Seán Duggan:
He left Santa Rosita on the first train the next morning,
Seán Duggan:
At some point in the journey, he realized that the alarm clock did not work,
Seán Duggan:
The train was mostly empty, but there was an older man who seemed to know him.
Seán Duggan:
He tried to sleep, but the red curtains in front of the sleeping compartment disturbed him.
Seán Duggan:
He rounded the corner into the next car and was overwhelmed by a swaying sea of red curtains.
Seán Duggan:
The train seemed to be going faster and faster,
Seán Duggan:
The sound of running steps echoed loudly and he caught sight of a retreating figure
Seán Duggan:
He was falling. Falling for a second. Falling for eternity...
Seán Duggan:
He must have blacked out, for he lost track of how long he fell...
Seán Duggan:
The rectangle of light pulled him downward and suddenly he was out of the dark shaft,
Seán Duggan:
After a while he began to realize that he was not dead, his body was not crushed and broken.
Seán Duggan:
Something caught his eye, a sudden reflection, sparkling in the harsh desolation.
Seán Duggan:
After several paces, the floor of the first cave ended abruptly in a deep, black pit.
Seán Duggan:
He felt his way through the darkened tunnel for several minutes,
Seán Duggan:
He found himself in a brick walled chamber with low vaulted ceilings.
Seán Duggan:
When he entered the far chamber, the old man who had been singing stopped and looked up at him.
Seán Duggan:
The knife faded and swam before his eyes,
Seán Duggan:
He turned away from the old blind man, tightly clutching the painted, plaster hand,
Seán Duggan:
After following the exit passage for some time it led him to another room.
Seán Duggan:
He eventually came to a ragged opening that looked as if it had been blasted through the wall of the shaft.
Seán Duggan:
His steps led through a long, empty corridor.
Seán Duggan:
He found himself in a large dimly lit train station.
Seán Duggan:
She glanced up, startled, and then a look of recognition filled her face.
Seán Duggan:
The train stretched on and on. He lost count of how many cars it had.