Exiting the train was a mess of people and noise, even more so than normal, no one was seriously hurt since the phenomenon began to happen but the railway made certain to add stipulations on travel to Cornwall via train rather than shutting down the entire line.

Inspector Will Harper again found himself outside the train station looking for answers to how a train break all laws and physics and arrive so far ahead of schedule it was extraordinary to the point that it was becoming a social event.

It hadn't happened often enough to become something his superiors took note of, which in turn meant he had to take note of it.

As Will looked around he could see the dishevelled looking people walk or in some cases stumble off the train, there was even a group in celebration like they just got off an amusement ride.

Then Will saw her out of the corner of his eye, Alice Thornhill, the young woman who's orchard was the victim of attempted arson. He then recalled that she was on the train before during the other incident.

As he walked around to the outside of the station intending to catch up with her and her dog.

She was gone.

-----------------

Ali managed to make it off the train without any problems. The people there were busy with the mess of a train pushing the boundaries of speed.

No one paid much attention to her, which she took full advantage of, slipping away from the train station, with the dog in tow she began walking toward her orchard.

The walk felt more surreal than before, perhaps it was the dog at her side keeping pace but it wasn't just that, it was the feeling of fullness, an abundance of energy at her center, like walking up after a great nights sleep even now after a few hours on the move she felt alive.

The surrounding scenery blurred and twisted more than she remembered with every step, only to then drop back into normalcy every other.

Like the narrow country roads that twist and turned but then and some point it became more urban where before they were old farms and cottages the structures became more modern like the supermarket attached to a gasstation that was mostly glass and metal

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Ali felt for every other step like her world was expanding into focus as much as every second step pulled her into the abstract.

It was jarring almost overwhelming but she had to get home.

The road shattered under her feet as she stepped forward with such force that her heel almost broke completely off from her boots, tripping her as she misstepped.

Ali's hands shot up to protect her face from the impact as she hit the ground hard enough to knock the breath right out of her as she tumbled across the floor.

Finally coming to a stop she peeled herself off the ground slowly making doubly sure she didn't break anything while also making sure to fend off the dog who was now nosing around her in what seemed like concern.

It was only after getting back to her feet that she realized she was home.

Arriving at the farm without much fanfare Ali found it oddly quiet, no birds or insects were making themselves known with chirps or buzzes filling the air as background noise made the whole place quite unsettling.

Rushing into the house without pause, Ali barely managed to dodge in a smashing blow from a cricket bat aimed at her midsection.

The dog also jumping aside from the swing.

"Damn it Mary, it's me." Ali yelled again avoiding a follow-up swing from the fierce looking woman before her.

"Damn yourself and get your fool arse in the house before them things come in." Mary yelled at her boss, then pulled her into a hug and gave her a sharp pat on the shoulder before dragging her into the kitchen where Mary's two brothers sat.

Bryan with his own cricket bat in one hand while holding a phone with the other was hoping it seemed to catch anything he could on camera, while shawn on the other hand looked pale as he sat with one leg elevated and a bandage covering his leg almost up to the knee.

"It's not as bad as it could have been but it is pretty bad. "They are like small rams now growing their horns." Shawn said as Ali came over.

"I got hit when I went near the Apple trees and after Bryan and Mary pulled me inside we haven't seen or heard a peep." Shawn tiredly explained going over his early morning routine which lead him to check the apple trees for any issues and instead finding himself battered by a bunny with horns of all things.

"The damnest thing I've seen and I've seen Bryan fight a cow." Bryan shot up to protest which lead to Mary getting pulled in to keep her brothers from butting heads.

Ali took the opportunity to slip away after making sure the dog was resting in the house, she dropped her bag and headed back outside.

Mary had left the cricket bat near the front door as she rushed to the kitchen to put her brothers in order, which left Ali free to grab the bat and make her way to the Apple trees.

She wasn't sure what exactly was in the apple groves but this was her place and she would most certainly find out.

It didn't take her long to reach the apple trees near to the house but before she could take another step, furry horned creatures stepped out from behind a few of the nearest trees.

They weren't rabbits like she first thought they were longer and thin, more like hares, they looked like small goats with bigger horns almost like antlers, it suprised her that these creatures could keep their heads upright much less move around without falling forward.

Red eyes glaring, wickedly sharp curves and points on their small but imposing antlers in the daylight made this more real than it had a right to be.

Then through some unknown signal they charged her.