THE TRAIN SERVICE
The 08:16 train service to London Victoria was delayed. The delay might be tolerated, or even expected in regards to other train services; however this particular train was renowned by its usual passengers for its punctuality, and had never missed its time slot once in its entire four years of service. But late it was, this morning, by precisely three and a half minutes. “Damn,” whispered a girl on the platform.The girl - for she was barely past adolescence - chewed anxiously on puckered, pink lips and clutched desperately to the hand of the boy next to her: two solemn grey figures, rigid and stiff against the morning skyline. The boy noticed his other half ’s agitation and, with a subtle grin on his face, squeezed her hand more tightly and breathed into her ear. “Calm down. It’s fine; the train’s coming.”The headlights of the front carriage could already be seen making their way to the station. “It’s fine.” The girl released one deep, unsettled breath which she had unknowingly been holding in, as the unscheduled train made its stop. Stepping over the weathered yellow line in the centre of the concrete, she made her way towards the carriage. She passed silently in between the parting yellow doors of the pale compartment and proceeded to seat herself halfway down the aisle, next to the window, overlooking the playground which clung desperately to the deserted park. Barely any of the other passengers took notice of the flustered would-be schoolgirl with the bundle of shopping cradled lightly in her arms, or the dull- eyed boy trailing behind her.
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