21/12/2025
Penelope
Penelope stepped off the train alone at a deserted train station, clutching a teddy bear. She looked sombre, her expression a mix of innocence and trepidation. As the station's clock read 12:15 pm and the faint sound of the train's horn echoed, it felt as though time was standing still. The day was shrouded in darkness, with a gloomy grey sky cloaked in mist. How did she get there? Why was she alone?
As the sun set and the final train departed from the station, the ticket lady was the last to leave after a long day. She heard the faint voice of a little girl calling, "Mummy, where are you?" She relentlessly searched for the girl, but she remained elusive. She did not hear her voice again and proceeded on her way.
Sixty years earlier, the same little girl had been running around, playing on the platform as she waited with her mother to catch the train. It was then that she spotted an adorable teddy bear through the carriage window, pressed against the glass like a forgotten friend.
Realising that someone had left their teddy bear behind, her tender heart ached for the lonely toy. Without hesitation, she darted towards the stationary carriage. The train was being refuelled for its next journey, doors hanging open like an invitation to adventure.
Before she thought about her decision, the doors closed, and the train began to pull away from the station. She could see her mother searching anxiously, filled with desperation and fear. "Penelope, Penelope," she could see her lips mouthing. She called out, "Mummy, I'm here," but it was too late.
The carriage was empty, instilling fear within her as uncertainty gripped her mind. Her cheeks were wet with tears, and a sense of unease lingered. She softly murmured, "Mummy, I'm sorry."
The train's black smoke billowed from the chimney as it chugged up the hill and around the mountainside, whilst rain began to pelt against the windows. After what felt like hours, she finally spotted a station. Gradually, the train came to a stop, and the doors swung open.
As she emerged, she searched for someone who could help in locating her mother. She approached a woman wearing a blue hat and with a sweet little dog, asking if she could assist in finding her mother. To her surprise, the woman did not respond.
She approached the station master and said, "Excuse me, sir, could you please help me find my mummy?" Once more, he disregarded her. She couldn't comprehend why they were ignoring herβwhy weren't they offering help?
She continued on her way, noticing a distinguished elderly man with a walking stick, but once again, there was no reply from him. Penelope felt a deep sadness, confused and lonely, unsure what to do next. She sat on the bench, her legs dangling off the edge, shedding tears onto the teddy bear. She said, "It's all your fault, Teddy."
Everyone left the station, leaving her completely alone. Unsure of her destination, she strolled down a path in search of help. In the distance, she spotted an old farmhouse with a rocking chair on the porch.
She approached the door and knocked but got no answer. She knocked once more, but still nothing. She strolled around to the back and called out, "Hello," only to be met with empty silence. She decided to enter because the back door was slightly open.
The house felt damp and covered in dust. Overcome by fear as night approached, she lay on the musty couch, silent tears cascading down her face till she eventually gave in to sleep. The next morning, she discovered the farmhouse was in fact unoccupied.
Days morphed into weeks, and weeks seamlessly evolved into months. Her mother never came for her; she lived off the land as best she could. Confused by the silence surrounding her cries for help, she turned to stealing from the general store in order to survive.
She regularly took the train back to her hometown in search of her mother, but eventually, she lost hope. Returning to the farmhouse, those months turned into years, where she built a life for herself but often pondered what it might have been like if she hadn't spotted the teddy on the train that day. She still had Teddy and cherished him deeply; he was all she had.
Years had gone by; she was old and in poor health, aware that her time was drawing near. She decided to return to the place where everything transformed for the final time.
As the train came to a halt, the doors swung open, and she carefully stepped onto the platform. An unusual silence filled the airβthe station deserted. She saw her reflection in the ticket window; she was a little girl once more.
She called out, "Mummy, mummy, where are you?" anxiously wishing for a response from her mother. She paused. The only sound was the clock ticking over to 12:15 pm.
Suddenly, the station burst to life, with people all around, children's laughter, and the whistle of the boarding master. Then she heard her mother's frantic voice, "Penelope, where have you been? I've been extremely worried."
She rushed into her mother's warm embrace, holding her tightly. Her mother glanced down and asked, "Penelope, where did you get that teddy bear?"
Penelope replied, "It's a very long story, Mummy."
They walked home at a slow pace, their hands intertwined, their hearts brimming with love.
Blessed be
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