As they neared the first buildings, Prue shouted to a group of people to get out of the way, but they were facing the other direction, unaware. She had to stop this thing before it rammed straight into them, but if she let go, she was bound to fall, and the cart would hit them anyway. Before she could act, there was a sudden jerk, and the cart took a turn where the main road into town intersected. It wobbled horribly and for a heart-stopping moment veered on to two wheels, so that Prue soared into the air, holding on for dear life with one hand. It crashed back to four wheels – a man carrying a bundle of fabric yelped and leapt out of the way, sending plumes of material into the air. She fumbled to open the flap again, but she was rattling around so much her eyes couldn’t focus. She began yanking at anything she could as they bolted onwards.

Then she spotted a stack of hay beside a house. With all her strength she pitched back so that her weight pulled the cart to the right, then with a sudden pop and whoosh of air, the automaton’s legs froze mid run, and the cart lurched into a spin, sending everything plummeting. Prue was thrown into the hay as the cart crashed beside her in a tumult of clattering metal.

She lay there for a moment, bumped and bruised but unbroken, looking sideways into the face of the automaton, smoke from the top of its crumpled metal hat wafting upwards.

“The turbo drive is deactivated on all mechanicarts for your safe—”

“Oh, shut up!” she said.

A crowd of people rushed towards her.

“Are you all right, Miss?”

After a moment, she pushed herself up and slowly brushed as much hay and dust from her dungarees as possible. “Must’ve been a faulty combustor.” She coughed.

“You ought to have words with the owner. It could’ve killed you!”

“Honestly, I’m fine.” Out of the corner of her eye, she became aware of something enormous casting a huge shadow. The Gigantrak locomotive had come to a standstill not far away.

“All aboard for Medlock!” someone called.

Chapter 3: Gigantrak

GIGANTRAK