Farryn woke with a start, her chest heaving. It was raining; not too hard, but still raining- and she pulled her apron over her head to shield her face, taking out her bread and checking for her money.

Everything was intact, and she looked around, waking up. The sun was covered by the rain clouds, but it looked like it was about 9pm.

She propped herself up, looking over the back of the cart at the driver. "Do your passengers not deserve shelter?" she hissed, annoyed. The man laughed, his own head protected by the thick tunic he wore, with a hood that was seemingly made of leather. "That's extra missy! We're almost to the station. About an hour more."

Farryn wiped the dripping rain off of her face, curling up into a ball to protect herself from it as it worsened. She felt herself shivering furiously but consoled herself with the fact that they would soon arrive.

After a while they suddenly stopped, the driver grunting with annoyance. "What's happened?" Farryn called over the rain, now beating down heavy with wind. She had pulled the tarp protecting the man's goods halfway over herself, but shrugged it off as he dismounted, coming round to the back.

"The damned wheel is stuck." he hissed, bending over and yanking at the back wheel. It didn't budge, and he fell backwards instead, slipping across the slick and mud and landing hard in the middle of the road.

There seemed to be no one else on the road, apart from a small caravan which seemed to have no problem with the mud or rain. Farryn climbed out to try and help, but she couldn't get a grip either, instead getting mud all over her hands and apron. The man muttered several unsavoury words, and got up, going to the front.

He picked up his bag, hitched it onto his back, and started walking.

"Hey!' Farryn yelled, panic coursing through her. He wasn't going to leave her, was he? "Where are you going?" "Into town. We just passed a small village and I've got fellas there. I'll send someone to fix this up. I advise you find somewhere to stay too, Missy." "Why? If you're fixing it then-" "I don't intend to go any further tonight." he interrupted. "I'm not trying to die a fool's death."

She stood, trembling with cold and indignation. "How much further to the station on foot?" he glanced at her, looking her up and down. "That's a stupid plan." "How much further?" "3 hours. It's useless. Just come down to the village." "No." she snapped. The man stared at her, but then shrugged. "Alright then. Keep the remaining Passes. Don't want to rob a dead lass."

And so he turned and left, leaving Farryn alone in the pouring rain. She felt tears sting her eyes but she blinked them away, and she turned and set her feet through the firmer bits of now muddy road. She would get to the station tonight if it killed her. And it wouldn't kill her. Because she couldn't die until she found her.

So she trudged through the rain and mud, shivering all the way. By the time she could see the station in the distance her legs ached and her chest hurt with every breath, the soles of her shoes tearing apart and hem of the apron dirtied. She had eaten every bit of cheese and bread she had, worried it would get soaked, and tried not to think of the newspaper scrap.

She entered the station, undoubtedly looking a sight, and hauled herself to the ticket box. "Where is the nearest station to Tuckson's?" she asked, chest heaving. The man looked at her skeptical, pulling his candle away from the window. "St. Matthew's station. About half a day's ride to Tuckson Centre."
Farryn nodded. "Thank you.." she muttered, then wandered off in search of somewhere private to retrieve the sixteen passes she would need for the first half of the journey. She found a small water closet outside, and undid her apron and dress, counting the passes then putting them in her hand.

She returned and paid. The attendant insisted she drop her money on the counter and shuddered as he picked and counted it. "The train will be here in 2 hours," he said, and Farryn nodded, wondering how many hours she had wasted already waiting for transport.

She watched as the rain subsided outside, and when it was down to a drizzle popped out of the slowly filling station to find a boutique. It was a tiny town that housed the station, so she only found one, but that was fine. She bought a simple brown dress and grey overdress.

She changed in the dressing rooms in the back, leaving her dirty uniform there. Dry and fairly warmer, she returned to wait for the locomotive in the station.

It arrived about 30 minutes late, but so many people were pushing to get on and off after the great monster of a beast had pulled into the station that she hadn't any time to complain. The ticketmaster screamed at her when she almost passed without waving showing her ticket, and when she finally found herself inside a carriage she marvelled at how that was possibly the most dangerous part of her journey so far.

She settled onto her seat, and wrapped her arms around her chest. It took a while for the carriage to fill, and about fifteen minutes later, with a lot of clanging and creaking, the train left the station.

It took only half an hour for every inch of her body to hurt, rocking back and forth on the hard wooden seat, but she didn't dare stand in the crowded carriage. Every time she managed to get some shut-eye the train would stop, and with creaking and groaning and lots of chaos as people got off and boarded.

She somehow slept through the night though, and when the train stopped the next morning, around 3, Farryn made sure to join the rest at the quick stop.

She only had 30 minutes, so she was quick. She found herself in the bustling town of Haravad, and bought herself a hot cup of mixed tea and potato and meat porridge, which she ate hurriedly to make sure she made it back in time to the train. Then she found an outhouse and relieved herself, and washed her face off in the fountain in the town square.

As she strolled back to the train station, she watched the people of the town converse with other travellers. They were definitely used to all the travellers that the train station brought; comfortable with them, smiles plastered on their faces. But Farryn did not bother talking to any of them. Instead, she hurried back to the train.

She returned to her seat, surprised to find a very small child on it, not much older than 3. She was curled up in the corner, face pressed against the train's wall, a dirty rag doll clutched in her hand. Her hair was a frizzy mess of dark brown, and Farryn froze for a minute, staring at her.

The ticket master approached her. "We leave in a bit. Sit, please." "The-there's someone in my seat."

He looked around the high back of the chair at the girl. "Who's is she?" "I don't know!" the man sighed, furrowing his brow.

He looked up. "Is anyone missing a child!?" he called. People turned to him, but no one claimed the girl.

The man simply shrugged, and turned to leave. "Aren't you going to find her parents?" Farryn called after him, panicked. "Look, whoever left her here will come join her soon. I'll ask the driver to wait another ten minutes if it makes you happy." "Really?" "No." he snapped, and then left.

Farryn still stood, staring at the sleeping girl. As more people began to board and it became increasingly obvious that no one was coming to claim the girl, she shrugged into her seat and nudged the girl lightly on the shoulder.

The girl woke with a start, blinking at Farryn. "H-hello." she said to her, taking her hand off the girl's shoulder and putting it on her lap. "Who are you?"

The girl stared at her with big, blue bug eyes, and Farryn realized she was probably too young to speak. But then she did, saying something incoherent as she yawned.

"What?" Farryn asked her. The girl looked up at her. "I'm Luli." the girl said, stretching out the lee sound. "Luli. Nice to meet you." the last passenger bored and Farryn gripped her knee. "Where's your Mother? Your Father?" the girl didn't respond, kicking her legs against her chair and shimmying her shoulders, dancing to non-existent music. Farryn nudged her again as the train started up.

"Luli. Where are your parents?" "They're nowhere." the girl sighed, itching her arm. Farryn noticed streaks across her upper arms; scars, and they looked fresh. "Where did they go?" she urged, drawing her eyes away from them. "I don't know." the girl said, sighing. She didn't seem to enjoy the conversation, so Farryn moved to another topic. "Where did you come from, then? Just now?"

"I came from the big factory." the girl muttered, kicking her feet again. "I don't like it there anymore." "The factory?" Farryn tried to rack her brain for any factories in Haravad. The only one she could think of was further back, all the way in Teran, a town they had passed late last night. It was a smaller sort of workhouse, and they wove cloth and thread.

"Where did you live?" she pressed the girl. "In the factory?" the girl nodded. "Was your mother with you?" "No. Ma left a long time ago."

Farryn felt her shoulders sink. This girl seemed to be a workhouse orphan. But how had she escaped? She decided not to ask, and allowed the girl peace and quiet instead. Luli eventually rested her head on the side of the wall and fell asleep again while Farryn sat on the very edge of her seat, trying to avoid touching her.