18 Passing train

"Come on Sarah!" Her parents shout to her, across the sand. "It’s time to go now." Sarah skilfully turns the horse around and heads towards them.

In her day-dream, Sarah is now remembering the journey home from the beach. She is sitting in the rear-seat of her parent's car, playfully wrestling with the dog, in a lively manner. "Silly dog!" she laughs, as they lark about. Her, and the dog, are making a lot of commotion. Sarah’s father, who is driving, is getting quite distracted. He turns to his daughter, and commands her, sternly,

"Will you behave!" he shouts.

Her father then turns back around to view ahead, only to see a lorry pulling out from a side-road. He has no time to react. Their car smacks right into the side of the big vehicle, with full force.

At this point, Sarah snaps back out of her day-dream, becoming aware that she is still sitting next to Simon, in the blue Austin. She has her hand over her face.

"Are you alright?" he enquires.

"I’m just feeling a bit sick, that’s all." She looks drained, and her face has become pallid. "When I’m driving, I’m fine, but the moment I get in the passenger... "

"Wanna stop for a minute?" he asks

"No, no, it’s passed, I’m ok."

"You were talking about Strickham?" he reminds her.

"I lived there. Until my parents were killed in an accident. After that, I went to live with my uncle..."

There is the loud sound of a bell ringing. Simon looks ahead, anxiously, out of the car window.

"Thank God," he says, with a sigh, "I thought it was another road-block."

They are actually approaching a level-crossing, and the barriers are swinging down. "I’ve dodged two already today," he says.

"Why?" she asks.

He puts on a contrite face. "You were right, I've had one too many. Can’t afford to be stopped."

"Why do you drink so much?" she asks him.

"I’ve been on the wagon for ages, but... it’s my birthday today," he says, with a smile, "you know how it is…"

Sarah looks doubtful. "Is it really your birthday?"

"Yes. But don’t ask me how many," he replies.

"I won’t," she smiles, "many happy... "

A train whooshes by.

"I thought you said the last train had gone?" she says, with surprise.

"Well, I asked the porter... "

"What’s the next stop?"

"Springfield I think."

"How far is it?"

"Well, about six miles."

"If you can catch it, we can pick it up there," she says, with some urgency in her tone.

18 Passing train

"Come on Sarah!" Her parents shout to her, across the sand. "It’s time to go now." Sarah skilfully turns the horse around and heads towards them.

In her day-dream, Sarah is now remembering the journey home from the beach. She is sitting in the rear-seat of her parent's car, playfully wrestling with the dog, in a lively manner. "Silly dog!" she laughs, as they lark about. Her, and the dog, are making a lot of commotion. Sarah’s father, who is driving, is getting quite distracted. He turns to his daughter, and commands her, sternly,

"Will you behave!" he shouts.

Her father then turns back around to view ahead, only to see a lorry pulling out from a side-road. He has no time to react. Their car smacks right into the side of the big vehicle, with full force.

At this point, Sarah snaps back out of her day-dream, becoming aware that she is still sitting next to Simon, in the blue Austin. She has her hand over her face.

"Are you alright?" he enquires.

"I’m just feeling a bit sick, that’s all." She looks drained, and her face has become pallid. "When I’m driving, I’m fine, but the moment I get in the passenger... "

"Wanna stop for a minute?" he asks

"No, no, it’s passed, I’m ok."

"You were talking about Strickham?" he reminds her.

"I lived there. Until my parents were killed in an accident. After that, I went to live with my uncle..."

There is the loud sound of a bell ringing. Simon looks ahead, anxiously, out of the car window.

"Thank God," he says, with a sigh, "I thought it was another road-block."

They are actually approaching a level-crossing, and the barriers are swinging down. "I’ve dodged two already today," he says.

"Why?" she asks.

He puts on a contrite face. "You were right, I've had one too many. Can’t afford to be stopped."

"Why do you drink so much?" she asks him.

"I’ve been on the wagon for ages, but... it’s my birthday today," he says, with a smile, "you know how it is…"

Sarah looks doubtful. "Is it really your birthday?"

"Yes. But don’t ask me how many," he replies.

"I won’t," she smiles, "many happy... "

A train whooshes by.

"I thought you said the last train had gone?" she says, with surprise.

"Well, I asked the porter... "

"What’s the next stop?"

"Springfield I think."

"How far is it?"

"Well, about six miles."

"If you can catch it, we can pick it up there," she says, with some urgency in her tone.