The Last Train Out

Elias and Noor are on their school's exchange trip, three days into two weeks. They're in a city where neither of them speaks the language well. Tonight, they've stayed out later than planned, wandering through a night market their teacher specifically warned them about.

埃利亚斯和努尔正在参加学校的交换旅行，两周的行程刚过了三天。他们身在一座城市，两人的当地语言都说得不好。今晚，他们逛得比计划的晚，在一个老师特意警告过他们的夜市里闲逛。

"We have time," Noor says, checking her phone. "The last train back to the hostel is at eleven."

“时间还够，”努尔看着手机说，“回旅舍的末班车是十一点。”

They lose track of time somewhere between a food stall and a street performer juggling fire. By the time they check again, it's 10:52. The train station is a fifteen-minute walk away, at least.

在一个小吃摊和一个玩火的街头艺人之间，他们不知不觉忘了时间。等他们再看时，已经是10:52了。火车站离这儿至少要走十五分钟。

"We need to run," Elias says, already moving.

“我们得跑了，”埃利亚斯说着，已经迈开了步子。

They sprint through unfamiliar streets, checking street signs they can barely read. They follow the map on Noor's phone, even as it keeps recalculating their route. Elias's backpack bounces painfully against his spine the whole way.

他们在陌生的街道上狂奔，查看着几乎认不出的路牌。他们跟着努尔手机上的地图走，尽管它一直在重新规划路线。埃利亚斯的背包一路上痛苦地撞在他的脊背上。

They reach the platform at 11:03, breathless, just in time to watch the train doors close without them.

他们在11:03冲到站台，上气不接下气，眼睁睁看着列车门在没有他们的情况下关上了。

"That's it. We missed it," Noor says, sitting down hard on a bench. "The next one isn't until six in the morning."

“完了。我们错过了，”努尔说着，重重地坐在长椅上，“下一班要到早上六点。”

Elias checks his phone. No signal, and the battery is dangerously low. Their teacher told them exactly what to do in this situation. But neither of them actually paid attention at the time.

埃利亚斯查看手机。没有信号，电量也低得危险。老师明明告诉过他们遇到这种情况该怎么办。可当时他们俩谁也没有真正听进去。

"Okay," Elias says, trying to sound calmer than he feels. "We have enough money for a taxi, probably. If we split the cost, it shouldn't be too expensive."

“好吧，”埃利亚斯说，努力装得比实际上镇定，“我们的钱大概够打车。要是我们平摊车费，应该不会太贵。”

They approach the taxi stand outside the station, where a driver is finishing a cigarette. Neither of them knows the exact address, only the hostel's name and its neighborhood.

他们走向车站外的出租车候车处，那里有一位司机正抽完最后一口烟。两人都不知道确切的地址，只知道旅舍的名字和所在的街区。

Noor pulls up a photo of the hostel's business card, saved from their first day. She holds it up for the driver to see. The driver studies it for a moment, nods, and waves them into the back seat.

努尔翻出一张旅舍名片的照片，那是第一天存下来的。她举起来给司机看。司机端详了一会儿，点点头，招手让他们坐进后座。

The ride takes almost twenty minutes, mostly in silence. Both of them watch unfamiliar streets slide past the window. When they finally reach the hostel, the driver refuses a tip. He says something neither of them fully understands. Somehow, it sounds like reassurance.

车程将近二十分钟，大部分时间都没人说话。两人都望着陌生的街道从车窗外滑过。终于到了旅舍，司机没有收小费。他说了一句话，两人都没有完全听懂。不知怎么的，听起来像是一种安慰。

Back in their rooms, their teacher is still awake, unaware they were ever gone. Elias and Noor agree, without discussing it, that this story can wait until they're home.

回到各自的房间，老师还醒着，完全不知道他们曾经不在。埃利亚斯和努尔没有商量，却都默契地决定，这个故事等回家以后再说。