“Phoebe Ashcroft?” he asked.

She nodded.

“We think some luggage that was loaded earlier belongs to you, but you never paid the fee."

Phoebe gave him a puzzled look. "I had all my stuff shipped to Grand Shore ahead of me."

"In that case, we'll need you to confirm that the bags aren't yours so that we can tag them properly." The man sounded like he wasn't in the mood for any arguments.

Phoebe stepped past him into the dark corridor, not wanting to be on the hook for someone else's luggage. He motioned in the direction he wanted her to go, and she began walking down rows and rows of sleeper cabins, further into the belly of the train.

Image: Phoebe, her back turned, walks down a train car. End description.

The only sounds Phoebe heard were the rhythmic clack of wheels against rail and the faint howl of the wind as the train snaked smoothly across the landscape. There was no talking or coughing or shuffling from other passengers, and she realized that it must have been later in the night than she thought. The employee with the zebra aspect was gone. An uneasy feeling loomed over her, and she wished that she was back in her cabin.

Further, further...

Image: The train speeds across the landscape. The frontmost car and half of the car behind it are visible, and some of the cabins have their lights on. Behind the train is a forest, and in the foreground is a green field. The sky is dark blue and a few stars are visible. End description.


(06.13.20)