Chapter 12: A Chapter Too Late

The train doors slid shut with a final hiss.

Daniel skidded to a stop on the platform, his dress shoes screeching against the tile. His breath came in ragged gasps, his tie slightly askew from his mad dash through the station. Just beyond the yellow safety line, the train lurched forward, gaining momentum, and disappeared into the tunnel. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He had woken up late—again. He had sprinted through his apartment, barely managing to throw on a wrinkled dress shirt and grab his briefcase before bolting out the door. He had skipped breakfast, opted against a much-needed coffee, and shoved past slow walkers, all in the desperate hope that he could just make it.

And yet, he was a second too late.

He muttered a curse under his breath. His boss wouldn't take another excuse for his tardiness, and the last time he had arrived late, she had given him a warning that had sounded suspiciously like a final one.

Across the platform, Claire sighed, checking her watch. She had missed the train too, but she wasn't rushing to work like Daniel. She was heading to a job interview that she wasn't sure she even wanted. Her heart wasn't in it. The past few months had been a haze of rejection letters, self-doubt, and long, aimless walks in the city. This interview, like all the others, felt like a shot in the dark. Even if she got the job, was it what she really wanted?

Her fingers drummed against the strap of her purse as she exhaled slowly. Maybe missing the train was a sign. Maybe she was meant to be late. Maybe she was meant to turn around, go home, and rethink everything.

A voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"You just missed it too?" Daniel asked, forcing a chuckle, trying to mask the frustration in his voice. He hadn't meant to speak, but the words had slipped out before he could stop them. There was something oddly comforting about knowing he wasn't alone in his misfortune.

Claire looked up, surprised. She hadn't even noticed the man standing a few feet away from her. His suit was slightly wrinkled, his expression a mixture of frustration and resignation. She smiled, offering a small nod. "Yep. And the next one isn't for another ten minutes."

Daniel sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Ten minutes."

They stood in silence for a moment, listening to the distant hum of the departing train. Around them, other commuters went about their day, scrolling through their phones, adjusting their bags, sipping coffee. The world moved on, indifferent to their missed opportunity.

And then, the world shattered.

A deafening explosion ripped through the air, a blast of sound so powerful that it sent shockwaves through the platform. The ground trembled beneath their feet. A wave of heat and smoke rolled toward them, and for a moment, all Daniel could hear was a high-pitched ringing in his ears.

He hit the ground instinctively, his hands flying over his head. Claire did the same, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. A chorus of screams echoed through the station, blending with the screech of twisted metal and the crackling of fire.

When Daniel finally lifted his head, his stomach dropped.

The train—the one they had missed by mere seconds—was now a mangled wreck of steel and flame. The windows had shattered outward, black smoke pouring from the gaping wounds in its structure. Fires raged along the tracks, sending thick, acrid fumes into the air. The platform was in chaos, people running, shouting, crying. Somewhere in the distance, an alarm blared.

Daniel's hands were shaking. He could feel his pulse hammering in his throat. His mind refused to process what his eyes were seeing.

"If we had been on that…" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Claire swallowed hard, unable to finish the thought. Her hands trembled as she clutched at the ground, trying to steady herself. A minute ago, she had been lamenting her missed train, questioning her direction in life. Now, none of that seemed to matter. They had been seconds away from boarding a train that would have—

She shook her head. No. She couldn't think about it.

Around them, people began to move. Some rushed toward the wreckage, drawn by horror and helplessness. Others stumbled away, too shaken to do anything but flee. The scent of burning metal and something more acrid—something terrifyingly human—hung in the air.

Daniel turned to Claire. In that moment, they were no longer strangers. Their eyes met, both reflecting the same disbelief, the same quiet, desperate gratitude for the ten minutes they never should have had.

Somewhere deep in the station, the sound of sirens grew louder.

Claire exhaled shakily, forcing herself to stand. "We need to get out of here," she murmured, though her legs felt like jelly.

Daniel nodded but didn't move right away. His mind was racing. How had this happened? Was it an accident? An attack? His workplace was a fifteen-minute walk from the station, but suddenly, the idea of going to work felt absurd. How could he possibly sit at his desk, write emails, and pretend that everything was normal after what had just happened?

"Come on," Claire said, touching his arm gently. The contact jolted him back to reality.

They weaved through the crowd, avoiding the worst of the chaos. As they reached the station exit, Daniel realized his hands were still shaking. Claire noticed too.

"Hey," she said softly, her voice steady despite the turmoil around them. "We made it out. We're okay."

Daniel let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Yeah." He looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time. Just minutes ago, they had been strangers waiting for a train. Now, they were something else. Survivors, maybe. Or just two people whose lives had been thrown together by sheer chance.

He glanced back at the station. Smoke curled into the sky, a dark reminder of how close they had come to being part of that wreckage. His boss, his job, his endless struggle to prove himself—it all felt distant now, unimportant.

Claire shifted beside him. "I don't think I'm going to that interview."

Daniel almost laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Yeah, I don't think I'm going to work either."

For a moment, they stood in the middle of the sidewalk, watching as police cars and ambulances screamed past them. The city moved on, but everything had changed.

Claire tilted her head. "You want to get a coffee or something?"

Daniel blinked. Of all the things he had expected to happen today, this wasn't one of them. But as he looked at her—this woman who had, moments ago, been just another person in the crowd—he found himself nodding.

"Yeah," he said. "I think I'd like that."

They walked away together, the station fading behind them, ten stolen minutes binding them in a way neither of them could yet understand.