Eastofthemoon (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
eastofthemoon) wrote2005-03-18 02:41 pm
eastofthemoon) wrote2005-03-18 02:41 pm
First chapter
I've finally finished the first couple of chapters for my new story. I'm going to post them on fanfiction.net, but I thought I post them here first. Here's chapter one and I'll post chapter two shortly.
Also, this is an AU and it's an Old Western story. ^_~
“ALL ABOARD!!” the conductor declared. The train’s almighty whistle sounded off in warning of its’ soon departure.
The conductor hummed to himself, fetching his pocket watch. “Right on time as usual..”
“WAIT!! Wait for me!” A girl carrying a suitcase in each hand ran as fast as the wind, as she struggled to keep her balance.
The conductor suppressed a chuckle as the girl nearly tripped on the hem of her dress.
“You just made it Miss.” he laughed, as he took her luggage.
“I know.” She panted. “I had some last minute packing.”
“That happens to my wife and daughter every time.” He flashed a fatherly grin. “May I see your ticket?”
The girl relaxed and gladly gave her ticket. “I’ll take you to your seat Ms...”
“Amelia.” she replied, brushing the bangs away from her eyes. She stepped lightly onto the train, carefully picking up the hem of her dress. Dresses could be so annoying! Amelia was tripped at least twice a day because of them! She really should consider wearing pants more often.
The conductor led Amelia into the passenger car. Swarms of people buzzed in and out the aisles of the car as they found their seats like a bee findings its’ flower.
Amelia had to keep shifting from side to side to avoid being bumped into. She was nearly successful, until she knocked shoulder to shoulder with a man.
“Watch it!” he snapped. The smell of fresh alcohol reeked from his breath. It smelled like he hadn’t bathed in awhile as well.
If Amelia’s nose hadn’t been attached to her face, it would have instantly run off to get away from the stench. She fanned the air to blow away the smell, but didn’t let it spoil her cheerful mood. She wiggled through the crowd and finally found her seat.
Once she was settled in, the conductor tipped his hat and left. There was another loud whistle as the train departed from the station. Amelia cast a quick glance at the other passengers and then gazed absent mindedly out the window, admiring the passing scenery.
A sad smile formed. To think she was returning home from her final year of boarding school, and her father wouldn’t be there to greet her.
“I can’t believe it’s been a year since Daddy died.”
She hugged herself for comfort. She’d miss her father terribly, but at least he was with her mother now. Besides, she knew they were watching over her from high above in heaven.
The thought eased the pain, but the wish to see his smiling face remained.
Amelia lazily let her finger trace the shape of her reflection in the window. It was going to be a long train ride till they reached Seyrune. The only reason Amelia was returning to her old home was to settle her father’s will with Alfred.
She had just turned 18 the other day, so now she was supposed to inherit the fortune left by her father. If not for that, she might had considered taking up on Sylphiel’s offer to come and stay with her for a week or two.
Amelia smiled. She and Sylphiel weren’t best friends, but they enjoyed each other’s company and she gave her a shoulder to cry on as she grieved for her father. Amelia did appreciate Sylphiel’s kind gesture, but she had to go home for the settling of the will.
Amelia sighed. At least Alfred would be there to greet her. He was the only family she had now, well except her sister, but God only knows where she was.
Amelia slouched in her seat. A scuffle brought her attention to the front. Three men were jumping from their seats all at once, like a pack of wild dogs tackling a deer. The tallest of the three was the smelly man she’d bumped into.
She grimaced as she noted that the other two appeared to be just as filthy.
The men stood in the archway. The tall man reached into his vest.
Amelia’s heart stopped beating.
In a swift reflex, he revealed a pistol.
*BANG*
The gun shot rang though the air. There were a series of screams and shrieks of fright.
“Quiet!” the man ordered, as his companions also brought out guns. He shot into the air again.
Frozen, Amelia tried not to tremble. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was happening. A train robbery!
Amelia wasn’t sure if she was breathing. She’d read about train robberies in the newspapers frequently, but seeing it in front of her was far more fearsome.
The man glared at the crowd. “Alright! Listen up! You all just do what I say and there won’t be any....accidents.”
Amelia’s chest tightened. Calm down! Panicking wasn’t going to help.
The man stepped forward, waving the mouth of his pistol. “Which one of you is Amelia Wil Tesla Seyrune?”
All of Amelia’s reassurances were demolished. Oh God! They want me!
She stared at her knees, scared and lost. Should she reveal herself? No! Out of the question! Who knows what they were planning to do with her! A cold chill enveloped her as the horrifying images passed through her mind.
Maybe if she remained quiet, they would just leave.....Yeah right!
“Speak up!!” The man barked. His lips turned into a firm line. “Frank! Unhook the car from the rest of the train!”
“Sure Boss!” one of the men replied, as he scurried off.
The man walked along the aisle, bobbing his sour gaze from side to side.
People squirmed and shivered as his dark eyes lay upon them, like he could sense their most precious secrets.
The man stroked his pistol with the affection of a beloved pet. “It seems our dear Ms. Amelia is shy.”
Amelia gripped the edge of her seat. The man was now standing right next to her. She didn’t dare look at him.
She heard a sigh. “Reveal yourself or...”
He pointed his gun directly at a woman across from her.
Amelia stared horror-struck.
“I’m making her an offer. Give yourself up before I count to 5 or this woman will have to plan her funeral!”
Amelia felt numb.
“ONE!”
I can’t!
“TWO!”
But the woman will....
“THREE!”
What do I do?!
The man’s fingers folded on the trigger.
“FOUR!”
Tears streamed down the woman’s cheeks.
“FIV...”
“I’M AMELIA!!” She declared, bolting upward in the air.
Amelia wasn’t sure how she managed to say it. It was almost automatic, like unknown hands had pushed her.
She said it without thinking and was going to pay the price for it.
The gun toting man grinned a smile that belonged to a fox that had lured a chicken from the hen house.
He pulled the gun away. The woman’s eyes rolled back in her head as she fainted.
“Guess some people can’t take stress too well.”
Amelia fumed, but kept her opinions on the unjust joke to herself.
The man smirked at her and took a mocking bow. “Well Ms. Amelia, you’re coming with us.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you!”
The man raised an amused eyebrow. “You got some spunk. I hate spunk! But that doesn’t matter!”
He roughly grabbed her arm, and gave it a hard squeeze.
Amelia winced at the pain.
The man whispered in her ear. “You’re coming, even if I have to break your arm.”
The squeeze tightened. “Got that!”
“Boss, the car is detached from the train like you wanted!”
“Excellent.” The man dragged Amelia out to the door.
“No one try to follow us and play hero!” he barked to the passengers as they stared in pity. “Or this pretty little thing won’t live to see the next sunrise!”
The man tugged her and Amelia marched. She took one more look at the train car, wishing she had taken up Sylphiel’s on her offer.
Also, this is an AU and it's an Old Western story. ^_~
“ALL ABOARD!!” the conductor declared. The train’s almighty whistle sounded off in warning of its’ soon departure.
The conductor hummed to himself, fetching his pocket watch. “Right on time as usual..”
“WAIT!! Wait for me!” A girl carrying a suitcase in each hand ran as fast as the wind, as she struggled to keep her balance.
The conductor suppressed a chuckle as the girl nearly tripped on the hem of her dress.
“You just made it Miss.” he laughed, as he took her luggage.
“I know.” She panted. “I had some last minute packing.”
“That happens to my wife and daughter every time.” He flashed a fatherly grin. “May I see your ticket?”
The girl relaxed and gladly gave her ticket. “I’ll take you to your seat Ms...”
“Amelia.” she replied, brushing the bangs away from her eyes. She stepped lightly onto the train, carefully picking up the hem of her dress. Dresses could be so annoying! Amelia was tripped at least twice a day because of them! She really should consider wearing pants more often.
The conductor led Amelia into the passenger car. Swarms of people buzzed in and out the aisles of the car as they found their seats like a bee findings its’ flower.
Amelia had to keep shifting from side to side to avoid being bumped into. She was nearly successful, until she knocked shoulder to shoulder with a man.
“Watch it!” he snapped. The smell of fresh alcohol reeked from his breath. It smelled like he hadn’t bathed in awhile as well.
If Amelia’s nose hadn’t been attached to her face, it would have instantly run off to get away from the stench. She fanned the air to blow away the smell, but didn’t let it spoil her cheerful mood. She wiggled through the crowd and finally found her seat.
Once she was settled in, the conductor tipped his hat and left. There was another loud whistle as the train departed from the station. Amelia cast a quick glance at the other passengers and then gazed absent mindedly out the window, admiring the passing scenery.
A sad smile formed. To think she was returning home from her final year of boarding school, and her father wouldn’t be there to greet her.
“I can’t believe it’s been a year since Daddy died.”
She hugged herself for comfort. She’d miss her father terribly, but at least he was with her mother now. Besides, she knew they were watching over her from high above in heaven.
The thought eased the pain, but the wish to see his smiling face remained.
Amelia lazily let her finger trace the shape of her reflection in the window. It was going to be a long train ride till they reached Seyrune. The only reason Amelia was returning to her old home was to settle her father’s will with Alfred.
She had just turned 18 the other day, so now she was supposed to inherit the fortune left by her father. If not for that, she might had considered taking up on Sylphiel’s offer to come and stay with her for a week or two.
Amelia smiled. She and Sylphiel weren’t best friends, but they enjoyed each other’s company and she gave her a shoulder to cry on as she grieved for her father. Amelia did appreciate Sylphiel’s kind gesture, but she had to go home for the settling of the will.
Amelia sighed. At least Alfred would be there to greet her. He was the only family she had now, well except her sister, but God only knows where she was.
Amelia slouched in her seat. A scuffle brought her attention to the front. Three men were jumping from their seats all at once, like a pack of wild dogs tackling a deer. The tallest of the three was the smelly man she’d bumped into.
She grimaced as she noted that the other two appeared to be just as filthy.
The men stood in the archway. The tall man reached into his vest.
Amelia’s heart stopped beating.
In a swift reflex, he revealed a pistol.
*BANG*
The gun shot rang though the air. There were a series of screams and shrieks of fright.
“Quiet!” the man ordered, as his companions also brought out guns. He shot into the air again.
Frozen, Amelia tried not to tremble. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was happening. A train robbery!
Amelia wasn’t sure if she was breathing. She’d read about train robberies in the newspapers frequently, but seeing it in front of her was far more fearsome.
The man glared at the crowd. “Alright! Listen up! You all just do what I say and there won’t be any....accidents.”
Amelia’s chest tightened. Calm down! Panicking wasn’t going to help.
The man stepped forward, waving the mouth of his pistol. “Which one of you is Amelia Wil Tesla Seyrune?”
All of Amelia’s reassurances were demolished. Oh God! They want me!
She stared at her knees, scared and lost. Should she reveal herself? No! Out of the question! Who knows what they were planning to do with her! A cold chill enveloped her as the horrifying images passed through her mind.
Maybe if she remained quiet, they would just leave.....Yeah right!
“Speak up!!” The man barked. His lips turned into a firm line. “Frank! Unhook the car from the rest of the train!”
“Sure Boss!” one of the men replied, as he scurried off.
The man walked along the aisle, bobbing his sour gaze from side to side.
People squirmed and shivered as his dark eyes lay upon them, like he could sense their most precious secrets.
The man stroked his pistol with the affection of a beloved pet. “It seems our dear Ms. Amelia is shy.”
Amelia gripped the edge of her seat. The man was now standing right next to her. She didn’t dare look at him.
She heard a sigh. “Reveal yourself or...”
He pointed his gun directly at a woman across from her.
Amelia stared horror-struck.
“I’m making her an offer. Give yourself up before I count to 5 or this woman will have to plan her funeral!”
Amelia felt numb.
“ONE!”
I can’t!
“TWO!”
But the woman will....
“THREE!”
What do I do?!
The man’s fingers folded on the trigger.
“FOUR!”
Tears streamed down the woman’s cheeks.
“FIV...”
“I’M AMELIA!!” She declared, bolting upward in the air.
Amelia wasn’t sure how she managed to say it. It was almost automatic, like unknown hands had pushed her.
She said it without thinking and was going to pay the price for it.
The gun toting man grinned a smile that belonged to a fox that had lured a chicken from the hen house.
He pulled the gun away. The woman’s eyes rolled back in her head as she fainted.
“Guess some people can’t take stress too well.”
Amelia fumed, but kept her opinions on the unjust joke to herself.
The man smirked at her and took a mocking bow. “Well Ms. Amelia, you’re coming with us.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you!”
The man raised an amused eyebrow. “You got some spunk. I hate spunk! But that doesn’t matter!”
He roughly grabbed her arm, and gave it a hard squeeze.
Amelia winced at the pain.
The man whispered in her ear. “You’re coming, even if I have to break your arm.”
The squeeze tightened. “Got that!”
“Boss, the car is detached from the train like you wanted!”
“Excellent.” The man dragged Amelia out to the door.
“No one try to follow us and play hero!” he barked to the passengers as they stared in pity. “Or this pretty little thing won’t live to see the next sunrise!”
The man tugged her and Amelia marched. She took one more look at the train car, wishing she had taken up Sylphiel’s on her offer.