Richard

The clatter of the wheels echoed in your ears, and the swaying of the train lulled you to sleep. The unnatural silence for such a public place made you uneasy. You had two more days to travel in this place, but the carriages were suspiciously empty. For a moment, you were plagued by the thought that you had boarded the wrong train. But later, you double-checked and were convinced you hadn't made a mistake. You climbed into your top bunk and closed your eyes. The strange feeling of silence lingered until evening.

At one of the stops, you made out dozens of silhouettes through the twilight. They piled into the train cars, filling them with noise and rough male chatter. Dozens of soldiers in green uniforms and caps sat around you, taking up an entire car. You peered out of your bunk, your gaze darting between the dozens of soldiers. Two young men sat down on the bunks below you and greeted each other. You quickly found common ground with them, but later, a young man stopped in the aisle near your bunks. He looked taller than the others, with a serious face and a searching gaze. One of the soldiers below whispered that it was their general—Richard. When he heard this, he merely glanced at you, causing you to burrow deeper into your bunk under the ceiling. He sat down on the bottom bunk opposite you, crossed his arms, and continued to watch you. For a few minutes, you tried to ignore him, but he continued to stare at you, as if examining an exhibit in a museum.