Stories I've Heard Over the Years in China

"The Midnight passenger

Last night, I was driving alone on the highway. The world outside was silent, cloaked in darkness. I had been driving for hours, feeling exhaustion tugging at my eyelids, my hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Inside the car, there was only stillness, broken only by the faint glow of the dashboard andThe Midnight Passenger the warmth of the coffee cup beside me.

The night was deep, and everything outside seemed empty and still. Suddenly, from right behind me, I heard a sound—a soft, crinkling noise, like someone slowly tearing open a plastic bag. The sound was oddly clear, as if it was right there behind my seat. My pulse quickened as I frowned in confusion. There were no plastic bags in my car, which was spotless. The only item besides me was the cup of coffee. The windows were closed, so there was no breeze or movement of any kind.

Gripping the steering wheel even tighter, my heart began to pound, and a cold sweat started forming. The sound continued, a faint rustling, as if an invisible hand was carefully unpacking something. A chilling sensation crept up the back of my neck, as though a pair of icy eyes were watching me from the darkness. Mustering the courage, I glanced into the rearview mirror, but saw nothing—only the empty back seat.

A surge of panic nearly made me slam down on the accelerator, desperate to escape the eerie noise, yet fear held me back, dreading what might lie beyond my view.

Eventually, the sound faded, and the car returned to its former silence. But my tension never eased. I kept my eyes wide open, forcing myself to stay alert as I drove home, nerves taut the entire way. Even after I got home, I couldn’t help but glance back repeatedly, feeling as if the sound from that midnight drive was still hovering around me, refusing to let go…