Chapter Text
The train whistle slices through the air, deafening and final. Two little boys sway in the blast of air that followed in the engine’s wake. The hum of conversation rises around them.
A charade plays out. The boys cling one to another and a tired matron, separates them gently, but firmly. The smaller child she hands up to the conductor while the larger fights her like a wildcat. For a moment, he seems almost to win, tearing from her and running towards the train. She reaches out and snags the back of his coat. Her mouth moves, words lost in the crowd.
Both boys weep.
The train leaves the station. The boy in the matron’s care turns to stone. His tears dry up and his face sets in blankness. The matron tries to speak to him again, but he shows no sign of listening.
When his train arrives, he boards without a fight. He climbs the too tall steps without assistance. He takes his seat.
The station platform is empty for a time, no further witnesses to the small drama played out there.