The sound of the horn seemed to make it shrink even smaller, as if pressing itself into the gravel could make it disappear. The screech of metal filled the air, the raw sound of force meeting friction. Sparks burst beneath the wheels as the train driver fought physics itself.
A windstorm of heat and noise swept across the fields. Ethan’s breath caught in his throat. And then, slowly, the roar began to fade. The great machine shuddered, groaned, and came to a grinding halt.