HEY!!! OMG I GOT INTO THE ONE-ACT PLAYS AT MY SCHOOL!!!!!! I'M SO HAPPY!!! (I know you guys don't care, but...!!!!!)
Since I'm in such a good mood, here's another chapter! Enjoy!
-
CHAPTER FIVE: TICKETS AND A NEW ARRIVAL
"Tickets!" the conductor called. "Tickets, please!" He clicked a hole-puncher so fast, I thought it'd fly out of his hands and hit the ceiling.
He stopped at our seat. "Ticket, please," the conductor said.
My dad stared blankly at him.
"Try your pocket," the conductor suggested.
Dad stuck his hand in his ripped pocket.
"Try the other one," the conductor said, rolling his eyes.
Dad did and pulled out a golden ticket with a picture of the train on it and the words "Round Trip". He stared, wide-eyed.
"Whoa, baby!" I exclaimed. I smirked and put on a British accent. "You've found Wonka's last Golden Ticket!"
Everyone stared at me. I giggled nervously. "Just a joke," I said. "What, y'all never seen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?"
As they continue to stare, I slunk down in my seat. Of course. The movie hadn't come out yet, and wasn't going to for another…thirty years or so.
The conductor, ignoring my blunder, took my dad's ticket and punched not one, but many holes in his ticket. When he gave it back, on the ticket were the letters "B" and "E". Dad frowned, very confused.
After my ticket was punched, I had the letters "R" and "E". Wow, this made absolutely no sense. I was starting to think that maybe, if I begged him long enough, the conductor would let me off the train. But…if I left now…I'd never return to my own time. I'd be stuck in the past.
Where'd there'd be no cool movies.
No iPods.
And definitely no cellphone service.
I had no choice but to stay put.
"What's with the random letters?" I finally asked Dad, trying to start up a conversation.
"I have no idea," he admitted. "Maybe it's supposed to spell a word or something."
"Maybe," I said.
"Or maybe more letters will be added later."
"Maybe."
"Boy, that guy sure likes to show of with that ticket punch of his," the nerdy kid said, turning around. "Look at what the wise guy punched on my ticket!" He held it out so we could see an "L" and an "E" on the ticket. "L, E," he said. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?"
As he walked away, I got an idea in my head. "Maybe when his ticket's done, it'll spell 'Leave'." My dad started to laugh, which made me laugh, too.
"Next stop: 11344 Edbrook," the conductor said into the intercom.
"Oh, boy!" the nerdy kid said. "We're heading to the other side of the tracks!"
I scrunched up my face in confusion. "What?"
My question wasn't answered. Instead, the train stopped in front of a small, yellow house. The conductor got off the train and met a small boy with big, black boots on.
Dad, the nerdy kid and I stuck our heads out the window to check out the scene. "Aw, whatever!" the nerdy kid said, waving his hand passively. "It's just another pick-up." He turned to my dad. "That's weird. I thought you were the last one on the list."
After he stuck his head back in, I heard the conductor announce his famous line about the train. "Does he say that to everyone?" I asked.
"He said it to me," Dad answered.
"He said it to me, too."
Dad nodded. "He must rehearse or something."
The boy in the boots stepped back, indicating he wasn't coming with.
"Suit yourself," the conductor said, jumping back on. He signaled to the driver, and the train started up again.
As the train started pulling away, the little boy looked up at us with sad eyes. All Dad could do was feebly wave at the poor kid.
Suddenly, the kid started running. It must have been hard with those boots, because he looked as if he'd trip any second.
"Come on!" my dad called to him. "Hurry up!"
The kid accidentally tripped, the train going by without a care. That image was engraved in my mind at that moment, and as it was, it struck a cord in me and I had a revelation.
I turned to my dad. "We have to stop the train."
