The Silent Passenger

Luca had never been afraid of traveling alone. The bustling streets of Berlin had always felt like home, the vibrant lights and endless sounds comforting as he made his way through the city’s underground stations. But tonight was different.

It was after midnight, and the train platform was eerily quiet. Only a few people were scattered around, and the usual noise of the trains was muffled, as if something was wrong. Luca glanced at his watch—he’d missed the last few trains, and this one would be his last chance to get home.

The train pulled into the station, its doors opening with a mechanical hiss. Luca stepped inside, the dim lights casting long shadows across the nearly empty car. He took a seat by the window, watching as the city blurred past, the rhythmic sound of the train’s movement lulling him into a strange calm.

But something was off.

A man in a dark coat had boarded the train just as the doors were closing. He stood near the door, his eyes hidden under the brim of his hat, his posture stiff and unnatural. Luca tried to ignore him, but there was something unsettling about the way the man stared at the floor, unmoving.

As the train sped through the tunnels, Luca’s unease grew. The man hadn’t shifted even once, not even when the train rattled over a particularly rough patch of tracks. His eyes never moved, never blinked.

The train made a sudden stop at the next station, and the doors opened with a familiar hiss. Luca’s breath caught when he realized the man hadn’t moved. He was still standing by the door, frozen in place, as if he was waiting for something—or someone.

Luca stood, preparing to leave the train, but just before he reached the door, the man spoke. His voice was barely a whisper, but it sliced through the silence like a blade.

“Don’t look behind you.”

Luca froze. The words were so chilling that his heart skipped a beat. Slowly, his eyes shifted toward the reflection in the glass. There, just behind him, was a pale figure—its face barely visible, but its eyes gleaming with malice.

He spun around to face the man, but the seat behind him was empty. No one was there.

The train doors closed, and the train started moving again. The man in the dark coat was gone, but the feeling of being watched never left Luca. The cold sweat on his skin reminded him that some passengers didn’t get off at the last station.