Ghost in the Dark (Galactic Axia Ghost Series Book 1) by Laughter Jim

Author:Laughter, Jim [Laughter, Jim]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Axia Books
Published: 2019-02-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

A cheer went up as the train pulled out of the station and chugged toward the mountains. Inside was a full load of tourists excited about their winter excursion. It was warm and balmy down here in the zone under weather control.

Many of the passengers were in shirtsleeves, but a few sweltered in heavier clothing. The overhead luggage racks were crammed with down-filled coats and winter apparel for wear at the higher elevations. Many people also brought boots so they could stay warm in the snow. Those were jammed under the seats.

Two locomotives snorted at the front of the train, the front one sporting a butterfly plow on its pilot. The management didn’t want any trouble out on the line and considered the extra traction power provided by the second steam engine good insurance.

Of course, the sights and sounds of two locomotives chugging up the grade was very popular with the passengers. Many of them leaned out the windows so they could watch or photograph the steamers when the train rounded the long curves.

Behind the engines, the management provided an open-air car for the more hardy tourists. Several passengers in this car were filming the engines and recording the music of the exhaust pouring from the stacks. An ancient poet had once said that a steam engine was a symphony of sight and sound.

After refilling with water at the midpoint station, the train whistled off for the end of the line at the mountain village. The weather had grown colder, and almost everyone had donned their coats. The cold still didn’t keep some from leaning out of the windows to get faces full of cinders. Occasionally, on tight curves, branches loaded with snow would sway, and the snow loosened by the exhaust from the engines would spill down on those with their heads out.

Bobby watched the train working its way up the mountain from his vantage-point at the lookout. He enjoyed watching it climb slowly up the grade, and he tried to be here as often as possible. What he didn’t particularly like much was the antics of the tourists when they arrived at the village.

Every other day it was the same. The crowd would romp in the snow and flood the village with people who had probably never experienced snow before. Bobby learned to absent himself just before train time, and today was no exception.

Today he was going to hike over to the ridge on the other side of the lookout from the village. Grandpa Gary taught him to be prepared, so he carried extra food and emergency supplies for his foray. Earlier in the winter, he had proven himself a quick study in learning the tricks of winter mountain survival. Now no one worried when he went out alone.

When he passed the station, he checked in with the stationmaster and left word where he would be and when he expected to return. He strapped on his snowshoes since he would be leaving the paths cleared for the visiting tourists.

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