Something's There

The Intermission

Nicole (You) woke up at 5:30 in the morning, as you get up from bed slowly, still tired.

Billy texted you.

"Hey, Nicole! I'm leaving the apartment now, the others should arrive later in the terminal."

You replied, "Yeah sure, I just woke up lookin' like this, so don't get under my skin!"

"Damn, okay you're harsh this early morning." Billy texted back.

After a few minutes, you fix yourself with a bath, food, and clothes. You opened the closet and packed your stuff as you forgot last night.

"Where did I hide my headset..."

You checked the whole bedroom to find it, but you still haven't.

"Hey Nicole, where are you? Billy asked me to text you, as you were not responding to his text." Anby texted you.

"Hold on! I'm just finding my stuff, I'll be outside in a few minutes..."

As you find your headset in front of a mirror, you bend down to get the headset, but a woman behind you appears on the back as you bend down.

You stand up, not feeling her aura.

"I don't know how this headset got here..."

You turned around to get your bags, but the woman was not there, but only in the mirror. The woman was a skinny old lady, with a ruined white dress and with a disturbing face.

-- Outside --

"Hey Nicole! Over here!" Billy waved at you.

You quickly grabbed your bags and headed outside, where Billy was waiting with a big smile. He seemed excited as if the hike was going to be the adventure of a lifetime.

"Morning, Billy!" you called out, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling from the encounter with the old woman. You didn't want to worry him, so you pushed it to the back of your mind.

"Ready for the big day?" he asked, handing you a bottle of water and an energy bar. "Everyone else should be here soon. Ellen said she'd bring the maps and snacks."

The terminal was bustling with early-morning travelers. The group had planned to take a train to the base of the mountain, where the hike would start. You could see Ellen and Corin approaching, their faces bright with excitement.

"Nicole! Billy!" Ellen greeted as she walked up, her arms full of gear. "I hope you didn't forget anything, because I might have brought too much."

Corin, walking beside her, carried a couple of heavy backpacks. "Can't wait to get started. This is going to be amazing!"

Anby arrived next, looking a bit frazzled but excited. "Sorry, I'm late. Had trouble finding my hiking boots."

With everyone finally together, you all made your way to the train platform. The sun was just starting to rise, casting a warm glow over the landscape. You tried to shake off the feeling of unease from the morning, focusing instead on the adventure ahead.

The train ride was pleasant at first. The seats were comfortable, and everyone was chatting animatedly about the hike. Billy was talking about the trails and the views, while Ellen and Anby discussed their favorite hiking spots. Corin was busy setting up a Spotify playlist for the trip.

But as the train started moving through the mountains, the atmosphere began to shift. The air grew colder, and a dense fog settled around the train. The fog seemed to cling to the windows, distorting the view outside.

"Looks like we're getting into the wilderness," Corin commented, trying to peer through the fog.

Suddenly, the lights on the train flickered. A few of the other passengers glanced around nervously. You glanced out the window and noticed that the fog seemed thicker on one side of the train, almost as if something was moving in it.

"Hey, did anyone else see that?" you asked, trying to keep your voice steady.

"What?" Billy asked, leaning over to look out the window.

Before you could answer, the train jolted suddenly, causing everyone to grab onto their seats. The lights flickered again, and the temperature seemed to drop even more.

"Must be a problem with the tracks or something," Ellen suggested, though her voice lacked conviction.

The train slowed down and eventually came to a stop. The announcement system crackled to life, but the voice was garbled and unintelligible. The sense of unease grew stronger as the train sat motionless.

"Let's check it out," Billy said, standing up. "Maybe we can find out what's going on."

You and the others followed him as he led the way down the aisle. The hallway of the train was eerily quiet, and you could hear the distant sound of the wind howling outside. The fog outside seemed to be pressing against the windows, making everything look shadowy and foreboding.

As you reached the rear of the train, the door to the back car was ajar. Billy pushed it open, and you all stepped out into the connecting area. The fog outside had grown thicker, obscuring your view.

Suddenly, you heard a faint, almost melodic sound, like distant music or chanting. It was unsettling and seemed to echo from everywhere and nowhere at once. The old woman's face flashed through your mind, her disturbing image still fresh.

"What is that noise?" Anby asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"I don't know, but we should be careful," you said, trying to keep your fear in check.

The fog seemed to swirl around the train, and you could feel a cold draft seeping in. The sound grew louder, almost as if it was drawing closer. You all huddled together, your breath forming visible clouds in the cold air.

Billy glanced around, his face growing serious. "We need to figure out what's going on. Stay close and stay alert."

You all moved forward cautiously, each step echoing in the eerie silence. As you ventured further into the fog, you couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching you, lurking just beyond the veil of mist. The hike had turned into a mystery far beyond anything you had expected.