Frequently Asked Questions
The Elsewhere Express
Passenger Handbook
Raya
The silence hanging over Rasmus’s office amplified the blood drumming in her ears. Raya was grateful for it. She did not care to hear her thoughts talking over one another, offering excuses for what she had done. She had no intention of defending herself. Nothing she could say would make Rasmus, Q, or Abbie understand what her soul screamed to be right.
“Where did you send the stowaway?” Rasmus sat stone-faced across his desk. Abbie stood, all eight eyes on Raya, on his shoulder.
“I told you.” Raya shook her head. “I don’t know. I put the crystal train on the nearest track I could find. I have no idea where Jace is now.”
“That wasn’t Jace, Raya,” Q said. “I know how much you want it to be, but it’s not.”
“You’re lucky Lily didn’t get my message about decoupling the train car,” Rasmus said. “She would throw you off this train if she knew what you did. And she never has to know, if you tell me where the stowaway is.”
“How many more times are we going to do this?” Raya rubbedthe back of her neck. “Asking me the same question over and over again isn’t going to change the truth. I don’t know where Jace is.”
Rasmus swiveled his chair, turning his back to her. His fingernails dug into its leather arms.
“What now?” Q said.
“The balloons are still in the train cars so the bells will ring, but—” Rasmus glanced at Abbie.
“But what?” Q said.
Rasmus turned to face him. “The stowaway will be expecting us.” Abbie jumped onto Rasmus’s hand. “It will be too dangerous for Abbie.”
“But I’m sure if you asked her to, she’d be willing to try again.”
“She would. And that’s the problem. Abbie will do whatever I ask. It wasn’t the jar’s glass or lid that kept her inside the prison I made for her. It was her word. A word she will keep at all costs.” Rasmus slipped Abbie into his shirt pocket. “I refuse to put Abbie in any more danger.”
Raya stood up. “Let me talk to him. Jace will listen to me.”
“I’m sure your brother would,” Rasmus said. “But the stowaway isn’t your brother.”
“I saw him, Rasmus. I saw Jace.”
“But Q didn’t. Did you, Q?”
Q shook his head. “I’m sorry, Raya.”
“I know what I saw.” Raya folded her arms over her chest. “I’m not crazy.”
“You’re not. You’re just wrong,” Rasmus said with a heavy breath. “Just as Lily was. The stowaway tried to manipulate her too by trying to make her believe that it was one of her friends who had passed. But the simple fact is, the dead don’t board the Elsewhere Express.”
Raya’s eyes hardened. “How do I know that this isn’t another lie?”
Rasmus frowned. “I’ve never lied to you.”
“You lied about Olly,” Raya said.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re confused. And I don’t blame you. Just regaining my memories disoriented me enough to attack Q. I can’t begin to imagine—”
“I’m not confused,” Raya said. “Q saw Olly’s thoughts at the Missed and Misplaced Department too. We know about the Echoes and the drain in the valley. You left Olly at the MMD on purpose, didn’t you?”
Rasmus got to his feet and drew himself to his full height. “A conductor’s job is to keep the train and all its passengers safe.”
