Chapter One: The Warning at Ravenswood railway Station.
The fog thickened as Alex, Tara, and Jamie turned down the winding road toward Ravenswood Station. Their car's headlights struggled to pierce the gloom, the beams bouncing off the mist and scattering in pale, ghostly rays. It felt as if the world around them was dissolving.
"You know," Tara said from the back seat, staring out the window, "this road already feels cursed. I'm starting to regret this."
Alex, at the wheel, smirked and turned on the camera perched on the dashboard. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of *The Uncanny Trio*! Tonight, we're bringing you something that's been requested more times than I can count—Ravenswood Station. A haunted railway platform abandoned for decades, and supposedly home to a ghostly train and the infamous 'Lady in White.' Tara, Jamie, are we ready?"
"Ready to get tetanus from all the rusty garbage," Jamie grumbled from the passenger seat, glaring at the camera. "Haunted places are just old places with bad PR."
Alex ignored him and turned the camera toward Tara. She put on her most dramatic face, leaning in. "Do *not* look out the windows," she whispered. "That's what everyone says about Ravenswood Station. But you know what? We're gonna find out why. Because we don't follow rules, and neither should you."
Alex grinned. "Spoken like a true rebel. This video's gonna break the algorithm."
"Assuming we survive," Tara muttered.
The road ended at a rusted chain-link fence. A crooked sign hung by one nail, swaying in the breeze: **RAVENSWOOD STATION—KEEP OUT**.
"Classic," Jamie said, grabbing his flashlight. "It's like they're *asking* us to trespass."
The trio ducked through a gap in the fence and made their way down the overgrown path. The air was damp and heavy, and the smell of mildew and rust hung thick around them. Ravenswood Station emerged from the fog like a crumbling monument to the past—its platform cracked, its windows shattered, and its roof sagging with decay. A rusting clock above the ticket booth stood frozen at midnight.
"This place is giving me *serious* horror movie vibes," Tara said, sweeping her flashlight across the graffiti-streaked walls. "Like, I fully expect to find a bloody handprint or something."
"Not yet," Alex replied, zooming his camera in on the clock. "But give it time."
The legend of Ravenswood Station was as old as the town itself. Decades ago, a train conductor swore he'd seen a woman running alongside his train late one night. According to his account, her feet never touched the ground, and her eyes glowed faintly in the dark. Passengers soon reported seeing her too, her face pressed against the windows as the train sped by. Then people began to disappear—passengers who looked out the windows during the sightings. No bodies were ever found. Just the train, which continued to run for several years before the line was shut down and the station abandoned.
"Okay, recap for the fans," Alex said, panning the camera to himself. "The story goes, you're not supposed to look out the windows at Ravenswood. No one knows what happens if you do, but considering the train hasn't run for decades, we're calling that bluff tonight."
Jamie snorted. "Or we're just proving how bored people were before Netflix."
The group reached the platform, their footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence. The tracks were overgrown with weeds, disappearing into the mist. A cold wind swept through, carrying with it a faint metallic tang. Tara shivered and hugged herself.
"Alright, let's split up," Alex said, adjusting his camera. "Tara, you take the tracks. Jamie, check out the ticket booth. I'll explore the platform. Ten minutes. Then we meet back here."
"Split up?" Jamie raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's a terrible idea. This is *literally* how every horror movie starts."
"Which is why it's great for the video," Alex replied. "Trust me, this will kill. We'll hit a million views, easy."
With reluctant nods, the group scattered.
---
Tara ventured onto the rusting tracks, her phone flashlight barely illuminating the endless fog. She recorded herself narrating, her voice hushed. "Alright, guys, I'm out here where the train would've run. The fog's so thick, I can barely see five feet ahead. Honestly, this is spooky as hell."
She heard a faint noise—a soft, rhythmic *tap-tap-tap*, like fingernails drumming on glass. She froze, turning her flashlight toward the sound, but there was nothing there. Just the fog, thick and suffocating. Her heart pounded as she continued forward.
Jamie, meanwhile, poked around the ticket booth. The old cash register was still there, its buttons caked with grime. A ledger lay open on the counter, its pages yellowed and curling. He flipped through it idly, squinting at the faded handwriting. The last entry was dated decades ago, but the ink seemed fresh, the words almost legible: **Don't look out the windows. Don't let her see you.**
He slammed the book shut, his hands shaking. "Okay, no. Nope. This is ridiculous."
Back on the platform, Alex scanned the horizon with his camera. When he saw it, he had just turned toward the tracks—a faint light, flickering in the distance. It grew brighter, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of metal screeching. His breath caught in his throat. A train was coming.
"Guys?" he called out. "Are you seeing this?"
The others returned to the platform just as the train emerged from the fog. It was ancient, its black paint flaking to reveal the rust beneath. The windows glowed with an eerie yellow light, but there were no passengers. At least, not at first glance.
The train slowed as it approached the platform, the brakes whining. Then, in the windows, faces began to appear. Pale, hollow-eyed faces stared unblinkingly at the trio. Some were gaunt, their skin stretched tight over bone. Others looked waterlogged, their faces bloated and bruised. Their mouths moved silently, as if speaking words no one could hear.
"This is insane," Tara whispered, clutching Alex's arm. "Are we... are we seriously seeing this?"
Then they saw her. The Lady in White. She appeared suddenly, running alongside the train. Her feet hovered inches above the ground, and her long hair streamed behind her like smoke. Her head jerked unnaturally, snapping toward them with a speed that made Tara scream.
Jamie stumbled backwards. "We need to go. Right now."
But Tara couldn't look away. Her gaze locked on the Lady in white, and her body went rigid. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. She crumpled to the ground, trembling violently.
Alex grabbed her, shaking her shoulders. "Tara! Tara, snap out of it!"
Jamie hauled her to her feet. "We're leaving. Now!"
They ran, the train's whistle blaring behind them. The faces in the windows watched them go, unblinking.