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The quick pounding of feet echoed against the decayed concrete walls of the empty train station, creating a chilling reverberation that made him shiver. Despite the blood flowing from the bullet wound in his calf, Jason felt no pain. Thanks to the rush of adrenaline in his body.
His lungs pleaded for oxygen. As he continued to move forward, his sight became hazy, but he understood that he must keep going. The looming yells of the moneylenders approached, as a harsh warning of the huge debt he had built up and the brutal attacks they had carried out in their unyielding chase for repayment.
The man's expression tightened as his voice turned ice-cold. “How many times have you said that to yourself? How many people have you harmed during the process?”
Jason felt his breath speed up as he thought about friends he had let down, the family he had distanced himself from, and the loan sharks he had repeatedly deceived. He always believed he could outwit everyone and that his fortune would change at some point. However, as he sat on the enigmatic train, he was unable to avoid facing reality. He had nothing left, including himself.
He asked once more in a barely audible voice, “Where is this train taking me?”
The man reclined in his chair, observing him intently. “That depends on you. This train is a place of reckoning. For some, it’s a second chance. For others... it’s the end of the line.”
Jason's mouth became very parched. “Is this the end?”
The man stared without wavering. “You’ve been given an opportunity, Jason. To confront your past, to acknowledge the damage you’ve done. If you can face it—if you can accept responsibility—perhaps there’s still a way forward.”
“What if I don’t?”
The man had a slim, almost melancholic smile. “Then this train will take you where you deserve to go.”
Jason felt a chill. He didn't understand the significance, but it made him feel extreme fear in his core. He could sense the burden of his history weighing heavily on him—the betting, the deceit, the aggression. The consequences of his actions were catching up to him, and he couldn't avoid them now.
He shut his eyes, attempting to ponder, attempting to inhale. His calves ached, and his thoughts flew. After spending his entire life running, he wondered where it had taken him. At this location. On this eerie train, there is no escape left.
At last, Jason opened his eyes and looked at the man in the suit. “What do I have to do?” He asked. His voice trembling.
The man remained standing, his form towering above Jason. “You already know,” he whispered. “You have been avoiding it the whole time.”
After that, the man turned around and left, his footsteps gradually disappearing in the distance.
Jason remained still, burdened with a heavy heart. He understood the man's message. He needed to face his history, his decisions, and the harm he had caused. However, the uncertainty persisted— was he capable? Was he prepared to confront the ruins of his life, or would this train lead him to his ultimate destination, a place of no return?
While the train rushed through the never-ending fog, Jason knew, he was running out of time. The mystery of the midnight train was unfolding before him, but the outcome was in his hands.
Jason had always been a gambler. Since he was in his early twenties, he had found the thrill of the game—the rush of taking risks—to be addictive. Initially, it was just harmless entertainment, a means to break free from his unfulfilling job and the boring routine of daily existence. As time passed, the risks increased, along with his losses. He borrowed from all acquaintances, even those who were not the right choice. When he was unable to repay them, the situation had become unpleasant.
And now, here he was, running for his life with nothing but a trail of blood behind him. The dimly lit station, long abandoned and overgrown with weeds, had become his last refuge. He arrived here without understanding the reason—possibly due to desperation or possibly due to instinct. However, while he moved swiftly through the lines of abandoned trains, he accidentally came across something unexpected—an open door to a compartment mysteriously inviting him inside.
And now, here he was, running for his life with nothing but a trail of blood behind him. The dimly lit station, long abandoned and overgrown with weeds, had become his last refuge. He arrived here without understanding the reason—possibly due to desperation or possibly due to instinct. However, while he moved swiftly through the lines of abandoned trains, he accidentally came across something unexpected—an open door to a compartment mysteriously inviting him inside.
Jason slumped into a worn seat, gasping for air as he tried to recover his breath. The faint glow within the compartment flickered gently, creating extended shadows over the vacant rows of seats. There was no one else aboard. The train seemed like it had been anticipating his arrival.
The interior air was musty yet strangely reassuring. Jason relaxed in his seat, tilting his head back and shutting his eyes briefly. He felt intense pain in his calf but chose not to shift position. Outside, the loan sharks' voices became quiet and finally faded completely, as if they had abandoned the pursuit.
Upon reopening his eyes, he noticed that the train was in motion.
Jason abruptly sat upright, gazing out the window. He hadn't noticed it moving, but the view outside had shifted. The deserted station had disappeared, substituted by a dense fog that wrapped around the train like twisting smoke tendrils. He could not see anything past it—no signs, no scenery, only a never-ending grey fog.
His heart rate increased. This was impossible. He had gotten on a train that was not even supposed to be operational, at a station that had been out of service for years.Yet, he found himself being transported through a realm that appeared to be beyond the constraints of time and space.
Jason hobbled through the tight passage clutching the seatbacks for support.
“Hello?” He shouted. His voice was feeble yet tinged with desperation. No reply was received. He proceeded to the following compartment but found that each one was equally deserted. There isn't anyone to be seen. Not a soul insight.
While walking through another train car, he observed a peculiar sight—the seating arrangements had changed. They appeared new, not old and worn anymore, with fresh upholstery in dark, luxurious fabric. The lighting was more inviting, with the scent of new wood and leather in the air. It felt like the train had travelled through time and evolved into a more extravagant and surreal version of itself.
He tripped and found a seat towards the rear of the carriage, his thoughts moving quickly. What was going on? Was he experiencing hallucinations due to the blood loss, or was there a deeper reason behind what he was seeing?
All of a sudden, he was alerted by the sound of footsteps. Jason quickly lifted his head. Another person was aboard the train.
A tall man wearing a well-fitted black suit entered the carriage. His complexion was ashen, almost unnaturally, and his eyes were dark, impossible to decipher. He had a sense of eerie tranquillity like he had witnessed countless worlds and tragedies but stayed unaffected.
“Are you trying to escape from something?” Asked the man, speaking in a soft and velvety tone.
Jason's heart was racing as he blinked. “Who are you—who are you? Where is this train headed to?”
The man gave a slight smile as he sat down opposite him.
His heart rate increased. This was impossible. He had gotten on a train that was not even supposed to be operational, at a station that had been out of service for years.Yet, he found himself being transported through a realm that appeared to be beyond the constraints of time and space.
Jason hobbled through the tight passage clutching the seatbacks for support.
“Hello?” He shouted. His voice was feeble yet tinged with desperation. No reply was received. He proceeded to the following compartment but found that each one was equally deserted. There isn't anyone to be seen. Not a soul insight.
While walking through another train car, he observed a peculiar sight—the seating arrangements had changed. They appeared new, not old and worn anymore, with fresh upholstery in dark, luxurious fabric. The lighting was more inviting, with the scent of new wood and leather in the air. It felt like the train had travelled through time and evolved into a more extravagant and surreal version of itself.
He tripped and found a seat towards the rear of the carriage, his thoughts moving quickly. What was going on? Was he experiencing hallucinations due to the blood loss, or was there a deeper reason behind what he was seeing?
All of a sudden, he was alerted by the sound of footsteps. Jason quickly lifted his head. Another person was aboard the train.
A tall man wearing a well-fitted black suit entered the carriage. His complexion was ashen, almost unnaturally, and his eyes were dark, impossible to decipher. He had a sense of eerie tranquillity like he had witnessed countless worlds and tragedies but stayed unaffected.
“Are you trying to escape from something?” Asked the man, speaking in a soft and velvety tone.
Jason's heart was racing as he blinked. “Who are you—who are you? Where is this train headed to?”
The man gave a slight smile as he sat down opposite him.
“The destination of the train is not important. It concerns your past experiences. And whatever it is that you are trying to escape from.”
Jason experienced a twisting sensation in his stomach. He attempted to stand up, but the agony in his leg was unbearable. “I don’t understand. Boarding this train was never my intention. I was just trying to get away. The lenders who prey on others, they—”
The man lifted his hand, quieting him. “You have dedicated your life to running. Avoiding your debts, your failures, and your decisions. You risked it all—your finances, your connections, and even your very existence. And now, everything has come back to you.”
Jason shook his head, feeling his chest fill with rising panic. “I had no choice! I just—I couldn’t stop. I kept thinking I could win it back.”
Jason experienced a twisting sensation in his stomach. He attempted to stand up, but the agony in his leg was unbearable. “I don’t understand. Boarding this train was never my intention. I was just trying to get away. The lenders who prey on others, they—”
The man lifted his hand, quieting him. “You have dedicated your life to running. Avoiding your debts, your failures, and your decisions. You risked it all—your finances, your connections, and even your very existence. And now, everything has come back to you.”
Jason shook his head, feeling his chest fill with rising panic. “I had no choice! I just—I couldn’t stop. I kept thinking I could win it back.”
The man's expression tightened as his voice turned ice-cold. “How many times have you said that to yourself? How many people have you harmed during the process?”
Jason felt his breath speed up as he thought about friends he had let down, the family he had distanced himself from, and the loan sharks he had repeatedly deceived. He always believed he could outwit everyone and that his fortune would change at some point. However, as he sat on the enigmatic train, he was unable to avoid facing reality. He had nothing left, including himself.
He asked once more in a barely audible voice, “Where is this train taking me?”
The man reclined in his chair, observing him intently. “That depends on you. This train is a place of reckoning. For some, it’s a second chance. For others... it’s the end of the line.”
Jason's mouth became very parched. “Is this the end?”
The man stared without wavering. “You’ve been given an opportunity, Jason. To confront your past, to acknowledge the damage you’ve done. If you can face it—if you can accept responsibility—perhaps there’s still a way forward.”
“What if I don’t?”
The man had a slim, almost melancholic smile. “Then this train will take you where you deserve to go.”
Jason felt a chill. He didn't understand the significance, but it made him feel extreme fear in his core. He could sense the burden of his history weighing heavily on him—the betting, the deceit, the aggression. The consequences of his actions were catching up to him, and he couldn't avoid them now.
He shut his eyes, attempting to ponder, attempting to inhale. His calves ached, and his thoughts flew. After spending his entire life running, he wondered where it had taken him. At this location. On this eerie train, there is no escape left.
At last, Jason opened his eyes and looked at the man in the suit. “What do I have to do?” He asked. His voice trembling.
The man remained standing, his form towering above Jason. “You already know,” he whispered. “You have been avoiding it the whole time.”
After that, the man turned around and left, his footsteps gradually disappearing in the distance.
Jason remained still, burdened with a heavy heart. He understood the man's message. He needed to face his history, his decisions, and the harm he had caused. However, the uncertainty persisted— was he capable? Was he prepared to confront the ruins of his life, or would this train lead him to his ultimate destination, a place of no return?
While the train rushed through the never-ending fog, Jason knew, he was running out of time. The mystery of the midnight train was unfolding before him, but the outcome was in his hands.
