Chapter Text
The train was quietly moving through the mountains. The girl was watching the scenery through the train's window. There were only a few people scattered around her. She noticed the ticket inspector coming from the front of the train. This won't be a problem, she thought.
My train ticket is saved on my phone; I'll just open it and show it. But then I saw the police slowly approaching from a little farther away, and things changed. So that's why we waited at the previous stop longer than the usual. I hadn't even realized I'd crossed the border. Worse still, it hadn't even occurred to me to check the border when I bought the ticket. Just my luck—my seat wasn't on the side facing the platform but on the opposite side. If I had seen the police boarding, I would've gotten off the train long ago.
I started to feel panic creeping in. My heart was racing. My residence permit had expired weeks ago, and I still hadn't booked a new appointment. It wasn't because I was scared I wouldn't be able to renew it. I just hadn't gotten around to it yet.
At that moment, I decided that I absolutely could not run into the police. But what could I do? They were still a little way off, and if I stood up now, I wouldn't draw too much attention. If I took my bag with me, though, I might stick out more.
I decided not to sling my bag over my shoulder but to carry it by hand, holding it low. I stood up as discreetly as I could and decided to walk toward the back of the train. When no one called after me, I felt a little relieved and began moving between the carriages.
But what was I going to do when I reached the end of the train? Would we reach the next stop before the police got to the last car? Would hiding in the bathroom work?
When I reached the last car, I sat down in one of the seats. I watched the carriage door anxiously, my eyes fixed on it as if someone might walk through it at any moment.
I tried to look out the window to see if a station was coming up ahead, but with all these winding paths, it was nearly impossible to tell.
A moment later, the ticket inspector opened the door, and I nearly had a heart attack. Thankfully, he was alone. I quickly composed myself and handed him my phone to scan my ticket when he came over. Since there weren't many people in the car, he finished quickly and left the way he had come.
That meant the police couldn't be far behind.
The only option I could think of if the police showed up didn't seem very feasible. I got up and moved to the train door by the carriage door. Jumping off didn't seem like an option. The ground beneath the train was moving so fast it blurred.
My movements had caught the attention of the few people in the car. My nervousness was now impossible to hide. They began watching me curiously, though trying not to be obvious about it. It felt as though they understood what I was thinking and were waiting to see what I would do.
I kept pacing back and forth, glancing around. I studied the emergency lever by the door. It looked like it would only open the door but wouldn't do anything about the train's speed.
I was waiting, helpless. After a while, I saw the police slowly approaching through the carriage door.
Unbelievable. Here I was, trapped like an idiot, drawing ridiculous amounts of attention. Now, when they asked for my passport and saw it had expired, they would treat me like a real criminal. I should've faced them back where I'd been sitting initially.
As the police checked passengers one by one and got closer, I muttered to myself in the cramped space, berating my situation. Then, miraculously, the train started to slow down.
I started thinking. This could be my first and only chance. Standing by the train door, I watched as the details on the ground slowly became distinguishable.
A STOP.
I immediately moved closer to the door to check if there was a station ahead. But no, we were still in the middle of nowhere. So my only chance would be to jump.
Frozen in place, torn about what to do, a sudden wave of panic washed over me.
MOVE, YOU IDIOT, OR YOU'LL MISS YOUR ONLY CHANCE.
My hands and feet were trembling. Panic had paralyzed me. It even felt like the train was speeding up again, though it was probably just my nerves.
Now my hands were shaking. I turned to the emergency lever and tried to open its cover. My hands were so clumsy, like those of a child, unable to grip properly. On the third try, I managed to open the cover.
Now, I just had to pull the lever. A few people in the carriage were on their feet, watching me. My movements must've caught their attention. I glanced back through the carriage door window. The police were just on the other side. They'd see me any moment now.
All that was left was to pull the lever. The door would open, and it would definitely draw attention. I gripped the lever with both hands and began to pull. Someone shouted from the back of the carriage. I didn't have time to look at them or the police. I turned to the sliding door. I tightened my grip on my bag and jumped off the train.
I fell to the ground without hitting my head and rolled over a few times before coming to a stop. For a short moment, I felt dizzy and heard a faint ringing in my ears. Slowly, I raised my head and looked at the departing train. I saw two policemen leaning out of the door, staring at me. One of them turned back and started shouting something. I also noticed the faces of a few passengers pressed against the glass, trying to see what was happening.
Was it just my imagination, or was the train picking up speed again?
I prayed I hadn't broken anything. Please. Please.
As my dizziness began to subside, I tried to stand up. I had to get moving and escape. If I could make it into the woods and put some distance between myself and the train, they'd never find me. Still, they'd come after me because they had no idea I was just a girl who forgot to renew her residence permit.
I slowly stood up, shifting my weight carefully from one foot to the other. I didn't want to move too quickly at first. Since my body was still warm, I might not feel any fractures right away, and I didn't want to make things worse. Being stranded here in the middle of nowhere with a broken bone would be a nightmare. That's how all those survival horror stories begin.
That thought made me pause. Was this really a good idea? Maybe I shouldn't stray too far from the tracks and risk confronting the police instead.
I quickly felt my body with my hands. It didn't seem like anything was broken. I decided to walk just beyond the tree line without moving too far from the tracks. When I approached the next station, which was likely in a town, I could venture deeper into the woods and circle around the town before heading back toward civilization. From there, I'd rent a bike and ride to the next town to avoid the police. I could then board another train or take a bus. That way, I'd most likely avoid any trouble.
I grabbed my phone to check for a signal. Sometimes there's reception along train routes.
But, of course, this journey wasn't one of those lucky ones. Seeing the "No Service" message, I put my phone back into my bag.
I started walking through the woods, just beyond the tracks. But how would I know when I was nearing the station?
My body was beginning to ache slightly. Tomorrow, I'd probably be in a lot of pain.
I walked for a while like this.
Later, I realized my worries about finding the station were unnecessary. Up ahead, there was a tunnel.
There was no way I could go through it. What if another train came? How long had it been since I'd jumped off the train? Did trains on this route pass every hour? What if the police were waiting inside the tunnel—or at the other end? That would be the smarter thing to do for them.
Would I have to walk around the mountain?
I was just starting to grasp the magnitude of the trouble I'd gotten myself into. Getting lost out here and becoming prey to the wilderness by nightfall wasn't out of the question.
I felt like breaking down. My morale was utterly shattered, and I no longer had the energy to follow the panic attack screaming at me to "Keep moving! Don't waste time! Don't stay here!" Finally, I sat down and started crying. A girl crying to herself in the woods, just beyond the train tracks.
I sat there, crying for minutes on end. After a while, I realized I didn't feel like crying anymore. My tears had comforted me, and a small flicker of hope reignited within me.
It was past noon; the sunlight was growing golden and gradually transitioning to orange.
This time, I looked around with curiosity and interest. Once I walked farther around the mountain, I'd get a better view of my surroundings.
I stood up and set off. My muscles ached as I got up. The initial warmth from the fall had faded, and sitting there had allowed the pain to settle in, revealing the extent of the damage. I decided I'd check for bruises or swelling when I had time.
Walking around the mountain was going to take longer than I had anticipated. Hopelessness should've crept back in, but strangely, I wasn't upset this time. In fact, I was almost excited as I walked.
I must've walked for an hour or more like this. I tried to stick to the trail as much as possible, but sometimes I had to climb upward or downward a bit. I realized that I hadn't started at the base of the mountain—I'd already been at a certain elevation when I began circling it.
As I continued, I thought about how the train tracks could also change direction inside the mountain. If that were the case, I was getting farther away from my destination. This thought should've terrified me, but strangely, I felt calm.
I was going to spend the night out here alone, and who knew what might happen to me?
Still, I wasn't panicking.
I'd be terrified at night, but for now, these thoughts didn't bother me. Quite the opposite—I felt a strong urge to keep going. It was as if I was an adventurer who had come here for hiking, and the mountain was calling to me.
As the golden hour began, I realized I wanted to rest for a bit. I had reached a clearing where I could see the mountain slopes and the expanse beyond. There wasn't a single sign of human habitation. I sat on a large rock and started to take in the view. For the first time in ages, I felt a deep sense of peace, as though I had been here for hours—or days, even years. I could've stayed longer. This mountain felt like a friend.
I surrendered myself to the comforting arms of serenity and watched the view. Maybe I should've kept moving, but it didn't matter. Perhaps I'd go back. I could return to the previous station. After all, it didn't matter where I went. I had boarded this train simply because I wanted to. There wasn't anywhere I needed to be.
As I sat there, quietly watching the scenery, I felt something watching me. A chill ran up my spine. It was waiting for me to notice it, as if expecting me to turn around. I slowly turned toward it. I knew exactly where it was. When I looked at it, I understood—it had been waiting for me, and the moment it saw me, it recognized me.
I felt it. The realization hit me like a lightning strike. I don't know what it was that struck me, but at that moment, I lost consciousness and collapsed onto the large rock I had been sitting on.