Nightmare Gallery: A Treasury of Twisted Terror Tales

The Last Stop

It was a chilly autumn evening when Sarah boarded the last bus home after a long day at work. The dimly lit interior of the bus felt empty, and the only sounds were the low hum of the engine and the occasional creak of the seats. The driver, a heavyset man with a scruffy beard and tired eyes, nodded at her as she found a seat in the back.

As the bus pulled away from the station, Sarah noticed that the streetlights flickered ominously outside, casting eerie shadows on the windows. A sense of unease settled in her stomach, but she brushed it aside, attributing it to the weariness of the long workweek.

The bus stopped at a few familiar landmarks—an old diner, a rundown gas station—until it reached a stretch of road she didn't recognize. The darkness outside deepened, and the trees lining the road seemed to loom closer, their twisted branches reaching like skeletal fingers toward the sky.

Suddenly, the bus lurched to a stop. Sarah looked up to see a figure standing on the roadside, waving frantically. The driver hesitated but eventually opened the door.

"Come on, get in!" the man called, his voice hoarse. He hurried up the steps and slid into the seat next to Sarah. He was tall and lean, with a wild mane of dark hair and piercing blue eyes that darted nervously around the bus.

"Thanks for stopping," he said, catching his breath. "I thought I'd be stranded out there."

The driver grunted and pulled away from the curb, but Sarah could see the unease etched on his face. The stranger glanced over at her, a small, crooked smile playing on his lips.

"I didn't expect to see anyone else out here," he said, his voice low. "What's your name?"

"Sarah," she replied cautiously, unsure if she should engage in conversation.

"I'm Lucas," he said, leaning closer. "So, where are you headed?"

"Just home," she answered, feeling a strange sensation creeping up her spine.

As they continued down the winding road, Lucas began to tell Sarah about his day. His stories were erratic and chaotic, filled with references to odd occurrences that made her skin crawl. He spoke of strange figures he had seen in the woods, shadowy shapes that moved just out of sight.

"It's a weird place out here," he said, glancing toward the window. "People disappear all the time."

Sarah's heart raced. "What do you mean?"

He leaned back, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. "I used to live around here. There are stories—local legends about this road. They say it's cursed. No one really knows what happens to those who wander off into the woods."

She tried to laugh it off. "That sounds like a fairy tale."

"But it's true," he insisted, his tone turning serious. "I swear, I've seen things. Things that shouldn't exist. You'll see them too if you're not careful."

Before she could respond, the bus jolted violently, causing Lucas to grab the seat in front of him. The driver cursed under his breath as he struggled to regain control. The lights flickered, and the engine sputtered ominously.

Suddenly, the bus stopped completely, lights dimming to a flicker before extinguishing altogether. Panic surged in Sarah's chest as darkness enveloped them. The driver slammed the steering wheel in frustration.

"Just my luck," he muttered. "This isn't good."

"What's happening?" Sarah asked, her voice rising in fear.

"Hold tight," the driver replied, fumbling with the dashboard. "I'll try to restart it."

In the oppressive silence, Sarah could feel Lucas's eyes on her, a predatory glint in them. "See? This is how it starts," he whispered, his voice dripping with an unsettling calm. "We're stuck in the middle of nowhere, and something's out there."