Hell's Express update

The Devils Express
The Fifth Somerset Adventure
By Susan Waterflower Bell

A midsummer heat wave was inflicting pain and suffering on the people of Somerset. Things where so bad, the local sawmill was forced to close its doors in the noon hours, and all the papers encouraged the people to drink more water, to seek a doctor if they where feeling faint and to avoid the sun between noon and five ‘o clock, when the heat was at its strongest.

Many of the merchants cursed the heat wave, since the heat kept many of the people away from there sales room floor, thus cutting a noticeable hole into there sales. A few, chiefly the ice Merchant and the owner of the local ice cream parlor welcomed the heat wave with open arms, there sales shot through the roof.

Indeed many people where choosing to spend there evening in the cool of the ice cream parlor, including two young girls. Rachel and Sunflower, both where enjoying what remained of there Summer Holidays.

“You know.. I’m hearing more and more rumors of a ghost train being spotted in the rail yard down town. My older brother who works as a night watchmen came home last night, swearing up and down he saw the fable train.” Rachel said as she reached down and taking a sip from her milkshake.

“I think you’ve been reading to many of those R.L Stine stories.” Said Sunflower smirking as she took a nice long sip from her own milkshake. “I mean don’t get me wrong, I’m really digging his Fear Street Sage.. I just like the Hobbit more.” She said leaning back with a sign.

“Point.” Rachel said taking a deep breath. “But come on sun, it’s the middle of summer, Dies Caniculares is upon us, the days are long and hot, the nights short and humid. This is perfect ghost hunting weather.” She said signing as she took another deep sip from her nice cold shake, the smooth chocolate seemed the only respite from the oppressing heat.

Sunflower blinked and titled her head to the side, “Daies Caniculares? And I thought the rectors daughter should be attending Evening Prayer and not chasing ghost.” Sunflower said winking a little as she took another sip from her shake.

“Latin for ‘Dog days of Summer’ and… point..” Rachel said with a sigh as she settled down in her chair. They where even now. Sunflower had scored a point and she had also scored a point.

“Though… I guess maybe I could sneak out of the house this evening. Mum and dad are going to see a picture show, and well.. Maybe would could meet up at the main-street school. I can catch the tram at ‘Grand Halt’ and ride the rails to the school.” Said Sunflower at last.

“Sounds like a plan, I’m no more than five minutes walk from my house to the school. Moms down with the heat and dads working on this coming Sundays sermon.” Rachel said with hint of a sign.



“Another lector on Angelical encounters through out history?” Said Sunflower titling her head to the side again. Truth be told, Rachel slept through most of the sermons and readings. Maybe that was the reason Mrs. Holly had taken her out of the weekly rotation of  acolytes.

“I’m afraid, it might be about two naughty little girls who where caught sneaking into the train yard, hopping to catch a brief glimpse at the ’Devils Express’ by the pale light of the moon. You know the whole ’Honor thy mother and Father’.” Rachel with shake of the head.

“You know.. You kind of take the fun out of a lot of things with that sense of humor of yours… beside where not going to get caught. Who would think to search a old abounded station for two teens. And beside, its not like where vandalizing anything.” Responded Sunflower.

“Bite me.” Rachel smirking a little as she stood up and headed toward the door. Once she had pushed the door open, she turned around and stuck out her tongue and gave her friend a teasing look.

“Brat!” Bellowed Sunflower quickly turning a deep crimson shade of red as she reached down and collected her paper cut. Before she could catch herself she was rushing toward Rachel.

“And proud of it.” She said reaching down to smack her friends bottom once she passed her. A few patrons, including one of the local couples looked up from there meal and there frozen treats and titled there head to the size as the observed the antics of the two.

“Hush!” Sunflower said, a sudden blush came across her cheeks as she felt her friend smack her bottom, sending a crashing wave of sting through the thin fabric of her sun dress. Quickly she turned upon her heel and delivered a counter smack, with a broad smirk she landed a good solid hit upon her friends bottom, sending a devastating smack right into her rear though the equally thin fabric of her skirt.

Both girls then fell into a fit of wild giggles and teasing remarks. There little teasing war lasted till they reached the parting of the road.

“So see you at five?” Asked Sunflower turning toward her friend with a look that was both hopeful and teasing gaze.

“See you at five sis.” Said Rachel, turning upon her heel to wave her goodbye before vanishing into the shadow cast by the setting sun.

For a minute, Sunflower stood there lost both in words and in mind. A chill was running down her spine, a spine tingling feeling to be more precise. Something deep within her heart was telling her, she was in the process of embarking upon a grand adventure, one fraught with dangers. Still a little adventure never hurt anyone, what was the worst that could come from sneaking into the rail yard, beside a fright from the appearance of the ghost train, if said phantom proved to be real.

The hours of the day started to slowly tick away, Sunflower busied herself doing some odd and end chores around the house, her mother raised a queer eyebrow at her daughter as she rushed around the house, sponging down the walls, scrubbing the floorboards, and going beyond the call of duty by dust mopping before and after mopping the floor.



“Your doing a wonderful job honey.” Her mother said inspecting her daughters handy work. “If you keep this up, you might just justify the five shilling raise in pay.” She said smiling as she ran her finger upon the surface of the dinning room table. Her smile only grew as she peered toward the tip of her finger, not a speck of dust could be seen. Seemed the guides where really teaching her daughter how to clean.

“Thank you mom.” Sunflower said taking a deep breath as she stood up and smiled. Sunflower felt a since of pride as her mother praised her efforts. Indeed much to her surprise she did find a extra five shilling in her last weeks pay. Five shilling was a pretty good bit of money.

“You know, you could make a good bit of pocket money if you started to clean houses. Its hard work and it builds character.” Her mother said smiling softy as she reached over and ruffled her daughters long blonde locks of hair.

“But mom.. I thought doing housework was ‘A job not befitting are social class and statues as women of one of the leading families.’ and all that good jazz.” Sunflower said throwing a dusting rag into her bucket. Most of the leading families in the parish had a maid and a cook. They had a cook, but the house cleaning seemed to be divided between her and her mother.

“Learning to balance a bank account of only a dozen or so pound sterling is no different than balancing a bank account of a thousand or more.” She said with a smile as she reached down and picked up the bucket. “And he who does not learn the value of money is doom to become a slave to it, indeed money becomes your master.”

“Come again?” Sunflower said taking a deep breath as she titled her head to the side as she reached up and losing the band on her ponytail.

“Man invited money, and money became mans slave.” She said with a little smile. As she reached over and patted her little girl on the shoulder. “Learning the value of a shilling, will help you tame the power of money and will serve you well when you’re the head accounted of a household of your own one day.” She said with a wink.

“Wait what?!” Said Sunflower taking a deep breath and stepping back from her mother, a deep blush colored her cheeks and her cunning nature seemed to fail her as her mother laid the teasing on nice and thick.

“When you married, you will be expected to balance and monitor the family ledger, one day you might have a daughter of your own coming to you, asking for a extra shilling or two. Then you’ll have to see if you could grant the young ones request, while making the books balance, and if so you’ll have to draw up a list of fresh chores for your little one.” Isabella said with a small smile as she reached down and patted her daughter on the head.

Sunflower just stood there and blushed and whispered something very nonsensical, her mother though for her credit just smiled and kissed her daughter upon her widows peek. Then without saying a word she reached up for her shawl and quickly she wrapped around her neck. Then without a word being spoken, she vanished into the evening.




“Bloody hell..” Sunflower said shaking her head in hopes of removing the blush, “I’m only fourteen, and the bloody women is already trying to marry me off.” Sunflower said taking a deep breath as she reached over and quickly taking her house key from the key rack.

Quickly she locked up the house and skipped down the brick paved walkway to the cobblestone paved sidewalk. Smiling to herself she skipped down the sidewalk, the late evening sun was castling long shadows upon the streets and the gas powered streetlamps where starting to glow a brilliant white yellowish hue. It took only around five minutes for her to reach the halt, and after a minute or two of waiting, the ringing of the trams bell could be heard as he snaked the tracks bedded deep within the bricks that paved the road.

The tram came to a stop in front of her, smiling she greeted the driver and dropped a three pence into the fee box. Once she was seated the old street car once more roared to life as it started to rattle down the rails. Taking a deep breath she pressed her face to the glass windowpane and with eager eyes she observed the passing landscape.

As the streetcar wounded rocked back and forth and took a sharp right turn around the east side of the goose egg park, blushing a little Sunflower felt herself gently being thrown into the window, before the carriage slowed down. It was then only five more minutes of enduring the rocking before the tram came to a halt, this time she did the proper thing and pulled down upon the cord that ran the breath of the car. A loud dinging sound filled the space and the old driver quickly threw on the brakes.

Without a word of mirth or wormwood passing her lips she stood up and walked toward front, in the span of a breath she found herself touching down upon the pavement of the road. Collecting her thoughts she sprinted across the roadway till she reached the safety of the walkway. Pausing she looked up and crossed herself.

“About time you showed up, thought you might have chickened out on me or something sis,” Came a voice from behind her.

“Sorry mom sprung a last minute heart to heart on me.” She said turning around only to be greeted with the smiling face of her sister or maybe for a better usage of words, her sister from another mother.

“I know that feeling, mum still down with the heat, though she wants us to do something before the weeks out, she kind of looking forward to you coming over next weekend. She been going through old photo booklets, man.. Are folks where dork when they where are age.” Said Rachel smirking a little as she reached down and took Sunflower by the hand.

Sunflower blushed as she looked down at Rachel. Quickly her eyes traveled down to the pastel pink satchel resting easily upon Rachel’s hip. Taking a deep breath she looked up and gave her friend a puzzling look.

“Mind telling me what you have in there sis?” She said pointing toward the satchel.

“Oh nothing more than a flashlight and camera, and some snacks too in case we get hungry and a bottle of mineral water too. Really Sun, your in the same troop as I and you’ve brought nothing save the clothing upon her back?” Said Rachel with a shake of her head.

“I thought we where sneaking into the abounded station house, not going on some backwoods adventure in the brush.” Sunflower said, blushing a little under the scolding her friend was piling up on her head.

“You never know Sun, but enough chatting we make tracks,” Rachel said as she let go of Sunflowers hand and turned upon her heel. A half of a span later she was quickly making tracks toward the train yard.

“Hold up!” Cried Sunflower as she dashed to catch up with her friend. After a good minute or two she finally managed to catch up with Rachel, taking a deep breath she reached over and took the girl by her arm.

“You know, you could give a girl a little warning.” She said taking deep breaths, the brow of her head was now dotted with tiny sweat drops and her light cotton blouse was now clinging to her form. Throwing her head back she signed as she peered toward the bright orange ball slowly sinking behind a cluster of nearby hills. Between breaths she prayed for a sudden gust of evening wind to fresh the air.

“Sorry.” Rachel said as she turned her face from Sunflowers gaze, “But hey you know me, when adventure comes knocking I’m the first one to answer the call.” She said in a proud tone of voice as she poked out chest and tossed her head back.

“Maybe that the reason your mother made you that paddle?” Sunflower said smirking a little as she peered toward her friend.

“Okay point..” Rachel said, before flushing a bright crimson red.

Sunflower and Rachel walked for a good mile and a half, both lost in there own little worlds, Rachel’s mind was wrapped around trying to snatch a photo of the phantom train and send said photo off to ‘Weird Magazine’ a weekly publication her older brother loved to read. The tabloid was know for its well written and researched articles on the supernatural, and best of all it paid its readership for photos and stories sent in to be published. A genie pictograph of a phantom locomotive pulling a dozen or so carriages was bound to fetch the top bounty of fifteen quid.

Sunflower on the other was thinking about Richard, sure she had only had one or two official dates with the boy, but she had written dozens upon dozens of letters to the boy, she had poured out her hopes and dreams to him, thought hard about there future together, she had plotted out a dozen or so dates, of what she’ll wear and where they would go. Signing slowly she shook her head, her young mind had even sworn one day she’ll wear his ring upon her finger.

But her dozen or letters had remained unanswered, and only one in six received a small dripping of ink to quench her burning heart. The last one hinted that Richard had found another girl to chase after, his letter hinted a raven hair beauty from St. Claries of Jerusalem Academy, a private Roman Catholic girls school.

Sunflower shook her head as she once more tried to think through the problem. Sunflower had been born to Anglo-Saxton stock, her mother and father where life long members of St. Mary’s Anglican Church, she had been christen and raised in the Anglican church. And Rachel and her where both St. George girls..



“Rachel, have you heard anything through the grapevine?” She said taking a deep breath as she peered over at her best friend. Slowly she moved in a little closer, once she rubbing her shoulder she said, “About Richard?” Sunflower was not the one to go around collecting rumors or peeking into the small circles that formed during there break period.

“I’m sorry Sunny.” She Rachel reaching over and wrapping her arm around her friends shoulder as they left the sidewalk and started to climb down a steep hill, the sour smell of rotting and waterlogged vegetation became stronger and stronger with each step they took.

“Sorry about what?” She said blinking as she took baby steps down the hill, smell of a near by ditch filled the air, and caused her to cough and lifted her blouse to her nose in hopes of shielding her from the horrible gut wrenching smell filling the humid summer air.

“I think your Richard, is starting to flirt with Cathleen Glen, the raven haired starlet of St. Claries, or so my older sister tells me, and she a teacher’s aid. And loves talking about town drama more than me.” She said reaching down to take hold of Sunflowers hand.

“I see.” Said Sunflower taking a deep breath as she squeezed Rachel’s. Soon the two where standing at the bottom of the hill, the evening sun had now finally set behind the hills and the round silver moon was now slowly starting to inch worming its way into the darken sky, a cool breeze was starting to rise from the river mystic that was hidden just out of sight and upon its breath was carried the subtle scent of adventure.

“But hey lets forget about that.” Rachel said peering around her, the landscape was befitting a gothic novel, the ground was covered with a fine layer of black coal dust. A dozen or so of low growing bush’s and shrubs dotted the level ground. Small oak saplings where starting to shoot up between the ties of the abounded sections of tracks.

A dozen or so old, rusting boxcars and gutted railroad carriages stood upon the older sections of rails. Beyond the pieces of rolling stock there stood a large box shape building, even in the darken night the pair could make out the old Victorian style building.

Drawing closer, the two noticed the once proud stain glass windows had been shattered by rocks thrown by vandals, the brick walls where covered in colorful giraffe. The once double doors where too broken down and lay to the side, knocked down a season maybe by passing vagrant or tramp.

“Bloody hell..” Rachel said picking her way into the waiting area of the station. “This place has indeed seen better days,” She said reaching into her sack and pulling out her flashlight, flipping the switch she turned it on, once on she started to take a closer look at the old wooden furnishings that still remained from the stations heydays.

“Man, my brother would love to be here, he’s always rushing down to the newsstand for the latest copy of ‘Weird News’ when he comes back from sea.” Sunflower said blinking as she ran her hand along the dust covered walls. A sudden chill ran down her spine as she pulled her hand away and looked down at her dust covered palm, looking up she noticed a dozen or so cobwebs that had been spun in the corners.



“I know right, that’s why I brought my camera, I’m hoping to snap a picture of the phantom train and write a essay to go along with it, then you know maybe they’ll reward me with the grand prize of fifteen quid.” Rachel said with a sense of pride as she reached into her bag and pulled out her camera and held it up like a knight lifting on high his sword before battle.

“You know you have a better chance of winning the weekly Brookshire’s Lottery than snapping a picture of a ghost train, much less writing a essay on the bloody thing and sending it in.” Sunflower said with a sigh as she wrapped her arms around her friends shoulder.

“That like a hundred bloody pounds right? I mean mum and dad where talking about it last night, you know that the highest its ever been before right?” The mention of the weekly drawing quickly snapped the young girls mind back to the present. And for once she forgot about the pressing issue of the ghost train that they where hunting.

“Yes, enough for a nice weekend trip into the capital if a girl needed to get away, and if nobody wins it this week, there going to add twenty five more to the pot.” Sunflower said sighing as she walked onto the old platform of the station house. Crossing herself she peered down at the old rails, these set of rails ran from Waterloo Station in Somerset to Victorian Station in Tinmouth, a distance of forty five miles.

“You know those rails have been abounded for some twenty years or better. Ever since O’ Danny drove his train right off the tracks on that foggy night so long ago.” Rachel said popping up behind Sunflower as she peered toward her friend with a little smirk.

“And O’ Danny’s phantom train is what where looking for, right?” Sunflower said peering over at her friend and returning the smirk with one of her own.

“Indeed..” Rachel said taking a deep breath, the air inside the abounded station was moist and laced with the sour smell of bat droppings, a deadly mixture yet one the young girl was forced to breath ever time she took a deep breath. A frown came over her face as she heard something crack under her foot, castling her light around she noticed a dozen or so broken beer bottles littered the once proud platform and toward the far side of the east wall once could see the remains of a homeless mans camp. The camp was nothing more than a pile or rags, a dozen or so empty cans of potted food and few dozen broken beer bottles. A old tin bucket filled with charred pieces of wood hinted at a long term usage of this place.

Frowning even more she turned toward the her friend who seemed to be looking down at the rails. Then she heard something that chilled her to the bone, the faint shrill whistle of a old steam locomotive could be heard.

“Rachel..” Sunflower said turning toward her friend, her face looked as pale as a sheet, the old whistle was a sure sign that something was coming there way, if not then she must be seeing things for the old tracks where starting to shake and rattle and even the ground she was standing on seemed to move as if alive.

“I feel it too..” Rachel said moving toward her friend. Quickly she reached down and took hold of her friends hand. Without saying a word she pulled her away from the platform.

The old wooden platform started to shake, the beams supporting the arching ceiling shook and rotted and a flock of countless nesting brown bats took flight, the fluttering sound of there wings filled the cool night air as she flew over the girls heads and out the entry way and into the open air.

The girls shaken blinked and blinked again as the bats passed over there heads, screeching like something straight from the underworld, soon the deep throated sound of steam whistle bellowed again this time a little louder.

“Its coming..” Whispered Sunflower to Rachel as she hugged her friend closely. Her feet seemed rooted in the ground, her blood ran cold, so cold it had become ice and was now pressing upon her skin. And all she could do was hold onto her friend for dear life and the train seemed to come closer and closer with ever passing second. Its long mournful cry filled the summers air a warning to all.

“Keep it together Sun..” Rachel Said as squeezed her friends shoulder. “We gotta be brave and keep it all together..” She said releasing her friends shoulder as she reached into her bag and pulled out her camera. “You’re my witness to this okay, we split everything right down the middle, sisters right..” She chirped as she offered out her pinkie. Despite the fear gripping her she could not help but smile, the girl dared a venture down Hemlock Lane was now standing before her shaking like a leaf in the face of Autumns breath.

“What do you mean keep it together! No train has run on those tracks in twenty something years, this line is abounded remembered!” Bellowed Sunflower as she peered toward the shaking tracks, Sunflower was normally a very brave girl. But coming to face to face with the unknown had shaken her to core, then again who not be shaken.

Rachel was just about to respond with a less than polite selection of words when the phantom train appeared, A haunting sight if there was ever one, the once proud steam locomotive was nothing more than a shell of what it had been in life. Holes the size of mouth balls had been torn in his hull, the glass in the drives cab had been broken and smoke stack was leaning to the size with just a few thin threads of metal keeping it from falling over. A mystic flame seemed to dance upon the surface of the glass that was still held in the frame of the cab and a shadowy black form with deep dark glowing eyes peered out from the holes.

The phantom steam locomotive was pulling a dozen or so old, abounded railroad carriages. Each one was nothing more than a old skeleton of there former self’s. The wooden frames where in tatters, the once highly polished wooden doors where broken and hung upon there frames.

“SHAP YOUR DAMN PHOTO RACHEL JOSEPHINE KNIGHT AND LETS GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE BEFORE THAT DAMN THING COMES AND SPIRITS US AWAY.” Bellowed Sunflower as she pointed toward the phantom train that just appeared before the two.

Rachel blinked and blinked again and with a shaking hand she reached into her purse and pulled out her camera. With all the nerve she could muster she snapped a dozen or so pictures of the phantom train. With each shutter of the camera she prayed that the phantom will hold its ground.

“GOTTA ENOUGH!” Bellowed Sunflower as peered toward Rachel.

“ONE MORE!” Rachel said snapping her photo before pocking her camera in her purse and turning toward sunfolower