(8)-Departure.

The taxi pulled over by the Prairie Grove Express train station, which was a small 1800s building, and after paying the driver, Kyle exited the vehicle quickly with his backpack and duffle-bag. The train was already here, an 1800s passenger-train. He hoped he wasn't too late.

"Thanks for the lift." Kyle said to the driver.

The taxi drove off, then Kyle put on his backpack and duffle-bag and ran for the train station. He ran around the building, rushed up to the door and went inside, closing it after, and hurried over to the ticket-booth the ticket-man was in.

"Welcome to the Prairie Grove Express, how may i help you?" The ticket-man greeted.

"I'd like to buy a ticket out of Kansas. I'm the one who called here yesterday asking if there were any trains leaving the state?" Kyle said.

"You made it just in time, the trains about to depart for Colorado." The ticket-man said before getting a white ticket. "Here." He said he offered Kyle the ticket through the hole of the ticket-booth. "Enjoy the trip." He said as Kyle took the ticket.

"Thanks." Kyle said before he turned and rushed to the door and opened it. He exited the train station building, closing the door behind him, and he saw a male 1800s-dressed ticket collector proceeding to board the train, which had nine green cars. "Wait!" Kyle shouted as he ran toward the ticket collector.

The ticket collector stopped and turned and saw Kyle run up to him.

"One trip to Kansas, please." Kyle said as he held up his ticket in front of the ticket collector.

"Kyle?" Came a female voice from behind.

Kyle turned to see Charlotte standing a few feet away from him. She had obviously driven here in her car. "Hey. What...are you doing here?" He asked, a bit surprised to see her. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Probably. I came to see you before you left." Charlotte said, smiling simply. "Listen..." She began before walking up to Kyle. "i know i can't make you change your mind...and that you feel you need to do this to get closure. So...i'm settling with seeing you off."

"Well...thanks. I really appreciate you being so understanding." Kyle said, smiling. He appreciate the contrast between Charlotte and his mother. He was thankful his mother cared, but it was nice to hear the intense understanding Charlotte had always given him. Also, Charlotte knew the truth about Kyle's home-life. He didn't have to hide or pretend like everything was fine with her. Perhaps that was the reason they had reminded friends so long.

Charlotte smiled in response to him, clasping and rubbing her hands together as she looked at him. "So...how long are you gonna be gone?"

"I dunno. As long as it takes." Kyle said simply. "I told my Mom it'd be a month at most so she wouldn't flip out. But we'll see. And i will be back for your high school graduation." He said before chuckling slightly.

"Right. Thanks." Charlotte said before she chuckled, looking down at her feet and seemingly not knowing what else to say. "Well...good luck. And have a safe...Journey."

"Is that a pun because i sang one of their songs last night?" Kyle asked, squinting his eyes.

"Yeah." Charlotte said laughingly, throwing her head back. "I know how much you hate puns. I just had to." She said before she teasingly nudged Kyle.

"Ha ha. Very funny." Kyle scoffed, smiling despite himself. He'd really miss this banter with his best friend. But he could dwell on that now. If he thought about it too much, he'd never focus on his goal outside of Kansas. "I'll see ya around, Charlie." He said, smiling at Charlotte.

"Yeah. Same here." Charlotte said, smiling back.

Kyle then turned back to the ticket collector, handing him his ticket, and he walked up the steps of one of the train's passenger-cars and entered inside through it's door, closing it afterwards. He walked down the aisle, looking for an empty seat a passenger wasn't sitting in, and soon spotted one, followed by going over to it where he sat his duffle-bag and backpack down on the floor in front of the seat, and sat down in it.

The train's whistle blew and soon the train started moving, making choo-choo sounds, and Kyle looked out one of the windows and saw Charlotte smiling and waving at him with her right hand. He waved back with his right hand, smiling at her as he did. Charlotte then started chasing after the train as she waved at Kyle while he waved back. The 17-year old girl soon stopped running and waving and Kyle stopped waving as well, and the train drove off...heading for Colorado.

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