Descent by Locomotive

This entry was written by James R.

Stefan walked eagerly toward the last car of the train.

"All aboard," shouted the conductor. "Stops at Providence, New London, New Haven, Stamford and New York City!"

Stefan hopped onto a metal step and swung his other leg up. Grasping a vertical railing, he pulled himself and his briefcase into the passenger car.

The train near overflowed with passengers, but one seat remained, up toward the front. Stefan slipped past the wide hips of an oversized man, moved gracefully past two gentile ladies and hurled himself toward the seat.

"Watch it Mac," a voice said.

Stefan paid it no attention. The train was moving and -- why a man needed to sit. The windows of the car were open and the sooty smell from the locomotive's stream engine drifted in. Stefan breathed deep -- ah, life on the train, what could be better.

Stefan smiled and looked around. Was it a holiday today? The people in the car were festive and dressed to the nines in fancy outfits like suits with broad lapels, cotton dresses that roamed suggestively just up above well turned ankles and polka dot outfits on kids that almost looked like pajamas.

"Your ticket, sir!" The conductor stood beside him, tall and dressed in the customary dark blue uniform, metal hole punch clicky-clacking with impatience. Where was that damned ticket? Try the wallet. Yes, it's here. Though he didn't remember purchasing it.

"Your final destination, sir?"

"All the way to the last stop," Stefan said. God, trains were just like heaven.

"Are you sure about that?" the conductor said. He smiled pleasantly enough, but seemed puzzled about something.

"Why do you ask, my friend," Stefan said.

"I can see this is a valuable ticket," the conductor said. "But the final destination is unclear. I'll mark you down for the final stop. If that's what you want."

"Yes, my dear man," Stefan said. "I've got all day to ride this train and an important place to get to. The train is the only sound way to get there."
"Tis a wise man who knows where he's going," the conductor said. His grin pushed out his jowls, accentuating the tips of his gray moustache. "And best to ride the train."

Stefan pulled out his gold watch. It read quarter to two. They would not reach New York before 5:30.

"Nice watch," the man sitting next to him said. Stefan looked up and saw a thin man wearing a rumpled suit and bowler hat who reminded him of Stan Laurel.

"Thanks, it's got special memories for me," Stefan said.

"Was it given to you by your wife?" the man said.

"I haven't seen her in years," Stefan said. "No, I got this after my first big stock sale. Around the time of Teapot Dome."

"I was glad when they put those scalliwags away," the man said.

"Didn't bother me much," Stefan said. "I sold the oil stock before the whole thing blew up."

The man sniffed and turned his head. Not very friendly, that one.

Stefan was getting restless. Time to walk through the train and see what kind of action was going on.

He walked into the next car. Say, look at all those dames.

"Hey, fella," said a woman with long raven hair and red lipstick. "Do you have a cigarette?"

Woo-hoo. An empty seat beside her too. Stefan sat down and pulled out a silver case.

"Yes, m'am," he said. "By the way, I'm Stefan. And you are?" He pulled out two cigarettes and offered her one.

"Samantha, sugar," she said and touched his knee. "Thanks for the smoke."

Stefan took out wooden matches and lit both of them. His pulse raced just thinking about her.

"Where you heading to?" Stefan asked.

"I just got on the train and told them to take me as far as they could." She slipped her tongue through the lips, wetting them, and then took a drag on her cigarette.

"What a coincidence," he said. "My ticket's good for the last stop, too. It's New York City, right?"

"I'm not sure, Stefan," she said. "Does it matter?" She leered at him and pressed her bosom against his arm. Hot damn! "One thing though, sugar. I'm a little light on cash right now. Would you have a twenty you could loan me?"

Stefan smiled at her and said: "That depends on how well we get along, honey." Should have known she'd be looking for money. "Excuse me, I've got to talk with a friend of mine, but can you keep my seat warm?"

"Sure thing," she said, and blew a ring of smoke at him. "Unless I meet somebody who's got more time to talk with me. Ta-ta."

Damned whores. This car's full of them. Enough of this. He walked into the next car. He pulled open the door and the cigar smoke hit him.

Strange. This car was filled with all men, wearing posh outfits like black suits, , camel hair coats, white silk shirts and fedoras. A more well-heeled group than the car he'd started in.

A group of them gathered around a tall man in a bulky black coat. The group broke up as he approached.

"Stefan," the man in the coat said. "Would you care to join me for a short discussion? I guarantee, it's worth your while."

"How do you know me?" Stefan said.

"You’re well known in some select circles," the man said. "By the way, my name is Luke. Say, how'd you like the dames in that last car? Something, eh?"

"A two bit whore tried to put the con on me," Stefan said. "I walked away; told her I needed to talk with a friend."

"And here you are," Luke said. "Were you tempted? Aah, doesn't matter, you chose wisely."

"How's that?" Stefan said.

"Since you are known as a player," Luke said. "I'm going to give you a chance to get in on one of two deals. Would you like to hear more?"

"Now you're talkin'," Stefan said. "A player. Yeah, that's me."

"So let me tell you about the deals." Luke put his arm around his shoulder. He wore a smoky cologne -- it reminded Stefan of the summer he spent working at a steel mill.

"The first one, you'll be selling it to couples," Luke said. "It's stock in several blue-chip companies, plus their preferred bonds. It's a nice package. Probably makes 8 percent a year for them and you get a 10 percent commission on the sale."

"Sounds pretty conservative," Stefan said. Deathly boring, actually. Some wheeler-dealer this is.

"It is," Luke said. "But there's a pretty good chance these folks will make money even if there's a big stock crash."

"Sure," Stefan said. "What's the other deal?"

"This one's a lot different," Luke said. "We've got oil stocks, banks, stock brokers and real estate. We sell this to people who are greedy and don't know much about finance. We promise them returns of 20% per year and they'll buy the whole package on 10% margin. You'll be paid commission on the value of the whole deal."

"Now you're talking," Stefan said. "Sounds like my kind of business."

"You know it's unlikely that we'll be able to keep paying out the 20% per year, maybe only to the first few buyers," Luke said.

"Yeah, we're all adults here," Stefan said. "You pay your money and takes your chances. How much do I have to put up to get this scam going?"

"Well, that all depends on the big guy," Luke said. "He runs this train."

"Huh," Stefan said. "What's your job?"

"You can think of me as the scorekeeper," Luke said. "The big guy keeps me around to work with guys like you. I keep score on who the big players are."

"Do I get to talk to the big guy," Stefan said.

"You just passed up your chance for that," Luke said.

"What do you mean?" Stefan asked.

"Remember those two deals?" Luke said.

"Yeah…"

"The big guy put the first deal together," Luke said. "If you'd agreed to it, he would have taken you back. But you're much sharper than that."

"Damned right," Stefan said. "The first deal was for losers. But what did you mean by, he'd take me back."

"Do you play poker?" Luke asked.

"Yes, but--"

"The big guy and I run this poker game," Luke said. "He's always looking for men with righteous hearts, people who care about people."

"Sounds like suckers to me," Stefan said. "I always cleaned up around those types."

"I told the big guy that," Luke said. "He's pretty naïve. Guys like you always go for the big action. Am I right?"

"You've got me pegged," Stefan said. He gloated at the thought of all the money he'd be making.

"Well, you've made your choice," Luke said. "You'll be taking the train all the way to the end."

Stefan was starting to sweat. The train had gotten hotter in the last few minutes.

"That's what my ticket said," Stefan replied. "By the way, is that last stop New York?"

"That's where the big guy's getting off," Luke said. "Along with the people from that first car you were sitting in. But we'll be adding ten other cars in New York. There's a lot of guys just like you down on Wall Street."

"Players, right?" Stefan said.

"Yeah, players," Luke said. "Con men, stock brokers, bond salesmen, insurance executives, politicians, lawyers -- most of the Street."

"By the way," Stefan said. "Is it my imagination or has it gotten a lot hotter in here?"

"We're just getting started my friend," Luke said. "We'll really stoke the furnaces after Wall Street."

"Would you mind if I just got off there?" Stefan said. "I really like New York."

"No can do," Luke said. "You've punched your ticket and you're coming with me. But don't worry, you'll have lots of company. If you want, go back to the dame you were eyeing in the last car. She's a hot number, that one. Might even do you up in the men's room."

"Buster, you're putting me on," Stefan said. "I can walk out of this train any time I want. Let me talk to the big guy."

"Sorry, Steve baby," Luke said. "I've got a few more deals to cut before we head to my place."

"Your place?" Stefan said. "Who the hell are you anyway?"

A huge laugh erupted from Luke's belly on up to his nose, coming out something like: "Hooorahoooohaaaaaaa!"

"You slay me Steve boy," Luke said, grabbing his shoulder. Luke's mouth opened and a stench like two week old socks enveloped Stefan. "But you're getting warmer! Hah! Let me give you a hint."

Luke opened his bulky long coat. Underneath, a pair of black leather wings folded neatly on his back. He shifted his weight and a barbed tail made an appearance.

"Stop messing with me," Stefan said. "You're a nut case."

"Flattery will get you nowhere my friend," Luke said. "Check your ticket."

"I already looked at it," Stefan said. "It was unreadable."

"Try again," Luke said. "By the way, Luke's just a nickname. I go by lots of other names too."

Stefan pulled out his ticket. Now, the destination glowed red on a black background: "Hades."

"Oh my God!" Stefan said. "Is that where this train is headed?"

"Would your favorite archangel Lucifer lie to you? Hooorahoooohaaaaaaa!"