The Train That Never Arrived
Han Seo-yeon hated crowded trains.
She stood near the door of Cabin C, one hand holding the metal pole, the other gripping her bag tightly. The morning air smelled like coffee, perfume, and tired people.
It was just another weekday.
Or at least, it was supposed to be.
The train moved smoothly through the city. Outside the window, buildings passed by in a blur. Inside, people were half-asleep. Some were scrolling on their phones. Some were arguing softly. A child was crying two rows ahead.
Normal.
Too normal.
Seo-yeon didn't know why, but her chest felt tight.
Like something was about to happen.
Across from her stood a tall man in a dark coat. Calm. Quiet. Watching nothing in particular. Their eyes met for half a second before he looked away.
She didn't know him.
But for some reason, she felt like she had seen him before.
The train slowed as it approached the next station.
Suddenly—
The lights flickered.
Passengers groaned. Someone laughed.
"Not again," a man muttered.
A loud static sound echoed through the speakers.
"Attention passengers— please remain calm. Due to an unexpected—"
The announcement cut off.
Static.
Silence.
Then—
A scream.
Everyone turned.
At the far end of the cabin, a man was struggling. He grabbed another passenger by the collar.
"Get off me!" the passenger shouted.
The man's face looked wrong.
Pale. Veins dark under his skin. Eyes red and unfocused.
He opened his mouth—
And bit down on the other passenger's arm.
Blood spilled instantly.
People screamed.
Chaos exploded inside the cabin.
Someone tried to pull the attacker back. Another person kicked him. A woman cried hysterically.
"What is he doing?!"
"He's crazy!"
"Call security!"
Seo-yeon froze.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest.
The tall man in the dark coat moved first. Fast. Controlled. He pushed through people toward the chaos.
The train suddenly shook.
Hard.
A deep metallic sound echoed beneath the floor.
Seo-yeon grabbed the pole to steady herself.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
The emergency lights turned red.
Another announcement started—
"Emergency protocol acti—"
BOOM.
The world turned white.
A deafening explosion tore through the train.
Heat slammed into her body.
Glass shattered.
Metal screamed.
People didn't even have time to cry.
Seo-yeon felt herself thrown backward.
The last thing she saw—
Was fire swallowing the cabin.
And the tall man reaching toward her.
Then everything went black.
—
Han Seo-yeon opened her eyes.
The train smelled like coffee and perfume.
The morning air felt the same.
She was standing near the door of Cabin C.
One hand holding the metal pole.
Her bag still in her grip.
The child two rows ahead was crying.
The same child.
The same sound.
The same man in the dark coat stood across from her.
Calm.
Quiet.
Watching nothing.
Her breathing stopped.
No.
No, no, no.
This wasn't possible.
The train slowed as it approached the next station.
The lights flickered.
Someone laughed.
"Not again," a man muttered.
Seo-yeon's fingers tightened around the pole.
Her voice came out in a whisper.
"…It's going to explode."
The announcement began—
"Attention passengers— please remain calm. Due to an unexpected—"
Static.
And this time, she didn't wait.
Her heart slammed against her ribs as she screamed:
"STOP THE TRAIN!"
The tall man in the dark coat slowly turned his head toward her.
And this time—
He was looking directly at her.