Interchange

This piece was short-listed for the Listowel Writers Week Bryan MacMahon Short Story Award in 2021 under the title ‘Sunday : October 31st’

Cillian almost didn’t notice the panicked boy running past him. The carriage was empty and he’d been lulled into a doze by the hypnotic swaying of the train as it barrelled through the night. At the patter of footsteps he looked up and saw the child frantically hitting the door open button to the next carriage. He glanced back at the empty seats and, finding no one else, turned back to the small figure.

“Hey.”

The child didn’t look round and the door began to open.

“Hey little man. Are you OK?”