Winter Falls (Evergreen Lake: Under the Mistletoe)

Chapter 18

eighteen

The train platform wasn't as full as yesterday, maybe about a quarter of the crowd, fifteen to twenty I’d guess. I hoped that wasn't indicative of what the next few days would look like. But it was cold, and the weather seem to have intensified.

I was glad I had my parka, heavy boots, gloves, and hat. I'd done a bit of shopping at the new twice around boutique. The sale was too good to miss and I’d bought a pretty and not ugly Christmas sweater, a couple of T-shirts, and she had the prettiest nighty which I grabbed as well. Usually, I slept in a cotton long-sleeve top and matching pants with big fuzzy socks. But you never knew, I might need something pretty one day.

I got a few other items, and since the shop was closer to the station, I decided to just carry it with me rather than take it back to my car or the office.

The conductor issued his warning, and we all climbed aboard. The train pulled out of the station slowly. There were no crowds greeting the train at the street crossing this time, but that was okay because it was Monday and even though we were celebrating Christmas at Evergreen Lake pretty much every day, people still had to work.

Christmas Eve was tomorrow, or as my mom and dad used to say, one more sleep. I smiled thinking of them and how they had always made Christmas special. We’d visited Nana a number of times for Christmas, but this time I'd be spending it with the Wareings.

I was looking forward to it because they were fun, loud, and rambunctious. They played games and the house always seem full when they were together. They opened their arms and hugged me like I was one of their own. I loved them and having them as a surrogate family for the rest of my life was not a bad thing.

A child squealed, "Mommy, look at all the snow"

I looked out the window and gasped. In the short space of time from leaving the station to the outskirts of town, we were in the middle of a blizzard.

"I knew it," I whispered.

I took out my phone, snapped a picture, and sent it to Paulie and typed...

Well, looks like my worry is the winner. I can't believe how much snow is coming down so quickly.

She didn't respond right away and when she did, her emoji was a surprised face.

Are you on the train?

Yes, and I hope it doesn't get stranded. Remember, I told you Amos said if the snow is deep the train can't run.

It can't be that deep yet.

The way it's coming down out here, I'm surprised there aren't drifts 3 feet high already

Make sure you keep in touch. I'm still at the office. But it sure is getting dark so I might close up soon if that's OK with you.

Yes, that's fine. Go home and be safe. Take my car since we came in together--the keys are on my desk.

Thanks, I'll do that.

It was a gradual incline grade to Winter Farm. Amos had explained to me that the old train didn't have the same oomph that it used to and if there was snow on the tracks, it made things more difficult.

The further from town, the heavier the snow got. Yesterday the train seem to just click along without any issue, but today, I sensed it was going a little slower. Struggling, and I was worried. I did not want to get stranded, and everybody would have to hike back to town or to Winter Farm, whichever was closer.

The conductor came from the second car; he saw me and stopped. "Is everything okay?" I asked.

"I was just going up to talk to the engineer and check." He leaned down and glanced out the window. "It's really coming down out there," he commented and frowned.

"Let me know what he says."

He nodded and continued through the door and up to the engine. The snow buffeted him, and I could see he was having difficulty getting into the cab of the engine.

"Don't fall off." I said to myself and watched until he got safely inside and breathed a sigh of relief.

We were already twenty minutes into the journey, and from what I remembered from yesterday, we weren't quite halfway there yet. That meant to me, we were going much slower than we should be. I looked around the car to see if anybody was showing signs of concern; no one was, thank goodness. I guess I’d do the worrying for them.

I quickly texted Pauline to let her know what was happening.

I didn't have a contingency plan in case the train got stuck. I was kicking myself now. It wouldn’t be good to ride out the storm in this unheated carriage, with no food or facilities. I also knew it would be unsafe to get off the train. The only thing we could do was push on, and get as close to Winter Farm as possible.

Daniel came back from the engine and I raised my eyebrows. "What did he say?"

"We're fine for now. And we’ll keep an eye on the weather. We may have to cut the trip short once we get to the farm."

"Right, let's all keep in touch with each other so we know what we're going to do. Do you think we should tell the passengers yet or wait a little bit in case the snow lets up?” I asked him.

He smiled, and answered, "I have a feeling the snow will stay, but it may not be that bad on the tracks. That's why I will keep an eye on the status and if we need to, like I said, cut the trip short and get the people back to town."

I nodded and sat back in the seat, keeping an eye outside. I told myself the engineer was going slower to be cautious. Yes, that's why, not because the tracks were deep with snow. Pauline texted me back telling me to be safe and stay in touch. I asked her how everything was in town, and she said it was snowing, and sent a picture. It was pretty heavy there as well, but not like out here.

My bad feeling grew more intense.

Amos threw some more logs on the fire. When the train arrived, he was pretty sure people would want to warm up and have a hot drink. The temperature had dropped quickly and he knew there was no heat in the passenger cars.

The wind also picked up and the snow was coming down much heavier. After he tossed the wood on the fire, he walked over to the path through the trees to see how deep it was getting. He heard the train whistle in the distance and knew it was on its way. He shook his head. He'd warned them that if the snow got too deep, the train might not be able to manage it.

He walked down the path and frowned. It was getting deep and the wind was whipping it up into drifts. Even though the walk wasn't far from the platform, it would be difficult for some kids to get through the snow.

He ran back to Asher.

"It's getting deep and I heard the train whistle. I'm gonna hitch Piney to the sled and get the group from the platform," he told his brother.

"You need some help?"

"No, I should be fine." He ran in the direction of the barn.

When he got there, Caleb already had Piney and Cedar in the cross ties and they were almost harnessed.

"Asher texted me the plan. If the snow is getting deep, and if there are as many people on that train as there were yesterday, you're gonna need both of these boys," Caleb stated.

"Good thinking. Thanks."

They both led the horses out and hitched them to the sled; it was large, and ideally two horses should pull it. His father had converted it...before... with benches along the sides and in the middle.

Amos had done similar with the other sled that was in town, only it wasn't as big as this one. In the past, the farm had opened in November for the public to come and cut their own trees. There was a bonfire with Christmas lights, decorations, hot chocolate in the shack and a caldron over the fire. The family had all pulled together and worked through the Christmas season. But once his parents had died, neither he nor Asher or Alana had the desire anymore.

Asher hasn't said anything that this was upsetting him; he’d jumped in with both feet. Alana on the other hand had made sure she was on the far side of the planet, so to him that meant it did bother her.

"You're all set," Caleb said as he held the reins of Piney and petted him on the neck. "It looks like they're eager for some work." He smiled at the horses with their ears pricked and nostrils flared. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"Know what, that might not be a bad idea. The two of us could be more useful together, helping people on the sled. And I have no idea how many are on the train.”

Caleb climbed up to the seat and Amos picked up the lines. He flicked them and clucked his tongue. The horses tossed their heads and walked forward quickly, breaking into a trot. Soon they were on the path to the platform, and the snow was flying out from under their hooves, and the sled cut through the deepening snow like a hot knife through butter.

The sleigh bells on the harness jingled, but they were muffled by the falling snow, which was worsening with every minute that passed by. Amos shook his head. This was really getting bad. He'd be surprised if the train made it to the platform, or was even able to carry on to take everybody back to town.

As if Caleb read his mind, he asked, "What are we gonna do if they are stranded?"

"Do you mean on the train, or on the farm?"

"Both, I guess." Caleb pulled his collar up around his ears, his cowboy hat low.

"I guess that's something we're gonna have to think about." Amos hunched his shoulders into his jacket and was glad he put on his hat with ear flaps, which he pulled down to cover them. He had a foot resting on the toe board and his lined leather gloves held the reins lightly. These horses were so well trained they only needed the slightest touch. Snow had settled across their backs and was sticking to them.

"They're gonna need some hot mash and a rub down before blanketing when we get back," Amos said, his words almost getting whipped away by the wind.

Caleb didn't say anything; the wind was getting too strong. But Amos was confident he heard him. Plus, he was good with the horses, and he probably didn't even have to tell him.

He heard the train whistle again, two long whistles, which meant they were close to the platform. The horses were covering the ground well and around the next bend in the trail, he pulled them up next to the platform so nobody would have to get down into the snow.

Both he and Caleb looked down the tracks and saw they were pretty well covered. Soon, the light from the headlamp broke through the wall of snow. It was chugging hard, smoke puffing from the smokestack, and the cowcatcher pushed through the snow piling up in front of it.

"This is not good," Caleb shouted.

"No, it's not." Amos jumped off the sled and waited for the train to pull up to the platform. "Not good at all."