Chapter 5 : First Day

*Sasha*

Steam rolled past my waist from the resting train engine as I stepped down onto the platform… if it could be called that. “Platform” seemed a bit grand a word for the wooden, rustic landing at the side of the tracks.

I’d never been this far to the edge of the capital in the north country. There was a barrier ahead of the train here, which made me realize the train would now have to back up and turn around. This was the very last stop, where civilization ended and the wilds began.

There was a town here, though. And for it being so far from the capital, it was actually pretty big. I’d expected I’d be able to see the library build site from where I was standing, but no such luck.

I took three steps down onto a gravel road, the air crisp and invigorating as I walked. As I got deeper into the town, with quaint little houses and shops, saw some streets were actually now being done over in cobblestone. Progress kept going everywhere, it seemed.