| DEADLY STEAM |
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"Is it true what they say about trains, mama?" Jacob asked, his green eyes wide and
frightened, his dark hair askew.
"It depends on which thing you're talking about." His mama ruffled his hair, and smiled.
"You know what they say mama. You've heard the rumors."
"What rumors, Jacob?"
"That the train right in front of us is haunted?" He swung his eyes, and stared at his
mama, waiting confirmation.
"That's nonsense. Trains can't be haunted, and you know that, silly."
"No I don't. Billy says it's haunted, right along with all the old cemetaries, and old
houses."
"Well, Billy doesn't know everything." His mama scorned.
"You said he knows more then me, because he's older."
Laughing, his mama looked at him. "You got me there. I did tell you that, but he doesn't
know anything about that train being haunted."
Jacob stared at the train. "Yes, he does. He told me at night the train turns itself on
without anyone driving it, and runs through town waiting for it's next victim. He told
me never to go outside after dark."
"Is that right? Well tonight, your brother Billy and I are going to have a talk about that.
But for now, don't believe him. Your brother doesn't know what that train does, when
he's fast asleep at night."
Jacob shook his head, kicked a stone, and watched it roll. "Yes, he does mama. I'm
telling you, yes he does. He told me there's many nights he pretends to be asleep, and
when you and daddy go to bed, he sneaks out to watch the train."
His mama shook her head. "Don't worry, by the time I'm done talking to him, he'll never
say that again."
"How do you know?"
"Because Jacob, mama's have a way of making their children do the things they
should be doing, and stopping the things they shouldn't."
"Yeah, but how are you going to stop a train?"
"Let's go home Jacob, and I'll show you."
