Phobophobia A Horror Anthology

Siderodromophobia - Fear of trains, railroads or train travel

Siderodromophobia - Fear of trains, railroads or train travel

Marlene stood on the platform, her melancholic mood spiraling downwards into a deeper kind of sorrow. She had missed her train. It had been the last train of the night headed to her destination. What was she going to do? She sighed and trudged away, humming to herself. She spotted a man in a suit nearby. The man had spun around, alerted by the sound of Marlene's voice. The man looked startled. Marlene approached him cautiously. For some odd reason, he backed away a little. Marlene was becoming annoyed. She needed to find her way home. She had missed her train. This all felt vaguely familiar. Perhaps, she had missed her train before. She tried to remember but her head began to throb so she pushed those thoughts out of her mind and walked slowly up to the man. Her limbs ached. She was tired and needed to get home. The man had his back to the platform's edge. The station was empty. Marlene and the man were alone. She neared the man and he glanced nervously over his shoulder at the platform edge behind him. He looked so pale.

"I've missed my train," said Marlene, her voice barely a whisper. Her throat was very dry, her voice hoarse.

The man cocked his head to one side, furrowing his brows, his eyes panic-stricken but questioning as though he were intensely curious as to what she had to say.

Marlene spoke more loudly. "Is there another train? Was that really the last one?"

The man just stared at her, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

She took a step forward and his eyes widened in what was unmistakably fear. This man was so strange.

"I've missed my train!" said Marlene. "Is there another? You have to help me!"

Her voice was pleading now, more of a wail than a whisper. She marched right up to the man and stood nose to nose. She was furious. Why was he not responding? She grasped him by his shoulders, latching on to him.

"I'VE MISSED MY TRAIN!!!" she shrieked, her voice echoing through the station, bouncing off the walls.

The man let out an ear-splitting scream and tried to extricate himself from her vice-like grip. He struggled with her and she finally released him. He stumbled backwards, arms flailing, teetering on the edge. He fell onto the tracks below. She heard a sickening crack. She peered over the edge.

Marlene stared down at the unconscious man indifferently. She heard the wail of the train as it sped towards her. It rushed straight passed her, crushing the man underneath it as it sped by. She looked at her reflection in each window of the train as it zoomed by. She watched her face flash before her own eyes. It made sense now. The deep gash in her head was probably why she could not remember everything. She stared at her bloodless face and emaciated eyes. She sighed. She would never board her train. She stared at the man's broken body, his blood splattered across the tracks. At least now she might have some company.