Tales From Rivermark

03T02 "The Switcher and the Shunters"

Tales From Rivermark:
The Switcher and the Shunters

It was early in the morning when Olivia finally awoke.

The young Canadian yawned and rubbed her eyes as she sat up in bed. When she finally did open her eyes, they drifted over to the lone window, which let the hint traces of moonlight shine into the room.

Olivia took a moment to look around her newly-assigned room. It was small - very small. It reminded her of some really cheap hotels that college students would get. There were two bunk beds placed at either side, with just one desk in the middle, sitting under the window.

This was her new 'shed', where she was going to spend her off-times from working the yard. The Controller had assigned it to her right after she was welcomed to Nelson Station, and she promptly went off to sleep. It was his orders, of course. She was to get right to bed, so she could be up early in the morning for her first day of work.

And early it was. Olivia saw the time flash '3:02' on the desk clock, and sighed quietly. She was used to it, after all, but it was still early. Switchers had to be up before anyone else, so they could get themselves ready and get the first morning trains prepared. It wasn't uncommon for some stations to keep at least one in steam all day long.

Olivia sluggishly climbed out of bed and stretched her whole body. She hadn't actually switched anything in almost two weeks, and was both dreading and craving to get back at it. With an early-morning groan, she reached down under her bed - her chosen one, of course, with two bunks all to herself - and pulled out a fresh set of clothes.

It was only a pair of black khaki overalls and a grey work shirt, but Olivia couldn't mind much. It was the typical under-rigging outfit for a shunter like her. Anything else would get unrecognisably dirty within the first hour. You'd have to be very vain or careful if you wanted to wear anything else, especially anything with colour.

She quickly changed out of her night clothes there on the spot. There was nothing to worry about - the room was hers alone. Though, as Olivia fixed the last wrinkles in her work clothes, she did feel a twang of loneliness.

That twang was broken almost instantly, however, as she heard the faintest of sounds coming from out in the hallway. Curious, and ready to start her first day of work, Olivia scuttled over to the door and peeked out.

"But sir, please! Please! Let me handle the short hauls today! I'm begging you!"

"No, Meg, I've said it once already. You have pilot duties today. Now please, please let me be. I haven't even slept yet."

Olivia's eyes were instantly drawn to two figures, standing out against the quiet and empty halls.

The first was the Controller, Mr. Yorick, who - in full truth to his word - looked like he truly had not slept since Olivia had seen him last, well over ten hours ago. His face was barely holding a conscious expression, his clothes were completely wrinkled, and he was moving slower than a long-haul coal drag.

And in front of him, walking backwards, was a girl. She was a little taller than Olivia, with long dark-green hair tied in a ponytail. It matched her green working shirt, and contrasted well with the red knee-length skirt she wore. Olivia recognised that shade of green as the same that Truro had adorned yesterday, and concluded they must be related.

The girl, presumably named 'Meg', continued to walk backwards, with a desperate and upset look on her face. She pleaded with the Controller. "Sir! Those two aren't even built for hauling! But I was! It's in my axleboxes!"