In many cultures, usually nomadic ones, a young person must complete an extraordinary feat in order to be considered an adult. Contemporary America is little different. For us Americans, the first disastrous apartment is our rite. We learn from it, and while some of us move back home to our folks, the rest of us blossom and learn to fend for ourselves and the like.
"It was a wonderful birthday, Mom," Ludoviko says, kissing Merideth on the cheek. "Thanks for showing up, Dad," he adds, hugging his father from about the shoulders. "I'm really glad that I had you two as parents. I don't think I would've turned out quite the same if I'd had someone else." He chuckles and begins clearing the dishes from the table and loading them into the dishwasher. "I'll say good-bye to you two tomorrow morning, then?" he asks, smiling.
"Something like that," Henry says quietly, nodding.
"Well then. Goodnight, Mom, Dad." Ludoviko grins. "And you guys can keep the car if you simply drive me to the train station. I don't want you two to be at an inconveniance. Sweet dreams!" He runs upstairs and closes the door to his room.
"You don't think he's a good boy, Henry?" Merideth asks, dipping herself another dish of ice cream.
"He's a wonderful boy, Merideth. It's that he's not a good man that gets me. I'd thought I'd raised him right. I'd thought wrong."
Merideth sighs and eats her icecream in silence. She hopes the best for her darling Ludoviko, and she knows Henry does, too. Henry leaves the room and turns on the television.
"Thanks for driving me to the station, Dad. Thanks for coming along, Mom," Ludoviko says as he gives a porter his two suitcases. As the porter reaches for the covered birdcage in which Vespera is sleeping, Ludoviko holds it back. "I requested a compartment seat, so I was wondering if I could keep her with me?" he asks. The porter nods and begins loading someone else's luggage. "Thank you," Ludoviko mutters before turning back to his mother and father.
"Do us proud, son," Henry says, smiling blandly.
"Naturally, Dad." Ludoviko winks.
"Thank you for finally cutting some of that hair of yours! It was getting ridiculous!" Merideth cries, hugging her son. "Take care, and keep in touch!"
"I'll do what I can. I love you both. I hope I'll see you around, okay? Take care." He hugs his father and kisses his mother before boarding the train with Vespera. "Bye. I love you both." He waves before pulling out his ticket and looking for his compartment number.
The compartment is fairly full, but Ludoviko does not mind. Instead, he takes a seat and places Vespera's birdcage on the floor between his feet. He pulls a copy of Dickens' Tale of Two Cities from his pocket and continues reading the worn pages. A conductor arrives to take tickets, and Ludoviko hands his over. The conductor returns it punched, and tells the others in the compartment to head to their assigned seats; the train is to be departing soon.
Indeed, not five minutes after the conductor leaves, the train lurches forward. Ludoviko notes that only two other people are in the compartment, and they are sitting in a corner, sewing or something on the opposite bench seat. Ludoviko, therefore, stretches out a bit, always keeping Vespera nearby.
About half-way through the train ride, while Ludoviko is fast asleep, the train is buffeted by a huge wind gust. The train rocks, but it stays on its tracks. Ludoviko awakens and gets an inkling to get up and leave the area. He rises, taking Vespera with him, and enters the hallway.
Almost as soon as he is in the hallway, Ludoviko feels the train rock under him again. Cursing, he braces himself as best he can while keeping Vespera's cage stable. Suddenly, the train rocks and tips over. A moment of freefall is next before Ludoviko is slammed against the wall, his arm snapping sickeningly before the train is filled with horrified screams. Sliding all over the corridor, Ludoviko slams to the other side and then to the ceiling as the train tumbles far from the tracks, obviously down a hill.
Vespera yelps loudly, and Ludoviko takes her out of the birdcage, discarding the metal prison. He holds her tightly and ducks into a ball as they bounce down the hill. Soon, the train comes to a stop.
Ludoviko awakes with a dizzying headache. He has absolutely no clue where he is, but he knows it is not on a train at all. Vespera is sitting on his chest, growling at the train. Somehow, he had been thrown from it or something. Sighing, Ludoviko tries to raise his arm, and then he finds it broken. Letting out a string of cuss words, Ludoviko tries to rise, but he realizes what a splitting headache he has. Sighing, he merely lies there before succombing to the darkness of sleep once more.
Background from Angelfire.