Somnium Express Part 2

“What… what happened to him?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Soren shook his head slowly, eyes narrowing as he stepped into the compartment. “I don’t know,” he said, his voice low and tense. “But I don’t think it was an accident.” He turned to her, his expression grave. “And I think we might be in more danger than we realise.”

Bell swallowed, her heart racing as a sense of dread filled her, deep and unyielding. The train seemed to grow colder, the void outside pressing in, it's dark weight making the air thick and oppressive. In that silent moment, surrounded by shadows, Bell realised this train ride would be anything but ordinary.

Bell and Soren walked back to their carriage in silence, each step feeling heavier than the last. The void pressed on Bell’s thoughts like a shadow curling around her mind, strange and oppressive. She glanced at Soren, whose expression was grim, his face hardened with the weight of what they’d just witnessed.

When they finally reached the carriage, the murmur of conversation quieted, eyes shifting to them with expectancy. Soren took a slow, deep breath, his gaze sweeping over the passengers, each face lit by a mixture of curiosity and dread.

“It’s worse than we thought,” he began, his voice calm but carrying an unmistakable edge of urgency. “The train… it’s empty. No crew, no passengers. Just us.” His words hung in the air, a stark declaration that left a chilling silence in its wake.

The mother in the merchant family leaned forward, her brows furrowing with disbelief. “What do you mean, empty?” she asked, clutching her child’s hand a little tighter. 

“I mean,” he continued, pausing as he glanced out the window into the endless void, “we’re floating in some kind of… dark space. Like we’ve been ripped from the city entirely.” He took another breath, his voice lowering. “And the conductor—he’s dead.”