjamin jumped down from the sofa. And ran straight to Sarmoo.
“I’ll be sensible, Sarmoo!” He said. “I can help Emma drive the train!”
“I don’t think Emma needs any help.”
“I’ll help if she does need help.”
“Well, you can come into the cabin anyway.”
“Yeeey!”
“Shh. Calm down.” Sarmoo took Benjamin by the hand.
Benny Bear sighed after Benjamin walked away with Sarmoo.
“Oh. If only Benjamin would just listen to me. The existence of my life is only for the purpose of helping that boy become sensible and danger-aware.” Benny Bear said to himself. “If it weren’t for this whole journey, my life wouldn’t exist at all. I would be just a lifeless toy bear. Nothing more. I do wish Benjamin had more appreciation for me.”
Meanwhile, back in the cabin…
“I do hope there’s a way back to Halloween Town from this next holiday world. I miss Sally dearly.” Said Jack. “She’ll be worried sick.”
“Well, all I know is that we can’t be sure that this is going to be a town. Halloween and Christmas my be towns, but Easter wasn’t.” I explained. “So, who knows what kind of a world we’re gonna end up in. And what kind of possibilities there’ll be there. But there will be a way back to Halloween Town. There has to be.”
“But what if the spirit has blocked that pathway too?” Said Jack.
“What if we meet the spirit?” I said.
“Then I intend to give it a piece of my mind. After what it did to Nadallia and poor little Anastasia. And now what it’s doing to me and Sally, trying to forbid me from ever seeing her again.”
I knew Jack was so downhearted since he was separated from his town and his love. I felt more sorry for him then for my friends. He had only suffered like this because of us. The spirit was after us, not Jack or anyone else in these worlds.
“What does that demon doing in this world anyway?” Jack asked, knowing no-one would be able to answer.
“It’s got something to do with us, anyway.” I said.
“I hope you’re not blaming yourself for all this trouble, Emma.”
“Or course I am. If we weren’t here in the first place then the demon wouldn’t be here either.”
“You don’t know that. The demon might have come here itself and what it want’s in these worlds might have nothing to do with you.”
“Then why has it attacked us like it has?”
“Maybe you’re getting in the way of it’s plans? I don’t know. But I do know one thing. You never meant to come here, not that you’ve hated being here, but you couldn’t help but end up here after you were scattered…”
“Emma!!!!” Benjamin cried with glee as he came running from the cabin doors.
“Hey there, you little pipsqueak.”
“‘What’s a ‘pipsqueak’?” Benjamin asked when he stopped running as soon as he reached me.
“Just a small mischievous person.” I explained, hinting towards Benjamin.
“What does ‘mischievous’ mean?”
“Someone who get’s into trouble a lot.” Said Jack as he picked Benjamin up.
“I don’t get in to twouble.”
“Oh contraire.” Said Jack.
“Are we ready to go yet?” Asked Sarmoo. “I’ve never been in a moving vehicle before. I would like to find out what it’s like.”
“Well,” I began. “If everyone’s ready, I’ll show you.”
I grabbed hold of the microphone and put it on to loud speaker so everyone outside the train could here me as well.
“Attention all who are not passengers on the Independence Express.” I began. “We’re off! Be sure to look for us at the window, ‘cause we’ll be waving!”
I looked to the side window where the windscreen curved round at the side.
I saw all the little elves rush to the train.
Jack ran to the window and open it up.
Benjamin started jumping up at the window.
Jack picked him up again so that he could see.
“Farewell, fellas!” Jack called out.
“Bye bye, little everybody!” Cried Benjamin.
“Good luck!” Some of the elves cried out.
“See you soon!”
“Bye!”
“Have a great time!”
Sarmoo too opened the window next to Jack and Benjamin.
“Fucareally!” He cried.
“What?” I responded.
“It means good bye in Kenyan. Sayonara! Adios! Annah!” Sarmoo then said good bye in other languages.
I then saw Santa Clause come forward with Mathew.
Though Mathew is normally shy, he ran to the front of the crowd of elves.
He smiled at me.
I smiled back and waved.
Mathew then began waving with all the other elves. I even saw Charlie as he came forward next to Mathew.
“Well, I guess it’s time to get this couple of hundred tons of steel on the move.” I said.
“Fire away, Commander Donnahue!” Jack cried.
I started the engine.
The train then began hum and vibrate.
I looked forward and out of the wind screen.
Train tracks lit up in front of us and at the end, just before the snowy hill, a tunnel appeared. That was the portal to the next holiday world.
The train wasn’t moving yet so I went to the window to wave at all our friends. But I still kept my hand on the accelerator.
“I wanna go down now, Jack.” Said Benjamin.
Jack placed Benjamin back on his feet.
“There you go, little fella.”
Benjamin ran straight for the controls. Good job he could reach them.
“I’m gonna help you dwive the twain, Emma.” He said.
“No, Benjamin. I don’t need any help and you don’t know how to drive a train.”
“You can show me.”
Benjamin climbed up the drivers seat and sat on the top, (well, where you’re supposed to sit, but he was too small to sit properly).
“Chor!” He gasped as he saw all the buttons and switches and leavers and lights and dials.
“Don’t touch, Benjamin.” I said.
But Benjamin began to try to crawl onto the control board.
“No!” I snatched hold of him before he had a chance to touch anything. “Jack!” I called. “Could you keep Benjamin occupied?”
“Oh, Benjamin. What are you up to now?” Said Jack as he came to the front of the train.
“I wanna drive the twain with Emma.” Said Benjamin.
“You can’t. Please just do as you’re told for once, Benjamin.” Said Jack.
While Jack kept Benjamin occupied, I then took my turn to wave at my friends.
I left the train cabin and walked to the open window.
“Mathew!” I called out.
(Oh yeah. I forgot, he’s deaf.)
I waved at him through the open window.
I managed to catch his attention.
He was stood next to Charlie and Santa Clause.
He smiled and waved at me. So did Santa.
Mathew then picked up the ‘nearly too small to be noticed’ Charlie and held him up so that he could see me and wave to me.
“Charlie! Tell Mathew that I’ll be back as soon as I can!”
Charlie signed to Mathew. Charlie did know any language that Sarmoo has ever used. That’s what happened to him when he put Sarmoo’s heart back.
Mathew nodded at Charlie and then nodded at me.
Mathew then typed something on his little talking toy. He turned the volume up as loud as he could.
Then, he held it up to me.
“I…will…miss…you…all.” Said the talking toy in a very robotic and artificial voice.
I smiled.
I put my hand to my chin and then brought it forward. This is ‘thank you’ is sign language.
“I hope this journey works.” Said Jack from behind me.
“Yeah, we all need to get back to Halloween Town.” I said.
But then, I suddenly realized something.
“Jack, where’s Benjamin?”
“It’s alright. Benny Bear’s keeping an eye on him.”
“Oh no…”
“What?”
“Jack, surely you know by now that Benjamin doesn’t listen to Benny Bear!”
“Oh yeah!”
We both ran for the cabin…
“Benjamin,” Said Benny Bear. “You must listen to me. Don’t touch anything up there.”
Benjamin was crawling about on top of the control counter and Benny Bear couldn’t see what he was doing…
I rushed into the cabin with Jack.
Benjamin he his hands on the leaver…
“Benjamin! No!”
But he pushed it…
#Woooooooooooooooosh#
The train suddenly shot forward.
“Aahh!” Everyone on board was thrown back by the sudden speed of the train.
The train launched forward.
Speeding on the tracks and zooming for the portal.
“BENJAMIN!!!!”I cried.
“Oooooops!” He cried back.
I was able to hang on to the door frame.
Jack grabbed hold of the support above one of the seats.
Sarmoo held on to the seat he was sat on.
But Benjamin and Benny Bear flew back.
“Jack! You’ve got to catch Benny Bear!” I cried. “If he gets hurt…”
Jack clung on with his left hand and reached out with his right.
Benny Bear was about to fly past him…
“Gotcha!”
Suddenly…everywhere went black, all but the lights on the train.
We just entered the tunnel.
I had to slow this train down. Who knows what could be on the other side. We could crash!
“Hang on, guys! I’ve got to get to the cabin and pull back the accelerator!”
I let go of the door frame with one hand and reached out for the edge of the open window.
I grabbed hold and pulled myself forward with my left arm so that I could properly keep hold of the window frame.
Looked across to the controls desk. It was only about eight foot away.
I kept hold with my right hand and reached out with my left.
I reached as far as I could, stretching the aluminium skin and living muscle of my arm.
It was no use. But what could I do?
The train needed stopping fast. I had little time to think.
So…I went for a leap of faith.
I jumped out and launched myself towards the leaver.
Reaching out, I just managed to grab hold of the leaver!
I pulled it as I fell.
WOOOOOOOooooooooommmmmm…
The train’s speed slowly began to reduce it’s speed.
Phew! Thank goodness.
Jack could let go of the support pole as well as Benny Bear.
Benjamin came crawling to us from the back of the train.
“Chor!” He cried. “That was fun!”
“Fun!?!” Jack strongly objected.
He came down to Benjamin’s head height and while facing him, he held him by the shoulders.
“Listen, Benjamin!” Jack started. “You must learn to do as you’re told. It was not fun, it was dangerous! What if we crashed? Or what if the train fell of the tracks because it was going too fast?”
“Um…” Benjamin didn’t know what to say. “But we didn’t crash.”
“If Emma wasn’t able to grab the leaver then we could have crashed.” Jack began to lecture Benjamin. “You have to do as you’re told. Or you’ll end up in trouble and you could even get us all in trouble. You might even…”
But then, the darkness disappeared from the outside of the train.
We all looked around us, out of the windows of the train.
What me and Jack saw was incredible.
“What?” Benjamin couldn’t see what we were all stunned at. “What’s going on, then?”
Benny Bear began climbing up the seat. Benjamin followed him on the top of the seat and then and stood up once that he was that little bit taller.
“Well,” Said Benny Bear. “Would you look at that?”
“Chor!” Said Benjamin.
“Amazing.” Gasped Jack.
“It’s like space.” I described what I saw.
The sky surrounding us was black, with hundreds of shining stars scattered in the distance.
And also, there was something else in the sky.
I saw this orange globe with black markings on it that looked like houses. If this was a world, it must have been small enough and close enough for us to see the houses.
“Is that…Halloween Town?” Jack questioned.
“It sure looks like it.” Replied Benny Bear.
I then headed for the rear of the train to look out the back window.
“Hey! There’s a globe with an ocean, and it look’s like it has an island with green, clover-like things all over it.”
“I’ll bet that’s a St. Patrick’s Day holiday world.” Said Benny Bear.
“St. Patrick? Who is he?” Asked Jack.
“I don’t know. All I know is that it’s an Irish holiday.”
“Wow!” I shouted from the rear of the train. “I can see Christmas Town! Were heading away from it!”
“I wonder where we’re heading to?” Said Jack.
“Well, by the sound of the name ‘Independence Express’ I guess that were heading to the Independence holiday world.” Said Benny Bear. “It’s an American holiday, so I doubt that Benjamin would know anything about it.”
“But I do!” I called as I came back from the rear of the train. “It’s when America became Independent and became a separate continent without having to be governed by Europe anymore.”
“Hey, wook!” Cried Benjamin.
“What is it Benny boy?” Benny Bear came to his attention.
“Smoke!”
“What?” Jack looked out the window where Benjamin was pointing.
He looked unsure. “Hey, Emma, look at this.”
I too came to the window and gazed with curiosity.
I saw one of the holiday worlds in the distance…and it was emitting black smoke that circled around the globe of grey.
“I can’t think what holiday that world could represent.” Said Benny Bear.
“It wooks wike it’s in a wight state.” Said Benjamin.
“Oh, boy.” Said Benny Bear. “Here we go again. It’s ‘la’. ‘Looks’. Not ‘wooks’, Benjamin.”
“Wa, wa, wa…bwa…bwa…la! La! Lookie, lookie, lookie, look!” Benjamin jumped up and down on the seat.
“Remember to keep calm, Benjamin.” Said Jack. “And not to jump about all over the place.”
Benjamin giggled and jumped some more. “Look, look, look! La, la, la!”
“Benjamin! Calm down!” Said Jack as he put his hand on Benjamin’s shoulder to try to stop him from jumping.
I left Jack to try to deal with Benjamin and I headed for the control room at the front of the train.
“Wait, Emma!” Benjamin called after me. “I wanna learn how to dwive the twain.”
“No, Benjamin.” I turned round to him. “Have you forgotten what happened five minutes ago?”
“But this time you can teach me.”
“Benjamin, it would take a long time to teach you how to drive a train and we haven’t got the time when we need to get to the next holiday world.”
“Hmmmm…” Benjamin wined in disappointment.
“Listen to Emma, Benjamin.” Said Jack. “You’ll have to learn to listen before you can learn to drive a train.”
I carried on through the doors.
I walked into the cabin and sat myself on the seat.
But then I noticed something.
I gazed out through the windscreen and saw that we were approaching something.
“Hey, guys!” I called out. “Come quick! Check this out!”
I heard rapid footsteps as Jack, Benjamin and Benny Bear came rushing into the control room.
“What is it, Emma?” Jack rushed into the room.
“Is a city!”
“A city?” Said Benny Bear.
“I’ve never seen a city before.” Said Jack. “Is it like your ‘New York’.”
The name of that city then made me go into deep thought…
I gazed at the globe with twenty story buildings and fifty ninety story skyscrapers scattered about the surface.
They were all grand and strongly built.
I could guess that there were people, families, children and schools for them.
This city before me was at peace.
The people were not afraid to leave their homes for fear of getting shot.
The city was not in ruins. It was not at the mercy off the Russians.
This city was free and…
“Emma? Are you alright?” Asked Jack.
I snapped out of my daydream.
“Oh. Oh yeah. I’m ok.”
I gazed out of the windscreen once again.
“Right, I think it’s time to slow this electric, metal-machine down.”
I placed my hand on the accelerator leaver and pulled it towards me.
The speed of the train slowly began to decrease.
This was it.
The city of Independence Day was our next stop.
