>>5968505Clay leaned forward, the train's rhythmic clatter a constant companion to their hushed conversation. "Elijah, how long 'til we reach the next stop?" His voice held a note of urgency, eyes searching the engineer's for any flicker of insight.
Elijah paused, his gaze drifting towards the window, as if the passing landscape might hold the answers. Finally, he turned back to Clay, a solemnity in his eyes. "About an hour, give or take. Time's a tricky thing on these rails."
Clay's brow furrowed. "And what's this next destination gonna be like? Any different from where we started?" The question hung in the air, tinged with hope and skepticism.
The old engineer chuckled dryly, the sound almost lost amidst the train's noises. "Son, the next town is like a mirror reflecting the one you left. So similar, you might reckon it's the same place. The folks aboard, they don't seem to see it. Or maybe they just don't wanna see."
A chill ran down Clay's spine. The implications of Elijah's words twisted in his gut, a knot of realization and disbelief. "So, we're just hauling passengers? No cargo, no goods?" he pressed, seeking any shard of normalcy in the surreal journey they were on.
"Just souls, Clay. Just souls traveling in search of something they can't quite name." Elijah's voice was a whisper, a confessional shared between the rumble of wheels on track.
The silence that followed was heavy, filled with the unspoken thoughts of men who found themselves at the edge of understanding. Clay broke it, his decision clear. "We need to figure out what's at the heart of this, Elijah. There's gotta be a way to break this cycle."
1. Interview other passengers
2. Search for records or logs
3. Plan a temporary derailment
4. Write your own