Riding the Rail

The hard dry-wind blew across the staging area and coated the gossamer threads of metal that made up the rails. Around the squat ugly buildings that made up the fortified station a large crowd of refugees and guards grasped and groaned in unison, with each gust of sharp dank- wind, as they amassed for evacuation. Above them a harsh pinprick of sun painted the sky pink, while the never-ending grit from the encroaching desert ground its way into nook and cranny.

Periodically the howl of the evacuation siren, the sounds of distant gunfire or the muffled metallic-din of a loudspeaker announcement would pierce through the low desperate hum of the crowd's sullen march as they made their way to the embarking station near the constant thunder of the rails.

Welcome to embarking station Fifty-three. Please have your IDs and travel papers ready, place all electronic devices and metal objects in the appropriately marked barrels. You will be sent to the back of the line if any restricted items are found on you will be refused transport. You will be issued proper supplies and replacements upon arrival at your destination. Please move orderly toward your assigned areas and obey all directives from transport pesonal... barked the loudspeaker for the hundredth time.

"Keep it moving, People. Step to the open scanner when one becomes available, the transports won't wait forever" shouted one of the heavily armed guards motioning to the various lines behind him as best he could over the roar as another transport shot down the rails. He and his wearily compatriots all wore the same tight faces as they dutifully shepherded the crowd toward the bank of body scanners and travel lines.

"Papa, I don't wanna go!" mumbled the little girl between the tears that raced down her dirty cheeks. Her weary Father responded by reaching down with a ragged shirt sleave and wiping them away.

Then the grizzled grey- man continued softly,"Natasha, we talked about this. You know we have to evacuate. Things are bad and they're going to get worse that's why the governments relocating us. Remember how happy you were when you heard we were one of the lottery's winners?"

"But that was before I found out Billy and his family couldn't come. Why can't they go to Papa? I don't want him to leave him. We play ball sometimes," she retorted her hazel eyes beginning to cloud over again as the line inched closer and closer to the front.

"I know you like Billy, and his whole family have been wondeful neighbors but you'll understand when you get older. A lot of hard decisions had to be made when it came to the evacuation. Thank the Mother that I didn't have to make them but the elders did, Honey. Our home's dying and the vultures are already starting to pick over the bones."

"But all my friends at lessons," she sobbed.

"And don't you fret about them. Most families have an important job now too, helping to construct the face and keep society functioning for as long as possible for support. Why just wait baby, the experts on the news said you'll be able to see the face from space." Besides the good news is we're going to find a new home. You still got the picture I gave you?" Her father replied."

"Yes Papa," she responded, smiling for the first time.

Putting a hand gently on her shoulder to lead her forward they got to the front of the line he said, "Show it to me, again."

She responded by pulling out a worn picture of a small blue world that hung
like an exotic marble in a sea of black. "Here it is Papa."

"Isn't it beautiful, Honey? New and unused, not like our old world here. You'll see there won't be any fighting or war or pollution or any of the old problems there. You see that Blue? That'show the sea used to be here, and the air is so thick it rains, it's not dirty and dying, no sir. It's a big blue world to replace our small red one and the best part is your brother's already there with the first wave. So please try to cheer up for me, okay?" he said as she sniffled and nodded back. Then, he took her small hand in his and stepped forward.

The last of the guards motioned them forward to the last checkpoint which rested in the shadows cast by the engines that charged the rails for the gigantic transport," Papers?" He said mechanically as he took their travel documents and quickly glanced them over before continuing, " Lucky, your barely traveling at all just one planet in. Nice place I hear, no people just a few large sauropods. Better draw than the last group, I just got done loading some people on the transports heading out of system. They're not even sure the worlds out that way are even habitable..."

Then breaking character and forgetting about all the pain of the evacuation for just a brief moment the hard young man let a small smile creep across his dusty face. " Now, that's up and stay to the far left . You ready to ride the rail, Missy?" he finished glancing down at her.

The little girl shyly smiled back, "Yes,sir."

"Then move on out, Missy," the guard replied playfully saluting before shouting out, "Next."