A Phantom Passenger : Caught Between Reality and a Dream
The station was already buzzing with people when I sprinted through the entrance, barely catching sight of my departing train. Heart pounding, I dashed across the platform, hoping against hope that I wouldn’t miss it. Just as the train was about to leave, a hand appeared out of nowhere, grabbing mine with a firm grip and pulling me aboard. I glanced up to thank him, but… he was gone.
As I made my way to my seat, I was startled to find the same man sitting beside me. I blinked in surprise, trying to process how he had disappeared and reappeared so suddenly. Feeling a bit awkward, I muttered, “Thank you for helping me back there.” He smiled warmly, and that’s where our conversation began.
The more we spoke, the more unsettling the conversation became. He somehow knew every little thing I mentioned. It was as if he had been living the same life, with the same thoughts and experiences as mine, but twisted just enough to make me uncomfortable. We shared so many common interests and perspectives, things people usually wouldn’t connect with me on.
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After half an hour of strange, yet pleasant conversation, he casually asked, “How’s your leg after that incident this morning?” I froze. My mind raced. He couldn’t have known. I hadn’t mentioned it, and he’d been on the train long before I got to the station. I felt a chill creep down my spine.
In a panic, I asked a few other passengers if they had seen him or if he had lied about boarding earlier. They looked at me in confusion. “Who are you talking about?” one of them asked, their expression puzzled. My heart sank. I pointed to the seat next to me, but their words made me shiver. “There’s been no one sitting next to you this whole time.”
Feeling a cold sweat break out, I hurried to check the washroom where he had gone moments before. Of course, it was empty. I ran to the conductor, asking if anyone had booked the seat next to me. The conductor checked the list, then looked back at me with concern. “No one booked that seat,” he said.
I panicked. My head was spinning. When did I even fall asleep?
The next thing I remember, I woke up still at the station, before the train’s departure. It had all been a dream — or so I thought. I shook off the lingering unease as I grabbed my bag and headed for the train. But just as I was about to board, I saw a man stepping off the train — the same man from my dream. I hurried after him, but he vanished before I could say a word.
