As the train whistled for the return trip, Leo reached into his pocket and found a small, silver bell. When he shook it, the sound was the purest thing he had ever heard.
Hours later, the train slowed as a shimmering city of ice appeared on the horizon. Thousands of elves gathered in the center of the North Pole, their cheers sounding like a million tiny bells. Polar Express
Leo ran outside, his slippers sinking into the cold drifts. A conductor with a sharp mustache and a crisp uniform stepped off the train, checking a heavy silver pocket watch. "Well?" the conductor called out. "Are you coming?" "Where to?" Leo whispered, his voice caught in his throat. "To the North Pole, of course! This is the Polar Express!" As the train whistled for the return trip,