Chapter 1: Central Terminal
The clock in the grand hall struck 11:42 PM as Sarah Delaney pushed through the crowd at Central Terminal. Her coat was soaked from the rain, and her fingers clutched a damp manila envelope stamped with a red label: EVIDENCE – DO NOT OPEN.
She had opened it, of course.
Inside were photos. Old ones — grainy, eerie, and deeply unsettling. One of them showed her sister, Emily, standing on a train platform, her expression frozen in fear. That image had never been released to the public.
A sharp whistle pierced the air. The Black Hollow Express was ready to board — the last train of the night.
She moved quickly toward Platform 13, heart pounding. Her badge was clipped inside her bag, but tonight she wasn't acting as a journalist. Tonight, she was a sister chasing shadows.
She handed the ticket to the silent conductor. He didn't look at her. Just nodded once and stepped aside.
Inside, the train hummed with quiet electricity. It was cleaner than expected — old-fashioned, almost vintage, with velvet seats and golden light fixtures. It felt… out of time.
Sarah took a seat in Car 3, near the rear. Just five other passengers, none sitting close.
She glanced out the window. The rain distorted the view — but then she saw something that made her breath hitch.
A man. Long gray trench coat. Fedora. Standing beneath the flickering platform light.
The same man in the photos.
He turned — as if sensing her stare — but the train lurched forward, cutting her view. When she looked again, the platform was empty.
The train pulled away into the dark