Chapter 11: Epilogue

After Mike and I walked through the portal once again and the blinding light faded away, I was pleasantly surprised to see Amelia on the other side at the controls.

"Amelia! You're okay." I said relieved.

"As are you, thank goodness." she said.

"I knew it was Harrison who took you."

"Speaking of, What became of him?"

I looked at Mike before answering.

"He uh… won't be a problem anymore."

"I see," she said catching on to my body language, "Then it appears that the only thing left to do is to close this portal."

"The only thing?" Mike asked as we walked up to Amelia, "What about the denizens still here?"

"The energy that was used to open this portal was the only thing keeping them here. Once it's closed, all of the denizens shall be returned to the train."

"Wait a second," I said concerned, "What will happen to you then?"

Amelia looked at the console for a moment before continuing.

"Just like how the denizens of the train will return, so will the passengers."

"What!?" asked Mike.

"But that's not fair," I said, "You have done so much, you've earned the right to-"

"Heather," she said, "I have made so many choices that resulted in the suffering of an immeasurable amount of people, and all because I couldn't let Alrick go. I haven't earned anything yet. I still belong on the train."

"Amelia…"

"It's okay. I am better than I was, but I must return. I've already accepted that."

Suddenly Amelia stepped forward and pulled Mike and I into a brief hug.

"But I thank you for giving me the chance to do the right thing."

Amelia then let go of us, and held a finger over a button on the console. But before she pushed it, she looked to me once again.

"Heather, if one day you see Tulip again, please tell her that I am sorry for everything I've put her through."

I paused for a moment but then smiled.

"I will, but you have to promise me when you get your exit, you'll tell her in person too."

Amelia looked surprised, then let out a small laugh.

"Alright, I promise."

With that Amelia looked down at the controls and pushed the button.

A few months have passed since that day under Owen industries, and everything seemed to return to normal. Denizens were no longer popping up, and it seemed quiet for a change. And It wasn't just denizens either, any passengers that still had their numbers were sent back as well. Like Amelia… and Mike's dad. Even though nothing from the train has been showing up anymore, that doesn't mean everything was back to how it used to be.

I'm not sure when it happened but during lunch periods Chris and Jesse had started to sit at the same table as us. It took a little bit before Gus and Jeremy fully got used to them but soon they became part of our group. Also it turns out that Austin is totally afraid of Jesse now, because ever since he started hanging out with us, Austin almost completely avoids us now. He still calls us things like "vampire" or "freak" as we pass one another but that's it. The first time he saw Jesse with us, Austin almost tripped over himself trying to run away. That was a very good day for me.

We… also told Pete and Lori about me and Mike's time on the train and where I truly came from. They didn't quite believe it at first but as soon as we showed them our lack of reflections and how we could go into the mirror world, it made the story a lot more believable. I was expecting them to feel betrayed and even hate me for lying, but they didn't. They didn't care that I was once a reflection, they still cared about me as they always have. It was just like how Mike said it would be.

It was now a breezy day in the middle of summer vacation, and with school being out Pete and Lori decided to take us all on a cross country road trip. We all rode in a RV that Pete borrowed from one of his friends. When we had to make a stop in Wisconsin I noticed the town we were in and asked Pete and Lori if Mike and I could visit a friend I knew here.

After that, we made our way to a more suburb area of town. I led Mike on the path through the same patch of forest I had walked on for years. When crossing the bridge over the river, I felt the breeze going through my hair which had grown to just past my shoulders. I remembered walking this same way many times before, but it was different now. This time I could feel the sun on my skin, the wind on my face, and I could smell the freshness of the air. Needless to say, walking through that forest felt surreal.

When we were near the edge of the forest, I saw a street with a few houses on the other side. One of the houses stood out to me more than the others. It was a blue two story house with a black roof, there were two windows on the second floor and one on the first next to the front door, and there was a cement path that led up to a garage on the side of the house. Mike and I crossed the street and walked to the front door. For what felt like a long time I just stood there staring at the front door hesitating.

"You okay?" asked Mike. He always knew when something was bothering me.

"It's just… maybe this was a bad idea." I said with a sigh. "She probably doesn't want to even see my face."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at what I almost did to her on the train, I almost left her stuck in the Chrome Car. She probably would've been in the mirror world forever if I had, and you know the worst part? If I was able to leave that car without a mirror, I might've actually gone through with it."

"Only because you were afraid. Afraid of becoming a reflection again. Look I wasn't there for that, but I know that you, the person standing in front of me," he put his hands on my shoulders as he spoke, "Would never do that now. Because you're a good person."

"You might think so, but I doubt Tulip really does."

"Of course she thinks you're good, she saw the person you are and risked herself helping you escape the mirror world. She could have left you in the Chrome Car after switching back but she didn't, because she saw you, not herself, but the great person you are. Tulip doesn't have a grudge against you or anything, in fact I bet she'll be happy to see you."

I smiled, Mike never fails to cheer me up. I leaned forward to give Mike a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you Mike, I think I'm ready now."

Everything that's happened between Mike and I, we've always faced it together. I was reminded of that from Mike's kind words. Even if she distrusted me, even if she hated me. I'd still have Mike by my side, and with him, I'd be able to do anything. I looked back at the door with all my hesitation almost completely gone.

I took a step forward, and knocked on the door.

The End.

In an endless wasteland with dark clouds in the sky and orange light in the distance, sat a lone metal train track with about the same width of a freeway, and an unending amount in length. After a moment a train with seemingly infinite train cars speeds by, and at the engine of this train contained an incredibly important being making a critical decision for the train it conducts.

"So what car should we make first?" Said a robot sitting in a large green glowing machine. "The Cereal Car, or the Clock Car?"

"I like the Clock Car more," It continued in a less enthusiastic tone, "That way everyone who goes in will be reminded of their limited mortality."

"Yeah but breakfast is the most important meal of the day," argued it's happier side. "We can't put off something that important."

"Good point, the Cereal Car it is then. It's probably for the best anyway, I mean eating a clock sounds so time cons…"

Suddenly on screens sitting on a desk at the side of the engine room, there was a beeping noise accompanied by a message in green bold letters that read, "Anomaly Detected."

"Oh! Hello ominous beeping." The robot said happily.

"You are my favorite type of beeping." it continued more sadly.

"It's been far too long since we've talked, why it's been over thirty years I believe."

"Wait…" said it's sad side, "Have you been seeing other conductors?"

Author's Notes

This marks the end of Mike and Heather's adventures regarding the infinity train, however that doesn't mean there aren't other stories to be had there with other passengers.

The story continues in Infinity Train: Book 3 Cause and Effect.