OTMA: I'll Meet You On The Bridge

Chapter 8: Maria POV

 Maria had decided that trains were her least favorite mode of transportation. She'd decided that a long time ago. Trains made her feel sick. She remembered throwing up once on a train. It was all over Anastasia. She had been PISSED.

Olga had found a book on the floor, and was now reading. Tatiana was asleep. Luckily, she was next to the window this time and was leaning on that rather than on Olga.

"So Victoria, what's your book about?" Maria asked. Olga didn't respond for a moment. Maria lightly tapped her shoulder. "Victoria, what's your book about?"

"Oh, right, that's me." Olga said. "Sorry. It's going to take some getting used to."

"Well, then we'll get used to it. What's the book about? I'm actually curious."

"It's about some girl who is seemingly being stalked by this other guy." Olga said. "It's actually kind of terrifying. I think it's a horror novel."

"What's it called?" Maria realized that she couldn't see the name of the book.

"The Phantom Of The Opera." Olga said. She held up the book, revealing the cover. "It's pretty interesting. But it's in English, so it's kind of hard for me to understand."

"That's cool." Maria said, glancing down. "I envy your ability to read on a moving train. My stomach hurts and I'm not even looking at something that's up close."

"You'll be okay. And if you need to throw up, do it on Alice." Olga said. She turned back to her book. Maria sighed and tried to fall asleep.

She woke up to the sound of footsteps. The train had stopped. Tatiana was awake. Olga had looked up from her book. Maria realized that they were probably at the border. They were checking the passes.

"Alice, the passes." Maria whispered. Tatiana took a moment to respond.

"Oh, oh, right." She handed each girl her boarding pass. Maria held hers tightly. She was worried that when the guard came around to her, he would see that the pass was fake and wouldn't let her through. Anxiety coursed through her.

"Pass, please?" He asked. She handed it to him. It was nighttime, she realized, so he had to check it with a tiny light. She waited for him to yell at her for faking a pass, to force her off the train. To shoot her. But instead, he simply handed it back to her.

"Have a nice trip to Paris, Elizabeth." He moved on to Olga's. He handed hers right back. And then to Tatiana's. Each time, he handed the pass back, a wave of relief crashed over Maria.

She watched other people get taken off of the train. It startled her how many people were being violently shoved off. One woman held a baby. Maria had always loved babies.

"It's going to be okay, Griggs." She whispered to the baby in her arms. "We'll get out eventually." It was saddening to her, how many people wanted to get out of her once beautiful Russia. She wondered if it was the same way when she was still a Grand Duchess. She hoped it wasn't, and yet, she somehow felt that it was.

"I'm glad that's not us." Olga whispered. Tatiana and Maria nodded in agreement.

And then, the train chugged on. They had barely gotten everyone who wasn't supposed to be on the train off when it started moving again. Someone called into a megaphone:

"Alright, sit back and relax because we won't be stopping until we reach Paris. We'll be traveling for a couple of days. Food will be provided. Bathrooms are in the back . . ." Maria stopped listening. She was NOT looking forward to being on the train for a couple of days. She wasn't even sure how she was going to eat.

"They already told us where the bathrooms were and that food would be provided, why are they doing it again?" Olga complained.

"Maybe new people got on." Tatiana said.

"Did you see anyone get on?" Olga asked. Tatiana was quiet at that. Maria sighed and leaned on Olga. She had been asleep, and her head was still a little fuzzy. She was hoping that She could fall asleep again. She wished she could just stay asleep all the way to Paris, but she doubted that would happen. One could only get so much sleep.

She wasn't sure when she dozed off, but she new that she woke up to bright sunlight. It must have been morning. She wondered how long she had been asleep. She glanced over at Olga and Tatiana. Both girls were asleep. She smiled, glad to see that her sisters were resting. They would all be nice and awake when they reached Paris.

"Would you like some food, miss?" A woman walked by with a cart full of cold food. "It isn't fresh, but at least it's food." Maria was surprised to realize that she actually didn't feel nauseous. She was sure she would soon, but she needed to eat.

"Yes please." Maria said. "Do you accept jewels as currency? I don't have any rubles on me."

"Yes, I will." The woman said. Maria tugged one of the gems off of her corset. "This is actually probably enough for three meals."

"I guess I'm paying for my sisters then, too." Maria tilted her head towards Olga and Tatiana. The woman handed her three of the meals.

"Enjoy your meal." She said before walking down the aisle. "Would you like some food, Sir?" She heard the woman ask.

"Girls, wake up." Maria said. She shoved her shoulder into Olga. "Wake up." Olga blinked and glanced over at her.

"Oh. Food. Thanks." Olga took the food and started eating it. She then elbowed Tatiana awake, and Maria handed Tatiana her food.

The three girls actually enjoyed a nice breakfast together, though Olga fell asleep right after they were done and Maria felt pretty sick. She sighed and tried to ignore it. Tatiana let her switch so that she was in the window seat. That helped a little.

That was how the rest of the trip went. To her surprise, Maria only threw up once, and she got to the bathroom before it happened. Finally, the train was starting to stop. It was midday, and it looked like they were finally going to be off.

They had to show their boarding passes to one more person, who accepted it from them and waved them through. The three girls stepped out and looked the bright city in front of them. Maria could see the Eiffel Tower. Maria noticed Tatiana smile as she put her arms around her two sisters.

They had made it. 

AUTHORS NOTE: Thank you so much to everyone who's been reading my story! The next chapter will be taking place 10 years later, when the musical takes place. I love you all thank you so much!