Night Train by David Quantick

Author:David Quantick [Quantick, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781785658600
Google: kzD4DwAAQBAJ
Amazon: 178565859X
Publisher: Titan Books
Published: 2020-08-24T23:00:00+00:00

FOUR

The next carriage was a buffet car.

“See?” said Banks. “I was right.”

He put down the kitbag and began opening cupboards.

“Cans!” he said, his eyes glistening. “Look!” he said, holding up a can.

“More purple,” said Poppy.

“This isn’t purple,” Banks said, “it’s mauve.”

“What kind of food is mauve?” asked Garland.

“Guess we’re going to find out,” Poppy replied.

Banks tore open the can, stuck in a finger and licked it clean.

“Blueberry,” he said.

“Blueberry what?” Poppy asked.

“Just blueberry,” said Banks.

“My favourite,” said Poppy.

Banks opened all the cupboards. They were crammed with cans, and juice boxes, and packets of dried food.

“Wow,” said Garland. “We hit the motherbuffet.”

* * *

“We just ate,” Poppy said, as they sat down to a table covered in food.

“I know, but we can’t carry all this. Besides,” Banks said, his mouth full, “blueberry.”

Poppy shook her head.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” she said. “Nobody touch my skis.”

* * *

In the bathroom, Poppy washed her face. After a moment’s thought, she drank some water from the tap. It tasted fine, so she drank some more.

“What does not destroy me,” she said to the mirror, “makes me want to pee.”

Just then the light went off.

* * *

“Hey!” she shouted. “Turn the light back on!”

Then she remembered that there was no light switch. She went to the door and turned the handle but it didn’t open.

“I’m stuck in here!” she shouted.

* * *

In the darkened car, Banks swore as he got up.

“Banged my head,” he explained.

Garland got to her feet unsteadily.

“Did Poppy leave her coat?” she asked. “The bottles.”

“On the back of her seat.”

“Good.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m not sure,” Garland admitted. “But I think I should go and find Poppy.”

* * *

“I can’t get out!” Poppy shouted.

“There must be a short circuit in the lock,” said Garland.

“Must there?” shouted Poppy. “Who needs an electronic lock on a toilet anyway?”

“I’ll file a complaint,” Garland said. “Can’t you smash the door?”

“Why is it always me who has to smash doors?” Poppy asked. “Don’t say anything, I know the answer.”

And she balled her fist.

* * *

“Banks! What are you doing?”

“Putting the cans back in the kitbag.”

A pause, then Garland said, “Why?”

“Because they’re rolling around in the dark.”

“Could you perhaps do that later? I need you here.”

“What for?”

A sigh in the dark.

“Just. Come. Here.”

* * *

Poppy’s fist hit the door. There was a flash of light, and a sharp pain through the top of her arm into her shoulder. Her chest jolted and she fell to the floor.

* * *

Garland heard the thump.

“Poppy?” she shouted. “Get this door open!” she told Banks.

“I’ll need a lever.”

“Get a fucking lever then.”

“I really hate that word.”

* * *

There was a lot of clanking and banging, followed by some hissing, and then Banks was beside her again.

“Here.”

“What is it?”

“Heating pipe.”

Garland found the edge of the door. She was about to stick the end of the pipe in when she accidentally touched the edge of the doorway. An electric shock jerked the pipe away and she grabbed her hand.

“The door’s electrified.”

“But the power’s out.”

“Yes, I can see that.

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