The Oak Hotel - Watty Awards 2013 Finalist

Chapter Five - The Cinema

Chapter Five

The Cinema

The train continued its rhythmic movement over the worn tracks as the sun rose higher in the sky. “When this is all over with, how are we supposed to get back home?” Lincoln asked, sitting now on a bench. They had explored the entire interior of the train, but found nothing of interest.

“I’ve been trying not to think of that,” Kayleigh replied. She was sitting (eyes closed) with her head leaning against the wooden trim of the passenger window. “This Truman Stitch guy might know, though. If he was in my grandparents’ house when we crossed over, then he must know some way of moving between this world and ours.”

“He might have another book with one of those small screens,” Lincoln added.

“That screen might be our only hope. Unless someone else here has one. We probably should have asked Mona.”

“I hope she’s not in any trouble back there because of us.”

“I have a feeling she can take care of herself.”

They leaned slightly to the left as the train turned right with the tracks.

The scanning pad glowed blue again as the gentle voice of the train spoke:

“Please gather your belongings as we will be stopping in less than five minutes.”

Taking a risk, Lincoln asked aloud, “Um… Train? Can you tell us anything about Te’hæra Thorn?”

There was no response.

“What did that old man call it again?" Kayleigh asked. "Bee-tell?”

“Oh, right,” Lincoln smiled, “BTEL Number Three, tell us about Te’hæra Thorn.”

The voice spoke matter-of-factly, “I know that the people in your photograph are from Te’hæra Thorn. My maps confirm this by the position of the two suns. There is only one citizen in Burnam Tau’roh who has ever documented such a place. He is a sailor known as Shipmaster Creek. His last whereabouts are in the general location I am about to leave you.”

Kayleigh and Lincoln had already taken out the photo and were scanning the sky behind the men. There were, indeed, two suns: one large and the other about half the size of the first.

“So you’re taking us to Shipmaster Creek, not Te’hæra Thorn?” Kayleigh asked.

“Correct. I am taking you to the only known variable that will direct you to your desired location. This information is neither guaranteed nor endorsed by the Burnam Tau’roh Eastern Line,” said the voice.

“What a strange computer,” Lincoln breathed.

The voice altered slightly and spoke in an almost injured tone, “I am nothing so primitive as a computer.”

The train slowed to a stop and the door slid open.

“Thanks, I guess,” said Lincoln as he passed through the door and jumped the short distance to the ground below. Turning to help Kayleigh down, he frowned as he watched her move back to the scanning pad. A moment later, Kayleigh exited the train and BTEL #3 was again on its way.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” was her reply.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, just thought I saw something on that screen.”

At first, they thought the train had made some kind of mistake. The woods surrounding them gave no clue as to where to go next. Upon closer inspection, Lincoln discovered the remains of a path between two aged pines. Holding hands again, they entered the path and moved slowly.