It was the last train of the night, rattling through the thick fog as it snaked through the countryside. Maya sat in an empty carriage, watching the dark trees blur past the window. She had missed her usual train and ended up on this one—the one nobody liked to take.
There was a rumor about this train, whispered between locals, that sometimes a strange passenger would board on its final route. Nobody had ever seen this passenger’s face, but those who claimed to have seen it described a shadowy figure dressed in an old, tattered coat. It always sat in the last seat, far away from the other passengers.
Maya shook off the unease creeping over her and focused on her phone. The carriage was empty—except for a faint tapping sound from the far end. Tap. Tap. Tap. She glanced over her shoulder and froze.
At the far end of the carriage, in the last seat, was a figure. It hadn't been there when she boarded. The figure was still, head bowed, hands resting on its lap. A feeling of dread filled Maya as the train passed through a dark tunnel. The lights flickered. She closed her eyes, willing the figure to disappear when the lights came back on.
When they did, the figure had moved closer.
Maya’s heart pounded. She quickly got up, moving to another carriage. As she reached the door, the tapping started again, louder this time. Tap. Tap. Tap. Her hand shook as she tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge.
She glanced back. The figure had risen from its seat and was moving towards her, though its feet never seemed to touch the ground. Panic gripped her as the train plunged into another tunnel. The lights flickered, and this time, they didn’t come back on.
Maya could hear breathing behind her—slow, deliberate. She felt something cold brush against her neck. She turned, but there was no one there.
The train slowed to a stop, its brakes screeching in the dead silence. When the lights finally flickered back on, Maya found herself alone in the carriage. The figure had vanished. The door in front of her creaked open, leading to an empty platform.
Maya stepped out into the fog, shaken but relieved to be off the train. She glanced at the carriage windows one last time and froze in terror. Staring back at her was her own reflection—except, behind her, the shadowy figure was still there, watching her with hollow, empty eyes.
And then the train doors closed. The train sped off into the night, leaving her behind. But as the sound of its wheels faded, she knew... the last passenger was always with her now.
