Screech! The silver bullet of a train pulled into its destined position. Sera saw this and started jogging to the train. The doors opened, and spit out it passengers. Sera got on near the back. It was quite crowded for this time of morning. She saw the sliding doors on the walls up ahead, and decided to try her luck with a cabin. Walking past them, she glanced into the windows of each compartment. They were all filled. Mostly, families. The last one looked empty. As she grabbed the handle and opened the door, the train took off with a start. It was now slowly moving towards its destination. She sat down on the bottom right side bunk. With a sigh, she started rummaging through her bag. Had she brought enough she wondered? Enough for what? She didn't know what she was going to do in New Orleans. Where she'd stay or anything. She double-checked her pockets to make sure her cash, cards, and tickets were still there. In her bag she saw she had enough underwear, makeup, and toiletries for about a week. She could always buy more. Shopping might even cheer her up. It was one of her favorite pastimes before. before.... Suddenly a noise frightened her right out of her seats! When she was standing she realized what it was. There was an older man sleeping on the bunk above her, snoring! He awoke at the sound Sera made standing up so quickly. "Oh gee, I'm sorry...I thought the room was empty. "Sera apologized to the old man. "Oh don't worry 'bout it" the man replied, "It's fine if you can handle the snoring, I get so tired in my old age. I imagine I'll sleep all the way to the stop" "Thanks, mister." Sera replied, and sat back down. She started thinking again. It was stupid to think she could run. If it was her destiny, it would follow her. It did follow her. The funny thing about death is it is everywhere, anytime. You can't outrun, you just can't. She settled in and wondered if she'd sleep. Just then, she heard an announcement: Breakfast will now be served in the dining car. That sounded good. She exited into the hall. A few others were waking up and groaning on their way to the dining car also. Sera followed them. As she walked down the aisle of screaming children and bawling babies, she noticed a common stare in all aboard. Everyone was tired, weary; they just wanted to get where they were going. Sera felt the same, and sympathized with them. Lots of mothers with children. Lots of middle and lower class people, going to see family, or taking that long awaited vacation. I bet someone here's going to a funeral. If the people had the money and luxuries of life, they'd have flown, and be there now, not tired with leg cramps. That's the way this inhumane world treated its people. No wonder so many saw death as an escape. Sera followed single file in a line into the dining car. It was an oasis compared to the gray and tan of the train. It had windows everywhere. Even overhead, in a dome. She looked up and saw the sun, and felt okay again. It was as if every new day made the last one just look dark. She followed everyone through the aisle. She saw a seat that she wanted and quickly pulled off her sweater, and placed it over the chair. She continued walking like a calf to the slaughter. She looked down at herself and realized she needed to change clothes soon. She felt a little dirty. She was still wearing her Orioles jersey, and a pair of "daisy Duke" cut-off jeans. Suddenly, everyone was spiraling down narrow steps. The steps were quite small with not much elbowroom. She felt crowded and she was just a girl of a hundred pounds or so. She thought it weird. How do the fat people get down here? The thought made her smile. She was getting a little goofy. Must be the stress, she thought, and continued into the cafeteria. Sera then strutted into a little metal room filled with the smell of bacon. It felt as if she submerged into the belly of a steel submarine. Looking around her heart leapt when she noticed a cooler off to the side. No one was there, they were all in line for eggs, or whatever gross shit they were serving. She didn't know everything that was in that cooler, but the one thing she did see was Budweiser! She exited line and halfway jogged there. Jackpot! She thought. She opened the cooler and reached for a beer. They were just above these little cans of juice. Upon further examination, the cans were mixed drinks! She grabbed three screwdrivers, and eyed the remaining number for her destined next trip. At the bottom she noticed microwavable food. This felt like home. She grabbed a microwave cheeseburger, and headed to the cashier. The rest of the loser passengers were still in line to eat their drab food, while she was on her way to a fiesta! The cashier was a nice man. He ran her up, and didn't even request an I.D. She walked over to the microwave, and heated her burger. Next to the microwave was another set of steps, these much wider. She laughed to herself again, and thought of a fat woman stuck in the others. She was feeling happy, and she liked it. She walked up the "fat people" steps to the dining area. Again, she noticed the difference a few stairs made. Through the windows, you could feel morning. She walked to her sweater. As she walked, she noticed a seventeen-year-old boy watching her, and at the same time pretend he wasn't. She liked it. She knew she was a very beautiful woman. She liked the kid glaring. It was usually old men. This made her feel even better. She sat down and took the burger out of its wrapper. A smile again came to her face. She tried to determine what was funnier about a microwave cheeseburger and three screwdrivers for breakfast. That someone would actually order it, or that it genuinely made her happy. She cracked screw number one. ***END OF PART EIGHT***