500 Miles - Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Verse:
Lord I’m one...
Lord I’m two...
Lord I’m three...
Lord I’m four...
Lord I’m five hundred miles away from home
The ride to the nearest track took some time through a neighborhood Nate would notmally never go through but he was determined to get away from everything and danger was the last thing from his mind. He dropped the bike not far from the road crossing knowing the train would have to slow down when it came this way. He’d watched the freight travel through when it crossed through another side of town but now he was determined to jump the train and go wherever the tracks took him. Maybe he was being silly and romantic but it was all he had without much money and keeping his whereabouts secret.
It wasn’t long before the train passed by, the teen waiting as if he might want to cross the road, the engineer barely glancing at him as the engine moved along at a slow but steady pace. Nate had never jumped a train before but he’d watched more than enough old movies where people had done it and now he realized that this might be harder than he thought. There weren’t any open cars and he wasn’t sure how to get in otherwise. He started to run alongside the train, looking to make sure nobody was watching. It was getting dark but there was enough sun to see by as he finally found what he wanted, a slightly open car, a chain rattling where it struggled to hold the door shut. He thought he might be able to squeeze through the space, running faster as he caught the rung off the side of the car and pulled himself up. He almost fell, legs dangling as he felt the train start to pick up speed and felt fear. If he were to roll off the wrong way he might be run over...
Nate pulled himself up with as much strength as he could muster, reaching for the chain when he was able to and squeezed into the space of the open door into a dimly lit car. It was full of boxes from what he could tell, but there was enough space when he turned on his flashlight to get comfortable if he had to. It wasn’t much in the way of travel but he didn’t want to be found, the young man needing time to think. It was more than he knew how to handle as he cleaned a space and sat down, pack beside him. It was warm in the car but there wasn’t much he could do about that, removing his jacket and using it as a blanket to lay on. Nate curled up on his side and thought about what he had learned. Susan had meant well but it had been a shock to find out what he thought was truth to be a lie. How many other things about his life were lies? His mind was wandering in all that he had read about George Nathan Connelly before he finally eased into a less than relaxed sleep, the movement of the train like a soothing metronome.
Chorus:
Away from home...
Away from home...
Away from home...
Away from home...
Lord I’m 500 miles away from home...
“Wake up!”
Someone nudged him hard, pulling him up suddenly as Nate found himself face to face with an angry man in a dirty white shirt. He was terrified, still groggy with sleep and uncertain why he wasn’t at home in his own bed until it hit him. He had run away from home, the day having turned to night and bright street lamps along the side of what appeared to be a small station but not the kind for people he saw in movies. Men were unloading crates from other cars as the man held onto him with strong hands, Nate uncertain what to do.
“What’s your name kid?”
The man’s voice remained angry, unfriendly, dark eyes staring back at him with suspicion. The man looked to be around 35 to 40, muscular with dark hair. It was hard to see with the man’s back to the light, his face and form mostly in silhouette. As scared as he was, Nate had enough sense to not give his real name.
“Neal...”
He’d given his grandfather’s name, a man he’d never met but knew enough about to like his name. The man nodded back, pointing at his pack and jacket as Neal picked them up, the man never letting go as he was yanked from the train car.
“Well, Neal... did you know it’s illegal to jump train cars? How old are you?”
He was still frightened but something came over him that made him feel a little less scared at least he hoped he was less terrified looking.
“21... You going to call the cops on me?”
The man gave him a curious look, eyes moving up and down before he shook his head.
“No, but you can help clear this cab out. Least you can do for hitching a free ride. Drop your stuff over there and don’t even consider running or I will call the authorities on you boy!”
Neal nodded back without flinching, eye to eye with the man to indicate he wasn’t afraid as the man made a derisive laugh at him and turned to a couple of other men who looked curious at the situation.
“Get him working. Yeah... I know it’s not legal but he has to learn the consequences of hitching on a train. Yes... have him move freight.”
Neal was sore and tired hours later when he was finally allowed to rest with the other men, the first one slapping him on the back almost in a friendly manner. There was some respect there, Neal sensing they were impressed he was as tough as he had been and had stuck with it.
“You’re half bad kid. I thought you’d make a run for it for sure but you stuck in there. Here, have a swig.”
The man handed him a bottle of what looked to be whisky. Neal had only had a few tastes of that with Susan, nodding to the man without fear as he wiped the brim (to the laughs of a few of the others) before taking a small drink. It was strong but he managed not to cough or sputter, smiling at the others when they seemed more impressed.
“Pretty impressive... get the cards out, Joe. See if we can get us a game going.”
There were only about 20 men in the group, the one who had found him was named Abe while the others he was only vaguely certain they had told him their names off and on throughout the hours he’d worked. He was definitely ready to sleep but he had to impress these men for a bit longer and hope he could escaped when they least expected. Being 21 meant he was having to act far older than his 18 years but he’d had more than enough experience doing that. They obviously were no longer looking at a skinny kid but a man as they handed him the cards.
“New guy deals.”
They were playing poker, something he was really good at from playing with Susan and some of her friends that would come over off and on. He nodded acting a bit like he hadn’t played before. By the end of the night he had quite a nice stash but not enough to make them think it was anything but beginner’s luck. Only a few of the men seemed a bit disgruntled but they left him alone with Abe hanging around him. The man stuck around when the others went to rest, leaning over as Neal packed away his winnings.
“Be careful kid. Some of these guys don’t take to losing very well.”
He glanced up at the man who was sitting down not too far from him, poking at the small fire they’d made. Neal wondered what he meant as he curled up on his jacket for the rest of the night.
Neal hadn’t been asleep long when he felt a hand over his mouth, other hands holding him securely and soft angry voices around him.
“Where did he put the money?”
He struggled but someone punch him hard across the chin as he slumped and he felt them digging through his pockets and the sound of a zipper meant they were in his bag too.
“I only found 20 bucks. Where’s the rest kid?”
He was flipped onto his back, someone holding him down as they straddled him, hand firmly over his mouth and nose. Neal fought to breathe but the men were just shadows, dark forms that wanted to hurt him as he wished he was home again. Suddenly he could breath but they continued to hold him, someone pulling his shoes and socks off.
“Hurry before Abe comes back. We can say the kid just ran.”
They carried him away, Neal trying to escape but something hard hit him across the side of the head and he passed out to the sound of hissing voices.
Verse:
Not a shirt on my back
Not a penny to my name
Lord I can’t go back home this way...
Neal woke up with a horrible headache, rolling over to his side and throwing up before he managed the strength to crawl away and collapse again to the ground. He was cold, shivering and in pain, one eye felt swollen if not black and blue as he glanced around and found the men had left him in an empty field. There was nothing around that looked familiar, his clothes missing with all they had left him was his undershirt and boxers. He had been beaten, robbed and left for dead he thought. He’d won close to $150 from the group but had close to $100 of his own money in his pack before that. Now he was completely broke and he had no idea where he was or how to get back home if he had a way. All he wanted to do was collapsed into the brush and rest if not die but he pulled himself up to his feet and stumbled randomly through the field hoping to find help.
His feet were hurting from walking when he found his way to a farm house. It was early morning now and a few clothes already hung on their line. He saw jeans, a white t-shirt among other things and took only what he needed along with a pair of old sneakers by the gate. At least he had clothes again, running across the field nearby to what looked to be a water well. He washed up as best he could before pulling on the jeans and shirt, every part of him hurting from the beating. Maybe he could have asked the people in the house for help, called his mother...
Neal shook his head, stubbornness making him rebel at going back. They’d lied to him, his mother and Susan so how could he trust they would tell him anything more if he went back? He could make it on his own, figure out what he could without them. He was 18 wasn’t he? He pushed on the sneakers which just fit him and started off down the road. Neal already felt a bit of hunger but he had managed to sip some of the well water so for now he was ok. He passed an orchard and stole a couple of apples, happy for anything at this point. He soon went through the fruit and found himself at a highway with a town not too far off. Neal had already found another well and managed to steal a drink or two before heading over and thinking he might take his chances hitching.
“So, where are you headed?”
The girl seemed nice enough, possibly near his own age and pretty. She had felt sorry for him on sight alone but it was apparent she found him handsome despite his injuries. She kept putting her free hand near his and looking like she was trying not to look at him. That put him at ease since he had only just gotten to look at himself in the mirror and realized he wasn’t as beat up as he thought.
“I was headed East before I was robbed. I don’t remember very much...”
He kept up the innocent act and she fell right for it, offering him a soda from a small cooler, a bottled water and some soggy sandwiches but it was food. He acted like he didn’t care as he slowly ate the peanut butter and jelly sandwich but wanted to inhale it. She babbled at him about how she was finding herself so her folks let her take off to New York for college. He perked up at the name of the city, a thought entering his head.
“New York... that sounds familiar. I think I might have been headed that way. Mind if I join you?”
She nodded, smiling at him as she kept talking randomly about this and that even after he slowly leaned back in the seat and slept.
Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4