Prologue

            Ever since I was a little kid, I loved trains. My father was a train operator and would often take me on short little 5 kilometer trips from our small town to the next. This went on up until the age of 11, when my interests moved from trains to girls and being the 'Funny' and 'Popular' guy at school. It was about this time when my father passed while on the job. It was his own stupidity that caused his death. He was standing on top of a box car as his train was being shunted. The impact of the cars caused him to lose his balance and he went in between the cars that just joined and hit his head right on the knuckle of the two cars. He was knocked unconscious and no one had noticed him fall. They dispatched for him to move the train out of the way but he wasn't responding. So they moved the train and it ran over him.

The death really shook up the family, and my mother hasn't been the same since. She has three kids and she acts like my father never existed, and goes around and flirts with every guy she sees. She even went to extreme lengths and took down and cut out every picture that was ever taken of my father. All but one that I have hidden underneath my mattress. We have a new step dad named Carl and he loves my younger brother and sister but somehow he despises my existence.

At school I am mister popularity. I have a lot of friends and everyone looks up to me even though I am not much to look at. My hair is a dark brown and is usually messy, and I am in no means considered muscular. But still the people love me. I don't really care for the popularity that much. What I really care about is adventure. Adventure and trains is the only thing that is ever on my mind. The only thing left that I have from my childhood, and that is linked to my father. Every time I hear a train go by in the distance, I feel drawn to it. To hop on a freight train and just go where ever the rails take me.

My best friend Edward (He is known as Spinner) has been riding the rails ever since he was 9. His home life fell apart, with his mother and father both leaving him, along with the house. His parents went their separate ways and left him for dead. He did just fine on his own. He knew how to cook, clean, and pick up after himself. Several neighbours noticed that he was alone and they called child services. He didn't want to go so he quickly packed up his things and he took to the rails. That was 8 years ago, him and I are the same, we have the same crave for adventure and we consider each other brothers.

But I stay at home and rot my life away while he indulges in the care free way of life. He stops back in town and stays for a while. He often lives under my bed and I feed him scrapes from dinner, help him restock on supplies, and do his laundry for him. Then at night we sneak out and walk to the tracks and wait for a train to pass as it comes out of the yard. "Come with me and enjoy yourself for once Lucas." he would always say and I could do nothing but refuse. He would then tap me on the shoulder and say "One day you won't be so stubborn." at that he would get onto a rideable car and disappear into the night.

I would often lay awake after he had left and would often find myself eager to pack up and go hop on a train and see the world for myself, but I only made it to my front door with my rucksack until reality caught up with me and told me that it was a stupid idea and to just go back to bed. I always listened to it, and would just flop right back into bed without a second thought. This went on for several years until I got up the courage to embark on the journey of a life time, the journey that had been delayed for so long. Little did I know where the rails would take me, but all I knew was that I kicked reality's butt and got on a train to embark on an amazing adventure, and if I returned I wouldn't be the same.  

Author's Note

The prologue to "The Railway: The Adventure of a Lifetime"

Feed back is always appreciated and thank you for reading :)
Hope you enjoy!

Reviews

[theladygraceling]

This has a pretty good hook already. If there were more chapters to read then I'd read them! I'll be keeping an eye out for more, hopefully you'll put some. Nice job