An original work of fiction. Characters and destinations are not real users or travel services.
#C68A62#707D98#D9D8DBStop one: the platform of empty cases
Empty cases cover the platform, each labeled with a place. The ticket seller asks you to choose one: some journeys need space for what has not happened yet. You choose the smallest, with room for paper and a pencil.
Stop two: a carriage without a bell
No announcement tells passengers when to leave. Outside, gold becomes gray-blue. People stand when they recognize a light, a river, or another private landmark. You begin to understand that they are not following the same map.
Stop three: a name on the window
Before stepping down, you write the station’s name on the misted glass. The words will vanish and the train will move on. Your small case now holds a drawing of the window frame. Later, that line will remind you where you chose to stop.
Make it a small practice
- Draw a map of the destination with only three stops.
- Put a sound and a small object into your journal.
- Write a three-line postcard about the scene you want to keep.
Return to this space and sign in to publish the writing, photos, or work you make from this exercise.