I had never felt so nervous, yet at the same time I was excited. I had never been so patient, yet at the same time so impatient. Thousands of thoughts ran through my mind as the train stood there motionless under the icy rain.

- Because of the heavy snow storm, the DK05 train will be stopping at the station 1510 and will be departing shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for your understanding. - said the train driver in a mechanic voice.


My heart skipped a beat as I heard the announcement; another 20 minutes late. I wondered if she was still waiting. The silence ruled the atmosphere, as I was the last one remaining on the train. Nothing mattered: only the soundless dancing snowflakes and the blinking light seemed to move in this inanimate machine. All the ticks and tocks of my watch echoed into my ears, knocking the doors of my heart, rushing to be opened by that one person holding the key.


It was 2:04 AM.



The rain started to move again as the smoke of my hot coffee faded away. The journey had never been so long. I wondered if this path would ever come to an end. Passing over the hills, we started to gain speed... 10...15...30...42...49"

"49 miles per hour" she said. That's the average speed of the DK05 train. The speed keeping me away from her.

***


We grew up in a small town crossed by an endless railway track. As kids, we had no idea where it led, nor where it started but we were sure that was the place we wanted to reach. At that time, while other kids spent their time chasing after each other, we preferred using it, dreaming. Every Friday morning, at 8:05, this train passed by. It was the DK05, the fastest train then. I remember very well the code because we used to consider it as ours... You see; my name is Dan and she's called Kate. We were born in May, during the season of joy where flowers bloom to add a bit of colors to our life. For these reasons, we always believed that it was destined for us, it must mean something! We had to know where it led!


One windy day, we decided to follow it and walked for hours, hand in hand, as it ran from our view. I still remember that feeling: her soft little hand holding mine, nothing ever felt so warm. We reached a point where the railway separated into two different paths. What to do? Where to go? Which way to choose? None of these questions slipped out of our mouth but from her eyes, I knew she was as confused as I was. We never thought that that single path that for us represented our lives could diverge in two... We stood there speechless for a while, staring at these two limitless tracks. After a while, eyes fixed into mine, her words finally came out.

- Hey.. Don't worry, nothing can ever tear us apart... Not even distance, nor time. No matter what, I know we will always find our way back to each other!

***


Not long after that, the worst-what we were always scared of-happened. Her family moved to a big city to start over. At our farewell, we promised to meet again, that same day, years from then, at the place of our dreams, the final destination of that 49 miles per hour train.


***

" We are arriving at the last stop, please check all your belongings and take it with you. Thank you for choosing us. Have a nice stay."



And here I am, getting out of this line. I wonder if she'll come, if she still remembers... or am I just the foolish kid who keep on believing in a fantasy? Unknown faces crossed my eyes but only the one figure of that little girl appeared in my mind that slowly went dizzy. The mind that tells me to give up on something that my heart can't let go.


Suddenly, I felt a little soft and warm hand on my shoulder. For a few seconds, all my nerves and hopes harmonized as I turned my head. Nothing. There was nothing but a wave of people going back and forth. Somehow, out of those hundreds of people, a girl that seemed lost in the crowd caught my eyes that went slightly out of focus. But she soon disappeared to never be seen again, as I stood there and waited, waited and still waiting for the girl that never came...

"Yesterday, Tomorrow maybe ... but not Today"