Ticket To Ride
A loud bang jolted Helen awake, and the railway carriage shifted, rocking back and forth. The carriage was deserted, with only herself left, which she thought odd even in her drunken state. She looked out and saw they were at Reading. There was more clattering, and the carriage rocked again. It had been a great evening, celebrating the end of an eventful Spring Term; as always, she had drunk far too much, but Caro and Sophie had been on top form, and Helen hadn’t laughed so much in ages. So she had lingered, almost missing her last train from Paddington; she had run and scrambled into the rearmost carriage as the whistle blew and the train departed. Helen wore a low-cut white blouse, a short black skirt and high heels. The train was cold, but …