The animal creaks and groans loudly,
it clangs and rattles incessantly.
The metal scales beat and pound
on each other.

It clanks back and forth, back and forth,
swaying through the night as it
roars mercilessly across the
countryside, its tail whipping to
and fro.

I sit safe and snug inside the belly
of the beast, watching as the
lights flick by at alarming speed.
I’m not afraid,
the beast will protect me.

As we scream into the station
it vomits out its passengers and is
still for the moment, panting.

Then like a shriek,
the little man in the
tight black suit and black hat
blows his whistle and waves.

Reluctantly, the beast moves again,
building up speed, lurching,
howls back into the night.