Work Text:
Once upon a time
That's how many stories start.
Many end with happily ever after
Not this one.
Chugga Chugga Chugga Chugga
The sounds of the railroad line can be heard from all over. A pale woman with red hair steps off the train and into a bar. The patrons stop and look at her.
“Once upon a time, there was a railroad line. Don't ask where, brother, don't ask when. It was the road to hell; it was hard times. It was a world of the gods and men.”
She sang as five darkly dressed figures emerged. The patrons watched in awe.
“Gods and men a’ight. We got some gods in the house tonight! See, on the road to hell, there was a railroad line. And there were five old lords all dressed the same. And they were always speaking in the back of your mind, everybody meet the lords!”
The five lords all stepped forward and bowed as people clapped. However, one lord lingered to look at the balcony of the bar. The five stepped back into their secluded bar booth.
“And on the road to hell, there was a railroad line. And a lady stepping off the train.”
A woman with red hair descended from the stairs of the balcony; her step was lively as she moved to interact with all the patrons, as they applauded her.
“With a suitcase full of summertime, Jenny, by name.”
She sang as the woman looked back up at the balcony and walked up to it, a small hitch in her step. As Jenny ascended, she sang again.
“And if you ride that train to the end of the line, where the sun don't shine, and it's always shady. It’s there you’ll find the king of the mines, oh, mighty Ted Spankoffski.”
The man stood up from his seat, looking out over his balcony. He had a slim face with a dark moustache. The patrons hesitantly clapped for him. The woman noticed the change in tone and sang again.
“We got any other gods? Oh right! Almost forgot. On the road to hell, there was a railroad station. And a lady with feathers on her feet, who can help you to your final destination. Miss Holloway! That's me.”
The patrons applauded their storyteller as she sang. A boy in the background is cleaning, somehow getting in the way of almost everyone. He looks at Miss Holloway and smiles. She gives a small nod in return.
“On the road to hell, there was a railroad line. And a poor boy working on a song. His mama was a friend of mine, and this boy was a muse's son. On the railroad line, on the road to hell.”
“You might say the boy was touched, cause he was touched by the gods themselves!”
The boy grabbed cups of ale for everyone and started passing them out. He turned around to the back to grab some more
“Give it up for Peter!”
The boy is too focused on his work to notice all the people applauding for him
“Peter?!”
He quickly turns around and waves and gives a big smile, and goes back to his job.
“There was one more soul on this road. Girl, come on in from the cold.”
A tall girl enters, her hair is long, and she is adorned with lots of rings and tattered clothes.
“On the railroad line on the road to hell. There was a young girl looking for something to eat!”
The woman sits down at a table. She chats with the others across from her. Someone behind her spills their drink on her. The young boy rushes over to help her clean it up. He starts wiping off her shoes, but stops to look her in the eyes.
“And brother, thus begins the tale of Peter and Stephanie”
The pair look away from each other quickly. Peter leaves to do something else, anything, other than interact with this girl.
“It's a love song, it's a tale of a love from long ago. It's a sad song, but we're gonna sing it even so. It's an old tale from way back when, and we're gonna sing it again!”
Miss Holloway finishes her song, pleased with herself, she fixes her lapels and walks to an empty table. She invites Peter over to take a break. The five lords emerge from their shadowed booth to sit at Stephanie's table. Miss Holloway stood up and looked over at the table.
“Stephanie was a hungry young girl. A runaway everywhere she'd ever been. She was no stranger to the world. No stranger to the wind.”
The woman sat back down with Peter as he looked at the girl. Stephanie was cold and hungry.
“The weather ain't the way it was before, Ain't no spring or fall at all anymore. It's either blazing hot or freezing cold. Any way the wind blows.”
The lord with the yellow eyes and horns looked at her.
“And there ain't a thing that you can do”
The lord with one eye joined in and sang.
“When the weather takes a turn on you”
The one with a wide grin sang.
“Cept for hurry up and hit the road.”
The two remaining lords looked at her as they all sang
“Any way the wind blows. Wind comes up, oh”
Stephanie looked up
“Do you hear that sound? Move to another town, ain't nobody gonna stick around. Anyway, the wind blows.”
She sang with contempt and reached into her bag, shuffling things around. Miss Holloway looked at Peter.
“You met the lords, remember them? Always singing in the back of your mind.”
She said as Stephanie grabbed a candle from her bag.
“Anybody got a match?”
She asked, looking around, until the lord with a headpiece offered one. She quickly took it from his hands. Miss Holloway looked to Peter.
“Wherever it was this young girl went, the lords were close behind.”
Stephanie lit the match and pointed it at the wick of the candle. It started to burn. She could finally relax a bit. The lord with the yellow eyes and horns noticed and quickly blew it out. Stephanie was frustrated, and rightfully so. The girl lamented to herself, but Pete seemed to notice it. He got an idea and reached into his pocket. Miss Holloway noticed this and shook her head.
“Now Peter was the son of a muse, and you know how those muses are. Sometimes they abandon you.”
The boy grabbed a pad of paper and ripped a piece out. He twisted the paper and folded it, eyeing it with frustration and determination.
“And it ain't because I'm kind, but his mama was a friend of mine. And I liked to hear him sing, and his way of seeing things. So I took him underneath my wing. And that is where he stayed. Until one day.”
She sang and looked at Pete. He looked nervously at Miss Holloway.
“You wanna talk to her?”
She asked him, a small knowing frown on her face.
“Yes!”
He smiled and started to nervously walk to her.
“Go on. Peter?”
He stopped and looked back at her
“Don't come on too strong.”
He nodded as she sat back down at their table. He nervously walked up to Stephanie and thrust out the paper flower into her face.
“Come Home with me!”