This Ain’t Your Train, Son
500 Words
Matthew sat alone at the depot looking despondently at every engine that passed his bench. As the time escaped, his loneliness seeped into his blood and his hatred grew stronger.
He reached toward the backpack at his feet. The zipper, just wide enough for the tip of his hand. Matthew could still feel it there.
“All I have to do is point and shoot.”
“Where ya headed?”
Jolted, Matthew’s hand retreated to his chest. His foot edged the backpack further under the bench.
Eyes widened in fear, Matthew was stunned at the older man now occupying the other end of the bench.
The man stared calmly, puffing wisps of tobacco from an ebony pipe. The smoke waltzed upward from his calloused hands, around his scarf and nearly hid the hardened face beneath a charcoal fedora.
“Um.. Well, I’m waiting on the next train to Raleigh.”
“Ahh,” the man sighed. “It’s beautiful. Do you have family there, Matthew?”
“Not anymore. Wait….” Matthew paused, studying the man’s face to understand how he knew his name.
“Do I know you?”
“Not yet.”
Through an untrusting silence Matthew continued to stare until the mystery man spoke again.
“Why Matthew? Tell me why you’re going to Raleigh.”
Angrily, Matthew started, “Because I… I need to set things right. I will do what I must to stop the cruelty that happened to me from happening ever again.”
“Do you not also plan cruelty?”
“Only for a moment. Then I won’t feel it anymore.”
Matthew turned his gaze back to the passing train.
“Matthew, you’re right. There’s cruelty in this world, but there is life beyond suffering. Not through slaughter, but by the violence of good words. Don’t make the world even worse.”
“You don’t know this pain,” Matthew lamented. “You have no idea how it feels to be abandoned. Beaten. To be rejected by everyone you meet. To be completely alone.”
“Matthew, I can assure you I know a man who endured even more. Not just a man but a King. A King who died to take us to his kingdom. But he was hated by the world. Abandoned by his friends. Innocent, yet sentenced to die like a criminal. But even bigger than all of that is his love for you. Because of his pain and death he can now offer you a life of love infinitely greater than any pain.”
“How can someone who died offer me anything?”
“Ahh yes, well he did die. Once. But he came back and is alive even now. And because he lives, death has no hold on those who believe.”
“You’re telling me that some man who I’ve never met has died so I can be happy?”
“Well, not exactly happy. But whole.”
The screeching of metal grew louder and louder as the next train came to a stop.
The sign on the engine beckoned Matthew: RALEIGH.
“Who can make me whole?”
The man stood, wrapping Matthew’s shoulder.
“Come now and follow me. This ain’t your train, son.”
This 500 word story was prompted by the line, “This ain’t your train, son” which popped into my head a few weeks ago.
took the prompt and ran with it. He’s created a truly entertaining serial called “The Tales of Edison City.” I encourage all of you to read it when you can.And I challenge you know to write your own story based on the same prompt. Please tag me to let me know what you come up with.
Also, if anyone is interested, I also write nonfiction essays about living as a Christian in an increasingly hostile world. If you’re interested at all, click the button below and check out my work at Seeking The Narrow.
Thank you for reading.
"Matthew, you’re right. There’s cruelty in this world, but there is life beyond suffering. Not through slaughter, but by the violence of good words. Don’t make the world even worse.” I love when fiction hits me square in the eyes.
Great portrayal of the life of an ambassador for Christ. Bold & confident, yet empathetic and compassionate.
Lord, lead us daily to the places where you are at work and to the souls in which you are working.