"We're not going to make our next train" - Monika

"Stop it." I said. Negativity could serve no purpose now.

Monika bounced from her heels to her toes in the cramped aisle by the exit. She exhaled purposefully, as if trying to compel her anxiety to trail along with the air rushing out of her. She flicked her head back towards the window of the door. Her torso, laden from the front with a bag containing the day's luggage and from the back with her main pack, followed suit slowly.

Our shortest transfer between trains along the Annecy - Munich stretch was only 10 minutes in Lyon. At this point in time, our arrival was at least 7 minutes late.

I looked out the door on my side of the aisle. I had to lean forward because the school bag slung across my chest was full, and it blocked my usual range of motion and visibility. It looked liked we were about to pull up to the station. On the other hand, I had thought the exact same thing about 4 minutes ago, and that had been a false alarm.

The appearance of the platforms and the squeel of the brakes confirmed it was no fake-out this time. "Ok, we've got two minutes." Monika was looking up from her watch.

The train came to a full stop. I tugged on the door clasp and said "let's go!"

We ran across the platform and down the nearest stairs. Onto a landing. Which way? Right. Down.

We were in the main hall of the station. Look up. Monitors. Ok, Strasbourg... Strasbourg... where was it?

"There it is! C!" Monika yelled. We started moving again immediately, instinctively. I caught a glimpse of the sign for our platform amongst the rafters.

The floor slapped both my palms before my knee connected. Most of my body now lay on the cold hard ground, but my feet were resting on soft canvas. As I rolled over and pushed myself up, I sighted the woman whose bag I had just tripped over. She held the leash by which her wheeled luggage was being pulled. Having been looking up, with my view obstructed by my own bag, I had totally missed hers.

"Desole" said the stunned woman, as I regained my feet. Response would be frivolous. Keep moving.

We ran to the sign we had found and bounded up the escalator, which was thankfully deserted. We arrived on our platform just to see our train already creeping along it...

Wait. There were people on the platform. They were standing and waiting, not leaving. The train was still creeping, not already creeping. It came to a stop and passengers started boarding. Thanks to the fact that our second train was a little late as well, we had made it.