Mind Webs - The Hell Bound Train

0:30Mine way. Mine way. Short stories from the worlds of speculative fiction. Our story this time is one that originally appeared in the magazine The Fantasy in Science fiction, September of 1958. It's the Hellbound train by Robert Gloucett.

1:30The The The The The The The The The The The When Martin was a little boy and his daddy walked the tracks for the CBN Cube and he was proud of his job. And every night when he got drunk, he sang this old story or any of the words, but he couldn't forget the way his daddy sang them up. And when daddy made the mistake of getting drunk in the afternoon and got squeezed between a fancy tank and an 18SF gondola, Martin sort of wondered why the brotherhood didn't sing the song at his funeral. More five years before he realized he wasn't getting any place. Of course he tried his hand at a lot of things, packing fruit and Oregon, washing dishes in a Montana hash house, stealing hubcaps in Denver, tires in Oklahoma City. But by the time he put in six months on the chain gang down in Alabama, he knew he had no future drifting around this way on his own.

2:37So he tried to get on the railroad like his daddy had, and they told him that times were bad. But Martin couldn't keep away from the railroads. Wherever he traveled, he rode the rods. He'd rather hop a freight heading north and sub-zero weather than lift his thumb to hit your ride with a Cadillac headed for Florida. Whenever he managed to get hold of a can of sternol, he'd sit under a nice warm culvert, think about the old days, and often as not, he'd hum the song about that hell-bomb train. That was the train the drunks in the center's road. The gambling man and the grifters, the big time spenders, the skirt chasers, and all the jolly crew, would be really fine to take a trip in such good company. But Martin didn't like to think of what happened when that train finally pulled into the deep old, and the eternity stoking boilers in hell, without even a company union to protect him. Still, it would be a lovely ride, if there was such a thing as a hell-bomb train, which of course there wasn't. At least Martin didn't think there was. Until that evening, when he found himself walking the tracks heading south,

3:42the night was cold and dark. The way November nights are in the Fox River Valley, and he knew he'd have to work his way down to the Orleans for the winter, or maybe even Texas. Somehow he'd much feel like going, even though he'd heard tell that a lot of those Texas automobiles had solid gold hubcaps. No, sir, he just wasn't cut out for petty larceny. It was worse than a sin. It was unprofitable, too. Bad enough to do the devil's work, but then we got such miserable pay on top of it. Maybe he'd better let the salvation army convert him. Martin waiting for a rattler to pull out of the junction behind him. He'd have to catch it. There was nothing else for him to do. It was a train, though. He felt the steel shuddering and sing beneath his feet. And yet, how could it be? The next station set was Nina Manascha, and there was nothing due out of hours. The clouds were thick overhead and the field missed, roll. Oh, Martin should have been able to see the headlight as the train rushed on. But there was only the whistle, screaming out of the black throat of the night.

4:44Martin could recognize the equipment of just about any locomotive ever built. But he'd never heard a whistle that sounded like this one. It wasn't signaling that it was screaming like a lost soul. He stepped to one side, but the train was almost on top of him now. And suddenly, there it was, looming along the trining to a stop and west time, and he believed possible. The wheels hadn't been oiled because they screamed too, screamed like the dam. But the trains lived to a halt, and the screams died away into a series of low-growning sounds. And Martin looked up and saw that this was a passenger train. It was big and black, without a single light shining in the engine cab or any of the longsroom of cars. Martin couldn't read any lettering on the side, but he was pretty sure this train didn't belong on the northwestern road. He was even more sure. And Clamber down out of the forward car, he walked. As though lantern he carried. A lantern was dark, and a man held it up to his mouth and blew and instantly it glowed redly.

5:45You don't have to be a member of the railway brotherhood to know that this is a mighty peculiar way of lighting a lantern. As the figure approached, Martin recognized the conductor's cap, perched on his head, and this made him feel a little better for a moment. Till he noticed that it was worn a bit too. As though there might be something sticking up on the forehead underneath it. Still, man smiled at him and he said, good evening, Mr. Conductor. Good evening, Martin. What brings you here? Why, you ought to know all the answer to that, Martin. I came because you needed me. And tonight I suddenly realized you were backsliding, thinking of joining the Salvation Army, weren't you? Well, there don't be ashamed to a very human. If somebody or other once said readers digest, wasn't it? And never mind. The point is, I felt you needed me so I switched over and came your way. Oh, what for? Why do I offer you a ride, of course?

6:47Isn't it better to travel comfortably by train than to march along the cold streets behind the Salvation Army band? Hard on the feet they tell me and even harder on the air drums. I'm not sure I'd care to ride you train, sir, considering where I'm likely to end up. Yes, yes, the old argument. Well, I suppose you'd prefer some sort of bargain, is that it? Yeah, exactly. The terms, standard proposition, anything you want. But I warn you in advance, there'll be no tricks. I'll grant you any wish you can name, but in return you must promise to ride the train the time comes. Suppose it never comes. Oh, it will. Suppose I've got the kind of wish that'll keep me off forever. There is no such wish. Don't be too sure. Let me worry about that.

7:50No matter what you have in mind, Martin, I warn you that I'll collect in the end. I want to be able to stop time. Right, right now? No, not yet. And not for everybody. I realize that it'd be impossible, but I want to be able to stop time for myself just once in the future. Whenever I get to a point where I know I'm happy and contented, that's where I'd like to stop. So I can just keep on being happy forever. Now, that's quite a proposition. I've got to admit I've never heard anything just like that one before. And believe me, I've written some rule rules in my day. You've really been thinking about this, haven't you, Martin? For years. Well, what do you say? It's not impossible in terms of your own subjective time sense.

8:50Yes, I think it could be arranged. But I mean really to stop, not just for me to imagine it. Oh, I understand. It can be done. Then you'll agree? Oh, why not? I promised you didn't I? Here, give me your hand. Well, it hurt very much. I mean, I don't like the sight of blood and... Nonsense! You've been listening to a lot of Poppy Carc Martin. We already have made our bargain, my boy. I merely intend to put something into your hand. The ways and means of fulfilling your wish. After all, there's no telling at just what moment you may decide to exercise the agreement. And I can't drop everything and come running. So it's better if you can regulate matters for your shelf. You're going to give me a time stopper? That's the general idea. As soon as I can decide what would be practical. Oh, they're very things.

9:50Here, Martin, take my watch. Be poked out of his West pocket. A railroad watch and a silver case. You open the back and may the dollar get adjustment. Martin tried to see just exactly what he was doing, but the fingers moved in a blinding blur. Eh, there we are. It's all set now, Martin. When you finally decide where you'd like to call a halt, merely turn the stem and reverse and unwind the watch until it stops. And when it stops, time stops for you, Martin. Simple enough. And the conductor dropped the watch in the Martin's hand. The young man closed his fingers tightly around the case. And that's all there is to it, huh? Absolutely, but remember, you can stop the watch only once. So you'd better make sure that you're satisfied

10:50with the moment you choose to prolong. I caution you and all fairness, Martin, make very, very certain of your choice. I will. And since you've been so fair about it, I'll be fair too. There's one thing you seem to have forgotten. See, it doesn't really matter what moment I choose, because once I stop time for myself, that means I stay where I am forever. I'll never have to get any older. And if I don't get any older, I'll never die. And if I never die, then I'll never have to take a ride. And you're a train. The conductor turned away. His shoulders shook convulsively, and he may have been crying. Then he wandered off into the fog. And the train whistle gave an impatient shriek, and all at once it was moving swiftly down the track, rumbling out of sight in the darkness. Martin stood there, blinking down at the silver watch in his hand. If it wasn't that he could actually see it and feel it,

11:51and if he couldn't smell that particular odor, he might have thought he'd imagined the whole thing from start to finish. Train, conductor, bargain, and all. But he had the watch, and he could recognize the scent left by the trainers at the part of even though there aren't many locomotives around the universe all for him brimstone this fuel. And he had no doubts about his bargain. That's what came with thinking things through to a logical conclusion. Some fools would have settled for wealth, their power, or Kim Novak, that he might have sold out for a fifth of whiskey. Martin knew that he'd made a better deal. Better? It was foolproof. All he needed to do now was choose his moment. He put the watch in his pocket, and started back down the railroad track. He hadn't really had a destination in mind before, but he did now. He was going to find a moment of happiness. Now, young Martin wasn't altogether in many.

12:59He realized perfectly well that happiness is a relative thing. There are conditions and degrees of contentment and they vary with one's lot in life. As a hobo, he was often satisfied with a warm handout a double-length bench in the park, or a canisterno made in 1957, a vintage year. Many a time he had reached a state of monetary bliss through such simple agencies, but he was aware that there were better things. Martin determined to seek them out. Within two days, he was in the great city of Chicago. Quite naturally, he drifted over to West Madison Street, and there he took steps to elevate his role in life. A city bum, a panhandler, a moocher. Within a week, he had risen to the point where happiness was a meal and a regular one-arm lunch and joint. A two-bit flop on a real army cot in a real flop house in a full fifth of the musketel. There was a night after enjoying all three of these luxuries to the full, and Martin thought of unwinding his watch at the basis of the honest John's-eat-brace for a handout that day. Sure, they were squares, but they were prosperous.

14:01They were of something there. Martin figured his watch, put aside the temptation to hock it for another bottle of musketel. He went to sleep determined to get himself a job and improve his happiness quotient. When he awoke, he had a hangover, but the determination was still within. Before the month was out, Martin was working for a general contractor over on the south side at one of the big rehabilitation projects. He hated the grind, but the pay was good, and pretty soon he got himself a one-arm apartment out in Blue Island Avenue. He was accustomed to eating these and restaurants now, and he bought himself a comfortable bed in every Saturday night he went down to the corner tavern. It was all very pleasant, but the foreman liked his work and promised him a raise in the month if he waited around. The raise would mean that he could afford a secondhand car. And with a car, he could even start picking up a girl for a date now, and then other fellows on the job did. They seemed pretty happy. About six months went by before Martin met William Gillis.

15:02By that time, he had another promotion and was working inside in the office. They made him go to night school to learn how to do simple bookkeeping, but it meant another 15 bucks a week, and it was nicer working indoors. And William was a lot of fun. When she told him she'd marry him, Martin was almost sure that the time was now. Only getting messed at the beginning, sure. It was wonderful, but Lillian told him how much better things would be if they could move to a new place and fix it up. So he started taking night courses and got a promotion to the front office, with a baby coming. He wanted to stick around and see his son arrive. And when it came, he realized he'd have to wait until he got a little older, started to walk and talk and develop a personality of its own. About this time, the company sent him out on the road as a troubleshooter and some of those other jobs. And now he was eating at those good hotels, living high on the hog and the expensive count. More than once, he was tempted to unwind the watch. This was the good life. Of course, it would be even better if he just didn't have to work.

16:06Sooner or later, he could cut in on one of the company deals and he could make a pile and retire, than everything would be ideal. It happened, but it took time. Martin's son was going to high school before he really got up there into the chips. Martin had a strong hunch that it was now or never because he wasn't exactly a kid anymore. But right about then, he met Sherry Westcott. And she didn't seem to think he was middle-aged at all, and spite of the way he was losing hair and adding stomach. She taught him that a toupee would cover the ball's spot and a cummerbund would cover the pot cut. In fact, she taught him quite a lot, and he so enjoyed learning it that he actually took out his watch and prepared to unwind it. Unfortunately, he chose a very moment that the private detectives broke down the door of the hotel room, and then there was a long stretch of time when Martin was so busy fighting on the divorce action that he couldn't honestly say he was and given moment. When he made the final settlement with Lill, he was broke again, and Sherry didn't seem to think he was so young.

17:07So he squared his shoulders and went back to work. Martin went around the world by plane and luxury liner. For a while, it seemed as though he would find his moment after all, visiting Mataj Mahal by moonlight. Martin pulled out the battered old watch case and got ready to unwind it. Nobody else was there to watch him. And that's why he hesitated. Sure, this was an enjoyable moment, but he was alone. Lill and the kids were gone, Sherry was gone. And somehow he'd never had time to make any friends. Maybe if he found new, congenial people, he'd have the ultimate happiness. That must be the answer. It wasn't just money or power or sex or seeing beautiful things. The real satisfaction lay in friendship. So on the boat trip home, Martin tried to strike out a few acquaintances at the ship's bar. But all these people were much younger and Martin had nothing in common with him. Also, they wanted to dance and drink, and Martin wasn't in condition to appreciate such pastimes.

18:08Nevertheless, he tried. Perhaps that's why he had the little accident sent from Cisco. Little accident was the ship's dock describing it. The Martin noticed he looked very gray, called the ambulance to meet the liner. At the dock and take the patient right to the hospital. At the hospital, all the expensive treatments and the expensive smiles and expensive words didn't fool Martin any. He was an old man with a bad heart, and they thought he was going to die. But he could fool them. He still had the watch. He found it in his coat when he put on his clothes and sneaked out of it all. He didn't have to die. Could sheep death with a single gen out there under a free sky? That was the real secret of happiness. He understood it now. Not even friendship meant as much as freedom. This was the best thing of all. To be free of friends or family or the fury. Martin walked slowly beside the embankment under the night sky years ago.

19:12But the moment was good, good enough to prolong forever. Once a bum, always a bum. He smiled as he thought about it. And then this mile twisted sharply and suddenly like the pain twisting sharply and suddenly in his chest. The world began to spin and he fell down on the side of the embankment. He couldn't see very well, but he was still conscious and he knew what had happened. Another stroke and a bad one. Maybe this was it. Except that he wouldn't be a fool any longer. He wouldn't wait to see what was still around the corner. Right now was his chance to use his power and he was going to do it. He could still move, nothing could stop him. He grew up in his pocket and pulled out the old silver watch, fumbling with a stand. A few twists and he'd cheat death. He'd never have to ride that hellbond train. He could go on forever. Forever. Martin had never really considered the word before. To go on forever, like this, a sick old man lying held eyes dimmed.

20:16There was a roaring in his ears. He recognized the roaring, of course, and he wasn't at all surprised to see the train come rushing not of the fog up there on the embankment. He wasn't surprised when it's either or when the conductor climbed off and slowly torched him. The conductor bit, even as grin was still the same. Oh Martin, all aboard. I know, but you'll have to carry me. I can't walk. I'm not even really talking anymore, am I? Yes, you are, Martin. I can hear you fine. And you can walk too. He leaned down and placed his hand on Martin's chest. There was a moment of icy numbness and then Martin could walk after all. He got up and followed the conductor along the slope, moving to the side of the train. In here? No, Martin. The next car. I guess you're entitled to ride, Paulman. After all, you're quite a successful man.

21:21You've tasted the joys of wealth and position and prestige. And the pleasures of marriage and fatherhood you've sampled the delights of dining and drinking in the Boschery Hall. Let's not have any last minute recriminations. All right. I can't blame you for my mistakes. On the other hand, you can't take credit for what happened either. I worked for everything I got. I did it all on my own. I didn't even need your watch. So you didn't, Martin. But what do you mind giving it back to me now? Nick, for the next sucker, ha? Well, perhaps, Martin. Something about the way he said it, name. He tried to see the conductor's eyes, but the brim of his cap cast the shadows. So Martin looked down at the watch instead. Tell me something. If I give you the watch, what will you do with it? Why throw it in the ditch? That's all I'll do with it. And he held out his hand.

22:24What if somebody comes along and finds it and twists the stem backwards and stops time? Nobody would do that. Even if they knew. Was all the trick. This is only an ordinary cheap watch. I didn't say that, Martin. I only said that no one has ever twisted the stem backwards. They've all been like you. Martin, they've all been like you looking ahead to find that perfect happiness. The conductor held out his hand again. Martin sighed and shook his head. Howth, Martin. And now you're going to ride that hell-bound train. He pushed Martin up the steps and into the car ahead as he entered the move and the whistle screamed. And Martin stood there in the swaying poem and gazing down at the other passengers. And somehow it didn't seem strange at all. Here they were. The drunks and the sinners, the gambling men and the grifters, the big time spenders, the skirt chasers, and all the jolly crew.

23:33They knew where they were going, of course. But they didn't seem to give a damn. The blinds were drawn and they would get it was light inside. And they were all living, throwing the dice and telling the jokes and bragging their big brags. Just the way daddy used to sing about them in the old song. Mighty nice traveling companions. Why, I've never seen such a pleasant bunch of people. I mean, they seem to be really enjoying themselves. I'm afraid to pull into that deep o'way down Yandere. For the third time he held out his hand. Behan if I could stop time when I found the right moment of happiness. And I think I'm about as happy right here as I've ever been. Very slowly, Martin took hold of the silver watch stem. Now, now. But the watch stem turned. Do you realize what you've done? Now we'll never reach the depot. We'll just go on riding.

24:39Martin Grimbe. I know. But the fun is in the trip. Not the destination. You taught me that. And I am looking forward to a wonderful trip. Look, maybe I can even help. If you were to find me another one of those caps now and let me keep this watch. And that's the way it finally worked out. Wearing his cap and carrying his battered old silver watch. There's no happier person in or out of this world now and forever than Martin. Martin, the new break man on that hell-bomb train. Dorey by Robert Block. It appeared in the September 1958 science fiction, the hell-bomb train. This is Michael Hansen speaking, technical production for mindwebs by Leslie Hilsenhoff.

25:43Mindwebs is a production of WHA Radio and Madison, a service of University of Wisconsin extension.

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