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	#Post#: 16257--------------------------------------------------
	It Happened One Christmas Chapter Seven
	By: Jack Date: December 6, 2019, 5:05 pm
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	It was already nearly dark. I looked around some, trying to
	decide if I just hadn�t noticed how late it was, or if it was
	just the heavy clouds. Not all the street lights were on yet,
	but most of them were, and more seemed to be coming on all the
	time. All the cars I saw seemed to have their lights on.
	At first, I just let my feet guide me. I�d like to say I was
	thinking, but I�m not sure it was so complex. My brain seemed
	to be caught running fast but going nowhere, like a hamster on a
	wheel. I was trying just to let things calm down so I could
	figure out what to do next.
	I�m not sure how far I walked in kind of a trance, but I
	suddenly came out of it and recognized where I was. Mama�s
	Donuts isn�t a place I usually went - it was the opposite
	direction from school, and I didn�t really have any friends over
	here. Still, it was worth a trip when I didn�t have anything
	else to do.
	I checked my wallet, then went inside. I looked at the menu for
	a minute, trying to remember if caffeine warmed you up or not,
	but I still felt a little out of it, so I finally ordered a
	large vanilla latte and a glazed cinnamon roll. I sat at a
	small table and slowly ate it.
	I had worried it would be too sweet, but it was so delicious and
	I felt much better as I ate it. I don�t know if it was warming
	me up, or maybe if I�d just needed some sugar. Either way, as I
	finished the sweet roll, it felt like I was finally able to
	start to really think.
	After about fifteen minutes, I got a glass of water, but the
	lady behind the counter told me they were getting ready to
	close. I promised to sit just a few more minutes. Before she
	locked up, she refreshed my drink for me. I thanked her, then
	headed towards the bridge.
	It wasn�t long until I found myself at the Old Red Bridge on the
	edge of town. Actually, there were two Old Red Bridges, and I
	think the really old one was the other one. The bridge I stood
	on wasn�t real popular, because it was only two lanes - one each
	way - so traffic kind of backed up here at times. Most people
	came in on one of the other, bigger roads to the north or south.
	This one mostly just went out into the country, and was only
	used by people who lived out there. The only time it really got
	busy was when the farmer�s market was open.
	It did have a sidewalk on one side, which is where I stood,
	leaning up against the parapet, looking at the old Old Bridge.
	The really Old Red Bridge was a railroad trestle. I remember
	reading some stories where hobos back in the Great Depression
	used to hitch rides on railroads, and they�d go all over the
	country like that. I don�t know if people did it anymore, but I
	remember reading that the important part was to jump on before
	it got too fast. That�s why they had guards around the depots I
	guess, to keep people from doing that. The thing is, there was
	a long curve leading up to the Old Red Bridge. The train went
	slow around that curve, and didn�t start to speed up until it
	had crossed the bridge. I looked to the far side, at the thick,
	but winter bare trees that approached the far side of the rail
	line on the other side of the river, and I started to think of
	where the train went from here, and what stops might lie along
	the way.
	I�m not sure how long I stood there, but it got significantly
	darker as I tried to remember what time the train passed. I
	didn�t even realize it until I heard music.
	I turned and saw a boy walking towards me.
	The wind brought a snatch of song to me as I glanced at him.
	�... being forgotten, you should know that you aren�t a��
	At first I thought the boy was dressed in black - certainly he
	was wearing a long coat that fell nearly to his knees that was
	black, and one of those mad bomber hats, with the long ear
	pieces - it was also black, though the fur was a medium gray.
	When he stepped into a circle of light, I realized he wasn�t
	dressed in black, and I started trying to recognize him, when I
	realized his pants were the same cornflower blue I�d been
	wearing earlier in the day.
	The boy was a bit shorter than me - maybe just an inch or two
	over five feet. There were a few boys in my class who were
	still that short, but this kid just looked younger than me. I
	couldn�t make out much of his features, but I did notice that
	his hair was a bit long and very curly, with blond curls
	sneaking out from under his cap.
	Then he saw me.
	�Hi,� he started to say, then paused. �Bailey? Bailey Stewart?
	I�m Charlie.�
	Reaching in his pocket, he turned off the music, then stuck a
	hand out as he strolled towards me, pausing only to remove a
	glove.
	�What are you doing all the way over here?�
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	#Post#: 16273--------------------------------------------------
	Re: It Happened One Christmas Chapter Seven
	By: David M. Katz Date: December 7, 2019, 3:46 pm
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	Intriguing. ;D
	[emoji318]
	#Post#: 16276--------------------------------------------------
	Re: It Happened One Christmas Chapter Seven
	By: Zyngaru Date: December 7, 2019, 4:26 pm
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	Hmmmmmmmm! So is Charlie going to be friend or foe?
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