The Black Train

By Ravyn Karasu

When Benjamin is grounded, he decides he’s had enough of his family and tries to run away to the circus. He gets as far as the train station where he meets Stewart, the friendly station master and learns a thing or two while waiting for his train.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ravyn Karasu
• Release date: Jun 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781513012018

Book preview

Parents knew nothing about being a kid. It was just that simple. They were old and had been adults forever. They had no idea what it was like to be a kid. All they knew was how to make a kid’s life really hard and miserable. There were too many rules and too many punishments. That was certainly the case in Benjamin Freeling’s mind. His parents were devoted to just making his life as hard as they could. He was never allowed to have any fun. They always yelled at him and made him do those stupid chores. They grounded him a lot too. Sheesh, things must have been really boring when his parents were his age. If they were that strict, then fun must not have been invented yet back then.

Well, one thing was for sure; Benjamin wasn’t about to take this lying down. He would show his boring old parents a thing or two. How would they feel if he just disappeared and never came back? Ha! That would show them. They couldn’t ground him if he wasn’t there. He wouldn’t have to do those stupid chores if he wasn’t there. So, he wouldn’t be there. They could find someone else to torture and torment.

He tossed his olive green duffle bag on his bed and began to shuffle about. He went into his drawers and began to get some under shorts. Yup, and that was all he would bring. Forget socks and undershirts. His mother always made him wear them. What was the point? Stupid rules. Benjamin then began to grab some tee shirts and jeans to throw into the bag. He didn’t even bother to fold them neatly. He simply shoved them into the bag in crinkled clumps. In went a pair of boots, in case it rained, and he had sneakers on his feet already. He grabbed a jacket and tossed it beside the bag. Nighttime could be a little cool, after all.

After packing the items he thought he’d need, he went into his closet. He dug his way through the stuff on the floor until he hit the far corner. Finally, he found what he was looking for with