The freezing night air caressed my bare skin, sending shivers down my spine as I waited for the train. The hot summer months were already giving way to autumn, and while a light breeze was common in the evenings, tonight felt uncharacteristically cold. A dense fog shrouded the ground, obscuring my view beyond just a few feet ahead.

To add to the eerie atmosphere the station stood desolate, with no living soul in sight. Even the dim lights occasionally flickered, seemingly battling against the encroaching darkness.

The words of the old man at the inn where I had stayed echoed in my mind: "Miss, why don't you just spend the night here? There are rumors circulating in this little town, and people are afraid to venture out after dark." Remembering those words now sent a shiver down my spine.

I strained to peer through the fog obscuring my vision, hoping to see the train pull into the station. It was the last train for the day, and the rumors said that even though people heard its whistle run loud and clear through the night nobody actually saw the train pull into the station. It was as if this phantom train was heard in the darkness but forever elusive to the human eye.

'Well, that's just some hoax' I thought to myself. Probably a story born out of the minds of people who had nothing better to do in this town cut off from the rest of civilization.

I glanced at my wristwatch —ten past eleven. I sighed, 'Twenty more minutes'. I pulled my cardigan tighter around my shoulders in a desperate attempt to shield myself from the chilly wind and looked around the station. Still no soul in sight. It seemed I was destined to be the only passenger from here.

I was about to head back to the only bench by the bricked wall when the sound of a train whistle stopped me. I turned my head toward the train tracks, where the silhouette of an engine with two bright beams of light emerged through the fog and mist. The rumbling and high-pitched noise of the train gradually filled the air, growing louder with each passing second.

The train had arrived surprisingly early. "Hah, and people say they can't see the train," I scoffed, turning back toward the tracks. "I'm quite sure that what's in front of me is not a figment of my imagination." As I stood there, under the faint glow of the flickering lights, I felt the ground tremble beneath my feet as the train approached. Eventually, the screeching sound of wheels against the tracks pierced the night air as it came to a halt in front of me.

I boarded the train.

***

Inside, the train coach appeared as deserted as the station, with no other passengers in sight. The soft lighting casted shadows over most of the coach, and a chill from outside filled the air. As the train began to move again, I glanced out the window and noticed a drizzle had started; raindrops splattered against the glass as the train picked up speed.

"Hello?"

I flinched, my head snapping up toward the voice, only to be met with a pair of warm brown eyes gazing from a handsome young face. I could have sworn there had been nobody there just moments before, and I hadn't heard anyone coming in. With my heart beating erratically from the scare, my eyes quickly scanned the person standing in front of me.

"Who are you?" I asked quietly.

"Apologies" the man chuckled "I didn't mean to scare you"

The tension slowly ebbed away as I took in the man's reassuring smile and kind eyes. "I am a passenger just like you," he said, flashing another smile and I couldn't help but smile back at the stranger.

"Can I?" he asked, gesturing to the seat next to me. "Sure," I replied, scooting over a bit to give him room.

"I'm Ethan," he introduced himself, offering his hand for a handshake.

"Rose. Nice meeting you," I replied as we shook hands. I noticed he was dressed very warmly as if he was dressing for midwinter rather than autumn. He caught me staring at his gloved hands and laughed softly "It is pretty chilly tonight, isn't it?"

When I didn't say anything, he looked away, slightly awkward. "I know it seems odd" he admitted, a hint of shyness in his voice.

"No. No. It is kind of cold tonight" I said quickly, trying to reassure him. "I wish I'd dressed warmer." I didn't want to offend him. It was nice to have someone to talk to, even if he was a stranger; made the creepy atmosphere of the train appear less ominous.

"So, where are you heading to?" He asked.

"Glossberg station" I smiled. "What about you?"

"Hammond. The last stop on the route."

A few moments went by in silence with both of us gazing at the rain, which had begun to fall more earnestly, drumming against the windowpanes. "Rose, you do know the rumors regarding the last train, don't you?" Ethan asked out of the blue. Turning to face him, I noticed an odd look in his eyes, as if he was looking at something that wasn't there.

"Yeah," I replied quietly. "But I guess they're just some old wives' tales, considering how we both are on the last train."

For a moment, Ethan seemed to study me, his lips pursed in a thin line. The atmosphere became heavy again, with only the sound of rain falling outside and the train shuddering as it sped along the tracks. Suddenly, he smiled again, and the warmth returned to his eyes. I found myself relaxing, exhaling a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

"But aren't you curious where the rumors come from? They say that nearly five years ago, a train on this very same route was involved in a terrible accident, and there were no survivors. It happened in the winter when the train derailed while plowing through the snow," he finished in a grave tone.

A chill ran down my spine at his words. But before I could open my mouth to respond, a sudden loud crash startled me, followed by a screeching noise. The train seemed to slow down but didn't stop altogether. My heart skipped a beat as I tried to glance outside the window, only to see darkness interrupted by the occasional flashes of lightening across the sky.

"I'll check," Ethan said as he rose from his seat, visibly frightened as well. I didn't wanted to be left alone, I nodded, too scared to do anything else. No sooner had he disappeared through the compartment door, the train suddenly gave a frightful lurch, and I heard the brakes squeal. Scared out of my wits, I stood up and cautiously made my way towards the door.

In that instant, the train suddenly accelerated, causing me to lose my footing. Staggering, I grabbed hold of the seat in front of me to keep myself from falling. "Ethan?" I called out, but there was no answer.

A blood-curdling scream erupted through the stillness behind me sending a surge of dread coursing through my body and making the hairs on my neck bristle. I whirled around, my heart pounding in my chest, only to confront a disquieting void. Fear overwhelmed me and tears sprung to my eyes unbidden. "Ethan!" I screamed as I rushed towards the coach door, stumbling and staggering in my haste. The lights began to flicker and the rain outside seemed to intensify.

"Rose!" I heard Ethan call, his voice laced with panic. I glanced up to see him standing by the door, a stricken expression on his face. A wave of relief flooded over me as I hurried towards him. "What's going on?" I questioned urgently, my voice quivering.

Ethan grabbed my arm and I realized that his gloves were gone. His skin felt startlingly icy against mine. "We need to get you out," he said with urgency, locking eyes with me. His words only heightened my anxiety. "But what is the matter? Did the train crash into anything? Was that what we felt?"

But Ethan brushed aside my questions and instead pulled me towards the train exit. I glanced outside the window and noticed some lights, we were approaching a station. But the train showed no signs of decelerating. "The train isn't slowing down," I said, swallowing nervously.

"I know"

"Then how will we get out?" I panicked.

"You shouldn't have boarded the train Rose" Ethan replied, his words sending a shiver through me. I had come to that realization at the first scream, but now it was already too late. Out of nowhere, something grazed my arm, and I glanced around frantically, yet the coach remained as empty as it was before. Terror coursed through me as I struggled to keep pace with Ethan, tripping over my own feet.

The train began to decelerate unexpectedly. I heaved a sigh of relief; perhaps the train would come to a halt, and we would finally be able to exit. "Don't be afraid, you'll be safe, trust me." Ethan gulped as he glanced back. The exit came into view ahead of us and we sprinted towards it. Suddenly, something latched onto my ankle causing me to stumble and my hand to slip away from Ethan's.

I cried out, managing to catch myself on a seat when something shoved past me, making me stagger back. I felt jagged claws slice through my skin and warmth began to seep down my elbow. The scent of blood permeated the air.

"Rose!" Ethan grabbed my hand once more, drawing me closer to him. The grip on my ankle was suddenly released. A familiar shrill echoed through the air, sending shivers down my spine. It nearly drowned out the deafening sound of the train grinding to a stop.

Ethan swiftly reached for the exit handle and swung the door open, "Rose go. We're running out of time," he urged, shoving me toward the door. I nodded and leaped onto the platform, still clutching his hand.

Turning back I looked at him. The train let out a whistle and began to pick up speed again. "Ethan jump" I screamed running alongside the train as it picked up speed. "I can't," he replied, his expression filled with profound sorrow as he released my hand.

"Why?" Tears flowed down my cheeks. While my rational mind fought to comprehend what had just happened, a tiny part of me already knew that this situation defied any scientific rationale.

"I was the last passenger to board the train at the same station all those years ago on that fateful day," Ethan said with a wistful smile on his lips. "I wasn't fortunate enough to come out of the crash alive."

My legs felt wobbly as I kept running, tears streaming down my cheeks. His words clenched my heart.
Did I just relive the harrowing accident that happened 5 years ago? Did the ghostly train try to claim another victim? Did I just encounter the trapped spirits on the train?
I glanced at Ethan, with his gentle eyes and captivating smile. He seemed almost transparent now as if he were starting to disappear.

My legs gave out, and I collapsed, struggling to catch my breath. The final image I had was of Ethan, almost sheer, smiling at me, and a gentle whisper reached my ears.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Rose."

--THE END--

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Author's note-

Hey there it's me, Priya! long time no see🙋🏻‍♀️. Well, things happened and I vanished but I am back, hopefully for good🤞🏻. So yeah I present you a short story that I cowrote with my best friend. So a special thanks to my partner in crime janudgr8❤️❤️😘
I hope you guys enjoyed reading this!🤞🏻💜
See y'all soon!