CHUFFER TRAIN - a little story in a hundred words

CHUFFER TRAIN The landing craft circled, its cameras focussed on the train below.“A primitive form of transport,” the Commander decided, and sent Phtam to make First Contact.Slightly wobbly on her unfamiliar legs, Phtam walked along the platform and approached the nearest figure. “Good day.”The man didn’t even acknowledge her. She tried each person in turn with no success. A train chuffed into the station but still no-one moved, and when it left, so did Phtam.“They’re all dead,” she reported. “Probably a virulent virus.”The ship left hurriedly – without spotting the sign on a gate --‘Model Village closed today’................................................................................................Apologies to the real people - if they ARE real - on this station, but Sandra Crook's photo reminded me of a model village on the Isle of Wight which I visited recently with my granddaughter.Thanks as ever to https://rochellewisoff.com/ for hosting Friday Fictioneers - if you care to follow the links from her blog you can read other stories prompted by Sandra's photo.PS to Sandra - is that Corfe Castle in the background of your photo?

This is the Isle of Wight model village...