A Haunted Express 3

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

That was my cue to freak out. Something’s really wrong.

Not so far from where I am, a granddaughter saw her grandfather, a son saw his mother, and a wife saw her husband.

The latter was weird.

The husband didn't rise from the dead.

 

“Pa, tapos na ba ang 2-year contract mo sa Japan?” purred the wife, while giving him a tight hug.

“Patapos na Ma,” replied the husband.

“Oh, eh bakit bumalik ka agad? At paano?” asked the puzzled wife.

“Hindi ko rin alam. Basta sumakay ako ng tren dun sa amin. Ang naalala ko lang, nami-miss kita habang umaandar yung tren. Tapos ayun, andito na ako,” answered the husband.

That’s new information. I guess the train brings back the people we miss; both living and departed.

I walked towards the front part of the loading bay. I noticed, there were only a few people who alighted from the train.

No one went inside the train. I guess nobody’s supposed to ride it.

After a few minutes, the train left.

Those who have met their loved ones went to the Waiting Room, while I went back to the bench where I was seated.

When I was already seated, my phone rang. Someone’s calling.

I checked my phone, and it was Jay. He said he saw me at the loading bay, but he wasn’t sure if that was me so he didn’t shout my name. He called me to confirm if it was me that he saw.

I asked where he was, and I got up, and walked towards the Luggage Room.

After Jay hanged-up, I noticed I received two text messages. They were from Jude and Denver. Apparently, they were also at the train station.

I told Jay that Jude and Denver are just around and we might as well look for them; he agreed. They could either be somewhere where the benches are or they’re inside the Waiting Room. 

We tried the loading bay first.

While walking towards the loading bay, we heard a familiar sound again.

“Jay, a train’s coming!” I shouted.

“Oo nga, noh? Tara!” said Jay.

We hurried towards the loading bay.

Just like moments ago, people are waiting for the train to stop, and see who will be alighting this time. It could be anyone’s loved one; whether alive or brought back to life.

This time, there were a lot of people who alighted from the 2^nd train. People are looking around, searching for someone they know.

Some found theirs, some didn’t. But as for me, I found someone.

“Nate!” shouted some guy. The voice sounded familiar.

I looked around, and there he was—Louie.

It’s been almost two months since he went to Brunei, and I must admit, I miss my younger brother. I waved “hi”, and he waved back at me.

When I was about to walk towards him, my phone rang. It was Denver.

“Nate, asan ka?” asked Denver.

“I’m at the loading bay with Jay, I just saw my younger brother,” I answered.

“Ah talaga? Oy, come here sa Waiting Room. Put*ngina, you have got to see who’s here.”  said Denver.

“Sino?” I asked.

“Basta! Bilisan nyo!” exclaimed Denver.

“Ok.”

I signaled Louie that I have to go, somewhere and he nodded.

“Jay, let’s go. Nasa Waiting Room daw sila Denver at Jude. May kasama pa silang isa,”  I told Jay.

“Sino daw? Someone we know?” asked Jay.

“Siguro. Na-mura pa nga ako ni Denver eh.”  I answered.

We both laughed.

On the hallway towards the Waiting Room, someone shouted my name; it was Jude.

“Nate, this way!” shouted Jude.

So Jay and I hurried to where he is.

“Sino bang andyan?” asked Jay.

“Basta..” said Jude.

“Pa-suspense. Ang arte.” I said.

“There he is, near the right corner,” said Jude as he pointed towards a certain direction. I saw Denver, and he was talking to another guy. When the guy turned around..

“Put*ngina!” shouted Jay.

Jay ran towards him and gave him a hug; I froze.

“Oh my God, is that really you?”

“Yes, Nate, ako ‘to. It’s me, Riley.”

***to be continued…

A Haunted Express 2

Part 1 | Part 2

I immediately got up, and checked if I'm really awake or I'm still dreaming. After catching my breath, I got up and drank a glass of water.

When I was already able to think clearer, I opened my laptop and started recalling the details of the dream...

***

I was supposed to go somewhere I can’t clearly recall. All I know is that I’m supposed to take the train going there.

I arrived at the first station of the Express, dragging a stroller-type luggage. Funny how there’s a sign board that says “Departure.” I remembered smirking after seeing the sign board.

Nothing’s odd.

I often take the train going to work, so this one’s just a usual thing. Some look like in hurry. Some are carrying a lot of bags. Some look indifferent, with their earplugs on, shaking their head to whatever music it is their listening to. Others just sit there on the benches, waiting.

After quite a while, the overhead speakers sounded:

“Attention, all passengers! Please proceed to the Luggage Room to leave your baggage. Our staff will take good care of your belongings while loading them inside the train.”

People fell in two lines, going towards the Luggage Room. Inside, poker-faced staff would take your things from you and set them aside some corner. I was the 30^th in the left line.

When one of the staff got my stroller-bag, I went outside, and hurried back to the bench where I was seated a while ago. Good thing, it's still vacant.

Then, it hit me.

Departure sign board. Stroller-bag. Luggage Room.

“Shit. There’s something wrong.”

Sign boards usually display the “station’s name,” not “Departure.”

This isn’t an airport, so why is there a Luggage Room?

Also, there isn’t a train to begin with. Where the fuck would they load our stuff?

And lastly, why does it seem like I’m the only one affected? People around me seem to act normally about what’s happening.

If there is a train, it should’ve been there before they’d let us enter inside the station. But there’s none.

So I tried to stay calm, and not make a scene. Who knows what might happen if I start asking around?

After a couple of minutes, I heard a familiar sound.

A train.

A train is approaching, and fast; this got the attention of everyone.

This is the first station of the train, with a Departure sign board.

“Why is there a train arriving?” asked a mother of three kids to this young man seated beside her, two benches away from me.

“I don’t know,” answered the young man.

Some nosy people walked towards the loading bay of the train and tried to get a look of the arriving train. When the train is almost near, they took a step back, and waited for the train to stop.

I ran towards the loading bay to see what’s going on.

Then, something bizarre happened.

“Joey, anak?” said a father to boy who alighted from the train.

“Papa?” said the boy, who’s a bit confused on what’s happening.

“Anak? Anak!” shouted the father as he ran towards the boy to hug him. He, then, held the boy’s face and took a good look at him. He was examining the boy’s neck, arms, hands, and legs.

“Anak, ikaw nga,” said the father, almost in tears. I was near them, witnessing the drama.

“Ma! Ma! Yung anak mo, andito!” shouted the father, while waving his hand to his wife. The lady, then, paved the way towards the scene.

Upon seeing her son, the mother turned pale white.

“Joey?” asked the lady.

“Mama…” replied the little boy.

She went near the boy, knelt down in front of him, and slowly touched his face. Tears start to trickle down the mother’s cheeks.

Trembling, she hushed:“Pano nangyari ‘to, anak? Eh, tatlong taon ka nang patay.” 



***to be continued...

A Haunted Express

“Get back! Get back to the Waiting Room!” exclaimed Mrs. B, as she pounds her mallet of steel on the wall.

She has changed, a lot.

She was one of my teachers in high school. But now, it seems as if she’s part of the authorities. Like a military woman, or a policewoman, or more of a commander of some army. And in my head, I was thinking, “What happened between then and now? Why did she change?”

“One minute! I just need to get a band-aid, and antibiotics,” I said. But I was wondering, “why antibiotics?”

I remember being scratched during a stampede. It’s just a minor wound, though, but she bought my excuse. It bought me some time to go over my stuff in my bag, and look for something. Funny how I can’t remember what I was looking for, until Mrs. B bolted inside the Luggage Room.

“What’s taking you so long? You got your band-aid already!” fumed Mrs. B. 

She looked displeased, as if I disobeyed her command to get back to the Waiting Room.

“I need my meds! See?” I showed her a packet of pills, without even reading what they’re for.

“Faster! Move faster!” shouted Mrs. B. In my head, I was thinking, “What is it with her? What’s with all the shouting?”

“Ok. Ok. Jeez,” I exclaimed, and then ran out of room.

Outside, it was a horrid sight to behold—a lot of bodies were scattered on the ground, mostly bathing in their own blood. Majority of them are shot. Some are barely breathing; while others just lay lifeless on the floor.

I ran to safety, working my way towards the sign board that says “Waiting Room.”

Then I woke up, gasping for air.

***to be continued…

P.S. F*ck dreams! Why do they have to be this crazy?