The Man Without A Face by David Archer

Author:David Archer [Archer, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-11-21T16:00:00+00:00

51

Alaska Railroad, 2021

It feels like evening but is only afternoon. A giant, sky-eating cloud rolls toward Talkeetna like an upside-down tsunami and the first flakes already sprinkle down, striking the windows of the train as it moves toward the town’s modest station.

Semyon and Mother move through the carriages. If people are waiting for them, then it would be best to leave via the engine at the front. Get away via the railroad.

“Misha, wait.”

Semyon stops. He is in front, the sports bag hanging from his shoulder. When he turns, she is leaning heavily against a wall of the carriage.

“What’s up?” he asks.

Panting, she tells him, “I cannot seem to catch… my breath.”

Semyon goes to speak but is interrupted by the tannoy.

“Passengers for Talkeetna should gather their belongings now. The next stop is Talkeetna. I repeat, folks, the next stop is Talkeetna. After that it is Anchorage, where this train terminates.”

“Come on,” he says impatiently. “We have to get to the engine. It’s only another four carriages.”

“I can’t,” she insists. “I must sit down. I feel… sleepy.”

With some effort, she raises her gaze to meet his. Her bloodshot eyes are practically hanging from the bags on her face.

“I’ve never felt so old,” she remarks in a frail voice.

Semyon checks his wristwatch. Nods. “Okay. Have a little rest.”

He guides her to a seat that pokes out of the carriage. It is next to a door. He opens the window on said door, pulling it down. Cool air rushes in and washes over her face. The train starts to slow. Semyon stands on the opposite side of the carriage with his back to her. While she catches her breath, he watches the outside and considers their current situation.

Though thankful for Mother’s decisive actions, he is also upset that she wasn’t armed with something that could have gotten rid of Ibliss for good. He is sure that the fall has only damaged her. Nevertheless, it’s not the Fallen Angel he’s immediately concerned with. It’s whether she has others in the vicinity.

He thinks about it. Normal procedure, in his experience, would have been to send a wet team onto the train. Do it while it’s stopped in a station: like now. There would be two teams. One remaining on the platform. The other on the train. A single person getting on and joining him in the cabin would be too risky.

Unless that was all they had.

Semyon slowly comes to the conclusion that Ibliss is alone. At least for now.

The thought makes him give up the idea of climbing out the engine and making a getaway. In fact, as the train approaches the Talkeetna train station, he wonders whether they shouldn’t just stay onboard all the way to Anchorage.

“This train now stops at Talkeetna. All onboard for Talkeetna, this is your stop.”

Another train is already in the station. The Anchorage to Fairbanks service going the other way. They pull alongside it. No more than a foot gap between the two trains.

While they slow to a crawl, Mother watches the windows of the other train.

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