The Last Train From Paris

The Last Train From Paris


The hustling station, the rushing people,
a train’s engine steams in fury.
Assorted characters with hidden agendas
board train number nine in a hurry.

Anonymously gathered here,
their one last chance to escape.
It’s World War II, and Paris is threatened,
uncertain is everyone’s fate.

A strange lot, nothing in common
as they wander this military train.
All share the Pullman sleep car, Desire,
of their hostess, nothing has been seen.

Khover, the prominent businessman,
has a secret global network.
The evasive Mal is quite cunning,
master of the underworld market.

Belinda, a simple dressmaker,
has a plan of her own design.
The American reporter, Mary,
faces enemies on the political side.

The stunning, rich socialite Barbra
is not just another pretty face.
As for air force Captain Weyland,
he bears a tie that brought him to this place.

The proud Duke and his noble bearing
hides his nefarious political schemes.
The royal refugee, Princess Idelle,
is certainly not what she seems.

That evening, the passengers gather
and receive an unexpected surprise.
Their hostess is one Fiona Fae Talle,
the international spy and master of disguise

“She’s been murdered!” cries the conductor.
“On this train, this very night!”
The eight passengers, now suspects,
throw accusations into flight.

“It was Khover!” blames the Duke immediately
“The British spy and Fiona’s enemy.”
“The Duke himself is no innocent!” says Khover.
“He’s illegally arming his cavalry.”

“You men can’t see what’s in front of you,
it was Her Highness, Princess Idelle.”
“Barbra, you’re being ridiculous,” shunned Wey.
“It was Mal who killed Miss Fae Talle.”

“Mary here twists her stories,” retorts Mal.
“Not once does she ever speak the truth.”
“As if Belinda’s any better,” seethed Idelle.
“Her exposes are written with little ruth.”

“What of Barbra, pray tell?” glowered Belinda.
“Her infamous parties are causing fights.”
“Hold it now!” shouts the Duke.
“Let’s keep the evidence in sight.”

The group now turned to look at him,
anger and contempt on their faces.
None were willing to admit the secrets
that would tear their lives into pieces.

“Firstly, we know she was murdered,
the stab wounds indicate a knife.
Clearly someone hated her enough
to viciously take her life.”

“Don’t forget that your military sword
was found piercing her cabin wall.”
“No, Belinda, it was me who was injured,”
said Barbra. “Fiona wasn’t there at all.”

“What of the canvas sack she was found in?”
added Idelle. “Wey has plenty of those.”
“I have a lot of gear to carry,” he defended himself.
“Honestly, doesn’t it show?”

“Some of you were blackmailed,” replied Mal.
“That’s reason enough for murder.”
Accused Belinda, “And I suppose you and Fiona being
partners was nothing more than a rumour.”

Princess Idelle snorted at this suggestion,
an action most unladylike.
Everyone whirled around to look at her,
glaring at them in spite.

“You all are fools,” she declared,
a dangerous fire in her eyes.
“For it is none other than I, Fiona Fae Talle,
dressed as Idelle in disguise”

This crowd of strangers grew silent,
struggling to absorb the shock,
As she reached up and swiftly removed
from her head, the wigged frock.

“As you know, none of you saw me on board
because I was actually an imposter.”
“Then where is Idelle? The real one?” they demanded.
Fiona smiled sweetly and spoke with little bluster:

“She should have paid me my bonus
when she still had the chance.
It was Idelle who hired me to spy
on the Duke’s invasion plans.

“She planned to escape to America
with her illegitimate wealth,
and it was there I saw an opportunity
to carry out a plan in great stealth.

“It was Idelle’s body they found,
with my own identification.
It was I who, in disguise, called the
Generalle for an investigation.

“I intended to slip away on this train,
under the guise of another.
For who would suspect quiet, sweet Idelle,
at the far cabin, hardly any bother?

”Her illegal fortune would have been mine
to live comfortably in the States.
But it seems that it was not my destiny,
to fall out of grace must be my fate.”

That being said, they sat back in disbelief,
still absorbing what she’d revealed.
Then suddenly Kristina shrieked, “I knew it!”
with pride and glee unconcealed.

The girls began to chatter and laugh
with overloaded excitement.
The murder mystery in shimmering Paris
was really in Shanda’s basement.

The mysterious Mal was in fact Amanda,
Heather played the part of Khover.
Her twin sister, Jessica, was Mary,
the infamous American reporter.

Kristina was the socialite Barbra,
Idelle/Fiona was Krystine.
Weyland was played by another Amanda,
and Belinda was really Nadine.

As for the hostess and birthday girl herself,
the Duke was actually Shanda.
The whole evening had gone fabulous,
the last train from Paris had landed.

So you see, none of it was real.
No one had actually died,
and this story had a happy ending,
celebrating with good friends at her side.









Please note I do have one error in stanza 12, line 4. "Exposes" is actually meant to be the French word with the accent over the second 'e'. I have an older word processor, so I haven't yet figured out how to get the character to work. If anyone knows how to use the processing program 'WordPerfect', and knows how to do this, please e-mail me! Would be greatly appreciated, or if you know someone who knows how to make this work.

Thanks!
Celtic Lady