All was quite at Louis's house.
He had turned in early, right after dinner. Hattie May could not believe that Louis had volunteered to go to his room earl, and do homework all night.
"What a good kid", Hattie May said to Jeremy as Louis headed up the stairs for the evening.
Eight thirty sharp and Louis were out his bedroom window, quicker than a fly being chased by a rolled up newspaper. Crawling across the roof, a small jump onto a hay bale leaning against the back of the house and out through the back gates, towards the old yellow farmhouse.
Five to nine and right on time: Chug and Molly rode up on their bikes.
"Man its a little cold out here Louis but good and dark. No moon tonight."
"Yeah It's sure cold alright Molly. Did you get everything I asked for? Hi Chug."
"Louis, I got everything you asked for. Now let's ride down to the train station and get this over with. I didn't tell my mom anything. I snuck out of the house."
"I snuck out as well, Louis," said Chug "I didn't say a word to nobody. I've got to be back by about ten in the morning for breakfast. Tomorrow is Saturday my mom will be serving breakfast a little later than usual."
"Ok, Chug...Molly. I promise we will be back no later than ten o'clock. I checked the train schedule last night in the newspaper. That old engineer still works there. What was his name? Oh yeah, Mr. Wrinkleman, anyway a train leaves Saint Louis at seven thirty in the morning, and will be back in Centerville by around eight-thirty. So Chug you can make it back by ten sharp. Matter of fact if all goes well, we will all be back in time for our Saturday breakfast.
Down the road they went, peddling their bikes faster than a kite flies in a windstorm, tightly bundled up against the chill of the evening. Coming around a last turn in the road, they could see the water tower, and train station off in the near distance. They could hear the Lucky 7 pulling into the station.
"The train is right on time Chug."
"Yeah right on time, and so are we" said Molly.
"You guys stay here and I will go inside to get the tickets. Try to stay out of sight. I see a few other kids and parents over by the loading docks. We don't want to raise any suspensions now...with you know...three kids traveling at night by themselves."
"You're right again Louis. We'll stay to the left of the loading docks and wait," said Chug.
Louis kept his baseball cap pulled down low over his face so he would not raise too many suspicions about what he was doing. Many thoughts came back to him as he crossed over the loading dock, of that horrible night of being kidnapped by Black Jack Tilly. Louis tried the best he could to block those bad memories from his mind as he advanced into the porter's office.
"Nice to see you again Mr. Wrinkleman, remember me from last year; you know that horse-napping?"
The old engineer raised a wooden hearing piece up to his ear, motioning for Louis to speak again, only louder.
Louis obliged, repeating himself.
"Yeah...sure I remember you Louis...you're the town hero."
"Well I've got some more hero stuff to do Mr. Wrinkleman..."
"Oh sure Louis, do you need a ticket somewhere to go do some more saving of the world, and more saving Christmas stuff?"
"You've got it. Can I have three tickets to Saint Louis? I'm going to see that horrible Black Jack Tilly again."
"That's real funny Louis. Are your parents going with ya?"
"Yeah that's it Mr.Wrinkleman, they're out front getting the luggage ready. Were going for the night, and will be back in the morning. Three tickets please."
"Sure Louis the hero anything for you."
"Thanks, I will see you in the morning."
Louis bought three tickets from Mr. Wrinkleman, leaving his office heading towards the left side of the loading docks, to find Molly and Chug waiting for him. All three waited until the other passengers had boarded, and just as the train was starting to pull out of town they jumped on the ladder of the caboose at the rear of the train, quietly finding a place to sit down, inside one of the passenger cars.
Upon walking down the aisles, and looking for a place to sit Louis noticed something very unusual. The train was filled with almost nothing but kids. Only a few adults were found, and they were up in the front passenger cars, sitting by themselves.
"Molly look, there's nothing but kids on this train. Those adults up there, they're not traveling with these kids in our car. There must be fifty or sixty kids here. What's going on?"
Chug, Molly, and Louis found three open seats at the very back of the club car. They slipped into their seats; oddly blending right in.
"Louis you're right. They must all be going to Saint Louis. But then again, look real, hard at em, look Louis. They all have blank looks on their faces."
"Well, we look like we belong here alright. Just look stupid and stare straight ahead," said Chug.
"That's easy for you two," said a smiling Molly.
"Tom's always joking."
"Who's Tom?" asked Chug
"Never mind?Chug. Never?mind."
The train conductor was coming down the aisle, collecting tickets. All three quickly dummied up, placing blank looks on their faces once again, to fit in.
Again, Louis noticed something alarming.
"Look Molly its Sleaze-Ball Tom, Squint-Eye Pete's kid. He's taking the tickets. What's going on here?"
"Quiet down now, he's coming."
As Sleazy went by all three slouched down in their seats; they pulled up their coat collars then pulled down their hats, to cover their faces.
All three sat as still as a lizard on a hot rock, sunning himself at noontime.
"Tickets kids, have your tickets ready."
Sleazy took their tickets; not noticing anything out of the ordinary. Just three more kids.
"Wow weren't we lucky he did not recognize us. Man I hate that guy. He's gonna git his in the end Chug. Last time I saw him, he was all boxed up and coming out the working-end of the Great Wrapping-Machine" stated Louis with a smirk on his face.
"Yeah, we sent him packing to Saint Louis alright and right back to prison. I guess we didn't know that he's an escape artist, as well as a sneaky thief," said Chug as his face contorted in anger.
"Oh no Louis, look there's Sammy and Growlin Harry! Right over there!"
"Molly you're right!" said Louis as he stood up from his seat.
"What are they doin here? Man this is getting worse all the time. I gotta go see what's up. I gotta tell em to go back home."
Upon reaching to two boys, and sitting back down, Louis leaned over the seat in front of him; he whispered in Harry's ear.
"Harry what are ya doin on this train? It's heading to Saint Louis. Why are you heading to Saint Louis?"
"Oh hi Louis", said Harry with no emotion showing on his face, or ringing in his voice, "I'm going to Saint Louis to join the "Missouri Rats". Why else would I be on this train?"
"You're doing w-hat?"
Harry just did not seem to be all there. His face was as lifeless as the moon, while he spoke.
"Why would you want to join the "Missouri Rats" and Harry you've got Sammy with you, have ya both gone mad on me?"
"I don't know Louis. I was playing with that toy that Santa sent me last year...and...and...the next thing you know I'm on this train. Now leave me alone Louis. Go away, unless you're gonna be a Rat as well, you'd better leave, or I'll tell Sleazy your here."
Louis got eye contact from Sammy, but all he got in return was a blank stare.
Louis was crestfallen.
Louis's two good friends where now under the horrible spell, of the first batch of evil toys that were sent out last year from the North Pole. Evil had started to spread already, around the world, and had finally touched Centerville. Reality just kind of punched Louis in the stomach, almost as h
ard as Molly had earlier.
Louis headed back for his seat, at the back of the train.
"What's up with Sammy?"
"He's a goner Molly."
"No."
"Yep, he's already played with one of those evil toys, same as Harry, and all of these other kids on the train. It's already begun."
Molly, Louis, and Chug really did fit in with the other kids on the train now, because they all had the same look on their faces as well.
It was a look of total disbelief, and of not knowing.
All three just looked forward towards the front of the passenger boxcar waiting for their arrival at Big Sal's doorstep. All thinking that maybe this, wasn't such a good idea after all.