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"My God," Finn said. "Hey! Stop! Stop the train!"
But the driver didn't listen. The train was hurtling along towards a body on the tracks. It was a woman. She was lying unconscious, and the train was about to hit her.
"Please!" Finn screamed. "Stop the train!"
From beyond the glass, Finn could hear a horrid laugh. It was twisted and unnatural, but within it Finn heard something familiar. He had a terrible feeling he knew the driver.
The person lying on the track began to move up ahead, and Finn now saw that it was a woman. With red hair. In the pit of his stomach, Finn felt like he was going to be sick. Somehow it was Amelia. Somehow, she was lying there on the train track.
Amelia began to move on the ground and staggered to her feet.
"Stop the train! Stop! You're going to kill her!" Finn pleaded, slamming his shoulder against the door again, and again, and again.
At the last moment, the driver turned and smiled.
It was Demi. She was the driver.
Just as the train was about to hit Amelia, Finn woke up in his chair with a jolt.
His heart was still pounding as he returned to reality, the remnants of the nightmare clinging to him like a cold shroud. He blinked, trying to regain his bearings, and found Amelia sitting beside him, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity, lit by the morning sun.
"Are you okay?" Amelia asked, her green eyes studying him closely. "You fell asleep for an hour."
Finn nodded, attempting to mask his lingering unease with a casual demeanor. "Yeah, just a bad dream."
Around them, other passengers on the train glanced in their direction, their attention drawn by the disturbance. Finn felt a flush of embarrassment. He wasn't one to lose his composure, especially not in public.
Amelia raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You shouted my name. I don't know if I like the idea of you dreaming about me."
Finn forced a laugh, trying to deflect. "Don't flatter yourself, Winters. You're not the star of my dreams."
Amelia didn't seem entirely convinced but let it slide. She glanced out the window as the train began to slow, pulling into Eyesworth station. The Cornish countryside stretched out beyond, a picturesque landscape that belied the grim purpose of their journey.
"It's time for us to go," Finn said, gathering his things. The remnants of the dream still haunted the back of his mind, Demi's laugh echoing in his ears and the image of Amelia on the tracks sending shivers down his spine.
He tried to not read into such things, but he found it difficult to ignore.
They disembarked from the train, stepping onto the platform of Eyesworth station. The air was crisp, with the faint scent of the sea carried on the breeze. Around them, the quaint charm of the Cornish countryside offered much within its beauty, but Finn was focused on the case at hand—a double homicide in the grounds of an old castle.
As they made their way towards the exit, Finn couldn't shake the disquiet that had settled over him since the dream. It felt like an omen, a sinister prelude to the investigation awaiting them.
Finn glanced at Amelia, who was scanning their surroundings with a detective's eye. Despite his efforts to keep his personal turmoil hidden, he knew Amelia was too astute not to notice something was off.
"We've got a job to do," he reminded himself, pushing aside the lingering shadows of the nightmare. The case awaited them, and whatever secrets lay hidden in the old castle and its grounds, they were about to uncover them.
The platform was relatively quiet, save for a few locals disembarking and a young man in a neatly tailored suit who seemed to be waiting for someone.
As they approached, the young man's eyes lit up with recognition, and he quickly made his way over to them. He was in his early twenties, with an air of eagerness that was almost palpable.
"Detective Wright? Inspector Winters?" he asked, extending his hand first to Finn and then to Amelia. "I'm Constable Mulberry. It's an honor to meet you both. I've been following your cases in the newspapers."
Finn couldn't help but grin at the young constable's enthusiasm. "Well, I always knew I'd be famous one day," he joked, nudging Amelia playfully.
Amelia rolled her eyes but smiled. "More like infamous," she quipped.
Constable Mulberry seemed to brighten even more at their banter. "I've been asked to assist you both and take you to St Martins' Castle, where the bodies have been found. It's not far from here."
Finn gave a nod, adjusting his coat. "Lead the way, Constable."
