Train Orphans

[Ishigreensa]

Rebecca, Tom, and Lucy had their parents taken from them one night in such a random way.  Rebecca had been home watching the kids....

Their parents were supposed to be home before seven that evening, but things went terribly wrong.  Someone had decided to rob a Seven Eleven that they had stopped off at on their way to where they were going, so the kids had no idea of exactly when it happened, but the gunman not only shot everyone in the store, but planted a bomb that distracted the police so he could get away, and the bomb went off right under their car so that their mom was killed, too.

Now, Rebecca, Tom, and Lucy were getting on the train to go to some distant place, it was supposed to take three days to get there, and they were going to meet an Uncle or something that they didn't even realize had been alive.  They had not seen this relative in a very long time... since before Rebecca was 8, so Lucy was 3 the last time they saw them.

Tom got on the train and looked up at Rebecca because while he normally fought her for the right to be in charge thinking she wasn't really that much older than himself, he didn't have it in him to do so that day.  He knew that he was in new territory here, and had no idea of what he was supposed to do or how to act.  He hoped Rebecca did.

Lucy held her sister's hand tightly, scared.  She wouldn't let go of Rebecca's hand no matter what while the people that organized for them to meet their relative talked to Rebecca about what they were doing, how to know when they arrived, and was let to know someone was watching, so if she needed any help, she could go to this person.

Tom and Lucy didn't pay much attention to those details.

Once they were left alone, Tom reached for Lucy, but she shook her head no and defiantly held Rebecca's hand with both of hers.  She loved Tom, but Rebecca was the eldest.  Rebecca had to know more about what was going on than Tom did.   She was just really scared.