"So, it's a run to the front?" Sky had reloaded his pack to take most of the load. Dan's shoulder was swollen, and the bruise was an ugly mix of black and purple. His right arm almost useless.

"No, we've got a bit of time. At least an hour before they can leave this siding. They're waiting for a south bound coal train to come through." Dan was listening to their portable radio as the train groaned to a shuddering stop.

"All right, can you get down?"

"Pretty sure I can, but sorry, bud, I'm not going to be able to carry much anymore."

"I've got most of the stuff into mine. You've got the radio, water and snacks for you in your pack, sling it over your good shoulder and let me worry about the heavy work." Sky's biceps bulged as he wrangled his pack onto his back.

"Let's get up there. I hope no one is out walking the siding." Dan winced with every step, and when Sky broke into a jog he tried to keep up.

"Buddy, you look like a ghost," Sky slowed to a shuffle, gravel scrunching under his boots.

"This shoulder is bad. I don't want to give up on this, but we might have push the panic button."

"Yeah, but two hundred grand is nothing to sneeze at. But if you're hurting, I'll call it. I don't want you with a permanent disability."

"I'll know if I have to opt out. So far, I can handle it. Keep walking."

Sky let Dan set the pace. He knew his buddy was tough, he'd seen him hike miles over the desert with a bullet stuck in his calf. The extra weight he was carrying was a workout, but nothing as bad as hell week.

Getting them both up on the train, was a struggle. The ballast was steep and loose, getting a stable push off point to climb the ladder was tricky. Sky pushed his pack up over his head and tipped it onto the platform under the main tank brushing his hands together in satisfaction when he turned to face Dan.

"Okay you're next. Use your good arm to hook onto a rung. You can climb up using me, so you don't have to jump. Move to the back of the box, so I can get up."

They felt the brakes releasing and the wheels squealed against the rails as they slipped, gaining traction as the locomotives belched black diesel exhaust. Sky leapt for the ladder as the cars started to move and swung up like a monkey.

"Are we done train hopping?" Dan sounded a bit whiny.

"This is it, if you understood them right."

"They're early leaving the siding. Like the other freight train was barely by the engine when they started up. They said they'd be nonstop to Ojinaga though. Supposed to be there by nine or so. Sun's coming up now." Dan pointed at the elongated shadows pacing them on the ground.

"I'm giving you more pain pills, and you can grab a nap. It's going to be hitch hiking on the highway across to Tijuana, or just sneak onto the back of farm trucks."

"I can handle that." Dan accepted another batch of ibuprofen. Tossing them into his mouth he twisted the cap off another bottle of water and guzzled it down.

"We're going to have to be careful with the water from here on out." Sky figured the twelve liters they had left would be enough. The soda and the extra six from the hotel fridge were long gone.

"Bloody high desert is a killer. Sucks the moisture right out of you. Gotcha, though. Water rationing is on." Dan stretched out on his side, his injured shoulder up.

"Man, we're moving! What's their hurry?"

"They want to hit the switch up a way before they get stopped by another south bound train. It's kind of a race, the two crews place bets as to who can get to the single track first. I'm hoping we do."

"Me too. Another siding, and I don't think you can handle boarding again."

"Yeah, so go crew. I want to get off these noisy fuckers. Hard to get comfortable.'

Sky watched the mesmerizing flash of scrub brush and cactus whizzing by as he rocked to the sway of the cars. He wondered if there were speed limits on the rails like the highways. Probably. This engineer wasn't paying attention to it though, and he watched another switch disappear into the distance. Hopefully, they knew enough to stop if they were going to lose the race.