Adding Action to 21 Gun Salute

There was a loud crashing sound, matched with a high pitch screeching. The entire train was shaking. Paul turned, opened his eyes to see that it was dark outside. They were still moving along the track, but not as smoothly as before. He turned to see Doug waking as well, as confused as he was. What was going on? Paul propped himself up to see what was happening behind him. Just as he turned he saw the train car begin to bend. He could see out the window that the train was beginning to jack-knife. He literally saw a corresponding train car bending directly towards the side of the train he and Doug were seated on. Paul’s heart was racing. He grabbed Doug’s arm and pointed out the window.

“Move,” Paul shouted desperately.

Suddenly Paul felt a wave a pressure push him into Paul and against the train wall across from where they were sitting. He was thrown from that wall to the ceiling and then crashing to the floor. The car was full of screaming. Glass was breaking and you could hear metal grinding against metal. Paul didn’t know which way was up. It kept changing. He felt like a helpless rag doll being tossed around. He had pain all over, his leg especially. It felt like thousands of hammers and knives taking their turn over and over again. It was so bad he could hardly bare it. Every time he was tossed around the train car his leg would hit a seat or the floor or a loose piece of baggage and the pain would shoot up Paul’s entire body.
Suddenly the movement stopped. It was still. Paul’s leg was throbbing, he could feel, what he assumed to be blood, dripping down his face. It was warm, and mixed with tears pouring out of his eyes. He heard several women crying, men screaming in pain, and yet he could still hear the silence of the night. He knew they were in a remote area, far from nearby help. Paul attempted to call out to Doug, but he couldn’t. The pain in his body was so unbearable he couldn’t move. All he could do was lie there and listen to the others call out in pain. He briefly prayed that someone would come and find them, but as time passed and Paul grew weaker, he began to fear he’d never see his wife again. He closed his eyes and thought back to their last night on their honeymoon. Paul was so sunburn he couldn’t move. Jo wanted to feel bad for him, but it was just so funny to her. He was not the type of guy to burn, but when you fall asleep on a beach for hours, it’s bound to happen to anyone. Their last night was spent in their hotel room Paul covered in Aloe and Jo sitting far enough away not to touch and disturb the sunburn. They just looked at each other and made small talk. Jo would make fun of Paul and he would pout. It was a night that, at the time, he thought was ruined, a bad end to a good trip. However, now as he lied on the bed of this train, unable to move, filled with an indescribable pain, it was this night he thought of. He found comfort in knowing that it was never anything that he said or did for Jo that made her happy. It was just the time they spent together. He missed that time, and would do anything for even just one more minute of it.