Four Passengers on a Train

Jenny squirmed in her seat. “We’re never going to get there. It’s been hours now.”

“We’ve still got a ways to go, kiddo. Why don’t you look out the window at the pretty landscape? Ever seen stars so bright?” Stanley understood. It was boring for his nine-year-old daughter, but starting over wasn’t supposed to be easy.

Jenny pressed her nose against the window.

“Tickets, please. We’re just checking destinations,” the conductor said.

Janice dug around in her purse and handed him their tickets.

“You folks are in for a long ride.”

“Yessir, way out in Phase 97.”

“Everything looks fine, folks. Welcome to the wild frontier.” The conductor smiled and complimented Brian’s outfit. “I like your cowboy hat and boots, young man! You’ll fit right in.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The conductor continued on, calling for tickets.

Jenny looked to the stars and eventually gave in to sleep.

“Wake up, honey, we’re finally here.”

Jenny stepped off the electro-mag train into the space dome. She peeked upward and smiled at the beautiful Earthrise.

“Will we ever get to go back, Dad?”

“I don’t know, honey, maybe someday. They have a lot of work to do before it’s restored.”