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“Brunhilda” by Nenekiri Bookwyrm (read by Kergiby)
Clive and Sherman are about to find out the truth to the rumors of spirits on the train they’ve hitched a ride on. But will they survive?
Today’s story is“Brunhilda” by Nenekiri Bookwyrm, who is a dragon that makes games and writes stories. He’s also been known to paint and play the ukulele on occasion. When he’s not reading from his hoard of To-Read books, he makes time to write some stories of his own. He’s recently been featured in Shark Week: An Anthro Ocean Animal Anthology by Rainbow Dog Books, and you can find more of his stories on www.nenekiri.com.
He who seeketh danger, comes not back empty handed. If at all. Old proverb, of possible relevance. Also of possible relevance: the things seen on crossroads, bridges, train stations, and all the other liminal spaces where the known and the unknown meet. But judge that relevance for yourself, listener, in “Brunhilda” tonight on the Ghost of Dog.
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Transcript
You’re listening to The Voice of Dog.
Speaker:and this week we’re reading Halloween stories
Speaker:Today’s story
Speaker:is“Brunhilda” by Nenekiri Bookwyrm,
Speaker:who is a dragon that makes games
Speaker:and writes stories.
Speaker:He’s also been known to paint and play the ukulele on occasion.
Speaker:When he’s not reading from his hoard of To-Read books,
Speaker:he makes time to write some stories of his own.
Speaker:He’s recently been featured in
Shark Week:An Anthro Ocean Animal Anthology
Shark Week:by Rainbow Dog Books,
Shark Week:and you can find more of his stories
Shark Week:on www.nenekiri.com.
Shark Week:He who seeketh danger, comes not back empty handed.
Shark Week:If at all. Old proverb, of possible relevance.
Shark Week:Also of possible relevance:
Shark Week:the things seen on crossroads, bridges,
Shark Week:train stations, and all the other liminal spaces where the known and the unknown meet.
Shark Week:But judge that relevance for yourself, listener,
Shark Week:in “Brunhilda” tonight
Shark Week:on the Ghost of Dog. Copy and paste your story here: Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-kachunk-kachunk
Shark Week:Sherman couldn't believe that Clive had talked him into this.
Shark Week:While other kids were out trick-or-treating or going
Shark Week:to Halloween parties, they were stowing away
Shark Week:on an old timey passenger train.
Shark Week:He didn't think the trains ran this late,
Shark Week:but the Night Express
Shark Week:5382 was an exception.
Shark Week:That was a mouthful for most, so folks started calling the train Brunhilda,
Shark Week:after the old conductor that used to work the cars centuries ago.
Shark Week:There were more rumors about a possible paranormal connection to the train than there were cabs in the line.
Shark Week:And as members of their school's paranormal investigation club, they had an obligation to check into them.
Shark Week:Or more accurately, Clive thought they had an obligation.
Shark Week:Sherman was fine with letting the stories go uninvestigated.
Shark Week:It’s not like anyone else in their group was raising their paws to volunteer either.
Shark Week:Even Raúl, who Sherman thought would be all over this particular story, didn't offer a helping hoof.
Shark Week:Before they got on the train, Sherman tried to convince Clive that they could just take some pictures outside of the
Shark Week:train station and tell everyone they got thrown off,
Shark Week:but he wasn't having it.
Shark Week:Some nonsense about “getting the first proof of train ghosts” that made Sherman roll his eyes
Shark Week:and throw up his wings in exasperation.
Shark Week:They had packed light for their mission.
Shark Week:Sherman brought a small instant camera
Shark Week:and Clive had a tape recorder he borrowed from his Dad along with a fanny pack to hold some snacks.
Shark Week:The idea was to get onto the train without the conductor noticing
Shark Week:and ride it until morning.
Shark Week:They had somehow managed to make it onto the nearest passenger car without arousing suspicion
Shark Week:and hid themselves underneath the seats.
Shark Week:It was a tight squeeze to get their bodies under there,
Shark Week:but they had managed it better than he expected.
Shark Week:To their surprise and relief,
Shark Week:the train took off shortly after they boarded.
Shark Week:Picking up steam as it rattled along the tracks in a rhythm of its own. Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-kachunk-kachunk
Shark Week:What felt like hours later,
Shark Week:Sherman poked his beak out from under the seat and looked around the empty car.
Shark Week:He couldn’t see if anyone was waiting for him
Shark Week:and the only sound seemed to be
Shark Week:the movement of the train.
Shark Week:Taking a chance that it was safe,
Shark Week:he stretched out his wings
Shark Week:and pulled himself out from under the seat.
Shark Week:He stood up slowly and fluffed out his feathers.
Shark Week:Preening himself a bit before unfortunately finding
Shark Week:a piece of old gum stuck to his wings.
Shark Week:He spit it out immediately
Shark Week:and used his beak to lay his feathers flat once more.
Shark Week:Now that he was able to stretch out his legs and wings
Shark Week:properly, Sherman could focus once again on being completely unnerved.
Shark Week:Even without the possibility of ghosts, the train car was creepy.
Shark Week:The only light coming from the full moon outside shining through the glass windows heightened the rest of the shadows in the rickety room.
Shark Week:There was a feeling creeping at the back of Sherman’s neck
Shark Week:that being in the passenger car when there were no other passengers was wrong.
Shark Week:It was the same feeling he got when he would have to pick something up at the school
Shark Week:after all the kids and teachers had left.
Shark Week:That without others around him, he was intruding
Shark Week:on the car’s rest somehow,
Shark Week:as absurd as that sounded.
Shark Week:He let the feeling wash over him
Shark Week:and shivered to try and get it to pass.
Shark Week:There was a part of his brain that insisted he shouldn’t be so scared all the time.
Shark Week:Being a falcon meant he was a bird of prey after all.
Shark Week:But then another voice reminded him that his bones were light and hollow
Shark Week:and very, very breakable.
Shark Week:So if there was a ghost hiding in the shadows of the train car,
Shark Week:he was almost certainly going to die.
Shark Week:Especially if the ghost decided to throw him out of the train.
Shark Week:Sherman kept coming up with worse and worse scenarios until he noticed he was nervously chewing on his hind talons.
Shark Week:The habit was one he was trying to break,
Shark Week:but he was glad it had stopped him from spiraling further.
Shark Week:He put his talon down and decided that he should check on Clive.
Shark Week:He’d been suspiciously quiet through all of the recent commotion. Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-kachunk-kachunk
Shark Week:Sherman peeked under the seat across from him and saw that Clive’s eyes were closed.
Shark Week:The sound of the train had drowned it out earlier, but when he leaned in, Sherman could hear the soft sound of Clive’s even breathing.
Shark Week:He was curled up in a ball of pale yellow and dark amber scales
Shark Week:cuddling his own tail.
Shark Week:Sherman reached over to his snout and used his feathers to tickle under his chin. “C’mon ya big lizard.
Shark Week:Time to hunt for your ghosts,”
Shark Week:Sherman whispered to Clive while moving his hand back and forth.
Shark Week:Clive squirmed a little
Shark Week:and let go of his tail instinctively.
Shark Week:He opened his eyes and yawned,
Shark Week:smacking his lips together as he did so.
Shark Week:“Oh, hey Sherman. I had the strangest dream.
Shark Week:I was an expensive vase in a millionaire’s mansion and I was getting dusted by this really fluffy feather duster.”
Shark Week:Sherman stopped moving his hand under his chin
Shark Week:and Clive looked up into his friend’s face.
Shark Week:“Ah, that might explain that.”
Shark Week:He pulled himself out from under the seat and went to stand.
Shark Week:Clive was a skink,
Shark Week:which meant a short neck
Shark Week:and shorter legs.
Shark Week:It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Clive was mostly torso,
Shark Week:with the next biggest part of him being his tail.
Shark Week:Because of this, Sherman was the taller and lankier of the two of them.
Shark Week:“You’re lucky you looked cute sleeping around your tail or else I wouldn’t have woken you up so gently.”
Shark Week:“Aww, you do care.” Sherman responded by lightly slapping Clive’s snout with his wing.
Shark Week:Clive laughed it off, blowing away a feather that stuck to his nose with a puff of air.
Shark Week:He stuck out his blue tongue at Sherman
Shark Week:who shook his head in exasperation.
Shark Week:“What am I gonna do with you?”
Shark Week:“I’m sure you’ll think of something,”
Shark Week:Clive said after pulling his tongue back into his mouth.
Shark Week:“Have you noticed anything weird yet?”
Shark Week:Sherman chirped indignantly.
Shark Week:“You mean to tell me taking midnight rides on old trains isn’t weird enough for you?
Shark Week:No wonder you didn’t want to go to that Halloween party tonight.
Shark Week:Not a lot of high schoolers who would pass that opportunity up for a musty train car.”
Shark Week:“Hey, come on. Don’t be like that. You know I’m missing out tonight too.
Shark Week:I heard Mrs. Butterbean is giving out full-size candy bars at her house,”
Shark Week:Clive said while digging out his tape recorder from his fanny pack.
Shark Week:“Somehow I think you’ll manage.” Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-kachunk-kachunk
Shark Week:Sherman and Clive
Shark Week:had stood for about an hour waiting for something to happen in the train
Shark Week:car. From the reports they had gotten from other folks,
Shark Week:the train was supposed to be a hotbed of paranormal activity.
Shark Week:But Clive wasn’t impressed.
Shark Week:He had expected to see something,
Shark Week:anything within the first hour of observation.
Shark Week:Sherman did his best to persuade his friend
Shark Week:that the ghosts might just be shy.
Shark Week:At least, that’s what he hoped.
Shark Week:Having Clive there did help to settle some of his nerves a bit,
Shark Week:but it was still a good deal creepier than Sherman would have cared for.
Shark Week:Clive didn’t seem to be affected by the lonesome clanking of the train
Shark Week:and the emptiness of the train car.
Shark Week:Or if he was, he wasn’t showing it to Sherman.
Shark Week:They both grew tired of standing and decided to sit on the seats and wait for the ghosts to show up that way.
Shark Week:They chose seats facing each other and sat down carefully.
Shark Week:Sherman noticed that the seats looked almost brand new.
Shark Week:He didn’t notice when he was hiding under them,
Shark Week:but there were hardly any signs of age on the cushions.
Shark Week:Some discoloration from exposure to the sun,
Shark Week:but no rips or tears to be found.
Shark Week:The whole surface was smooth to the touch of his wingtip.
Shark Week:“Clive, do you think it’s weird how good this train looks?” “What do you mean Sherman?”
Shark Week:Sherman clicked his beak in consternation and said,
Shark Week:“It’s just that, this is supposed to be an old train right? From the 1800’s at least.
Shark Week:Why would a train that old have no visible wear and tear on it?
Shark Week:Even the paint on the inside isn’t peeling.
Shark Week:It should be beat up to hell and back.”
Shark Week:Clive put a hand to his chin
Shark Week:and thought for a second before coming back
Shark Week:with, “Maybe it was restored?
Shark Week:That’s a big thing nowadays.
Shark Week:Making sure old stuff can be enjoyed by a new group of people.
Shark Week:They might’ve just reupholstered the seats or something.”
Shark Week:“It just doesn’t sit well with me.
Shark Week:I get an urge to ruffle all my feathers just thinking about it.”
Shark Week:“Well then don’t think about it.
Shark Week:That’s what I do.”
Shark Week:“You can’t be serious.”
Shark Week:Clive smiled and adjusted his tail so that it laid over his lap before saying,
Shark Week:“It’s worked for me so far.”
Shark Week:Sherman couldn’t really argue with him.
Shark Week:He’d seen Clive’s nerves of steel firsthand multiple times.
Shark Week:This wasn’t the first time they’d sneaked into somewhere they weren’t supposed to be chasing after a story.
Shark Week:He was just surprised that the explanation for his calm demeanor in the face of mortal terror
Shark Week:was so simple. Sherman had expected him to say he meditates or
Shark Week:has seen something so terrifying that everything else is small potatoes in comparison. Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-kachunk-kachunk
Shark Week:He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of a bag crinkling.
Shark Week:When he went to look over at Clive he could see that he was pulling open a snack bag.
Shark Week:The bag had an exuberant cartoon cricket
Shark Week:on the side and a logo in bold impact font that spelled out
Shark Week:“Cricket Chips”. “How can you be hungry right now?” Clive shrugged as he popped one of the chips into his mouth.
Shark Week:“We’ve been up half the night. I’m surprised you’re not.
Shark Week:Besides, it doesn’t seem like anything is gonna happen anyway.
Shark Week:I was really hoping this time we’d get the scoop of the century.”
Shark Week:“We’ve never gotten any concrete evidence before. Let’s just
Shark Week:embellish our experience and call it a column.”
Shark Week:“Yeah, yeah. I was just hoping this time would be different.”
Shark Week:Sherman felt a strange mixture
Shark Week:of relief and sadness.
Shark Week:He hated to see his friend disappointed, but was glad the ghosts had decided to keep away from them tonight.
Shark Week:He got up from his seat
Shark Week:and went over to place his wing on Clive’s shoulder.
Shark Week:“You want to take some pictures of me looking scared?
Shark Week:That always seems to be a hit with the people who read our
Shark Week:stuff.” Clive perked his snout up and nodded. He took another chip from his bag and popped it into his mouth before setting the bag down on his seat. He motioned to Sherman to give him the instant camera.
Shark Week:Together they found some spots in the train car that had sufficiently spooky lighting
Shark Week:and Sherman posed for the camera.
Shark Week:As they finished their small photoshoot,
Shark Week:Clive handed the camera back over to Sherman.
Shark Week:“That should just about do it.
Shark Week:Now what?” “Well, we’ll have to wait until the train stops to get off.
Shark Week:Come to think of it, I’m surprised it hasn’t stopped yet.”
Shark Week:But Sherman couldn’t think about that right now.
Shark Week:There was something terribly wrong and he couldn’t put a wingtip on it.
Shark Week:Something had changed in the train car
Shark Week:as they were taking the pictures.
Shark Week:But what? Then it hit him. “Clive?
Shark Week:Do you hear that?”
Shark Week:“Hear what?” “Exactly.”
Shark Week:The train car had become
Shark Week:eerily quiet. So quiet that they couldn’t hear the train moving anymore.
Shark Week:Sherman slowly turned his head
Shark Week:to the side to look out the window.
Shark Week:Sure enough, they were still moving.
Shark Week:He could see the landscape sliding along
Shark Week:just as easily as before.
Shark Week:He wasn’t sure if that was a relief or not.
Shark Week:And out of the corner of his vision, Sherman could see a faint orange light coming from the other end of the train car.
Shark Week:Clive had noticed it too.
Shark Week:“Uh, Sherman? What’s that?”
Shark Week:Sherman turned around slowly
Shark Week:and looked over where his friend was pointing.
Shark Week:The orange light was faint at first,
Shark Week:but it grew in intensity quickly.
Shark Week:Whatever it was pushed through the closed train car door
Shark Week:and manifested just on the other side.
Shark Week:Now that the light was brighter,
Shark Week:they could make out an outlined shape of a frog
Shark Week:that appeared to be a knight of some sort.
Shark Week:He was wearing a light suit of armor and carried his helmet under his arm.
Shark Week:The only truly perceivable portion of his body was his outline.
Shark Week:The rest was a pale translucent orange that made him see through.
Shark Week:He walked slowly around the train car,
Shark Week:turning around at random intervals.
Shark Week:He didn’t pay attention to the stunned kids at the other end of the train car
Shark Week:who couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Shark Week:Sherman went to whisper something to Clive,
Shark Week:beak chattering against his will,
Shark Week:but Clive had already clicked on his tape recorder.
Shark Week:He took his eyes off the apparition for a second to look at Clive
Shark Week:and saw the lizard’s face
Shark Week:had the biggest smile plastered over it.
Shark Week:“Sherman! That’s an honest to goodness ghost!
Shark Week:Do you know what this means?”
Shark Week:“That we’re in horrible danger?”
Shark Week:“No! That we’ve got a chance at that unbelievable scoop after all.
Shark Week:Quick, get your camera back out.
Shark Week:I’m going to try and make contact with it.”
Shark Week:“Are you crazy Clive? You’re
Shark Week:not seriously going to talk to that thing are you?” But Clive was already walking toward the spirit,
Shark Week:enthusiasm clear in his bouncy step.
Shark Week:Sherman had never seen him this excited.
Shark Week:He tried to follow after him, but had to walk at a much slower pace to avoid feeling like sprinting in the opposite direction.
Shark Week:When he did catch up,
Shark Week:Clive looked as confused as the spirit.
Shark Week:He tried waving his hands in front of him.
Shark Week:Yelling out to him.
Shark Week:Even offering him the tape recorder.
Shark Week:But he didn’t react to any of what Clive tried.
Shark Week:Sherman even took some pictures of him, shakily, with the instant camera.
Shark Week:And still no reaction from the spirit.
Shark Week:Clive brought the tape recorder back to his mouth and said,
Shark Week:“I don’t get it. Why isn’t he reacting?
Shark Week:What do you think, Sherman?”
Shark Week:He extended the tape recorder over to Sherman’s beak
Shark Week:and waited for the falcon to answer. Sherman cleared his throat a little too loudly and responded with,
Shark Week:“He can’t tell we’re even here.
Shark Week:He’s already looked around the train car a couple times.
Shark Week:If we were what he was looking for, he would have said something by now. And besides...”
Shark Week:Sherman put a wingtip on the tape recorder
Shark Week:and slowly pushed it back over to Clive.
Shark Week:He whispered, “We shouldn’t be trying to get his attention in the first place.
Shark Week:What if he decides to hurt us?
Shark Week:Or worse, follow us off the train
Shark Week:and haunt us back at school?”
Shark Week:“You think he would do that?”
Shark Week:Clive asked excitedly.
Shark Week:“It’s not supposed to be a good thing Clive!”
Shark Week:The frog knight had stopped moving while the two were whispering to each other and
Shark Week:now both of them had noticed that he was looking out the window.
Shark Week:The spirit shook his head side-to-side,
Shark Week:shrugged his shoulders,
Shark Week:and croaked deeply in a language neither of the boys understood.
Shark Week:The croaking had sent a shiver down the tailfeathers of Sherman
Shark Week:as he willed his feathers
Shark Week:from puffing up around him.
Shark Week:Clive double checked his tape recorder to make sure it was recording,
Shark Week:no doubt hoping that the otherworldly sound would get caught for reference later.
Shark Week:The spirit moved his helmet out from under his shoulder,
Shark Week:put it on his head,
Shark Week:and started walking away.
Shark Week:It was a curious sight to see,
Shark Week:as the direction he was walking
Shark Week:was headed straight for the side of the train car
Shark Week:and through the window.
Shark Week:Before he could collide with the boundary,
Shark Week:however, his form dissipated into motes of orange light
Shark Week:that scattered out
Shark Week:until he could no longer be seen.
Shark Week:Sherman breathed a sigh of relief
Shark Week:and began to chew at his hind talons to try and calm himself down.
Shark Week:Clive clicked off the tape recorder
Shark Week:and jumped the highest Sherman had ever seen into the air.
Shark Week:When he landed back onto the train car with a *thud*
Shark Week:he was beaming. “We’ve hit the jackpot!
Shark Week:Photographic evidence
Shark Week:AND a sound sample!
Shark Week:The guys back at the paranormal investigation club are going to lose their minds over this evidence!”
Shark Week:Sherman wanted to share in Clive’s celebration,
Shark Week:but he couldn’t help but to notice
Shark Week:that the orange light
Shark Week:was entering the train car once again.
Shark Week:And this time, it wasn’t just one point of light that entered.
Shark Week:All around them were balls of orange light
Shark Week:that shimmered and shifted into spirits.
Shark Week:Until the entire train car was lit up in
Shark Week:their warm orange glow.
Shark Week:As they moved around, the two could see a pattern forming.
Shark Week:They were dancing.
Shark Week:The spirits had the outlines of noble folk,
Shark Week:looking for all the world like they had stepped out of a castle and into a train car.
Shark Week:They must have attended a masquerade ball as they all wore masks that covered their faces.
Shark Week:The strangest part about their costumes though, was the lack of a face under the masks.
Shark Week:The dancers glided to and fro,
Shark Week:and as they spun and twirled,
Shark Week:Sherman and Clive could see that there was no head, snout, or ears to hold the masks aloft.
Shark Week:Sherman ran to the nearest seat
Shark Week:and ducked behind it,
Shark Week:hoping to avoid detection.
Shark Week:As he ran, one of the dancers
Shark Week:passed through his body,
Shark Week:diffusing into orange sparks, before coalescing back into shape.
Shark Week:While he didn’t notice this,
Shark Week:Clive did. “Did you see that?”
Shark Week:“Do you mean the headless parade of dancing ghosts?” Sherman warbled from behind his shelter.
Shark Week:“Yeah I did see that! It’s very hard to miss.”
Shark Week:“No, I mean when you passed through them.
Shark Week:They came back together again. Look,”
Shark Week:He wiggled his tail
Shark Week:and a couple of the dancers scattered into light, then reformed behind him.
Shark Week:He waved his arms and legs around the middle of the circle of dancers, scattering them all.
Shark Week:It took them longer to reform this time,
Shark Week:but soon enough they were right back to dancing.
Shark Week:“They’re completely harmless.”
Shark Week:Sherman poked his beak out from the side of the seat and said,
Shark Week:“I’m glad you think so.
Shark Week:I’ll be staying over here, thank you very much!”
Shark Week:Clive shook his head and said,
Shark Week:“You’re overreacting!
Shark Week:If they were malicious spirits, they would have tried something by now.
Shark Week:Trust me, I’ve done a lot of research into this.”
Shark Week:Sherman wanted to believe Clive, he really did.
Shark Week:Maybe he was overreacting to this whole mess.
Shark Week:But how else was one supposed to react to seeing a ghost for the first time?
Shark Week:Let alone an entire dancing troupe of them?
Shark Week:To Sherman, Clive was the one acting abnormally.
Shark Week:He went to go to stand up, but stopped himself when he saw that the dancers
Shark Week:had stopped moving.
Shark Week:They were all staring up at something above them,
Shark Week:but whatever it was the two boys couldn’t see it.
Shark Week:There were frightened whispers between the ghosts in that language that they couldn’t make out.
Shark Week:And then they all screamed.
Shark Week:An enormous ball of orange light
Shark Week:crashed through the ceiling of the train car
Shark Week:and scattered the dancers beneath it.
Shark Week:As the light coursed through the train car, Clive hit the floor
Shark Week:and Sherman ducked back under the seat.
Shark Week:It was chaos as the dancers were snuffed out
Shark Week:by the bigger light engulfing them.
Shark Week:When the light had reached Sherman,
Shark Week:he could not take anymore.
Shark Week:He let out an ear-piercing shriek that resounded off the train car walls
Shark Week:and out into the night. “AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
Shark Week:Surprisingly, the light vanished from view.
Shark Week:The train car was empty, save for
Shark Week:the two boys again.
Shark Week:Sherman’s eyes were wild with fear.
Shark Week:He darted out from the seat shouting,
Shark Week:“That’s enough! Get me off this train
Shark Week:now!” Clive was still stunned when he figured out what Sherman was trying to do. He got up and ran toward his friend just as Sherman had thrown open the door to the train car. Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-kachunk-kachunk
Shark Week:The wind whistled in their ears
Shark Week:and tugged at Sherman’s outstretched wings,
Shark Week:pulling him up, up,
Shark Week:up away from the train car.
Shark Week:Clive wrapped his tail around a nearby pole and leaned out,
Shark Week:trying to grab Sherman before he was carried away.
Shark Week:He managed to get a hold of his legs
Shark Week:and pulled with all he had until Sherman could pull his wings back inside the train car.
Shark Week:He fell back onto Clive and they both landed
Shark Week:in a heap behind the door.
Shark Week:Clive unwrapped his tail
Shark Week:and smacked it into the door, slamming it shut.
Shark Week:When they had both gotten their breath again,
Shark Week:Clive asked, “What were you thinking? Are you trying to become a ghost?”
Shark Week:Sherman had curled up into a small ball
Shark Week:and was softly crying.
Shark Week:Clive immediately regretted his outburst
Shark Week:as he put his hand on his friend’s wing.
Shark Week:He went to give him a hug and Sherman unfolded his wings enough to let Clive in.
Shark Week:When he next spoke, he said,
Shark Week:“I just want to go home.
Shark Week:This is all too much for me.”
Shark Week:Clive held him as he collected himself.
Shark Week:He wanted to tell him that everything would be OK.
Shark Week:That they weren’t in any danger and
Shark Week:the first safe chance they had, they’d hop off the train
Shark Week:and find a way to get back home.
Shark Week:But as the orange light returned, he felt saying those things would be moot.
Shark Week:“Don’t open your eyes.
Shark Week:I think there’s another spirit in the train car.”
Shark Week:Sherman did as he was told and kept his eyes shut.
Shark Week:Clive turned around
Shark Week:and faced the new spirit that was manifesting.
Shark Week:The glow in the cabin
Shark Week:was immense as it arrived.
Shark Week:The whole of the train car was bathed in orange light as
Shark Week:a reptilian snout poked through the door first.
Shark Week:Snuffling left, then right,
Shark Week:it’s nose looking for something it could not see.
Shark Week:The rest of the head pushed through shortly after and
Shark Week:Clive had to stifle a gasp.
Shark Week:Whatever it was, it’s neck was enormous.
Shark Week:Easily long enough to reach its head all the way down the train car
Shark Week:and look down at him and Sherman.
Shark Week:The eyes were as big as the seats and slitted,
Shark Week:both sharp as daggers,
Shark Week:and pointed directly at him.
Shark Week:“Sherman, I think this one can see us.”
Shark Week:“What do we do?” “Let’s try to show we mean no harm.
Shark Week:Very slowly put your hands up.”
Shark Week:Sherman shakily moved his wings out to the side of Clive
Shark Week:as he too put his hands up.
Shark Week:“See? We’re friendly.”
Shark Week:The creature seemed to understand the gesture
Shark Week:as it’s eyes relaxed
Shark Week:and its head posture lowered.
Shark Week:Clive was about to tell Sherman that he could open his eyes
Shark Week:when he noticed that the creature was moving its head down toward him.
Shark Week:He waved his arms in protest
Shark Week:before the creature carefully opened its mouth a fraction of an inch and pinched the fabric of his shirt.
Shark Week:Puzzled as to what the creature was trying to communicate with him,
Shark Week:he grabbed his own shirt
Shark Week:and was fascinated to see that it had
Shark Week:turned the same
Shark Week:translucent orange as the spirits.
Shark Week:He felt Sherman hug him again,
Shark Week:this time tightly,
Shark Week:and the next thing he felt was the sensation of being flung into the air.
Shark Week:For the first time that night,
Shark Week:Clive screamed. They were above the train,
Shark Week:being carried in the creature’s mouth as it flew past
Shark Week:all of the cars towards the locomotive.
Shark Week:The creature dove down and Clive braced himself for an impact that never came
Shark Week:as they phased through the top of the engine car
Shark Week:and down into the heart of the train.
Shark Week:Once in the car, Clive and Sherman were let go
Shark Week:and they tumbled to a stop just short of the engine.
Shark Week:The creature shrank as it phased its massive body
Shark Week:through the engine door, leaving the two boys to reorient themselves on their own.
Shark Week:“Brunhilda!” a snarling voice screamed from the pilot’s seat.
Shark Week:“What is all that racket?”
Shark Week:A frazzled looking cougar came stomping into the room wearing a disheveled pair of striped pajamas.
Shark Week:She took one look at the boys sprawled on the floor of her cabin and hissed.
Shark Week:“Stowaways, huh? Well, I know exactly what to do with you.”
Shark Week:Tilly moved toward the both of them,
Shark Week:eyes glinting like mad in the moonlight.
Shark Week:She reached out with her claws as the sound of the train
Shark Week:roared below them. Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-kachunk-kachunk
Shark Week:Sitting on a blanket listening to the conductor explain how this train worked was quite the surreal experience.
Shark Week:Clive had picked the spot closest to the engine so that
Shark Week:he could warm his scales.
Shark Week:Sherman had opted to sit a safe distance away for now.
Shark Week:Tilly, the cougar that had found them,
Shark Week:had explained what was going on over a cup of warm cider.
Shark Week:“I find folk are more willing to accept what I tell them with a hot drink in their belly.”
Shark Week:Clive sipped the cider and nodded, though he still wasn’t sure he could follow what she had said.
Shark Week:Thankfully, Sherman spoke up and asked for him.
Shark Week:“So wait. You’re telling me that Brunhilda is a dragon? Like a
Shark Week:real, honest to goodness dragon?”
Shark Week:“Yes, more specifically the soul of a dragon.
Shark Week:But at that point we’re just splitting hairs.”
Shark Week:“And she powers the whole train from the engine?”
Shark Week:“Yep.” “How?” “I don’t rightly know myself.
Shark Week:But it’s a wonder innit?”
Shark Week:Clive held up his hand, school instincts taking over,
Shark Week:and when Tilly’s focus shifted to him he asked,
Shark Week:“But how did she end up in the engine?
Shark Week:Aren’t dragons, y’know,
Shark Week:huge?” Tilly laughed and then said,
Shark Week:“Well, you’re not wrong.
Shark Week:Fact of the matter is, she got there because my great-great-great-great-great aunt took pity on her.
Shark Week:She transferred her soul into the engine
Shark Week:as the train was being built because it was a construct that would be big enough to hold the entirety of her.”
Shark Week:“Why would they even need to do that?”
Shark Week:Tilly frowned a little and said,
Shark Week:“Too many machines.
Shark Week:Air was too heavy. The poor girl couldn’t take off and fly right anymore.
Shark Week:When my aunt found her, she couldn’t lift off the ground.
Shark Week:Couldn’t move. That’s no way for a dragon to live.
Shark Week:Brunhilda had so much life left in her, but she was bound to her body. So, my aunt gave her a way to see the world and continue living.”
Shark Week:“That’s amazing! Isn’t that amazing Sherman?”
Shark Week:Sherman took a sip of his cider and then said,
Shark Week:“But that doesn’t explain the spirits. What about all those dancing ghosts and the frog knight?”
Shark Week:Tilly looked at Sherman
Shark Week:as though he had laid an egg.
Shark Week:“There’s no spirits on this train boy.
Shark Week:I think you might have had a little too much cider.”
Shark Week:She reached over to grab the mug back from Sherman,
Shark Week:but he smacked her hand away with his wing.
Shark Week:“What Sherman means to say is, we saw the same orange light that Brunhilda is made of pass through the train car earlier.
Shark Week:Do you know what that’s about?”
Shark Week:Tilly thought for a second
Shark Week:and then her eyes lit up.
Shark Week:She motioned for the two of them to follow her
Shark Week:as she walked over to the engine
Shark Week:and pulled back the cover to the engine door.
Shark Week:The heat from inside was tremendous, but it was comforting too.
Shark Week:Her presence a pleasant warmth that seeped out into the cabin.
Shark Week:Looking inside, they could all see Brunhilda’s spectral body
Shark Week:coiled around the engine.
Shark Week:She was much smaller in there, but her whole body
Shark Week:was laid flat along the ground and it looked as though she was sleeping. “Sometimes Brunhilda gets restless and she needs to run off some steam to get a good night’s rest.
Shark Week:I took her out tonight so she could calm down enough to finally sleep.”
Shark Week:“So, she was dreaming?”
Shark Week:“Bingo.” Clive looked disappointed so Sherman chimed in with, “Aww,
Shark Week:don’t worry Clive. There’s at least one ghost on the train.
Shark Week:And you got the chance to see her.”
Shark Week:Tilly shook her head and said,
Shark Week:“You have got to get it through your head
Shark Week:that I say what I mean and I mean what I say.
Shark Week:There are no spirits on this train.
Shark Week:Long as she’s still running, Brunhilda is just as alive as you or me.
Shark Week:And speaking of which...”
Shark Week:A growl had crept into her voice as she lowered herself down to stare at the two of them dead in their eyes.
Shark Week:“None of this, is to leave this here train car.
Shark Week:If the wrong person found out,
Shark Week:they’d want to dismantle her
Shark Week:and find out what makes her tick.
Shark Week:I can’t let that happen.”
Shark Week:She held out her palm, waiting for the boys to take the hint.
Shark Week:Sherman understood immediately
Shark Week:and turned over his instant camera.
Shark Week:“Consider it already forgotten ma’am.”
Shark Week:Then he nudged Clive in the ribs
Shark Week:so he would give her the tape recorder.
Shark Week:Tilly smiled and said,
Shark Week:“Much obliged gentlemen.
Shark Week:Make yourselves comfy. I’ll make sure you get dropped off proper in the morning.”
Shark Week:As she walked away to dispose of the evidence,
Shark Week:Clive turned to Sherman and smiled.
Shark Week:“What are you so happy about?”
Shark Week:“After everything that’s happened,
Shark Week:I forgot it was Halloween.
Shark Week:We managed to get a good scare in after all!”
Shark Week:This was “Brunhilda”
Shark Week:by Nenekiri Bookwyrm,
Shark Week:read for you by Kergiby,
Shark Week:a full-time panther,
Shark Week:as part of a special Halloween presentation
Shark Week:called The Ghost Of Dog.
Shark Week:As always, You can find more stories on the web at thevoice.dog,
Shark Week:or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.
Shark Week:Thank you for listening
Shark Week:to The Voice of Dog.
