On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. My mother was in the next room, talking with my sister. I wanted to hear what she was saying, so I snuck out of bed. I crept down the stairway and looked at the table below. Milk and cookies sat untouched. I went back up and suddenly I saw a shadow. A shadow that resembled Santa Claus. At first I had thought he was actually here in the house. But then he walked into my sister's room and I realized that it was my father. He was dressed up in a Santa Claus costume. I crept towards the room and peered into the keyhole. My mother and father were telling my sister that Santa was coming to deliver presents. "He said Santa would have to fly faster than light to get to every house in one night. And to hold everyone's presents his sled would be bigger than an ocean liner.", said my sister. "Your brother said that? He was just kidding you. He knows there's a Santa.", said my mother. I did not believe there was Santa however, and I knew he was a myth. My Parents tucked my sister into bed, and suddenly they walked over towards the door. I ran back to my room and went over to a dresser that was across from my bed. I opened the dresser and pulled out a encyclopedia and some newspapers. I picked up the newspaper and looked at the cover. It showed a boy holding a Santa costume, showing that he was fake. I snorted. There was no way that he was real. I pulled out the encyclopedia and pulled out a flashlight. I searched for the North Pole in the large list of locations. The North Pole was labeled as a barren land that's devoid of life. Suddenly, I heard my parents coming up the stairs and I got in my bed. They came into my room and started saying things that I couldn't hear. Something about the end of the magic. My Parents sat looking at me with gloomy faces and then said goodnight and left the room. After they left, I started thinking. Everyone who believed Santa existed was kidding themselves. I sat for a while and then closed my eyes. Suddenly, the house started vibrating. Objects in my room started moving around, the object on my dresser fell onto the floor. I looked out the window. I heard the booming sound of a train's horn. I grabbed a blue robe that hung from my bed, tearing one of its pockets in the process, and ran down the stairs. I opened the door and looked around. A large train, with about 4 passenger cars, stood in front of my house. I saw a conductor step down in the distance. "All Aboard!", said the conductor. I ran over to him. "Well. You coming?", he said. "Where?", I said. "Why, to the North Pole, of course!", said the conductor, "This is the Polar Express!". 

                "The North Pole?", I said. "I see.", said the conductor, "Hold this please." He handed me the lamp he was holding. "Thank you.", he said. He then grabbed a clipboard from the inside of the train. He seemed to be looking for something on the clipboard. "Is this you?", he said. He held up a picture of me and I nodded. "Yeah. Well, it says here... no photo with a department-store Santa this year, no letter to Santa. And you made your sister put out the milk and cookies. Sounds to me like this is your crucial year.", said the conductor. He stepped back. I did not know what to do. "If I were you, I would think about climbing aboard.", said the conductor, "Come on, come on, I have a schedule to keep.  I did not move from where I stood. I did not believe that the North Pole existed, and yet, that is where the train was going. "Suit yourself.", said the conductor. He walked back onto the train. Suddenly the train creaked forward. I watched as it moved forward. I knew this was a once in a lifetime chance, so I made a run for it. I ran and ran almost falling into the snow. I jumped, grabbing on to a bar on one of the passenger cars. I opened the car door and looked inside. The car was full of kids in their pajamas. A few kids were singing a tune: 

'Cause that's the way things happen On the Polar Express 

Whoo, whoo, the whistle blows That's the sound of her singing Ding, ding, the bell will ring Golly, look at her go You wonder if we'll get there soon Anybody's guess '

Cause that's the way things happen On the Polar Express

When we get there We'll scream, "Yay!"

We'll arrive with A bang, bang, bang Boom, boom, boom Laughing all the way

With a comfy seat and lots to eat Boy, it's just the best Wish it wouldn't ever have to end With a little luck, we'll be on time

There's no need to stress  'Cause that's the way things happen On the Polar Express

I sat down in a nearby chair listening to the other kids. I looked across from me. A girl was sitting a looking at me. I was about to say something when suddenly a kid appeared behind me. "Hey. Hey, you. Yeah you. Do you know what kind of train this is? Do?", I was about to say no, when the girl butted in. "Of course. It's a magic train!", said the girl, "Were going to the North Pole. I know it's a magic train." "It's a Baldwin 2-8-4 S3-class steam locomotive, said the knowitall kid, built in 1931 at the Baldwin Locomotive Works. It weighs 456,100 pounds and..." I stopped listening to what he was saying and asked the girl a question. "Are we really going to the north pole?", I asked. "Yeah", she said, "Hey, look! Isn't that wonderful!" I looked out the window. We were passing a Christmas department store. The other kids in the car ran towards the windows as well. "Herpolsheimers! Herposheimers!", said the knowitall kid, Wow, look at all of those presents. I want all of them!" . I looked in the store window. There was a christmas display inside. At first I had thought Santa was in there, moving presents around, but then I saw a gear moving. The Santa was an animatronic. "It's so Christmassy and cozy and beautiful.", said the girl. The conductor went across the car aisle. "Tickets. Tickets, please.", said the conductor. He came over to me. Ticket? I looked around, wondering where I would find a ticket. "Try your pocket.", said the conductor. I felt in my pocket. There was a hole in it.   "Try your other pocket.", he said. I felt in my other pocket, and pulled out a golden ticket. The words "round trip" were written on the ticket. "Thank you, sir.", said the conductor. He punched multiple holes in the ticket and golden circles flew all over the place. "Thank you, sir.", said the conductor. He looked over. A group of kids were playing with the microphone. "That is a public-address microphone. It is not a toy.", he said. I looked down at my ticket. The letters B and E were punched into the ticket on opposite sides. "Boy, that guy sure likes to show off", said the knowitall kid, "Look what that wise guy punched on my ticket. - "L-E." What the heck does that mean?" The conductor cut him off. "Next stop, 11344 Edbrooke.", said the conductor. "We're heading for the other side of the tracks.", said the knowitall kid. 

                I looked out of the window. The train was stopping a run down looking house. A boy with tan pajamas left the house. He went towards the conductor. "Well, you coming?", said the conductor. "Its just another pickup.", said the knowitall kid, "That's weird, I thought you were supposed to be the last one." The conductor was telling the kid the same things he told me. The kid backed off after the conductor asked is he wanted to board the train. "Suit yourself", said the conductor. He went back on the train. The train started moving again, but suddenly, the kid started running like I did. "Hey, that kid wants to get on the train!", said the girl. He kept running but could not keep up however, and fell in the snow. "We have to stop the train!", said the girl. "How?", I asked. "I don't know how. Pull the emergency brake!", said the girl. I ran over to the emergency brake. I thought for a second, and then pulled the break down. The force from the brake made me fall to the ground. The other kids also fell down. The lonely kid got on the train. I waved to him, but he turned around and sat down in the back train car. Suddenly the conductor ran in. "Who in the blazes applied that emergency brake?!", he asked. "He did!", said the knowitall kid pointing at me. "You.", said the conductor, "In case you didn't know, that cord is for emergency purposes only. And in case you weren't aware, tonight is Christmas Eve. And in case you hadn't noticed, this train is on a very tight schedule. Now, young man, Christmas may not be important to some people... ...but it is very important to the rest of us!" "But... But...", I said before being cut off. "He was just trying to stop the train so that kid could get on.", said the girl.  "I see. Young man, is that what happened?", said the conductor. I nodded.  "Well... Let me remind you we are on a very tight schedule. And I've never been late before...and I am certainly not going to be late tonight. Now, everybody, take your seats, please!", said the conductor. "Thank you. Your attention, please. Are there any Polar Express passengers in need of refreshment?", he asked. "Me! Me! Me!", said all of us. "I thought so.", he said. Suddenly, multiple chefs and cooks came into the car. The spun the chairs around and made tables appear from thin air. The conductor was singing while everything happened: 

Hot, hot - Oh, we got it - Hot, hot - Hey, we got it - Hot, hot - Say, we got it

Hot chocolate Hot, hot - Oh, we got it - Hot, hot - So we got it - Hot, hot

Yo, we got it - Hot chocolate - Here we've only got one rule Never, ever let it

cool Keep it cooking in the pot - Then you got - Hot chocolate!" 

As the song ended, the chefs made the tables disappear, and everything returned back to normal. They left and we all sat, famished from the Hot Chocolate. "You know, Montezuma, the king of the Aztecs... ...would drink 50 quarts of hot chocolate every day. It was thick as mud and red. He put chili pepper in instead of sugar. - Get it? Hot chocolate?", said the knowitall kid. "How do you know? That's not true.", said some other kids.  "Where you going with that? ", I asked. The girl was walking off with a cup of hot chocolate. "It's for him.", she said, motioning towards the lonely kid. "I don't think we're to leave our seats. It's a violation of safety regulations... ...for a kid to cross moving cars without a grown-up.", I said. "I think I'll be okay.", she said. "Are you sure?", I asked. This seemed to effect her. She was about to say something when the conductor walked up. "What about this lad in the back? Did he get any refreshment?", said the conductor. The girl and I shook our heads. "Well, let's take some to him, by all means!", said the conductor, "Watch your step, now. Watch your step." I watched them give the boy hot chocolate. I then looked over at her seat and saw a glowing piece of paper. She forgot her ticket. "Her ticket hasn't been punched!", I exclaimed. I went towards her seat and grabbed the ticket. I went towards the door and opened it. The hard wind and snow blew on my face as a looked at the back train car. I prepared to jump across the car connectors, when the ticket blew out of my hand. I tried to catch it, but it was too late. I went back into the train car, and saw the ticket stuck to a window. I fumbled with the window lock, and got it open, but the ticket flew down the mountain. I sat down, frustrated that I had lost the ticket. Suddenly, the conductor and the girl came in. "Young lady, forgive me. I believe I have neglected to punch your ticket.", said the conductor. The girl went over to her seat, looking for the ticket. "I left my ticket right here on the seat.", said the girl. "So you mean, you lost your ticket?", asked the conductor. I felt that I needed to speak up. "She didn't lose her ticket. I did.", I said, "I was trying to return it to you, but the wind blew it out of my hand." I then had an idea. "You can have my ticket!", I said. I handed it to her, but the conductor blocked my hand. "These tickets are not transferable.", he said bitterly, "Young lady, you will just have to come along with me." The conductor and the girl walked out of the car. "You know what's gonna happen now? He's gonna throw her off the train. He's gonna probably throw her off the rear platform.", said the knowitall kid, "Standard procedure. That way, she won't get sucked under the wheels. They may slow the train down, but they're never gonna stop it."