-1- The Wreck

-1-

It was raining outside. Come to think of it, it was always raining. The sky was constantly blanketed in gray with the endless tapping of water on the roof of whatever building you happened to be under. But on this day, the rain seemed appropriate. As the train stormed along, and the sky stormed above, the passengers only stared at their hands folded in their laps or beyond the blurred windows. No one was in the mood to make conversation.
My uncle, a man held in high esteem, had passed on only a few days ago. All these people aboard the train were strangers to me. They were here to mourn my uncle, whom I had never even met and yet was expected to grieve for like a close friend. And so I did.
I had grown tired of sitting and doing nothing, so I stood and walked about from car to car, simply exploring. But that was when the train derailed.

----------

I woke up what I assume was a few hours later, though I have no way of knowing other than the simple pocket watch I had. For all I know, it could have been a day or two later. There was a woman crouching over me, dressed strangely and only squinting at me, as if I were a peculiar insect instead of a survivor of a train wreck.
"My, you humans are a strange breed," she said as I opened my eyes,"so hopelessly frail, and yet so stubborn in death." She left my side, and went about the burning wreckage, looking at the lifeless bodies strewn about. Her brown hair was tied up and messy, with a torn and wrinkled dress that looked as if she had pinched it off a sleeping gypsy, with wild uncoordinated colors and beads.
I came to my senses and inquired,"Excuse me miss, but who are you? What happened?"
"Well," she responded," you can call me Aunty, and for what happened, I suppose one of your crazy metal beasts had a bit of a hiccup. Now, you seem to have no place to go at the moment, and I have mended your wounds, so if you please, follow me." And so I did. I fell into pace as she briskly walked into the forest by the tracks.