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Finn, observing her, felt a concern he couldn't shake. "You seem a bit off today, Amelia. Everything alright?"
She snapped back to the present, offering him a fleeting smile. "I'm fine, Finn. Just... a lot on my mind, I guess."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Finn asked.
Amelia touched his hand for a moment and rubbed it affectionately. "If you don't mind, I'd like to leave it right now."
That made Finn worry even more. But he respected Amelia's desire for privacy. "Okay, but I'm here if you need me.
She smiled and turned back to the window.
The train continued its journey, the English countryside unfurling like a living painting outside their window. Green fields and ancient woods passed by in a tranquil display, belying the grim reality of their destination.
Finn's thoughts were interrupted by a notification on his phone. He pulled it out and saw a text message from Demi. It was brief but loaded with emotion: "I miss you."
He stared at the message, a mix of longing and confusion swirling within him. The unresolved complexities of their relationship hung heavily in his mind, a hindrance for the professional focus he needed for the case ahead.
Glancing back at Amelia, who was still gazing thoughtfully out the window, Finn felt a twinge of something undefinable—a blend of appreciation for her presence and a pang of something deeper, something he continually pushed away.
The train pressed on, each mile bringing them closer to the unknowns of the Cornwall case. Finn pocketed his phone, his mind a tangle of personal conflicts and professional duty. As the landscape outside shifted to the rugged beauty of the Southwest, the reality of their task loomed ever larger, a reminder of the challenges that lay ahead.
In the quiet comfort of the train carriage, with Amelia by his side and the English countryside rolling by, Finn felt the familiar stirrings of a case beginning to take hold. The blend of anticipation and apprehension was a sensation he knew all too well—a sensation that, despite everything, he couldn't help but embrace.
He looked out of the window and wondered what secrets Cornwall held for both of them.
CHAPTER THREE
Finn's eyes slowly opened, the abrupt realization that he had drifted off into sleep washing over him. The rhythmic hum of the train had given way to an eerie silence. He turned his head, expecting to see Amelia beside him, but her seat was empty.
A prickle of unease crept up his spine as he surveyed the carriage. It was devoid of any passengers, a ghostly shell of what it had been just moments ago in his wakefulness. The usually comforting clatter of the train now seemed distant, almost surreal.
He reached for his phone, hoping to call Amelia or check for any messages. But as he tapped the screen, the signal icon mocked him with its absence. No bars. No connection to the outside world. The dread that had been building inside him began to swell, a tide of uncertainty that didn't make sense. Something was very wrong.
Finn stood up, his movements slow and hesitant. The emptiness of the carriage felt oppressive, a drastic change from the vibrant life it held before his slumber. His footsteps sounded unnaturally loud as he moved toward the door, his hand hesitating momentarily on the handle.
Pushing through into the next carriage, he half-expected, half-hoped to find Amelia or any sign of life. But the next carriage greeted him with the same unnerving silence and emptiness. The windows revealed nothing but a blur of motion, the landscape outside moving too fast to discern any detail.
He felt isolated, disconnected from reality. The sense of being alone on a moving train, disconnected from the world, sent a shiver down his spine. It was like a dream, yet all too tangible in its strangeness. Finn's heart raced as he moved through the ghostly carriage, each step taking him further into the unknown.
Continuing through the train, Finn's sense of unease deepened with each step. The monotonous rhythm of the train now seemed to echo the pounding of his heart. As he entered the next carriage, his eyes caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure swiftly moving away, disappearing into the carriage beyond. He rubbed his eyes, but the figure remained a strange dark blur as it moved out of the carriage.
Finn's instincts kicked in. "Hey!" he shouted, his voice slicing through the silence. The figure, apparently hearing him, quickened their pace, turning what had been a brisk walk into a full-blown sprint.
Finn followed suit, adrenaline surging through his veins. He couldn't shake the feeling that this figure was the key to understanding the unsettling solitude enveloping the train. They were the only two souls aboard this eerie, moving capsule, and Finn was determined to find out why. What had happened to the other passengers? Most of all, was Amelia safe?
The chase was surreal, a blur of empty seats and luggage racks flying past as they moved through the carriages. The figure ahead was agile, their movements almost a shadow flickering through the dimly lit space.
Finn pushed himself harder, closing the gap, but as he neared the front of the train, the figure lunged into the driver's cabin, the door slamming shut with a resounding thud. Finn reached the door mere moments later, his hand slamming against the cold metal.
He tried the handle, but it was locked from the inside. Banging on the door, Finn shouted, "Open up! Who are you?" But there was no response, just the muffled sound of the train's mechanics and the relentless movement beneath his feet.
Finn stepped back, catching his breath, his mind racing with questions.
"Who the hell are you!?" he shouted.
The isolation of the train, the mysterious figure, and the locked driver's cabin came together into an enigma that Finn now found himself desperately trying to unravel.
Finn felt the train judder. He caught himself, grabbing hold of a railing. Steadying his foothold, he looked up and saw something through the thin slither of glass on the driver's door. Inside, the shadowy figure was pushing on a lever. The train was speeding up, and Finn could now see beyond the driver to the track ahead outside.
