論壇

第七章，抵达

当列车广播里终于传来「前方即将抵达终点站——斯诺登中央车站」的通知时，车厢里压抑已久的、混合着疲惫和期盼的骚动终于爆发了；人们纷纷起身，开始从行李架上取下自己的箱子和包裹，过道里瞬间挤满了人，充斥着各种声音：孩子不耐烦的哭闹、大人焦急的催促、行李箱的拖拽声和碰撞声；窗外不再是单调的白色荒野，开始出现了零星的、覆盖着厚厚积雪的低矮房屋，烟囱里冒着黑烟，然后是成片成片、规划得如同棋盘格般整齐划一的、高耸着巨大烟囱的厂房轮廓，粗大的管道像蟒蛇一样在建筑间缠绕延伸，空气中弥漫的煤烟味透过紧闭的车窗缝隙渗透进来，比伦纳德市更加浓烈刺鼻；铁路线变得复杂起来，纵横交错的轨道上停放着更多的货车车厢，上面喷涂着各种矿业公司的巨大标志；巨大的吊臂在灰蒙蒙的天空背景下缓缓移动，发出低沉的轰鸣；这是一个完全被工业力量塑造的城市，冰冷、坚硬、效率至上，空气中都仿佛飘散着铁锈和煤渣的味道；列车速度明显慢了下来，最终伴随着一阵悠长的汽笛和金属摩擦的尖啸，平稳地滑入了斯诺登中央车站那巨大无朋的钢铁穹顶之下；站台比伦纳德市的更加宏伟，也更加冰冷，高耸的钢铁支架支撑着巨大的玻璃顶棚，但玻璃上积满了厚厚的煤灰，让透进来的光线显得浑浊不堪；站台上人潮汹涌，穿着厚重工装、戴着鸭舌帽的工人们行色匆匆，穿着体面、夹着公文包的职员们则显得更加从容，还有不少像瑞克和卡尔这样，带着简单行李、脸上混杂着迷茫和希冀的新来者；蒸汽机车头嘶吼着排出最后一大股白汽，如同巨兽疲惫的叹息。「我们到了，卡尔。」瑞克提起自己的箱子，看着窗外这片陌生、坚硬、充满力量感但也显得格外冷漠的景象，深吸了一口气，那空气中浓重的工业气息让他有些不适，但也带着一种新开始的刺激感。「是的，瑞克先生…我们到了。」卡尔的声音里充满了激动，也带着一丝不易察觉的紧张，他紧紧抓着自己那个瘪瘪的行李袋，指节有些发白。车厢门打开，更加喧嚣的声浪和冰冷的空气瞬间涌入。瑞克和卡尔随着人流，踏上了斯诺登冰冷坚硬的水泥站台。脚下是坚实的土地，但前方，却是完全未知的世界。

Chapter Seven, Arrival

When the train's announcement, "We are about to reach the terminal station - Snowden Central Station," finally came over the train's public address system, the long-suppressed commotion in the carriages, a mixture of exhaustion and anticipation, finally erupted. People got up one after another and began to take down their suitcases and packages the luggage racks. The aisle was instantly crowded with people and filled with all kinds of sounds: children's impatient crying, adults' anxious urging, the dragging and bumping of suitcases. Outside the window, it was no longer the monotonous white wilderness. Instead, sporadic low houses covered with thick snow began to appear, with black smoke billowing their chimneys. Then came the Outlines of factories in clusters, neatly arranged like a chessboard, with towering chimneys. Thick pipes wound and extended between the buildings like pythons. The smell of soot in the air seeped in through the gaps of the tightly closed car Windows, even more pungent and intense than that in Leonard City. The railway lines became complex, with more freight carriages parked on the crisscrossing tracks, all painted with huge logos of various mining companies. The huge boom moved slowly against the backof the grey sky, making a low rumbling sound. This is a city completely shaped by industrial power, cold, hard and efficiency-oriented. The air seems to be filled with the smell of rust and coal cinders. The train's speed slowed down significantly. Eventually, accompanied by a long whistle and a shrill screeching of metal friction, it smoothly slid beneath the colossal steel dome of Snowden Central Station. The platform was more magnificent and colder than that of Leonard City. The towering steel brackets supported the huge glass canopy, but the glass was covered with thick coal ash, making the light that came in appear hazy. The platform was crowded with people. Workers in heavy work clothes and baseball caps were hurrying along, while staff members dressed decently and carrying briefcases appeared more composed. There were also many newcomers like Rick and Carl, carrying simple luggage and with a mixture of confusion and hope on their faces. The front of the steam engine roared out the last large plume of white steam, like the weary sigh of a giant beast. "Here we are, Carl." Rick picked up his suitcase and looked out of the window at the strange, hard, powerful yet particularly cold scene. He took a deep breath. The strong industrial smell in the air made him feel a bit uncomfortable, but it also brought a sense of excitement as if it were a new beginning. Yes, Mr. Rick... We're here." Karl's voice was filled with excitement and a hint of imperceptible tension. He held onto his shriveled luggage bag tightly, his knuckles a little pale. The carriage door opened, and an even more noisy sound and cold air rushed in instantly. Rick and Carl followed the crowd and stepped onto Snowden's cold and hard concrete platform. Beneath our feet lies solid ground, but ahead lies a completely unknown world.