A Pair of Schoolgirls by Angela Brazil

From all directions, Miss Sherbourne heard pitiful groans and cries for help, but the broken woodwork trapped her within the compartment. The baby in her arms screamed in terror. Thankfully, she remained calm and focused, her resourceful mind already seeking an escape. Carefully, she broke away the shattered glass until the window beneath her was clear. Clutching the child tightly, she crawled through the opening onto the ground below.

The space between the ground and the wreckage was narrow, forcing her to lie flat and wriggle along. Progress was slow and painful in the dim light, and she feared being blocked by fallen debris at any moment. But it was her only chance for safety, and she was determined to persevere. Time felt distorted; she could have crawled miles or just the length of the carriage. Eventually, she spotted daylight, and with one final effort, she struggled through a hole above her, climbed over the ruins of a luggage compartment, and emerged onto the grassy bank.