Reasons to Hate the Commute

#746 The Curious Case of the Cockroach in Car 5 ~ shadowbites

Some nights, a shadow falls inside Line 8 MRT's Car 5, and only inside Line 8 MRT's Car 5.

It's not a large shadow - it's barely bigger than an adult hand. It's not so small, either, that people would want to leave it alone every time.

The shadow bites.

The passengers seem to agree that the shadow is shaped like a cockroach. It's insectoid, definitely, with mandibles, leg barbs, wing shields, the works.

But if you ask me, it kind of looks like a june bug. [Ed's note: the term used by the original poster was "salaguinto", but there's no direct translation of this local june bug relative with the hard, shiny outer shell.] However, when it spreads its wings and flies around, the cockroach parallel makes sense.

Oh, and it's not officially called Car 5. I just call it Car 5 because it's the fifth car, counting down from the front. On what seems like every train in Line 8.

I take Car 5 because it's the car that would get me the closest to the exit gates at my regular station.

On some nights, the shadow falls in Car 5. Usually, on someone's arm, thigh, shoulder or head. Unusually, on someone's sleepy baby.

And then it starts gnawing.

There's a moment of panic in the car when the shadow goes wild, people screaming and jumping around - always so much fun whenever it's rush hour and the train is tightly packed - until someone gets the brilliant idea to shut off the lights in the car.

The shadow disappears when you shut off the lights. ALL the lights. Lights from gadgets and outside would keep it flying around. But I guess it's a good thing that MRT trains come with automatic shutters now. The windows close when approaching certain stations, and when someone turns off the light in Car 5. Then all that's left is for everyone else to cooperate and turn their gadgets off for reasons of public safety.

That's the only way to get rid of it. You can slap it like a regular insect, but that won't kill it or make it leave.

You can stand away from it - sure, that'll work. But when you do that, it just settles somewhere else, at least while the lights are on.

There have been complaints about this, videos taken of the event, but the MRT people just shrug it off. They've already installed a publicly accessible light switch in Car 5, they said. That made the shadow disappear, didn't it? And people should already know to stand away from it when it appears. What else are they expected to do?

They could replace Car 5 altogether! No dice, they said, that's not how trains work. But how do trains work, exactly? No one knows.

The one thing they've ever said to reassure the public was: don't fear the shadow's bite. It's not infectious. How can it be infectious? they ask. Have you ever known a shadow to be infected with anything?