Tales From The Dark Forest
The Train I Usually Take Has Changed It's Course, It Is Now Headed Nowhere...
With the $5 meal deal at McDonald's, you pick a McDouble or a McChicken, then get a small fry, a small drink, and a four-piece McNuggets. That's a lot of McDonald's for not a lot of money. Price and participation may vary for a limited time only. The gentle sway of the train car had always been soothing to me. As a regional sales manager for a large pharmaceutical company, I spent more time on railways than I did in my own bed. The rhythmic clack of wheels on tracks was my lullaby, the ever-changing landscape outside my window a constant companion. This particular Tuesday evening found me on yet another overnight train heading from Chicago to New York for a critical meeting. I settled into my usual routine, laptop out, spreadsheets open, a cup of mediocre coffee cooling on a fold-down tray. The first sign that something was amiss came about three hours into the journey. I glanced at my watch, frowning slightly. We should have reached Cleveland by now, but my cityscape outside remained stubbornly rural, fields and forests rolled by, bathed in the eerie glow of a full moon. I glanced down a passing attendant, a middle-aged woman with grain hair and a pinched expression. "Excuse me?" I said. "But shouldn't we have reached Cleveland by now?" She gave me a strange look, her eyes slightly unfocused. " Cleveland? I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not familiar with that stop. Perhaps you're thinking of a different route." Before I could respond, she hurried away, disappearing into the next car. I sat back, puzzled. How could she not know Cleveland? It was a major stop on this line. I shook my head, chalking it up to a new employee's confusion and returned to my work. As the hours ticked by, my unease grew. The landscape outside never changed, an endless loop of moonlit fields and shadowy forests. My phone had lost signal long ago, and my watch seemed to be malfunctioning, its hands spinning wildly before stopping altogether. I decided to stretch my legs, hoping to walk through the train might clear my head. As I made my way through the cars, I noticed how eerily quiet it was. A few passengers I saw sat motionless in their seats, staring blankly ahead or out the windows. In the dining-car, I found an elderly man hunched over a cup of coffee. His wrinkled hands trembled slightly as he lifted the mug to his lips. "Excuse me," I said, sliding into the seat across from him. "I don't mean to bother you, but have you noticed anything strange about this journey?" The old man's roomy eyes focused on me, a flicker of recognition passing across his face. "Your new aren't you," he said, his voice a dry whisper. "First time on this line?" I nodded, a chill running down my spine. "What do you mean, this line? This is just a regular Chicago to New York Route, isn't it?" He let out a wheezing laugh that turned into a cough. "Oh, my boy," he said, shaking his head. "This ain't no regular route. This here's the last line. Ain't no New York where we are headed." "I don't understand," I said, my heart beginning to race. "Where are we going then?" The old man leaned in close, a smell of stale coffee on his breath. "Nowhere," he whispered. "Everywhere. This train don't stop, son. It just keeps on going round and round world without end." I jerked back, convinced I was dealing with a madman. "That's impossible," I said. Every train has to stop eventually. He just smiled, a sad, knowing expression. "You go on believing that if it makes you feel better, but mark my words, you'll see. We all figure it out sooner or later." I stood up abruptly, nearly knocking over my chair. "You're crazy," I muttered, backing away. "This is just a normal train. We'll be in New York by morning." As I turned to leave, the old man called out. "What's your name, son?" I hesitated for a moment before answering. "Jack, Jack Thurston." He nodded slowly. "Well, Jack Thurston, I'm Howard. I'll be seeing you around. We got all the time in the world after all." I hurried back to my seat, Howard's words echoing in my mind. It was nonsense, of course. Trains just don't go on forever. There has to be a rational explanation for the delays and the strange behavior of the staff. As I sank into my seat, I noticed a young woman across the aisle furiously scribbling into a notebook. Her long dark hair fell in a curtain around her face, and her leg bounced with nervous energy. "Excuse me," I said, leaning towards her. "I don't suppose you know when we're due to arrive in New York, do you?" She looked up, her eyes wide and slightly manic. "New York," she repeated, letting out a hysterical giggle. "Oh, honey, there is no New York, not anymore. There's only the train." I felt my blood run cold. "What are you talking about?" She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I've been on this train for—I don't know how long—days, weeks?" It all blurs together. But I figured it out. We're not going anywhere. We're stuck in a loop, a never-ending journey to nowhere. I shook my head, refusing to believe it. "That's impossible. You're just confused. Maybe you fell asleep and missed your stop." She laughed again, a sound devoid of humor. "Oh, I wish it were that simple. But look around you. Have you seen anyone get off? Have we stopped at any stations?" "This isn't a normal train, Jack. This is something else entirely." I started at the sound of my name. "How did you know my name?" She smiled, a sad, knowing expression. "I heard you talking to Old Howard in the dining-car. I'm Lisa, by the way. Welcome aboard to Eternal Express." I stood up abruptly, my head spinning. "This is insane. A whole of you are insane. I'm going to find the conductor and get some answers." As I stormed off towards the front of the train, I heard Lisa call out behind me. "Good luck with that, but don't say I didn't warn you." I made my way through car after car, each one identical to the last. The same faded blue seats, the same flickering overhead lights, the same blank-faced passengers staring into nothingness. How long had I been walking? It felt like hours, but that was impossible in a train of normal length. Finally, I reached what should have been the engine car. But instead of a locomotive, I found myself in another passenger car, exactly like all the others. I spun around disoriented. How could this be? A hand on my shoulder made me jump. I turned to find the attendant from earlier. Her pinched face now twisted into an unnaturally wide smile. "Can I help you, sir?" she asked, her voice sickly sweet. "I need to speak to the conductor," I said, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. There's been some kind of mistake. This train should have reached New York by now. Her smile never waivered. "I'm sorry, sir, but there is no conductor, and there is no mistake. You're exactly—" We all have somewhere we're trying to get to. As the largest energy producer in Colorado, Chevron is helping meet rising demand, and we're working to do it responsibly. Our next-gen, tankless facilities reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our operations by more than 90 percent compared to our older designs, working to provide Colorado with energy that's affordable, reliable, and ever cleaner. So everyone can get to where they want to be. You've arrived. That's Energy in Progress. Visit chevron.com/tankless. You've heard of Pizza Hut's $7 deal lovers menu, right? All these delicious items for only $7 each when you buy two or more, but something's off. Pizza's melts, boneless wings, bacon, cheddar, cheese, sticks, oven, baked pastas, cinebon mini rolls, and that's not even the whole menu. I'll keep eating or digging. You should, too. Check out the $7 deal lovers menu at your local Pizza Hut. Product availability prices and participation may vary. Additional charges and exclusions may apply. Wings included are eight-count boneless. Leave where you're supposed to be. I backed away from her, my heart pounding. What is this place? What's happening? She tilted her head, her eyes suddenly black and empty. This is the last line, Mr. Thurston. The train that never stops, never ends. You bought a ticket, and now you're on the ride of eternity. I turned and ran, pushing past confused passengers, my breath coming in ragged gasps. This couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream, a hallucination, anything but reality. I bursted into the space between cars. The cold night air hitting me like a slap. The door to the next car was just a few feet away. If I could just reach it, maybe I could find a way off of this nightmare train. But as I stepped forward, a gap between the cars seemed to stretch. The next door moved further and further away, no matter how fast I ran. The wind howled around me, drowning out my screams of frustration and fear. Suddenly, a hand grabbed my arm, yanking me back into the car. I fell to the floor, gasping for breath. Lisa stood over me, her face pale in the flickering light. "Are you crazy?" she hissed. "You can't go out there. Between the cars, that's where it gets you." "Where what gets you?" I asked, my voice shaking. She helped me to my feet, glancing nervously at the door. The thing that runs this train, the thing that brought us all here, trust me, you don't want to meet it. As if on cue, a low rumbling sound echoed through the car. It was like nothing I had ever heard. Part machine, part animal, all wrong. The lights flickered more intensely, and for a moment, I could have sworn I saw something massive moving in the shadows between the cars. Lisa pulled me back to our seats, her grip on my arm almost painful. "Listen to me," she said urgently. "I know this is hard to accept. God knows I fought against it for… I don't even know for how long, but fighting only makes it worse. You have to accept where you are or you'll go mad." I slumped in my seat, my mind reeling. "But why? Why is this happening? What is this place?" She shook her head. "I don't know. None of us do. All we know is that we're here on this never-ending journey." Something gets hell. Others purgatory. Old Howard thinks it's some kind of cosmic mistake. Me? I think it's just the universe's way of saying, "Tough luck, kiddo." I looked out the window, watching the same moonlit landscape roll by. "How many times have I seen the same fields, those same trees? How long would I continue to see them?" "So what do we do?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. Lisa gave me a sad smile. We ride, we talk. We try to stay sane, and we hope that maybe, just maybe, one day will reach the last stop. As the train rolled on into the endless night, I realized with a sinking heart that my journey had only just begun. And the destination? That remained a terrifying mystery. Days blended into nights and nights into days. The monotonous rhythm of the train became the backdrop to my existence. I lost count to how many times I'd watched the same scenery roll by, how many times I'd walked the length of the train, hoping to find something, anything different. Lisa became my anchor in this sea of madness. We spent hours talking, sharing stories of our lives before the train. She had been a journalist, always chasing the next big story. "Guess I found it?" she would say with a bitter laugh, gesturing at our surroundings. Old Howard joined us often, his weathered face a map at the time he had spent in this hellish journey. "We'd been riding this rail for longer than I could remember," he'd say, his roomy eyes distant. Seeing folks come and go, some just disappear. Others?" he trailed off, shaking his head. I learned to fear the spaces between the cars. Sometimes, late at night, when the train's rhythms seemed to falter, we'd hear things. Scraping, slithering sounds. Once, I caught a glimpse of something massive and dark, undulating past the window. Lisa pulled me away before I could get a better look. "Trust me," she said, her face pale. "You don't want to know." The other passengers were a mix of the resigned and the mad. Some, like us, tried to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Others had given in to despair, sitting in the same spots day after day, staring blankly at nothing. And then there were those who just lost their minds entirely, prowling the cars with wild eyes and incoherent ramblings. One such soul was a man we called the preacher, tall and menacing, with a tangled beard and eyes that burned into a fanatical fever. He would roam the train, shouting about sin and redemption. "We're all here for a reason," he bellow, spit flying from his lips. "This is our punishment, our penance, repent and maybe, just maybe, you will find your way off this damn train." Most ignored him, but some listened. I watched as he gathered a small following, passengers desperate for any explanation, any hope of escape. It was on what I guess to be my hundredth day on the train that things took a darker turn. I was jolted awake by screams coming from the front of the car. Lisa was already on her feet, her face a mask of terror. "They've done it," she whispered. "They actually done it." I followed her gaze to see a group of the preacher's followers dragging a struggling passenger towards the door between cars. The preacher stood by, his arms raised, chanting something I couldn't make out over the victim's screams. "Oh, sacrifice," old Howard said, his voice grim. Bulls think they could appease whatever's running this train, but they're way off with blood. I started moving towards them, but Lisa helped me back. "Don't," she asked. "There's nothing we could do, just don't watch." But I couldn't look away. The group reached the door, and with a final triumphant cry from the preacher, they shoved their victim out into the space between cars. For a moment, nothing happened. Then came a sound, a wet, tearing noise that would haunt my nightmares for days to come. The door slammed shut, cutting off the screams. The preacher turned the face the rest of us, his eyes wild with excitement. "It is done," he shouted. "The unworthy have been cast out. Soon we shall reach our final destination." But the train rolled on, unchanged. Hours passed, then days. No final stop, no salvation. Just the endless journey and the growing madness of the preacher and his flock. More sacrifices followed. The train's population dwindled as passenger after passenger were thrown to whatever lurked between the cars. Those of us who refused to join the preacher's cult banded together, watching each other's backs, sleeping in shifts. It was during one of my watch shifts that I first saw her. A little girl, no more than seven or eight, wandering alone through the car. Her pink dress was pristine, her blonde hair neatly braided. She looked so out of place in this nightmare that for a moment, I thought I was hallucinating. "Hello?" I said softly, not wanting to scare her. We all have somewhere we're trying to get to. As the largest energy producer in Colorado, Chevron is helping meet rising demand, and we're working to do it responsibly. Our next-gen, tankless facilities reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our operations by more than 90 percent compared to our older designs. We're working to provide Colorado with energy that's affordable, reliable, and ever cleaner. So everyone can get to where they want to be. You've arrived. That's Energy in Progress. Visit chevron.com/tankless. You've heard of Pizza Hut's $7 deal lovers menu, right? All these delicious items for only $7 each when you buy two or more, but something's off. I mean, pizzas, melts, boneless wings, bacon, cheddar cheese, sticks, oven, baked pastas, cinnabon mini rolls, and that's not even the whole menu. I'll keep eating or digging. You should too. Check out the $7 deal lovers menu at your local Pizza Hut. Product availability prices and participation may vary. Additional charges and exclusions may apply. Wings included are eight-count boneless. Are you lost? She turned to me, and I had to stifle a gasp. Her eyes were completely black, like empty voids in her small face. When she spoke, her voice was old, ancient even. Lost. She repeated, tilting her head. No. I don't think so. I know exactly where I am. Do you? I felt a chill run down my spine. "What are you?" I whispered. She smiled, revealing teeth that were just a bit too sharp. "I'm a passenger, just like you. We're all passengers here, Jack. All of us, riding the rails to eternity." "How do you know my name?" I asked, though I dreaded the answer. "I know everyone's name," she said, her black eyes boring into mine. "I know why they're here. I know their sins, their fears, their deepest, darkest secrets." She took a step closer. "Would you like to know yours, Jack?" I backed away, my heart pounding. "Stay away from me," I said, my voice shaking. She laughed, a sound like breaking glass. "Oh, Jack. You cannot run from me. You cannot run from any of this. You bought your ticket. Now you have to ride." I blinked, and she was gone. Just vanished, as if she had never been there at all. I slumped in my seat, my mind reeling. "Was I losing it?" It I had finally snapped, like so many others on this god-forsaken train. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear. "Jack," she said urgently. "Something's happening. The train is slowing down." My eyes sat up, suddenly alert. She was right. For the first time since this nightmare began, I could feel the train decelerating. The familiar clack of wheels on tracks were slowing, becoming more distant. Passengers were stirring, looking around in confusion and hope. Even the preacher and his followers had stopped their mad ranting, staring out the windows with a mix of fear and anticipation. "Are we stopping?" I asked, hardly daring to believe it. Old Howard shook his head, his expression grim. "Don't get your hopes up, son. In all of my time here, I've never known this train to stop. Whatever's happening, it ain't gonna be good." As if to punctuate his words, the lights in the car began the flicker more intensely than ever before. The temperature dropped rapidly, our breath fogging in the suddenly frigid air. And then, with a great screeching of metal on metal, the train ground to a halt. For a moment, there was absolute silence. We all held our breath, waiting, hoping, fearing. Then, with the hiss of hydraulics, the doors slid open. "Finally!" the preacher cried, pushing his way towards the exit. "Our salvation is at hand. Come, brothers and sisters. Let us..." His words were cut off by a scream of pure terror. As he stepped off the train, something grabbed him, something huge and dark and impossible. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, leaving nothing behind but a spread pool of blood on the platform. Chaos erupted. Passengers pushed and shoved, some trying to get off the train, others desperately attempting to close the doors. I lost sight of Lisa in the pandemonium. And through it all, I heard laughter. That same glass-like sound from before. I turned to see the little girl with the black eyes standing calmly in the middle of the mayhem. "Welcome to the last stop, Jack," she said, her voice cutting through the screams and cries. "Are you ready to get off?" As I stared into those bottomless black eyes, I realized with dawning horror that our endless journey had only been the beginning. The real nightmare was just starting. And somewhere in the distance, I heard the sound of a train whistle, signaling the departure of our next unknown destination. The chaos around me faded into a dull roar as I stared into the little girl's black eyes. Time seemed to slow, and in that moment I had a sudden crystal clear realization. This was a test. The endless train ride, the maddening repetition, the horrors we had witnessed. And it all been leading to this moment of choice. "No," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. "I'm not getting off. Not here. Not like this." The girl's smile faltered for a split second, a crack in her otherworldly composure. "You don't have a choice, Jack. Everyone has to get off eventually." I stood my ground. Even as I heard more screams from the platform, more passengers being dragged into the darkness. "There's always a choice. You told me I bought a ticket for this ride. Well, I'm not ready for it to end." Her eyes narrowed. "You can't stay on the train forever, Jack. It doesn't work like that." "Watch me," I growled, turning away from her and pushing through the panicked crowd. I had to find Lisa and Howard. We have survived this long together. I wasn't about to leave them behind now. I spotted Howard first, huddled in a corner, his eyes wide with terror. "Come on," I said, grabbing his arm. "We need to move." "Where?" he asked, his voice trembling. "There's nowhere to go. It's gone us. It's finally gone us." I shook him, perhaps more roughly than I intended. "Listen to me. This isn't the end. It's just another part of the journey, but we have to stick together, now help me find Lisa." Something in my voice must have reached him because he nodded, stumbling to his feet. We pushed through the crowd, searching desperately for Lisa's familiar face. We found her near the front of the car, trying to pull other passengers back from the door. "Lisa," I called out, "we have to go." She turned, relieved flooding her face when she saw us. "Go where?" she asked as she reached us. "In case you haven't noticed, we're a little short on options here." I pointed towards the back of the train. "We keep moving. This thing has to end somewhere, and I don't think it's here." As if in response to my words, I heard the train whistle again, louder this time. The engine was starting up. "It's leaving," Howard said, his eyes wide. "We have to get off now, or..." "Or we'll be trapped here forever?" I finished for him. "I've got news for you, Howard. We're already trapped. Have been since we first stepped on board, but now we have a chance to find the real way out." Lisa looked at me, understanding, dawning in her eyes. "You think this is all part of it, don't you? The final test." I nodded. "It has to be, and I'm not failing it by giving it now." The train lurched, beginning to move. Around us, the last of the passengers were either fleeing onto the platform or collapsing in despair. "It's now or never," I said. "Are you with me?" Lisa grabbed my hand without hesitation. Howard hesitated for a moment, looking long at the door, but then took Lisa's other hand. "Alright," he said. "Let's see where this crazy train takes us." As the train picked up speed, we made our way towards the back, pushing against the tide of terrified passengers. We all have somewhere we're trying to get to. As the largest energy producer in Colorado, Chevron is helping meet rising demand, and we're working to do it responsibly. Our next-gen, tankless facilities reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our operations by more than 90 percent compared to our older designs, working to provide Colorado with energy that's affordable, reliable, and ever cleaner. So everyone can get to where they want to be. You've arrived. That's Energy in Progress. Visit chevron.com/tankless. You've heard of Pizza Hut's $7 deal-lovers menu, right? All these delicious items for only $7 each when you buy two or more, but something's off. I mean, pizzas, melts, boneless wings, bacon, cheddar, cheese, sticks, oven, baked pastas, cinnabon mini-rolls, and that's not even the whole menu. I'll keep eating or digging. You should too. Check out the $7 deal-lovers menu at your local Pizza Hut. Product availability prices and participation may vary. Additional charges and exclusions may apply. Wings included or eight-count boneless. The little girl appeared again. Her face contorted with rage. "You can't do this," she shrieked. "You have to get off. Everyone gets off." "Not today," I told her, pushing past. We reached the final car just as the platform disappeared from view. Through the windows, we could see only darkness, not the familiar darkness at night, but an absolute void, empty of all light and substance. The train picked up speed, rattling and shaking more violently than ever before. We huddled together, bracing ourselves against the walls of the car. "What now?" Lisa yelled over the noise. "We wait," I said. "And we don't let go." The train outside seemed the press in on us, seeping through the windows like a living dang. The lights in the car flickered and died, plunging us into blackness. I could feel Lisa's hand in mind, Howard's presence at my side, but I couldn't see them. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the shaking stopped. The oppressive darkness lifted, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, the train began to slow. Sunlight, real warm, beautiful sunlight strained through the windows. I blinked, my eyes unsettled to the brightness after so long in the train's artificial light. As my vision cleared, I saw that we were pulling into a station, a real station, with people waiting on the platform, going about their daily lives as if nothing was a mess. The train came to a gentle stop, and the door is opened with a familiar hiss. For a long moment, none of us moved, afraid that this was just another trick, another test. Then, Howard let out a whoop of joy and rushed for the door. Lisa and I followed, stepping out onto the platform with shaky legs. The station sign read "Grand Central Terminal." We were in New York. We had made it. As we stood there, breathless and disbelieving, I felt a tug on my sleeve. I turned to see the little girl with the black eyes, but now in the sunlight she looked different, normal. Just a regular kid with brown eyes and a confused expression. "Excuse me?" she said, her voice high and childish. "Is this the train to Chicago?" I yelled down to her level, smiling gently. "No, sweetheart. This train just came from Chicago, but trust me, you don't want to get on it." She nodded, thanked me, and ran off to find her parents. I watched her go, a way to lifting from my chest. Lisa squeezed my hand. "Is it really over?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. I looked at her, then at Howard, then at the bustling station around us. "Yeah," I said, finally allowing myself to believe it. I think it is. As we made our way out of the station and into the bright New York morning, I knew that the memories of our endless journey would stay with us forever. But we had faced the darkness, made our choice, and found our way back to the light. And if I ever saw a train again, it would be too soon. Well, it sounds like the tenants at your rental property sure know how to throw a great party. You just wish they wouldn't throw so many parties, on Tuesdays, until 4 a.m. And if they could pay the rent on time, that would be nice too. Being a landlord can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be. Let Renters Warehouse handle the hard part of property management for you, like finding quality tenants you can trust. 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