Mark, Travis and Jolene had better things to do, but it was no use. The tickets to ride the Ramsey Railroad for an three hour mystery track was impossible to break.
No one realized that there lives were about to change drastically. In fact, it was a disturbing realization.
The train had left the station at Northbend and would arrive in Shanktown about six p.m. The remaining passengers were stolid and forbidden from talking to one another, so all anyone could really do was wait and watch the conductor for further instructions.
“Now that we have crossed the Sabine Fork river, communication is now lifted. The following clues have been placed in an envelope beneath each of your five seats.”
“Whew! I don’t know how I would have ever made this whole trip without being able to talk. Geez!” Jolene was a chatty young lady.
“What kind of clue did you get? By the way, my name is Sam.” The man with a small black mustache extended his hand to Mark and then to Travis.
“Uh, I am not sure. We basically got suckered into taking this train ride by my uncle. He is on the train commission.” Mark was as couth as a hammer falling on your toe.
“The clue I have is strange. It has the word bridge with a line extending from it.” Travis was trying to make the best of the situation.
“I have a picture of a cross tie inside of a bubble.” The woman dressed in power black slacks and a sweater.
“Hi, my name is…” Jolene interupted the conversation. “I have a picture of a ghost!” The woman next to Jolene shrieked.
The train conductor made a loud announcement, “All of the clues may not be needed to solve the mystery.” The small pause only limited the breathing time in between his sentences. “And the one who solves the mystery first wins the prize–the Grand Prize!”
The passengers, three men and two women, were scared. The images and words added up to something not quite so wonderful. It depicted either murder or someone that might be murdered on the train trip. Either way they all agreed. They were going to jump from the train at the Sabine River crossing and walk into town.
“How will we find our way back to the town?” Sam was a little pushing.
“Travis has been all over these parts and knows his way around with a blindfold on. Besides, the hard part is going to be jumping from the train.” Mark wanted to soothe his fear.
“Well, we better get to the jump car if we are going to make the crossing…it will be coming up around the next bend.” Travis was urging everyone to follow him into the next car and through the long corridor.
But as they passed through the second car, the lights dimmed and a terrible scream echoed over the loud speaker.
“Curse of the Rails!”
Everyone stopped short. The silence was bumping along the cross ties below the wheels of the locomotive.
Jolene lit a match. “Quick Mark, open the train car door, we can’t be that far from the bridge.”
Mark and Travis tugged hard at the rusty hinges until they budged enough and a small evening moon shadow peered inside the dark train car.
The strong smell of a skunk filled the night air. “Oh my goodness!” The woman with the black slacks jumped back from the open door.
“Jolene, you jump first and we will be behind you.” Mark pushed her from the car and a deep splash resounded.
“Travis, you are next.” Mark waved to Travis as he followed Jolene.
“Hey, I am going too!” Sam counted out and jumped.
Soon there was only Mark and the woman in the black slacks. The time frame to jump was narrowing. “Are you ready to jump?” Mark held his hand out to help her jump.
She had been standing back from the train door and soon she merged closer to the open door and the misty light peered upon her with a strange green glow.
Mark took one look at her and jumped. There was no explaining the curse of the train when the woman in black slacks is ghastly host!