After Returning to the first passenger car, I saw the group of officers as I passed by earlier. 

 

Two of them were sleeping, in their bunks the rest were playing poker by betting jerky that they received as a small snack before they left for home. I walked up to the nearest, and cleanest officer compared to the others and glared down at him and coughed. 

 

"Aye! move out of the way you dolt! I'm about to win!" said the officer with Black scruffy hair, and untidy uniform.

 

 

"What game are you playing?" I asked him in a stern tone, all of the other officers but the one in front of me realized who just walked in and immediately stood in attention and saluted.

 

After a few more coughs from his fellow officers he finally stood up in attention and saluted me.

 

"Rank, and Badge number!" i demanded

 

"First Class Lieutenant, 69807101045" He Declared

 

"Captain!" I Called out without breaking eye contact from the lieutenant. "Has this man ever seen combat!?" 

 

"No sir."

 

"Lieutenant! What is your first name?"

 

"John, John, Gern sir!"

 

"I SAID THE FIRST NAME LIEUTENANT!!! Only the first name!" I hollered out putting as much spit into his face as possible "Now why weren't you not on the front line Lieutenant?"

 

"Me and my group were heading to the front line! but the war was already over before we even left this train Sir!"

 

"Now! you failed to salute a higher ranking officer! Now as punishment you have to walk all the way to the end of the train, and back declaring we are soon arriving at our train stop at the top of your lungs. If I don't hear you yelling all the way down and back by the time I get off this train you will receive even worse punishment!" I Demanded yet he still stood there in salute. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! Go Go Go!"

 

I waited thirty seconds to calm down. "Everyone else follow him and gather your battalion and inform your higher ranking officers to get ready to depart from this train." I said in a calm stern tone.

 

"Yes Sir!" They all yelled in unison.

 

"Dismissed!"

 

They all quickly fled out of the compartment as I sat down on one of the chairs to light myself a large cigar before snatching a large bottle of a cheap alcohol called Bentings (Cheap brandy).

 

I Lit a cigar that was in my pocket and started drinking the bottle.

 

Each puff put relief on my back and memories of my father. 

 

Some Days he would take me to the train sheds to spend time with me while he repaired my uncles locomotives.

 

Soon the memories changed into my first train ride. I sat on my uncle’s lap as he operated the train with all his levers and dials. 

 

All of these memories brought a small smile and some tears to my eyes.

 

Yet memories soon got interrupted by the screeching brakes of the train, which indicated I need to prepare myself for departure.

 

I quickly got up while muttering about my leg, and searched around the compartment. I noticed a soldier still sleeping in his bunk and went to shake him awake.

 

I quickly noticed that wasn't breathing and succumbed to his wounds on the train.

 

"Such a young lad." I muttered before climbing out of the passenger car on a train station platform. The sounds of injured soldiers, soldiers, and surprised and happy women and children filled my ears.

 

Yet, less than a second later, after i left the train. A commotion erupted at the station's entrance.

 

"General, Niko Ruman! You are under arrest for treason against the crown!"