The Skeleton of Home by Mary Boshar THE TRAIN RUMBLED as it cruised
looking out the window. She finished her
along the tracks. The thundering
book, already the second one this week.
intensified as the train picked up speed,
After a while, the fields became houses.
leaving the small ramshackle station
Around her, people slept with their heads
behind. She sat alone, two cars from the
tilted against the window. The passengers
front. The train was just empty enough for
that were awake listened to music through
her to have a seat to herself, which she was
headphones or stared at their phones or
grateful for. She sat on the right side in the
laptops. The car rocked back and forth,
seat closest to the window and watched as
fighting the forceful wind. Now the houses
untouched fields and modest homes
were so close together she could barely
passed by. Whenever she traveled she
distinguish one from the next.
took the window seat. She was an
As the train slowed, she could
observer. She liked being able to sit still
see the separation between houses and
while time passed around her, the only
factories that before was an
separation a glass pane. She never
indistinguishable blur of color on the dull
bothered to sleep while she was traveling
landscape. Braking to approach the
because she felt like there was too much of
station, the train screeched, steel scraping
the world that she was missing out on.
against steel. Before the train had even
But the landscape flashing
come to a complete stop, people were on
outside her window was not enough to
their feet, tucking belongings into
distract her. It had been years since she
backpacks and reaching for suitcases
had been home--ten, maybe eleven since
below their seats and above their heads.
the last time. She had reconciled with her
She dropped her book into her
family but her busy lifestyle had gotten in
backpack that was stuffed with clothing
the way of her visiting. As thoughts about
and toiletries. She always traveled light, it
her family and childhood took over, she
just made it easier. She was one of the last
became overwhelmed by the idea of
people off the train. She stood at her seat,
reconnecting.
letting passengers behind her exit first.
She spent the last six hours of the ride alternating between reading and
Everyone was in a rush and she did not mind waiting.
Fiction 5
