The Last Midnight Train

Maya Dlamini was finishing her school assignment late on a rainy Thursday night when her phone suddenly vibrated. She looked at the screen and saw a message from an unknown number. There was no greeting, no explanation, only seven words: “TAKE THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN. COME ALONE.” Maya stared at the message, wondering if someone was playing a joke on her. She deleted it and tried to continue studying, but a few minutes later another message arrived. This time it contained an old photograph. Maya opened it and immediately recognized herself as a child standing on a railway platform. Her mother was in the picture too, along with several people Maya couldn't clearly identify. The photograph was connected to an event her family had refused to discuss for three years. Maya searched through an old box in her room and found the original photograph. On the back were four disturbing words: “YOU WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO KNOW.” Before she could understand what they meant, another message appeared: “PLATFORM 9. 23:45. BRING THE ORIGINAL.” Maya knew she should tell her mother, but she had spent three years wondering what had really happened. Curiosity finally defeated fear. She took the photograph, put it into her backpack and quietly left home. When Maya reached the station, she discovered that there was no Platform 9 on the official signs. Following another message, she found a hidden staircase leading to an old platform. A train waited there in the darkness. As the clock reached midnight, Maya stepped onto the train. The doors closed behind her. Then her phone vibrated again. The sender's name made her freeze. DAD. The message said: “I'M SORRY YOU HAD TO FIND OUT THIS WAY.”