Pavillion

TRAIN WINDOWS The first train came to me like this: unstoppable force. I stood aside at Fredericton Junction and let the speed and flare approach. Wind flailed my hair, the gathered dark dispersed. I found my room of pull-out bed and pull-up blind. A solitude so rare, uncracked, I couldn't sleep. Morning: I tugged the shade and empty ponds appeared. We were that close to something; the surface still rippled. We were late for Montreal, New York, for the years that would come, were gone, were here. Years of blurred views through windows. The engine approached, I was alone, I held my breath and didn't let it out, and haven't.Bolster, Stephanie is the author of 'Pavillion' with ISBN 9780771015588 and ISBN 0771015585.