The Night Train- Pioneer Page 3

  Wanda entered the next rear sleeping car. Matt and Kim followed. Wanda went into a stare into emptiness. Matt and Kim keep quiet and watched. Then Wanda immediately came out of the stare.

  She appeared frightened and said to Kim, "It's not working."

  Wanda pushed the train doors open and ran to Amy sleeping car. Kim and then Matt ran behind her. As Wanda turned into the hallway she saw Delores turn toward the door at the forward end of the hallway. She had the papers with her.

  Wanda blurted, "Oh! No!"

  And ran to Amy's room door. Kim and then Matt ran behind her.

  Wanda opened the room door. She saw Amy calmly seated in the chair beside the bed. Kim and Matt were at the door.

  Wanda, "What Happen?"

  Amy calmly replied, "Just what you said she thinks that I have signed the papers."

  Wanda, "It never worked!"

  Amy held up her copy of the papers, "It worked." Wanda looked at the paper and saw no signature on Amy's copy. Wanda stood speechless.

  Amy calmly said, "This family has had powers for five generations. They remain in the family. After you understand the powers, you hide the powers. Only the ones that find their powers, and don't understand them, show the powers."

  Wanda sat on the bed. Matt and Kim heard none of the discussion between Amy and Wanda. For them, Wanda entered the room, Amy showed her the unsigned papers, and Wanda sat on the bed.

  Wanda felt powers she had never felt before. She never knew powers like that existed. The feelings stopped. Wanda did not know if the feelings were a dream or if they were true. Wanda will not know if they were true.

  Amy spoke to Wanda, "I have always been interesting in the psychic. Like I said in the lounge there have been the rumors that the psychic powers been in the family for years. I have never understood how the powers could start. Have you always had yours?"

  Wanda coming out of her dream answered, "No, I had the accident. All I know is I was in the sky. I wasn't scared or anything. Then I went somewhere. I have never figured out where it was. Then I stayed only a short time. Then I return to the accident." Wanda paused, "The thing about all this is this is what is commonly known as an out of body experience. I have listened to others explain what they call and out of body experience. Sometimes I think they really had one. Other times I think they are misunderstanding what happen or simply faking the experience. Since it is unusual people have written much about it. I considered most of the things I have read and seen about out of body experiences as phony. Just to get the money. Only a few of them I feel are real."

  Ange, Wanda, and Matt and Kim remained awake and sat in Amy room until morning.

  At the Mapleville stop Amy and Wanda got off the train. Matt and Kim watched from the train window. Connie, her husband, and two kids were at the station and met Amy. She said she wanted to say goodbye to someone. Amy walked over to Wanda and thanked her for the help. Then Connie, her husband, and the kids walked, with Amy, into the station. The train pulled out of the station.

  At the final stop, Washington, Matt and Kim remained on the train and watched while Delores and Donald left the train. Both carried their luggage to the other side of the platform. Then they sat down their luggage. Delores pulled the papers out of her pocket and saw the unsigned papers. Two uniform security officers, one male one female, walked up to them. The male said something to both of them. Delores said something in return. The female indicated for both of them to walk on the platform toward the station. They walked toward the station. The two security officers walked behind them.

  Matt and Kim left the train.

  The Artifact

  The westbound train stopped in Rivertown at 2:15 pm. Darley and Heather stepped off the train. Darley was in his early thirties and Heather was in her late twenties. They have known each other for six years. Their plan was to come to Rivertown, make some quick money, and never come back. They walked the two blocks to the Waterfront Hotel.

  Darley spoke to the desk clerk, "I'm Darley Manders. We have a reservation for two for tonight and tomorrow night."

  The clerk looked at the computer display, "There you are. It says you rented a boat for the two days. Do you still what the boat?"

  Darley said, "Yes."

  The clerk replied, "Ok."

  She placed two keycards on the counter, "Your room is 332. The elevator is to your left. For the boat you go down the hallway and follow the path to the lake. At the booth, check in with the attendant."

  They took their bags to the room. Then returned to the lobby where Heather bought a paper.

  At the booth by the lake Darley said, "Room 332. We rented a boat for the weekend.''

  The attended looked at the computer display and said, "Darley Manders."

  Darley,"Yes."

  The attendant placed the keys on the counter.

  Attendant, "Your boat is in C17. It's the fifth one to your right. Will you be needing assistance in operating the boat?"

  Heather picked up the keys," No, I,ve been around boats since I was five years old."

  They took the boat out and stopped in the center of the lake.

  After Darley looked through the binoculars, "The museum is just over there. There is a boat dock in back. I'll call Billy and tell him we're here."

  Heather, "I don't like that Billy guy. He's creepy."

  Darley, "He's the guy giving us the money for the Artifact. Then we wouldn't be seeing him again."

  Billy was sitting on a bench in the city park. His phone rang and he answered, "Darley. That you?"

  Darley, "Yes we're on Mile Lake by Rivertown. The museum is a half mile away on the other side. We're going over to check it out."

  Billy, "Don't tell me about it. You just have the Artifact on the train Sunday morning. Then you'll get the money."

  Billy folded his phone and put it in his pocket. He was sick of living here. He was getting close to forty now. He walked to the street and looked at his apartment window above the store.

  Muttering to himself, "Been renting that place for three years now. With this one sell I can get out of here. He better not mess it up."

  Darley took the phone away from his ear and said, "He hung up."

  Heather held up the article with the picture of the Artifact and said, "It says it's worth a million and a half. Doesn't look very big. It 'll be easy just to stick in my bag."

  Darley, "You can't just walk in to a museum and put a million and half dollar museum piece in your bag. They have security devices and guards. We'll have to get it at night. It's only on display from 9 am to 9 pm tomorrow. It would help if we can find where it is when it's not on display."

  Heather, "How are we suppose to know where it is when it's not on display."

  Darley, "Need to go over and look around. Ask someone. Talk about it a little."

  Heather, "How do we do that?"

  Darley, "Go over to the museum. Look around. Ask about it?"

  Heather," They're not going to tell us."

  Darley, "We're tourist. Tourist ask about things. Just need to listen to the answers. We're getting a hundred thousand dollars for this thing. I think we can ask around a little."

  Heather, "It's worth one and a half million dollars. That Billy guy is giving one hundred thousand dollars?"

  Darley, "Forget about that Billy guy. He'll have the money on the train Sunday morning. We'll take it and never see him again.

  They went to the boat dock behind the museum.

  Mitch, who has been working as a security guard for seventeen years, came out the door of the small storage room built onto the back of the museum. He walked to the dock. He actually walked on his left leg and limped with his right leg. He's been doing that since the plane crash, while in the army, during his twenties. He never pays attention to that anymore. He doesn't make much money as a security guard, but since the kids started being on their own as he reached forty-five, it was enough money.

  Mitch, "You can leave the boat there. It's no problem. People do
it all the time."

  Mitch started back to the museum. Darley and Heather walked along with him.

  Mitch, "You folks here visiting?"

  Heather, "Yes. Thought we would come by. In the newspaper they say there is a million and a half dollar Artifact going to be shown tomorrow at the museum. This is the museum isn't it?"

  Mitch, "Yep. We’re expecting a lot of people. That's why we’re staying open till nine. We usually close at five. Where are you folks staying?"

  Heather, "At the Waterfront Hotel."

  Mitch , "They just open that last spring. Been quite a few more tourists after they opened. More people working now. Are you staying just the weekend?"

  Heather, "We,re leaving on the 7:30 train Sunday morning."

  Mitch, "More people seem to be riding the train now that use to. It helps the tourism to have a train stop here."

  They walked to the storage room. Mitch stopped and watched as the truck backed up to the storage room.

  He looked at his watch, Mitch said "There it is, just on time."

  He waited till the truck stopped, while Heather, and Darley stood beside him. The driver got out of the front door with a box.

  Mitch opened the storage room door for him, "Just sit it on the table. It'll be ok. Nobody comes back here."

  Darley saw the air-conditioner in the window opening.

  The driver got back into the truck and the truck drove off.

  Mitch closed and locked the door, "Glad that's here. They hirer special guards to watch it tomorrow while it's on display. Then Sunday morning at three they'll pick it up."

  Heather in astonishment, "Was that the Artifact worth one and a half million dollars?"

  Mitch, "Yep."

  Heather, "Well don't they have someone to guard it?"

  Mitch, "Don't need any guards since no one knows where it is. It'll be ok. Come around to the front. I'll show you the new restaurant that we opened at the beginning of summer."

  At 8:30 am Saturday the two special hired guards took the Artifact to its display case. After the museum closed the two special guards, took the Artifact back to the storage room.

  Mitch arrived at work and went to the storage room. He saw the Artifact was there. Everything was ok, so the two guards left the museum. Mitch went to the guard room. He looked at his watch, since he had nothing to do till three, he closed his eyes to rest a while.

  Twenty minutes later Darley and Heather tied their boat to the dock and walked to the storage room. Darley pried the air-conditioner out of the window opening. Heather slipped in and stuck the Artifact into her handbag.

  The next morning at 7:20, Darley and Heather boarded the westbound train.

  Mitch walked into the waiting room with the museum manager.

  The manager said, "You should let the police take care of this."

  Mitch, "Ralph. I don't even know they took it. But they're the only people, who I showed where it was. There's a good chance they did. I been a security guard for 17 years now. Something like this has never happen before. Need to find out what is going on."

  Mitch bought his ticket and boarded the train. The train pulled out of the station.

  As soon as Darley sat down his phone rang. It was Billy, who was setting in the lounge car.

  Billy told Darley, "I saw you get on the train. I'm in the lounge car. After you have you ticket scanned and your seat check, come to the lounge car and bring it with you."

  Heather gave the Artifact to Darley. Darley put it in his carryon and went to the lounge.

  Mitch, who was still looking for a seat, noticed Darley as he walked in the next car. So, Mitch followed Darley.

  As Darley entered the lounge car he saw Billy at the other end. He sat beside Billy. Mitch went to the middle of the car and sat where he could watch Darley and Billy. He watched as Darley and Billy exchanged the money and the Artifact. Billy put the Artifact into his backpack. Mitch left the car and went to the downstairs restroom area in the next car.

  After waiting for a while he returned to the lounge car. Billy was still there and Darley was nowhere in sight. Billy had the backpack with the Artifact inside sitting on the floor beside him. Mitch kept an eye on Billy in hopes that he would leave the backpack even for a short time. Mitch thought it would be enough time to grab the Artifact.

  Mitch followed Billy to a downstairs restroom. The narrow passageway was crowded. Mitch was right behind Billy. Billy sat the backpack on the floor. He opened a restroom door. Mitch grabbed at the backpack. He had his hand on it.

  Billy grabbed Mitch's hand. Held it and said, "That's not yours, Bub. Hands off."

  Billy flashed a grave look at Mitch. Mitch let go. Billy entered the restroom.

  Mitch pushed his way out of the crowded passageway and went back upstairs.

  He entered the lounge car. Not knowing what to do he stood and looked at the top of the stairs leading to the downstairs restrooms. He saw Heather and Darley enter the car and go down the steps. Mitch knew, he cannot let people walk off with a million and a half dollar museum Artifact. He went into the car and climbed down the steps to the passageway below.

  As he arrived he saw no one in the passageway. Then he saw Darley and Heather through the widow of the door to the baggage area. To see what they were doing Mitch edged closer. Then he saw Billy with Heather's bag, taking the money and putting it into his backpack with his left hand. In his right hand he had a handgun pointed at Darley and Heather.

  After filling his backpack with the cash, he threw the handbag at Heather. He opened the door. He rushed down the narrow passage way towards Mitch. Mitch rushed toward Billy and held him for a split second. Billy pushed Mitch to the floor. Billy pointed his gun at a spot an inch to the left of Mitch's nose.

  Mitch heard a shot. Billy fell forward onto Mitch's legs. Mitch saw Heather as she stood in front of the door, and put her gun back into her hand bag.

  Heather, "How stupid can that guy be. Giving my gun back, so I can shoot him. I never liked that guy."

  At the next stop Mitch sat in the waiting room and watched as the ambulance took Billy away and the police car took, Darley and Heather, away.

  Mitch looked at his watch, since he had a two hour wait for the next eastbound train to Rivertown, he closed his eyes to rest a while.

  Trapped in the Barn

  "Yes. Mary is here with me. We're in the barn. It's in the house." Kate whispers into the phone.

  Kate listens to Stan say, "Stay by the back door. I'll come through the orchard."

  Kate, "Hurry. I think it's hungry."

  Kate watched out the back window of the barn and saw the Minters barn through the bare branches of the apple trees. Kate was relieved that they got only 6 inches of snow last night instead of the forecasted fifteen.

  She saw Stan run out of the barn doors. He stayed behind their barn as he ran through the orchard, so it wouldn't see him from the house. As he approached the barn's back door, Kate noticed he had the 12 gauge shotgun. She hoped it was enough since their 16 gauge was in the house. And the rifles were locked in the basement. Stan reached the door and slipped in.

  He asked, "Where is it?"

  Kate replied, "It's in the kitchen. It's hungry."

  Stan started toward the front barn door. Kate followed holding Mary. Stan slowly opened the top half of the door. They could see in the open back porch door. They saw and heard nothing. Then Stan opened the bottom of the barn door and walked, slowly and quietly, through the snow. Kate kept behind him holding Mary.

  It was difficult to see in the open porch door. The single kitchen window above the sink could be easily seen threw. They both stopped and gazed into the kitchen through the four panes of the small window. They saw and heard nothing.

  Kate whispered, "Maybe it left?"

  Shan said nothing and walked forward. Something moved, in the kitchen. Stan stopped. They were, in the open, half way between the barn and the kitchen. Stan lifted the shotgun and kept it pointed at the window.

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sp; There was a low drawn-out raging growl. A crashing sound. A flash of black crossed the window. A loud thump. Then silence.

  Stan still holding the shot gun at the window. There was no time to fire. He knew there would be only seconds to reload if he did fire. And that might be too long. If he had to shoot it, he needed to take one shot.

  They slowly continued to the back porch and looked in through the open back door. It was large, black, and laying on the floor. Stan held the shotgun on it. It laid on the floor and didn't move.

  Stan entered the kitchen and pushed its back with his boot. It did not move. No sign of life.

  Bears had been on their farm before, looking for food. Normally they would lock themselves in the house. The bears would wander around outside until they decided to leave. Stan and Kate figured because of the storm last night this one was desperate for food. Since they have lived in the mountains of Colorado for seven years, this was easily understood by both Kate and Stan. But three month old Mary has still to learn about bears. Mary had been outside with Kate when she first saw the bear. There was no time to reach the house. So the barn was the only choice.

  But this didn't explain why the bear was dead. There was no sign of injury. Then Kate looked at the remaining of the cake she had baked that morning. The cake sat on the kitchen counter half eaten. Stan looked at the half eaten cake on the kitchen counter.

  Kate said, "That was a killer of a cake. I can never get the frosting right."