Strategy

Strange how the snake didn't move, although it did scream. It's tail burned down to nothing, parts of it were falling away, but still the food did not budge. Perhaps it thought it was safe in the tunnel, but why would it leave it's tail out? If dragons could chuckle, this one would, instead he breathed in again, sucking in great amounts of air that moved the trees as if a breeze passed through them.

Colin, Jackie and Jordan sat perched on top of the coal bin discussing their next steps. Jackie was still in shock that her father had passed away, and Jordan felt a little wary of the newcomer. Colin on the other hand was trying to keep his meager lunch in his stomach, the nervousness had become so bad that he felt that his insides were twisted into knots. The shadow went across the exit of the tunnel, and all three young adults looked toward the strange encounter. Jackie stiffened, she knew that shadow. There was only one creature that could make a shadow that big, and it wasn't pretty.

Although she didn't want to see her fathers remains Jackie scrambled down into the engine and started to shovel in loose coal to heat up the stove to get the train moving again. Colin watched her and gathered up armfuls of the coal around him and carried it down to her. He didn't know what she was doing but he knew that it was alleviating the nervousness that was in his heart.

Jordan, being taller than the other two leaned over to see beyond the first carriage that blocked the others view. She counted twelve carriages, and the mangled remains of another cart, which could only be the caboose. And there was something crawling away from the caboose. Suddenly she realized the severity of the situation. She didn't know the danger that was coming to them, but she could hear the petrified screams of the passengers aboard.

The land locked mermaid pulled herself away from the wreckage, counting the seconds until she could safely run away. She did not prepare for an unusual stop as this, but she would have to make do. First she needed to find the conductor, Mr. Acurn and help in any way that she could. 25.... 26.... 27.....

Slowly the train began to move again and the dragon circling above blew stray smoke away from his eyes. The snake must have not been able to take any more pain, and now it was coming closer to his home, where he would eat the train. He needed something to crack the tough shell, the shell was sometimes easy to break but the shards that he left behind scratched his paws dreadfully. Thoughtfully the dragon soared away, searching for a large boulder as to rip the snake apart.

The mermaid ran into the tunnel, faster than any creature on earth. She needed the conductor, before he reached the other side of the tunnel.

Next Time: Dinner for One