The Last Midnight Train

Chapter 3: The Empty Seat

The train moved deeper into the darkness.

Daniel sat quietly, watching the reflection of the carriage lights flicker across the window. Outside, there was almost nothing to see. Every few seconds, a distant tree or road sign appeared and disappeared again.

He checked his phone.

12:47 AM.

Still no signal.

He looked across the carriage.

The elderly man was still sitting in the same place, his hands resting on the top of his walking stick. His eyes were closed, but Daniel couldn't tell whether he was asleep.

Then Daniel noticed something strange.

There was an empty seat beside the old man.

It had been empty when Daniel first entered the train, but now there was a small black bag sitting on it.

Daniel stared at it.

He was certain the bag hadn't been there before.

The train suddenly slowed.

The lights flickered once.

Then twice.

Daniel looked toward the doors.

Nobody had entered.

Nobody had left.

When the train began moving again, he looked back at the seat.

The bag was gone.

His heart began beating faster.

"You're wondering about the seat."

Daniel froze.

The old man's eyes were still closed.

"How did you—"

"You've been staring at it for the last five minutes."

The old man opened his eyes.

Daniel forced a nervous smile.

"I was just wondering who owned the bag."

The old man looked at the empty seat.

"There was never a bag."

Daniel didn't answer.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then the old man leaned forward.

"What's your name?"

"Daniel."

"Daniel what?"

"Daniel Mokoena."

The old man nodded slowly.

"Have you been on this train before?"

Daniel shook his head.

"No."

The old man looked toward the window.

"That's what everyone says."

Before Daniel could ask what he meant, the train entered a tunnel.

The carriage became completely dark.

Daniel heard the sound of the wheels pounding against the tracks.

Then—

Knock.

He looked toward the window.

Nothing.

Knock. Knock.

This time the sound came from the glass beside him.

Daniel slowly turned his head.

There was a handprint on the outside of the window.

He stared at it.

The train was moving far too fast for anyone to be standing outside.

He blinked.

The handprint disappeared.

The lights returned.

Daniel immediately looked at the old man.

The old man was staring directly at him.

"You saw it," he said.

Daniel swallowed.

"Saw what?"

The old man didn't answer.

Instead, he pointed toward the opposite side of the carriage.

Daniel turned.

There was someone sitting in the empty row.

A young woman.

She wore a dark jacket and held an old-fashioned train ticket between her fingers.

Daniel had never seen her enter.

She looked directly at him.

Then she smiled.

Not a friendly smile.

A familiar one.

As if she had been waiting for him.

Daniel looked down at his own ticket.

His hands became cold.

The destination printed on it had changed.

He was no longer travelling to his original destination.

Instead, four words were printed across the ticket:

LAST STOP — MIDNIGHT.

Daniel looked up.

The woman was gone.

The seat was empty again.

The train continued through the darkness.

And for the first time, Daniel wondered whether he had boarded the train—

or whether the train had chosen him.