Maya stared at the empty seat in front of her, unable to move.
Just a moment ago, the mysterious stranger had been sitting there, speaking to her as if he knew everything about her life. But now… he was gone.
Her fingers tightened around her bag.
That's impossible.
The train hadn't stopped again. No one had walked past her. There was simply no way he could disappear.
She quickly stood up and looked around the compartment.
Passengers were talking among themselves, annoyed by the sudden delay. An old man argued with the ticket inspector while a young couple complained about the lights flickering.
Everything looked normal.
Except for one thing.
No one seemed to remember the man in black.
"Excuse me," Maya asked the woman sitting nearby, her voice slightly shaky. "Did you see the man who was sitting here?"
The woman frowned. "Which man?"
"The one wearing black… he was right here."
The woman looked confused before shaking her head.
"You've been sitting alone since you boarded."
Maya felt her stomach drop.
Alone?
That couldn't be true.
She clearly remembered his voice… his eyes… the strange way he spoke about destiny.
Her heartbeat grew louder as doubt crept into her mind.
Was she imagining things?
Suddenly, the train lights flickered again.
For a brief second, darkness swallowed the compartment.
And in that darkness—
Maya heard a whisper near her ear.
"Looking for me?"
She gasped and turned around instantly.
No one.
Her breathing became uneven.
The announcement speaker suddenly came alive with a burst of static.
"Attention passengers… temporary technical issue…"
The robotic voice echoed through the coach, but Maya barely listened.
Something cold brushed against her hand.
She looked down.
A folded piece of paper rested on her seat.
Her hands trembled as she opened it.
Three words were written in neat handwriting:
'You remember now?'
Maya's vision blurred.
A faint memory flashed inside her mind—
Rain pouring heavily.
A crowded station.
Someone holding her hand tightly.
And those same eyes.
The same man.
Before she could understand anything, the train started moving again.
Outside the window, lights slowly returned as civilization came back into view.
Everything felt normal once more.
But Maya knew one thing for certain.
The stranger hadn't left the train.
He was still somewhere… watching her.
And this journey was far from over