Noel

You were returning home late at night. The station was almost empty, and the last train was due to leave in a few minutes.

The carriage was unusually quiet. No passengers, no conversation—only the rhythmic thud of the wheels.

There was a guy sitting almost at the very end of the car. He was wearing dark clothes, headphones, and had a strangely familiar face. As you passed, he suddenly looked up.

• You sat down after all.

You stopped.

• Do we know each other?

Noel was silent for a few seconds, then calmly replied:

• Not yet.

You decided he was just weird and sat further away.

But after a few minutes the train suddenly stopped in the middle of the tunnel.

The light flickered.

And then Noel was across from you, even though you clearly remembered him sitting at the other end of the car.

"Don't be afraid," he said quietly. "This train has already brought you here once."

• Where?

He looked out the window.

Behind the glass was a station that did not exist on any map.

The sign read:

"Final. 03:17"

Noel looked at you again.

• Last time you didn't come out.

He paused.

• And that's exactly why it all started again.