Casting The Bones

I knew that I would return. I didn’t think it would be so soon.

Already cold and wet, today the choice to enter the tunnel had not been taken lightly. We had already seen several trains pass through and the tunnel’s interior offered little shelter due to the cold winds perpetually trapped inside.

Along the tracks animal bones lay cast about like ancient runes, reminding us of less fortunate travelers. Caught forever in the wind, their ghosts howled and pulled at our clothes.

Without warning a deafening blast cut the howling winds apart. A train entered the tunnel. Like the charge of a thousand angry animals the mighty engines shook the earth as they passed. As it swept by me I looked up. Shielding my eyes from the blast of debris I caught the power of the churning wheels swept up a filthy halo of water and dirt.

Pressed up against the wall it seemed the machine had come and gone in an instant. Trembling we took our last steps towards the light.