• The state of Oklahoma passed by me in a blur and I smiled as I looked back at my old
    home. I'm free, I thought to myself. Ready to start my new life, I settled down in my seat and got
    comfortable. I looked around the train and noticed something strange. The train had no distinct
    color. It changed every time I closed my eyes.

    "Weird", I whispered and looked back out the window.

    "May I sit here?” Said a husky voice.

    I turned around to see a man standing next to my seat. He was about 6ft and had long curly
    hair. The man smiled at me through a big toothless grin. I did a quick look around the train
    and saw that every seat was empty except for the one I was sitting in.

    "Sure", I said nervous and confused.

    "Thank you..... I'm Al by the way", He said.

    "Hi I'm Melenie Stetson", I said a little shaky.

    "You don't have to be nervous", He said a little offended. "I'm not going to hurt you. I didn't do
    anything that bad."

    "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you. This is just my first time being on my own. And what
    do you mean? You did something bad?” I asked.

    "First you tell me your story. Then, I'll tell you mine", Said Al.

    "What do you mean my story?” I said puzzled.

    "Well not many teens go off on their own and catch a train that takes them all across the U.S
    at 8:00 in the morning", Al said chuckling.

    "Oh", I said

    I looked back out the window and debated on whether to tell Al the reason I was on
    the train. He was a complete stranger. Was it really safe to tell him? Finally, I turned around and
    explained my story.

    "I ran away from home........ I've been fighting with my mom for about a year now. It
    started when my little brother, Danny, drowned on may 13th. Ever since, my family's been
    falling apart."

    I glanced at Al and he was listening intently. After a few minutes I continued.

    "My dad left us a few months after Danny’s death. He said he couldn't take the memories or
    the pain, so he took off somewhere across the country. After that, I blamed myself for my little
    brothers death. I should have been watching him, but instead I was talking on the phone. I got
    into drugs and partying. I almost OD'd at least half the year. I flunked out of school and lost most
    of my friends. My mom began worrying and tried to talk to me, but I just screamed at her and
    told her to stay out of my life. That's when I started cutting. I went to the hospital at least twice a
    week for cutting to deep. My mom told me she was sending me to a girl’s home to get some help.
    I flipped out and left for the train station that night. It took me 3 days, but I finally made it."

    "I see", He said with an expressionless face.

    I turned and looked out the window. I didn't feel like talking much anymore. Outside we
    passed by mountains. I'm pretty sure we weren't in Oklahoma anymore. I wondered where
    the train would take me and couldn't wait to find out. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned
    around to see Al looking at me.

    "So, you don't regret anything that happened?” Al asked.

    "No", I said immediately. "Not one thing."

    "Well you will, hopefully", Said Al.

    "I highly doubt that...... Why do you think so?” I asked him.

    "Because I know I do", Al stated.

    "What's that suppose to mean?” I asked confused.

    "It's my turn to tell you my story", Said Al.

    Ever since I had began my journey Al was a mystery to me. Now I was about to find out
    who he was.

    "I'm on this train because I've been running from the cops for about 6 months", He said.
    "I didn't murder anyone or rob a bank or anything like that. I had drinking problems and
    one night I hit my wife. She had to go to the hospital and get surgery on her jaw. I got so
    scared I ran, even though I knew it was an accident. I regret running now. I could have stayed
    and worked everything out. I could have gone to rehab to work out my drinking problems, but
    now I'm going to be on the run for the rest of my life. If I go back I'll be in jail for at least 6 years.
    I'll never see my wife again. I'll never be able to tell her I'm sorry and that I want to change. I
    can never live a normal life and I have to live with that forever."

    There was a moment of silence as I thought about what to say, but only two things
    came to mind.

    "I'm sorry", I said. "But what does that have to do with me?"

    "Because it goes the same for you", He said. "Most likely you'll be on the run too. You'll
    never be able to settle down in one place. You'll never have any permanent friends. It will
    be the same way for the rest of your life".

    All I could manage to say was, "oh."

    I had never thought of it that way before. I wouldn't have anybody out there. Where would I
    live? How would I get money if I wasn't old enough to work? I sat there and thought for a
    second. I would figure it out. Everything would be fine and they would give up
    searching eventually.

    "Don't worry Al. I'll be fine. I'm not going back", I said absolutely sure.

    "Not only that you would never see your mom again. I know you think she doesn't care,
    but she didn't leave you when your dad did. According to your story, your mom was always
    there even when you pushed her away", Al explained.

    Ha Al was funny. Who was he kidding? My mom wasn't always there...... Even though she
    was the one who wiped the puke off my face when I passed out from the drugs. And she
    was the only one who visited me at the hospital when I had gone to far. Did Al really have
    a point? I began to feel uneasy.

    "Not to bring you down kid, but in a way you did the same thing to your mom that your
    dad did to you. You abandoned her and now she lost you both, including your brother that
    drowned. She's all alone now", Said Al.

    What Al had just said hit home like nothing else. I despised my dad for leaving. I mean, how
    could he do that if he truly loved us. I thought I was alone after my dad and Danny were
    gone, but really I had my mom the whole time. Now I was being like the person I despised so
    much. I left the one person that never gave up on me. As I realized this tears began streaming
    down my face.

    "What did I do!?” I said. "You're right! I am just like my father. I've made the biggest mistake of
    My life. I can't believe I left my mom. I'll be sent to juvey if I go back now."

    "Well it's not to late", Said Al. "You still have time to fix it."

    I looked at him stunned. Has Al not been listening?

    "What are you talking about? Yes it is!” I said.

    "No it isn't! I already ruined my second chance. You haven't though Melenie. Your second chance
    is right here. It's your decision on how your going to use it", Said Al.

    "Let’s just say your right. How am I even going to get back home? We're not in Oklahoma
    anymore and I don't have any money left", I said.

    "Just get off the train right here", He said. "Everything will be taking care of from there."

    I glanced outside and noticed the train had stopped. We were in the middle of nowhere.
    I could only see flat ground for miles and there wasn't a building in site.

    "You've got to be joking right? There's nothing out here. Where am I suppose to go?” I said.

    "Just trust me. Everything will work out", Said Al.

    Was he completely crazy? I didn't know what to do, but I knew I was ready to go home. So,
    I decided to trust Al. It was the only way. I got up out of my seat and made my way down the isle
    to the open door. When I got there I stopped and turned towards Al.

    "Who are you?", I asked. "I mean, this all seems sorta weird."

    "Ha-ha, your funny kid. Just think of me as a guardian angel", He said.

    I smiled and walked off the train to find myself on a hospital bed. I sat up quickly and noticed I was
    hooked up to an oxygen tank. What was going? Where was the train? I tried to get up, but a nurse
    came quickly into the room. She had straight strawberry blonde hair and was little chubby.

    "Doctor, she's awake! I can't believe this! It’s a miracle!” She said. "Oh honey, you need to take it
    easy. You just came out of a coma. Lie back down and get some rest. Your mom will be relieved
    when she finds out you're ok."

    "What!! My mom? I was just on a train. How did I get here? Where's Al?” I said.

    "A train? I have know idea what you’re talking about. You were brought to the hospital 3 days ago in
    critical condition. You got hit by a truck and went into a coma. We found a train ticket in your
    pocket and your mother told us you ran away the night before. You’re very lucky that your alive right
    now. We didn't think you were going to make it. You must have had a dream. I'll leave you to
    rest now", She said.

    The nurse walked out of the room and left me confused. Was it really a dream? That's not
    possible. It seemed so real, but it's the only explanation. Well, whatever it was it didn't matter
    now. I was ready to change everything. I was ready to hug my mom and tell her I was sorry.
    How I never wanted to hurt her and that I would do anything to fix it. So, I decided I would get
    some rest and tell my mom everything when I woke up.

    Before dozing off I looked around the room and noticed something on the wall. It was a crayon
    drawing of a train that looked exactly like the one I had been on in my dream and underneath in
    bold print it read: THE GUARDIAN EXPRESS: The train that makes the impossible happen.