Author's Note

So school just let out for summer nothing much has happened but now that school is out they’ll be spending more time together..........at least if Arron’s job doesn’t keep him away after all the railroad’s schedule changes everyday

Summer 2008 Part 1

5/25/08

Arron awoke to the sound of his phone ringing it was 4:30 PM but he had to get rest as he was taking a train to Diamond River it was a freight train after dropping it off he would be spending the night in Tennessee and coming back the next day on a freight train as well but it would be a loaded coal train he would be stopping Canterlot and handing it over to another crew and return home. Arron answered the phone it was Celestia

Arron sat up and placed his feet on the ground and said tiredly “what’s up?”

“Uh....Arron I was wondering if we could just hang out, I mean I ask you to a lot but I’m really in a tough spot right now and it.....would make me feel better and I know that probably sounds elfish but, please” said Celestia.

“Um that was long but I need to leave by 5:00 I have to run a train at 5:30 and it’s gonna be outside of town when me and Blake get it off the other crew” said Arron still sounding tired.

“Oh that’s great i’ll see you then” said Celestia happily before hanging up.

Arron got up and got dressed putting on bluejeans, a white T shirt, a red work shirt, and boots. He brushed his teeth quickly grabbed his keys, his wallet, his lighter, his cigarettes, his phone, and his gun before walking out to his truck and hopping in putting the key in the ignition and starting it the engine letting out a loud rumble that was common with gasoline engines of the era it was built in. Arron backed his truck out of the driveway and pulled down the road and onto Highway 23 North an intermodal being lead be 3 Union Pacific GE ES44ac’s with 100 well cars, piggybacks, and autoracks and nothing more. He easily drove past it as he was going over 60 MPH while the train was going only 50 MPH while that was still fairly fast. Arron finally reached Canterlot High School but a freight train was approaching, it was a local transporting 4 auto parts boxcars that were empty and had been transported from a Ford plant in Illinois being lead by a single C&R (Canterlot and Rentan) GP39-2 in reverse painted like Norfolk Southern but with C&R instead of NS the locomotive being an ex-Norfolk Southern locomotive. The train cleared the crossing and the gates went up allowing Arron to cross and turn down the street leading to Celestia’s. Arron knocked on her door and stood there his hand at his side waiting for her to open the door, after a minute he knocked on the door again but before he could finish she slowly opened the door sadness on her face.

“what’s wrong babe?” said Arron a concerned expression on his face.

“N-nothing......just......nothing” said Celestia sadly.

She wore nothing but a pink t shirt and her underwear which was covered by her t shirt the shirt was blank with nothing on it, her hair was straight and brushed and she didn’t appear to tired but still drowsy.

“Are you sure? Cause you ain’t lookin to well babe we’re gonna have a talk” said Arron as he walked in going over to the couch

Celestia sat down across from him brushing her hair out of her eyes. “So what’s wrong?” said Arron

“remember when I said both my parents are dead?” said Celestia looking at her feet.

“Yeah babe why?” said Arron still concerned.

“Well my mom isn’t.....at least we think she isn’t she left the day after my dad died and haven’t seen her since” said celestia lifting her head just enough to look at Arron’s face.

“Is that it? Cause forgive me for sounding mean but that isn’t that bad” said Arron lifting her head to look her in the eye

“No” said Celestia tearing with her voice breaking “I just feel like no one cares and it doesn’t matter” Celestia was now crying stuffing her head in Arron’s chest muffling her cries.

“It’s okay” said Arron patting her on the back “it’s okay”

“NO IT’S NOT” yell Celestia still muffled “IT’S NOT AND IT’LL NEVER BE” yelled Celestia her head now lifted so her cries weren’t muffled.

Arron looked her in the eye and said “yes it is and don’t worry i’ll be here for you.”

Celestia wiped her eyes with her shirt and calmed down breathing deeply before saying “okay I’ve calmed down.....I’m better now” she was now smiling.

Arron looked at is watch and said “Oh shit I gotta get to the crew change point can you drive me there? I don’t feel comfortable leaving my truck down there plus I don’t know where the next crew change’ll be at.”

“Um sure just let me get ready” said Celestia before rushing to her room, she came out 5 minutes later wearing a smaller pink t shirt, tight bluejeans, and white sandals. “Alright I’m ready” said Celestia grabbing her purse off of the counter.

“Great babe lets go” said Arron before walking outside.

When he got outside he grabbed a duffle bag out of the trucks bed and opened the door to his truck grabbing a lunchbox, a vest, a hardhat, and his keys. He shut the door and locked it with the key before walking over to Celestia’s car and squeezing himself into the passenger seat of her 2003 Toyota Camry and shutting the door. Celestia climbed in next to him and started the car backing out of the driveway and heading north.

“Alright Arron where are we heading?” said Celestia looking at the road

“Walker Statesman RD to a yellow sign the has Crew Change Point written on it you’ll need to park there and I’ll bet out Blake should be there” said Arron looking at her.

“So about that outburst back there” said Celestia nervously

“It’s okay I’ve been in terrible situations and nearly ruined my brothers life but I got turned around” Arron turned to her smiling “cause I had people who loved me.”

Celestia didn’t look from the road but she still warmly smiled. They finally reached the spot a small 200 ft by 200 ft clearing between pine trees next to a point where 2 sections of railroad track merged into one it was now 5:25 PM and Blake was standing near the tracks there was no train but there was a signal post showing red.

“Hey Blake” said Arron walking over to Blake.

“Sup Arron where ya been?” said Blake as they shook hands

“Same place I’ve always been Blaksville Mississippi” said Arron chuckling “anyways you know Celestia” said Arron pointing to Celestia who responded with a smile a wave

“Yeah, howdy” said Blake looking behind Arron.

“So Blake where’s S-3488, Where’s the train” said Arron

“I have....absolutely no clue” said Blake nervously

“Let me guess, it ran away from you and flew into the toilet like my fish did back in 1978?” said Arron struggling not to chuckle

“Well my best guess is 10 miles away but if you check the signal if it gets here in 0.000000001 seconds it ain’t moving” said Blake

Just then the sound of a diesel engine coming from the southern direction

“Is that it?” Asked Celestia

“Naw that’s the 5:30 commuter from Brendan” said Blake.

As he said this a train lead by a single Trans Regional Railroad E9, 5 standard coaches, and a single Titan 6 cab car rounded a curve sounding its A200 air horn as it approached the points at 60 MPH. The locomotive was grey with a red arrow pointing forwards and Trans Regional Railroad written within the arrow in white writing. The train roared by Arron following it with his eyes the coaches while quite lightweight still screeched as the wheels rolled across the steel rails passing in a matter of seconds. Less than 5 minutes later a freight train appeared in the distance its lights glowing bright, the locomotive’s ditch lights began to flash as the horn sounded it was a fairly common K5LLA horn very common on freight and passenger trains. The road name wasn’t visible until the train stopped just in front of the signal post on the tracks heading south the train being lead by M&D GP38-3 3488, M&D GP38 4569 but connected back to back, M&B GP9 104 facing forward, CSX SD40-3 3412 facing forward, and Diamond River GP40 2355, pulling a 114 car long mixed freight with 13 Tropicana juice reefers at the front. Arron ran over to Celestia’s car and grabbed his lunchbox, his duffel bag, and his uniform which was just the vest and hardhat. Arron removed his work shirt and handed it to Celestia and put on his vest and hardhat.

Arron kissed Celestia on her lips and said “Love ya babe” before running over to the train while the former crew got off looking extremely tired and worn out.

Arron climbed into the cab and situated himself in the operators chair while Blake sat in the conductors chair they were both now ready for a 14 hour run.

Arron grabbed the radio and said “Train S-3488 to dispatch are we clear.”

To which dispatch replied “you are clear to proceed train S-3488.”

“Copy dispatch” said Arron before putting the radio down and sounding the horn twice.

Celestia watched as the train rolled slowly forward letting out a loud hiss as the brakes were released, the engines roared to life as Arron slid the throttle into notch 5 smoke appeared from the stacks not much except for the 4th unit which had noticeable amounts of grey smoke while not much it was still fairly concerning to some but not her for she didn’t care. She watched as the locomotives disappeared around the curve that took the western on a single track, she didn’t bother to watch the rest of the train instead she walked over to her car and got in driving back home. Celestia got out of her car and walked into her house and into her room where she took off her shoes and jeans before wrapping herself in one of the blankets and tried to fall asleep despite it being very bright outside, as she did so a single tear dripped from her eye and onto her pillow.