At 11:47 p.m., Nora Blake boarded the last train of the night.

She was the only passenger on Platform 6.

Rain poured across the empty station, turning the tracks into silver lines beneath the yellow lights.

Nora checked her ticket again.

BLACKRIDGE — 11:50 PM

Destination: Hollow Creek

She had never heard of Hollow Creek before.

But three hours earlier, she had received a letter.

There was no return address.

Only six words were written inside:

COME TO HOLLOW CREEK. HE IS ALIVE.

Below the message was a photograph of her older brother, Daniel.

Daniel had been missing for seven years.

Everyone believed he was dead.

Nora had never believed it.

The train arrived without making a sound.

Its doors opened.

She stepped inside.

The carriage was completely empty.

At least, she thought it was.

As she walked toward the back, she noticed a man sitting by the window.

He was wearing a dark coat.

His face was hidden beneath a black hat.

Nora stopped.

“Excuse me.”

The man didn’t move.

She continued walking.

Then he spoke.

“You’re going to Hollow Creek.”

Nora froze.

“How do you know?”

The man slowly turned toward her.

His face was pale.

His eyes were strangely familiar.

“Because everyone who goes there receives the same letter.”

Nora’s heart began beating faster.

“What letter?”

The man smiled.

“The one telling you that someone you love is still alive.”

The train doors suddenly closed.

Nora looked toward the platform.

There was no conductor.

No station worker.

No other passenger.

The train began moving.

She sat across from the stranger.

“Who are you?”

The man looked out the window.

“Someone who already made the mistake you’re making.”

“What mistake?”

“Going to Hollow Creek.”

Nora tightened her grip on the photograph.

“My brother is there.”

The man looked at her.

“No.”

He leaned closer.

“Something that looks like your brother is there.”

Nora stared at him.

“What does that mean?”

The lights flickered.

The train entered a tunnel.

For several seconds, everything became completely dark.

Then the lights returned.

The man was gone.

Nora jumped to her feet.

She searched the carriage.

Nothing.

No door had opened.

No window was broken.

He had simply disappeared.

Then she noticed something on the seat where he had been sitting.

A small black notebook.

She picked it up.

The first page contained a list of names.

There were seventeen names.

Every name had been crossed out.

The last name had not.

NORA BLAKE

Her hands began trembling.

She turned the page.

A sentence was written in red ink:

DON’T LET DANIEL RECOGNIZE YOU.

Nora stared at the words.

Then her phone rang.

The screen showed:

DANIEL

She almost dropped it.

Her brother’s number had been disconnected seven years ago.

Yet it was calling her now.

She answered.

“Daniel?”

Silence.

Then breathing.

Slow.

Heavy.

A man’s voice whispered:

“Nora…”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“Daniel? Where are you?”

The voice answered:

“On the train.”

Nora looked around.

The carriage was empty.

“What?”

“I’m behind you.”

She slowly turned.

Nobody was there.

Then the voice whispered again.

“Don’t turn around.”

Nora stopped breathing.

Something cold touched the back of her neck.

The train lights went out.

And someone whispered directly into her ear:

“You should never have come looking for me.”

When the lights returned, the train had stopped.

Outside the window stood a sign.

WELCOME TO HOLLOW CREEK

But beneath it, someone had painted another message:

POPULATION: 0

Nora stared at the empty town.

Then she looked down at the black notebook.

A new name had appeared beneath hers.

DANIEL BLAKE

And beside it were two words:

FOUND HER.

To be continued…