The Phantom Train
Shaina Tranquilino
September 6, 2024
It was a chilly autumn evening, the kind where the mist rolled in from the hills like an ethereal blanket, cloaking the world in a thick, silvery haze. Sophie and Kent, a young couple on their way back from a weekend getaway in the countryside, stood at the edge of the old, dilapidated platform. The station, seemingly abandoned, had an eerie feel to it. The rusted sign above them creaked in the wind, and the distant hoot of an owl sent a shiver down Sophie's spine.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Sophie asked, glancing nervously at her husband.
Kent nodded, though he seemed unsure himself. The small, crumpled ticket in his hand was their only proof that they were in the right place. It had been given to them by an old woman at the inn where theyād stayed, who insisted that they take this particular train.
"It's a local secret," the old woman had said, her voice raspy with age. "A special train for special travelers. But it only comes on misty nights like this one."
Now, as they stood on the deserted platform, the mist swirling around them, Sophie began to wonder if they had made a mistake. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the distant sound of rustling leaves and the faint whistle of the wind. No lights, no peopleājust the two of them and the cold, creeping fog.
Just as Sophie was about to suggest they leave, a distant rumble reached their ears. It started as a low vibration, barely noticeable, but quickly grew into the unmistakable sound of an approaching train. The mist thickened, and suddenly, the silhouette of a locomotive emerged from the fog, its headlights cutting through the gloom like knives.
The train was oldāmuch older than any Sophie had ever seen. Its once-polished metal was tarnished and covered in grime, the windows were clouded with age, and the entire train seemed to exude a ghostly aura. Yet, it was undeniably there, solid and real, as it came to a smooth stop in front of them.
The door of the nearest carriage creaked open with a loud, mournful groan. Kent glanced at Sophie, and she could see the unease in his eyes. But curiosity outweighed fear, and together they stepped aboard.
Inside, the train was strangely luxurious. Velvet seats lined the carriages, lit by dim, flickering gas lamps. The air was thick with the scent of old wood and something else, something Sophie couldnāt quite placeālike a distant memory of something sweet, long forgotten.
They walked down the aisle, noticing the other passengers. Men and women dressed in old-fashioned attire sat quietly, staring straight ahead, their faces pale and expressionless. None of them seemed to notice the young couple's presence.
"Hello?" Kent tried to speak to one of the passengers, but there was no response. The man he addressed, dressed in a suit from another era, continued to stare out the window, his eyes hollow and empty.
Sophie felt a growing unease, her heart pounding in her chest. "We need to get off this train," she whispered urgently to Kent.
But when they turned to go back, the door they had entered through was gone. In its place was a solid wall of dark wood.
Panic began to set in as they moved through the carriages, searching for an exit. Each door led to another carriage, identical to the last, with the same silent, unmoving passengers. The mist outside grew thicker, pressing against the windows like a living thing.
Finally, they reached the end of the traināa luxurious parlor car, empty except for a grand, ornate mirror on one wall. The air in this carriage was colder, and the strange, sweet scent was stronger here. It was then that Sophie noticed the small plaque below the mirror:
āIn memory of those lost to time, bound forever to the journey they never completed.ā
As Sophie read the words aloud, the mirror began to shimmer. The mist outside the windows seemed to seep into the room, swirling around them. And then, slowly, the mirror's surface began to change.
Reflected in it was not the empty parlor car, but a scene from another time. The train was alive with peopleāmen and women laughing, talking, their faces full of life. But as Sophie and Kent watched, the image in the mirror shifted. The train lurched violently in the reflection, passengers were thrown from their seats, screams filled the airāand then, fire. The train in the mirror was engulfed in flames, the reflection showing a disaster that had taken place decades ago.
Sophie gasped as the horror unfolded before their eyes. Kent pulled her close, his grip tight. "This train," he said, his voice trembling, "these peopleāthey're all... they're all..."
"Ghosts," Sophie finished, her voice barely a whisper.
Suddenly, the door at the far end of the parlor car opened with a loud bang. The old woman from the inn stood there, her face somber.
"You shouldn't have come," she said, her voice carrying a note of sorrow. "This train is cursed, forever bound to relive that night. The passengers are souls trapped between worlds, never able to reach their destination."
"But why us?" Kent asked, his voice filled with fear and confusion.
The old woman sighed. "The train calls to those who are at a crossroads in their lives. Those who are lost, unsure of the path ahead. You were drawn here, but you don't belong. Not yet."
"How do we leave?" Sophie asked, desperation in her voice.
The old woman stepped aside, revealing the open door behind her. "You must leave before the journey ends, or you will be bound to this train forever."
Without hesitation, Sophie and Kent ran through the door, the mist enveloping them as they leaped from the moving train. They tumbled onto the cold, damp ground of the platform, the sound of the train's whistle echoing in the distance as it disappeared into the fog.
When they looked up, the train was gone. The platform was empty, silent, and the mist began to dissipate, revealing the night sky dotted with stars.
Breathing heavily, Sophie and Kent clung to each other, shaken but alive. The phantom train had vanished, leaving no trace of its eerie presence.
As they made their way back to the village, the old woman's words echoed in their minds: "The train calls to those who are lost..."
But now, having faced the ghostly specter of the past, they knew exactly where they were headed. And with each step away from the haunted platform, they felt the weight of the past lifting, replaced by the certainty of their future together.
