Story 920: The Engineer’s Curse

The train thundered forward, splitting the mist-covered tracks like a blade. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of rust, old leather, and something rotting. Draven, Mira, Zara, and Elias moved cautiously down the dimly lit aisle, weapons raised. The flickering lanterns cast eerie shadows against the walls—shadows that moved on their own.

Behind them, the ghouls stirred, their twisted bodies shifting in the seats, jaws slowly unhinging.

Elias cocked his revolver. "We need to move. Now."

Mira turned toward Draven, whispering, "The book’s pulsing again. It’s like it knows something."

Draven gritted his teeth. "Then let's hope it tells us before we get eaten."

A low, mechanical groan echoed through the train. The walls shuddered.

From the far end of the carriage, the Ghoul Trainmaster's voice slithered toward them. "You think you can stop the train? Foolish mortals… You are passengers now. Your souls are already mine."