You start to head over to one when you notice a pair of legs walking on the other side toward the back end of the train. You squat back down to wait until they are far enough away that you can make it over unseen, but you hear the engine rev and a couple of jerks later it is moving.

You give it a few more seconds while you look for movement on the other side before getting up and running over to the flatcar. It is still moving slower than you can walk so you sling your walking stick and bag up on it before grabbing a chain to haul yourself up. You throw your leg over the deck and when you try to wriggle up it slips off. You try again and again as the train slowly picks up speed, but you no matter how hard you try to climb up you can't get enough leverage with the train moving like this.

You jump up to try and snag your stuff, but it's just out of reach so you desperately look around for another stick or anything that would allow you to reach it. There is nothing but gravel so you give it one last try with everything you have.

You make a run at it again and try to swing your weight up over the side, but fall and land hard on the rail. A shooting pain courses through your ribs making it hard to catch your breath. You lay there for a second to let the pain go away when you remember that the train is moving. You glance over and see the steel wheels are nearly upon you so you roll away as fast as you can, but you can't move fast enough and they keep getting closer and closer. You try to scream and all that escapes is air.

Just then, large hands clamp down on your shoulders and you feel yourself being yanked from the jaws of death. One of your flipflops slips off and you try to reach back and grab it, but it's too late. Your heart is pounding and the world is swirling all around you. Everything within your field of vision has taken on a hellish red hue.

Before you even know what is happening, those same hands pick you up and sling you on up on the deck. You tumble and roll until slamming into one of the farm implements brings you to a sudden stop.

Stunned, you finally manage to look around to see what in the world just happened and you see a tall scraggly man in a old gray sports coat with leather elbows on the sleeves pulling himself up on the side of the car.

"It's a good thing I happened along or you'd have been cut clean in half. You would've definitely missed your train."

"Wh- what?"

"I was waiting for the train to start moving before I hopped on when I saw you sneaking around out there," he says, hooking a thumb over his shoulder toward the trees, "Didn't look like you were gonna make it so I decided to give you a hand. Didn't anyone ever tell you how dangerous it is to mess around with trains? You could get hurt or maybe even killed. If I hadn't been here you'd be dead right now."

You stare at him in silence.

"What's a kid like you hopping a freight for, anyway?"

"I have to get somewhere. It's real important."

"It must be if you're willing to risk your life for it," he stares at you for a brief moment then continues "I guess since we're going the in same direction, we might as well get to know each other. I'm Harvey."

You aren't really sure you should be talking to a stranger let alone tell him your name, but he did just save your life and he's standing there smiling at you with an eyebrow lifted expecting an answer. He doesn't really look dangerous and he did help you get on the train so do you tell him the truth or do you lie?

You lie

It's probably better not to tell him your real name. He's not only a stranger, but also a grownup and grownups think they know what's best for a kid even if they don't. The more people who know who you are, the greater the chance that they'll send you back and the next time Mom gets her hands on you she'll probably kill you like Jane's mom did to Jane.

You look him right square in the eye and say "I'm Tommy."

"Nice to meet ya, Tommy. I guess we're gonna be here a while so might as well find a spot to get comfortable." He sits down between two of the implements—putting his back to one and props his foot up on the other—where he can't be seen from the ground.

You bring your bag over and find a nice comfy place out of view from the side. You sit down beside it—leaning on it with your elbow—with your walking stick laying across you lap while keeping a wary eye on Harvey.

"I saw you a ways back down the line and can't believe you made it this far. You've really covered some miles in the last couple of days."

"Yeah. It's a long ways to where I'm going."

"Where's that? If you don't mind my asking."

You study his face. You're still not sure if you can really trust him or not so you make up something on the spot. "I have to find my uncle in Arizona so I can live with him."

"Hope everything turns out okay for ya. I kinda like to keep moving. Don't like to stay in one place too long. Figured I'd head for the coast since this area is mostly played out now. It's not a bad place to Winter."

Your belly starts growling so you reach into your bag and pull out what's left of the pack of crackers you've been eating on for the last couple of days. You only have one more pack left and they're mostly crushed, but you won't mind that a bit when you get hungry again. You stuff one in your mouth and grab a few more for good measure. You consider putting the pack back in the bag, but decide you ought to share so you offer Harvey the last of the package which he quickly accepts.

"Thank ya," he grins, "I haven't had anything on my stomach since early yesterday."

You both eat in silence and after a while you drift off to sleep to the sounds of the clacking rails.