(Untitled)

[unextrordinary]

Deck the halls with boughs of something, fa la la la la la la la la.

It's that time of the year again and it still kind of sucks. My family is weird and small and not what it should be. There's supposed to be noise and amazing smells and organized chaos. Not this

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[with_diamonds]

"I thought we were already there," Lucy quipped, one corner of her mouth hitching up as she climbed onto the train beside Meg. Admittedly, it made her feel a little less ridiculous to be riding beside someone who wasn't a stranger. This whole jolly, cheery thing really wasn't working for her, and the train especially seemed catered to the island's younger residents. Just then, she really didn't give a damn. "Please tell me it doesn't get crazier than this."

[unextrordinary]

"Yes, but this is the express train on a long journey to nowhere," I explain as if that justifies anything. It doesn't but I like to try, at least sometimes.

I scoot aside to make room for her.

"God I hope not, I don't know if I could take it."

[with_diamonds]

"I'd say I don't think it could, but I have a feeling if I did, this place would try to prove me wrong," Lucy said, making a face. It wouldn't have been the first time, after all, and usually those things tended to be more bad than good. "And this is already too much. We're riding on a train."

[unextrordinary]

"One that might have been made by candy crazy elves no less," I add with a nod before taking another sip of my drink.

Shrugging, I consider the whole thing. As far as weirdness levels go this one is practically boring.

"Not bad. It makes getting places easier."

[with_diamonds]

"Would've been useful back when I lived out near dino territory," Lucy sighed, rolling her eyes. It hadn't been too big a deal at the time, given that she'd needed somewhere to stay and it had been good company, but being so far away from the closest thing to civilization they had on the island had been rather inconvenient.

Of course, thinking about that only reminded her of the time she'd walked all the way to Ryan's in the rain, stood there soaking wet at his door and wound up sleeping with him for the first time. Eyes closing for a moment, she winced.

"It does help, I guess. The cold's nice, but it would suck to have to walk everywhere."

[unextrordinary]

"Probably." I nod again, testing out the irony of the whole thing. It's working pretty good. "But that would have made sense, and we both know that isn't how this place operates."

Holding the cup out, the lift my eyebrows to try and lighten the mood. "Cold cocoa?"

[with_diamonds]

"Ooh, my favorite," Lucy quipped dryly, though reached out for the mug anyway, taking a sip. It was better than nothing. "So where are you heading, anyway?"

[unextrordinary]

"To infinity and where ever this train takes me?"

Which isn't that far if I remember correctly. I haven't yet made an entire loop, but I have to be coming quite close.

[with_diamonds]

"So this is less convenience, and more just boredom," Lucy said with a knowing nod, as if she perfectly understood. "I like it. They can't kick us off when it's free, right?"

[unextrordinary]

"Um, no. I don't think so. If they can, well then..." I gesture wildly because I have nothing when it comes to people acting unreasonable. They've been doing that my entire life.

[with_diamonds]

"They can suck it?" Lucy finished for her, arching one eyebrow. She wouldn't have put it past this place, really, to leave people stranded in the snow, but she was going to cross that bridge when they got to it.

[unextrordinary]

"I wasn't going to skip right to that one, but I'll keep it."

It might need to be revised later in favour of actually information and a better method but I am not feeling that picky about the whole thing.

"So, do you think there's a bell that we can ring on this thing?"

[with_diamonds]

"That'd put it one step above the subway," Lucy said, shrugging. In terms of cleanliness, it had already won, but it was tacky enough that she'd figured them about even so far. "I'd hope it won't just make us jump off."

[unextrordinary]

"Yeah. I haven't quite mastered the tuck and roll and breaking something might get messy quick."

The kind of messy that ends in blood all over the snow and then me throwing up because there is blood all over the snow. Sticking my head temporarily out the side of the fancy cart with wheels I take a quick look around before sitting back down.

"Well, I have no idea how to fix this."

[with_diamonds]

"I would say it has to stop eventually," Lucy said, mock-thoughtful as she leaned over to glance down at the train's wheels, "but knowing this place, I'd probably be wrong. Maybe we should just wait and see what happens."

As much as she, for one, wouldn't have minded just jumping -- there was snow on the ground, after all -- her judgment calls weren't exactly the best.