The midnight train was eerily empty. Mira, a young journalist, was traveling back to her hometown after an exhausting day. The only other person in the dimly lit compartment was a man sitting across from her. He wore a dark coat and kept his head low, face hidden by the shadows.
Mira felt uneasy. Something about the man didn’t sit right. She tried to distract herself by scrolling through her phone, but the signal was gone. A crackling announcement broke the silence: “Last stop in 15 minutes. All passengers must alight.”
The man suddenly stood up and began pacing. His heavy boots echoed in the silence. Mira noticed his hands trembling. He clutched a briefcase tightly, his knuckles white.
Unable to ignore her curiosity, Mira broke the silence. “Long night?” she asked, forcing a smile.
The man froze. Slowly, he turned to her, his eyes cold and piercing. “You should leave at the next stop,” he said in a low voice. “Trust me.”
Before Mira could respond, the train screeched to a halt. The lights flickered. The man bolted toward the door, leaving his briefcase behind. The train started moving again, and Mira was alone.
Her heart raced. Should she open the briefcase? Against her better judgment, she unlatched it. Inside, she found a set of documents and a photograph of herself, taken earlier that evening.
Chills ran down her spine as she realized the last stop wasn’t on the schedule—and the man hadn’t gotten off.
The intercom buzzed again: “Prepare to meet your destiny.”
