The door behind them clicked shut, sealing them in darkness. A cold draft swept the carriage, carrying the faint metallic scent of blood and rust. Evelyn shivered, pulling her jacket closer, though warmth did little to guard her from the chill creeping up her spine.
"Do you hear that?" Alex whispered.
Evelyn's eyes narrowed. The carriage was alive with sounds—soft, slithering whispers curling along the walls, brushing against their minds. "Leave… leave… leave now…"
Her pulse spiked. "This isn't just some legend," she muttered. "It's… aware of us."
Leo swallowed hard, voice trembling. "It's just… the wind… right?"
Evelyn gave him a sharp look. "No. It's waiting."
The whispers grew louder, sharper, almost urgent. The words weren't just sounds—they were pressing into her skull, fingernails scratching against her thoughts.
Then came a new voice, silky, cold, chilling to the bone:
"Solve my puzzle… or be trapped forever."
Evelyn stepped forward, scanning the carriage. Shadowed figures sat in the seats—passengers frozen mid-motion, pale faces blank and hollow. Their eyes seemed to follow every twitch of her muscles.
A panel slid open on the wall, glowing faintly. Words etched in silver light shimmered:
"I never speak, yet I lie. I hold the truth, yet hide it well. What am I?"
Evelyn studied it, teeth clenched. "A mirror… it's a mirror."
The shadows shifted violently, hissing, stretching across the walls like liquid darkness. Evelyn's hands shook as she pressed forward. The others followed, hearts hammering, breathing shallow.
When she spoke the answer aloud, the carriage seemed to exhale. The whispers faltered, the shadows recoiled. For a moment, silence fell.
Alex let out a shaky laugh. "We… did it?"
Evelyn's jaw remained tight. "I don't know. This… thing is far from over."
Ahead, the next door groaned open. Darkness deeper than any night beckoned. Evelyn's eyes flicked to the shadows lingering in the corners—unmoving, patient, and hungry.
She took a deep breath. "Then we keep moving. One step at a time. Always forward."
The friends stepped through the door together.
And somewhere, deep in the shadows, a low, mocking whisper followed them:
"The next puzzle… will know your fear."