Once Upon a Story [ SLOW UPDATES ]

The Railroad

So I finished the book I was reading and I'm starting a new one 😁 I'm probably going to work on the next part of the Not Castlevania series Friday. In the meantime, enjoy this totally refurbished version of an old Amino post (October 5th 2022😂). If you're interested in reading the original, comment, and I'll give you the link.

Writing prompt
Every night, you hear the sound of a train, but the railroad closed down years ago...

Word count: 1689
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Welcome to madness and mystery, a place of confusion and disarray: the lovely town of Psilo.

Psilo used to be an isolated town with few inhabitants and equally absent commerce. It was a ghost town, as many knew. But over the years, something strange happened. With seemingly no explanation, the population boomed. People arrived, built new homes, new shops, new everything. Soon, the state connected Psilo to its train line, the Infinity, marking the start of economic growth and prosperity.

But it wasn't that way for long. It was never that perfect for long.

Heavy smog fell onto the city as it industrialized. People could hardly see in the streets, much less breathe with all the particulate matter floating in the air. Even masks weren't enough to stop the bouts of coughing caused by exposure.

And suddenly, just as the smoke arrived, it vanished. A night passed, and the air was clear as crystal. Everyone called it a miracle.

The people of Psilo called it the first step.

As workers and families piled onto the train, a young boy sat on the platform, watching everything happen. Most walked past him, but a few asked where his parents were.

"They're already on the train," he told them, smiling. "I just wanted to see it from the outside before we leave. I like trains a lot."

It was the same excuse he gave the few people who talked to him.

A loud whistle cracked through the air, and gears cranked, setting the wheels into motion. The boy stood, eyes following as the train departed. One of the officers standing on the platform came to him.

"Are you lost?" he asked. The boy shook his head. "My mom is waiting for me at Nana's house down the street. I wanted to see the train leave. I really like trains."

The man ruffled the boy's hair, unaware of the fine dust sticking to his palms. "Well, don't keep her waiting."

The child was off before he knew it. Things went the same way for the next few days. People greeted the child at the platform–

"My mom and dad are waiting for me on the train." He pointed at a window, and a couple waved back and called him to them.

–and others asked why he was there alone.

"My Nana is waiting for me." He pointed at an elderly woman leaning on her cane by the steps. His parents always waited for him on the train, and his grandma always stood by the stairs to take him home. No one thought it was bizarre.

What did sound an alarm was the Smiths family's disappearance. They took the train, left to visit family over the weekend, and never returned. What's even more concerning? Their family never reported seeing them arrive at the station. The Smiths had disappeared on the train.

Later on, a few days later, Professor Cole failed to attend his lecture three days in a row. People saw him leave Psilo, but none saw him descend at the next station. The same happened to a little girl. Her name was Fay. Her mother had packed her bags to spend a week with her grandparents at their orchard. Just like the Smiths and Professor Cole, she never made it. Her grandparents never saw her at the station.