Train Tracks

Everything was black, I wanted to open my eyes but they were heavy and one part of me didn’t want to open them. It felt so right not to open them… I felt something falling in my face. I groaned and touched it. It was a leaf that had fallen from a tree. Slowly I opened my eyes, getting used to the light. I grabbed the little leaf and blew it away making it float in the air. Suddenly another leaf fell on my head and I look up. There was a calming breeze making the trees move, blowing the leaves away. Some were green, others were pink and I was pretty sure that some were light blue. I was a little disoriented because I didn’t know where I was.

I look where I was laying and stood up. It was a wooden bench covered with little leaves. I look to my right and there was a row of the same benches, extending where I couldn’t see them anymore. I look to my left and it was the same. Where am I? I ask myself. I stood up and felt the grass through my toes. I am pretty sure I was wearing some shoes… My thoughts were interrupted by a distant sound. It almost sounded like a train. Right a few feet from me were some train tracks. They were old but it gave it a comfortable feeling. Again the wind picked up making my hair wavy and all over my face. I could even feel my dress waving in the air… Wait, a dress? I look down and I was in a white, to the knee, dress. It was so simple but yet so pretty.

I sigh and tried to remember what was happening. Why was I wearing a dress and no shoes? Where am I? I sat again on the bench and let the wind calm me. If I was in the same situation but in another location I would panic and yell for help but I didn’t feel the need to do it because somehow I knew that something good was coming. I didn’t know what it was but I knew I would find out soon enough.

A little blue bird, followed by a yellow one flew and landed next to me. Both of them looked at me like they knew me or like they knew I wouldn’t harm them. I wanted to touch them but I hesitated, I didn’t want to scare them. As if they read my mind, the little yellow bird flew and landed on one of my thighs, chirping and twisting its little head and the little blue bird did the same but on my shoulder. I was amazed that this little creature trusted me. I giggled tapped their little heads with my finger and they flew away. Again I was alone.

The train sounded closer so I decided to stay a little more. I didn’t know if it was coming from my right or from my left, nor I could see it. In each end was a little white mist covering what my eyes didn’t reach. I wondered if I could walk over there and see if I could find somebody who could help me. Maybe someone could explain everything. I started walking to my right but I stopped because it seemed that it had to end. It was like the same scenery over and over again. After a while I got tired and sat on one of the benches, looked at the train tracks and wonder where would this train take me where I can’t go on foot?

It felt like hours passed, even if I walked to my right or to my left it didn’t change or end. The sky stayed the same shade of light blue with fluffy clouds. I closed my eyes and opened them again. Nothing changed, I sighed and looked to my right and I see a shadow in the distance. Rapidly, without judging, I stood up and ran towards it. It was an old man sitting in one of the wooden benches. He had a brown hat, bottle size glasses and a staff. He looked at the distance in front of him with a peaceful smile.

“Excuse me, sir?” the old man looked at me and smiled.

“Why, hello young lady.” He scooted over to the side and patted the empty space of the bench. I sat down.

“Hi, can you tell me where I am? I don’t know, everything seemed so strange and I can’t seem to get out of this place.” The old man nodded and smiled. The way he looked at me and the place around him, made him look like he knew.

“Oh, my dear. I am in no place of telling you.” He smiled a sad smile. He was going to say something when a hand grabbed his shoulder. I stood quickly, Where did she come from? Why didn’t I notice her coming? I thought. The mad stood up, with teary eyes and hugged the young woman who touched him.

“Welcome home.” She said, almost like a whisper.

The old man bended his arm, taking his staff in his other hand, telling the young woman to hook her arm in his. Both of them ignore me completely and walked towards the train tracks. There was a train, it was old but beautiful. I could see some people sipping tea and talking like normal. Why didn’t I heard the train? The old man and the woman entered and took a sit in front of the window. But the thing that really took me aback was that the old man wasn’t there anymore. There was a handsome young man with the same young woman. Where did he go? but he answered my question because he had the old man’s hat.

The wind picked up making the leaves hit my face lightly, making me look down. When I got them out of my hair and face I gasped. The train wasn’t there anymore. No, no, no, no! What am I going to do now? Tears started to wield in my eyes. I was alone in this place. I dropped to my knees and started sobbing. I don’t want to be alone! I thought.

“It pains me to see you like this,” said a man. I looked up and squinted my eyes because the sun was hitting this man in such a way that I couldn’t see his face. I got up; as soon as I saw who he was I covered my mouth and gasped. “You know I don’t like to see those pretty eyes sadden.”

I touched his face to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. To me he was real. “How is this even possible?” I whispered. He took one of my hands and pressed it against his cheek.

“Oh, how I missed this.” I cupped his face with my hands. “How I missed you.” I was loss at words. “Sit down.” He was wearing a white button shirt, his sleeves were pushed up, and his pants were white with a black belt and was wearing no shoes. “I see you got the train.” He looked at the tracks. “I got a port.” He chuckle. “It was quite nice, very relaxing.” I was still loss at words. He looked at me and smiled. “I know you are confused, just as I was when I got here.”

“Here?” I said. “Where is here?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.” He grabbed my hand.

Suddenly I realized something. My eyes started to water and I hunched down to cry. I should have figured it out as soon as I saw him. I should have known. I am with him now. I felt his hands in my back, soothing my sadness. It took a while to calm down, after all I was dead.

“You know, I love those grandchildren of ours. They are so adorable.” He said looking up at the sky.

“Grandchildren?” wait, now I remember. The look on my face made him understand that slowly things were sinking in. “That’s right. We had a family together…” the idea was so beautiful that two tears rolled down. “We had a family.” My breath caught up with me. “I am so happy.”

He hugged me and I hugged him back. He was crying too. “Yes, me too. You don’t know how lonely I have been waiting for you.” I nodded, cupping his face. “I am sorry that I left you like that, but I was always with you. I never left you alone.”

I nodded chuckling and crying at the same time. I felt an immense peace when I accepted the reality. I was ready. I stood up when I hear the train getting closer but this time I could see it coming. I looked at it and smiled. This was it.

“I’ll wait for you on the other side.” He said and I pecked his lips.

“And I’ll be waiting.” I stepped on the little stairs and entered the train.