When I looked in the window, what had happened became very clear. Kids were picking themselves up off the floor and at the back of the car the blue robed kid was fallen in the seat across from the pulled emergency brake. "Well done, kid!" I whispered. In came the conductor and with him a lecture on what the emergency brake was for, the importance of the night, the train they were on, and that all the other kids wanted to get to the Pole.

Luckily, a girl with her black hair in pigtails and wearing a pink nightgown spoke up. "He was just trying to stop the train so that kid could get on!" She pointed to the car behind them where the yellow night shirted boy had boarded and was sitting alone.

"Young man, is that what happened?" The conductor asked, to which the robed boy quickly nodded. The knowledge of the reason behind the boy's actions calmed the conductor. "Well, let me remind you. We are on a very tight schedule." Looking at his watch, he freaked, and fast-walked to the front of the car. "And I've never been late before and I certainly am not going to be late tonight. Now everybody take your SEATS PLEASE!" All the kids ran to grab a seat. When everyone was seated the conductor said, "Thank you." And the train started moving again.

Taking the speaker Mike the conductor asked the kids about refreshments and a happy clamor replaced the tense air. In came the chefs, trolling hot chocolate and performing their show for the enjoyment of the passengers. This was one part of the trip that made me ponder actually asking North for a ticket for myself. But at least this time I came prepared. Back at my spot, I dug a hole in the snow and set up a tripod fire kit, then started a small fire. Yes! Winter spirits can be near fire. We also like hot food and drink-surprising, huh? Anyway, I put a campfire coffee pot over the flames, a loan from the Pole's kitchen yetis-don't tell North-and sat to wait for the water to heat.

As I waited my mind wandered to the two boys, blue robe and yellow nightshirt, nearly polar opposites (pardon the pun) in problems. Blue's belief was dwindling fast but he seemed to still have good fun. Yellow had lost his fun to sadness, but his belief was strong, his ability to be touched by me and hear my voice were testament to that. I felt certain that tonight's trip and a little friendship from the other kids would help take some of yellow's sadness away. Then I could help him keep it at bay, maybe even find other ways to help fix whatever brought on the sadness. I thought back to the boy's pick up, remembering and committing to memory the address. Blue was more difficult. Even after the magic he'd seen on the train he still doubted, probably the rational part of him thought this was all a dream. So what else could be done to help his belief be rekindled?

The pot started to steam and I added the chocolate. Still nothing came to mind. I took out my Hurdy-Gurdy, a string instrument that produces sound by turning the crank. Now, not to brag, but I can play a decent variety of instruments; 300 years' free time, a pan pipe is my favorite wind, I can produce wonders with chimes (especially if I make them myself out of ice), and I love the fun you can do with an accordion, but for high-speed wind conditions like on the roof of a speeding train, the Hurdy-Gurdy is where it's at.

As I played good "King Wenceslaus", I heard a shout. "Hey! I have your ticket!" The voice was none other than the boy in the blue robe. "Hey, you, with the light, wait!" He could see me, which meant there was hope for his belief after all. But what was he doing up here? For that matter what was I going to say when he found me here with a fire on top of the train? This would probably only confirm his dream theory. Suddenly a thought struck me: why not let him think that? Play the voice of doubt? Not really my usual cup of tea but what if a little reverse psychology was in order. My own magic would contradict my skeptic actions. If I kept the fight going in his head this boy might just end up convincing himself.

So I sat back and let him come to me. I continued to play my Hurdy-Gurdy and took up a relaxed position like I did this every day. The blowing snow parted as the blue robe became clear then the boy's face. I saw him out of the corner of my eye but pretended I didn't. He stood there in complete confusion at my campfire. Finally I stopped my playing and looked at the boy as if he were interrupting me and I was annoyed by it. For some reason I adopted an old hillbilly accent and attitude to replace my usual ones. Maybe it was my wish to be the reverse of my usual self, or just something deep inside of me that had awakened due to the circumstances. Whatever the reason, I looked at him and said bluntly, "Is there something I can do for you?"

"I'm looking for a girl."

"A girl? Well, don't know if I can help you there?"

"I have her ticket." He held out the gold piece of paper.

"Well lookee here." I put my instrument down and took the ticket to give it a closer look. "Lookee here. While this is a, this is an official, genuine, ticket to ride." The ticket was un-punched which meant whoever he was trying to find-probably the girl in the pink nightgown-was probably with the conductor. "Oh, you better keep this in a safe place, young man!" He started to put it in his robe pocket; I noticed a hole there and said, "Try your shoe. That way you'll be able to feel it and know that it's still there." He looked skeptically at my bare feet, but took the advice and put the ticket in his right slipper. "Not that I have much use for those." I continued. "Tickets, no I ride for free. Yeah, yeah, I hop aboard this rattler anytime I want. I own this train, yeah. In fact I am the king of this train, yeah the king of the Pole Ex! In fact I'm the king of the NORTH POLE!" Quietly I whispered "Sorry, North," then I turned back to the boy. "Oh, where's my manners. Sit, sit, sit, sit. Take a, take a load off. Would you like some cocoa?" I took the pot off the tripod and poured a cup. "A nice hot refreshment; perfect for a cold winter's night." As the boy took his cup, I poured one for myself.

"What about, Santa?" Blue robe asked.

"Santa?"

"Isn't he the king of the North Pole?"

"You mean this guy?" I took an old traditional Santa hat from my hoodie pocket, put it on, and then started acting like the robotic Santa I'd seen in the store windows. The boy's face looked like I just told him his worst fear was true. "What exactly is, is your persuasion, on the big guy? Since you brought him up."

"Well, I, I want to believe! But…."

"But! You don't want to be bamboozled! You don't want to be led down the primrose path!" I started packing up my stuff. "You don't want to be conned, or duped, have the wool pulled over your eyes, hoodwinked! You don't want to be taken for a ride, railroaded!" I dumped the last of the cocoa onto the fire, dousing it and finished my packing in the cloud of steam. I swung my staff over my shoulder and looked the boy in the eye. "Seeing is believing! Am I right?"

"But what about this train?" He asked.

I stood straighter, a smirk on my lips. "What about it?"

"We're all really going to the North Pole, aren't we?"

"Aren't we?"

"Are you saying that this is all just a…dream?"

"You said it kid, not me!" He looked even more confused, so I changed the subject. "So, let's go find that girl." I turned on my heels and walked towards the engine. "One other thing." I turned back, "do you believe in spirits?" The boy shook his head. "Interesting." I nodded a few times then turned forward again.

Boy did that scene take a lot of work, but oh was it fun! I hope you liked it.