A dream within a dream (pt 2)

Their stomachs filled with Ayaka’s delicious food, the friends left for the abandoned railway station. With the last rays of sunlight illuminating the streets, the friends followed the route marked on the map. Climbing the city streets, they were greeted by a pair of elderly villagers. It seemed the whole town had come to know Mia and her ghostly passions.

“The abandoned train station… that was even before my time. But from what I’ve heard, you’re heading in the right direction,” an elderly woman said after looking at the map.

The friends passed by the crooked house and took a turn, making it to the overgrown path. Renji grabbed a big stick from the ground and pushed away some stinging plants, clearing the way.

Haru attempted to sneak through, but Renji blocked his path. “Wait, dude. Girls first,” he said while making a bow to Mia and Ayaka.

“Okay, loser. We'll go first,” Ayaka said while moving through. After her, Mia and the boys followed. Haru turned on his flashlight to light the path through the shadowy forest.

“Look out for these roots!” he yelled as he carefully stepped over a bundle of exposed roots. By now, the sun had begun to set, the birds cheerfully chirping that day's final song.

After that, there was silence. The group followed the endless unpaved path leading deeper and deeper into the forest. Mia grabbed Haru’s hand and held it tight.

“Exciting, isn’t it? I hope we get a good scare…”

Haru chuckled uncomfortably… Unlike the last few times, his friends hadn’t had time to check out the place beforehand and hide things like speakers and remote-controlled lights. This would have to be a fully natural ghost sighting. But of course, Haru didn’t believe in the existence of ghosts.

This will become a total disappointment.

He looked over his shoulder at Mia, who glanced back at him curiously.

“Anything wrong, Haru?” she asked, after which a grin formed on her face. “Are you scared? You’re not chickening out, right?”

The boy stared at the ground, his voice raspy, “No… I am not.”

Mia smiled, squeezing his hand, “Don’t worry, I am here to protect you! This is gonna be totally awesome!”

The friends continued the path until Haru’s flashlight reflected a rusty glimpse. He moved the focus point and noticed two long, perpendicular metal tracks running through the forest.

He stopped and pointed at it, “This must be the railroad track,” he concluded.

Mia looked at the map and figured out that they should turn right and follow the track until they encountered a building. With renewed resolve, the friends followed the old railroad.

Daichi broke the silence, “If we are meeting a ghost, I at least hope it’s a goofy one. One that pulls little pranks and makes us laugh.”

Ayaka grinned, “Sounds like we’re better off turning you into a ghost, then.”

Renji turned to the girl, “Should I kill him? I promise to do it quickly and painlessly.”

The girl scoffed, “Ewww gross, let’s not kill someone. Anyway, I see something in the distance.”

Haru looked out, shining his flashlight far away. Ayaka was right… there was a building there indeed. Close to the rail sat an old wooden structure, with a crumbling platform between it and the railway. The overhanging canopy had partially collapsed, its overgrown timber beams lying halfway over the platform.

The tall Renji climbed up the platform first, reaching his hand to help the others climb it too. With all the friends on the slippery platform, Haru used his flashlight to find an entrance into the deteriorating building. He wiped away some vines and carefully inspected the floor. With a tip of his toes, he tested the creaky plank, and after some hesitation, he leaned his full weight on it, stepping inside.

The friends carefully inspected the room for any paranormal activity. A few wooden benches were attached to the sides of the room, giving away its former purpose as a waiting room. Aside from that, the room was mostly empty. A few drops of water dripped from the leaky roof, slowly rotting away the structure. Inside hung a musky smell, something you wouldn’t want to inhale on a daily basis.

Haru pointed to an old train schedule hanging on the wall, “1961… that’s a long time ago.”

Renji moved over, “To think our granny’s might have taken a train to the city here. They should reopen it, don’t you think?”

Meanwhile, Mia had moved to the other side of the room. Connected to the waiting room was a small reception area, presumably used to sell tickets. Mia found a way to open a section of the counter and stood behind it.

“That will be 300 yen, sir,” she said with a monotonous voice.

“That’s a steal,” Ayaka responded, mockingly laying a few coins on the counter, “Look behind you, there is a door or something.”

Mia turned around and felt the wall behind her. There was no door handle, but she pushed it regardless. With a creek, the door flew open, and the next room revealed itself.

The girl rubbed his hand, “This place looks bigger than I expected. Let’s find some ghosts!” she claimed. Haru and the others followed her into the backroom. It looked like some old office, withered papers scattered all over, old furniture stacked in one corner. Moreover, it was dead silent.

A shiver ran through Haru’s spine. “Something feels off,” he whispered.

Mia’s eyes darted across the room, then froze. “Guys,” she said slowly. “Where’s Daichi?”

The others turned, their gazes drawn toward the waiting room. It was deathly silent.

Ayaka wrapped her arms around herself, trembling. “This isn’t funny. Okay? Daichi, come out,” she called, her voice cracking.

A nervous smile formed on Renji’s face. “He’s probably just pranking us.”

“You’re not good at pretending you believe that,” Haru said.

Renji walked past him, his footsteps were unusually loud. “I’ll check outside. Just wait here.”

He slipped through the door. It closed behind him.

Silence again.

Ten, twenty seconds passed. Then a minute.

“Where is he?” Mia asked, her voice quite like a whisper.

The shivering Ayaka yanked out her phone, and dialed the boy's number. The phone buzzed after which the call terminated.

“No signal…” she looked up. “You can’t be kidding me."

She slowly lowered her phone, “I swear it rang for a second…” she muttered, glancing at the others.

Haru frowned, cautiously stepping back to the waiting room. “Something is not making sense. We all came in through the same way, where could they have gone to?”

Mia moved closer to Haru, their fingers touching. “I don’t like this. Something is seriously wrong with this place…”

Ayaka turned to them. “Stop it. Just stop it. We are not in a horror movie, okay?” Her voice cracked. “They are probably just pulling a prank on us. Those sneaky bastards, they must have planned to do this all along.”

She hugged herself tighter, her footsteps slowly echoing through the gloomy station.

“Ayaka, wait,” Haru called, as the girl started to disappear in the mist.

Mist… since when was there any?

She turned back for a moment, “I am not waiting around for some lame scare.”

Then, in a blink, her footsteps just - stopped.

No sound. No fading echo. Dead silence.

Mia’s scream tore through the silence, “Ayaka?”

Sticking closer together, Mia and Haru looked for the girl, but she was nowhere to be found, the approaching mist making it more and more difficult to see.

Mia gripped Haru tighter, “We need to get out of here,” she whispered. “I-I sense something. Ghosts… evil ones.”

Haru grabbed her hand. The two of them clung to each other, trying to look through the fog. But Ayaka was gone. The mist thickened by the second, like a curtain being pulled before their eyes.

Seconds after she finished her sentence, a sudden gust of wind blew through the building, followed by a bright flash of light and a loud banging. Not a storm - something else entirely.

But Haru had no name for it.

This wasn’t thunder. This wasn’t natural.

The boy froze, a shiver running through his body. Mia panically pulled his arm, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Please,” she gasped. “Let’s go. Now.”

But Haru didn't respond right away.

“Haru! We need to get out of here! You’re strong, we’ve encountered ghosts before, remember?” she said with an encouraging voice.

Inside Haru’s head, a line of poetry echoed, All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream.

The boy’s face was dead pale. He shook his head, blurting out his heart. “N… No we haven’t… those were fake… I… I am sorry.”

Mia blinked. “Fake? What do you mean?”

Then she shook her head. “No - this isn’t the time.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the exit.

As her hand touched the door handle, a blinding flash of light blinked through the air.

Mia screamed and retracted her hand.

From outside, a distant choir began to chant - low, slow, and in a language neither of them recognized. The voices bled through the fog like some ancient, sacred rite.

Haru swallowed, “The ghost hunts… we rigged them with flashing lights and speakers. It was all fake, Mia." He looked down, “But this - this is real. I swear.”

He made a deep bow, “I am sorry for lying to you all the time. It’s okay if you want to-”

The girl didn’t let him finish his sentence, placing a trembling finger to his lips.

Without a word, Mia turned the handle again and pushed the door open.

Together, they stepped onto the train platform.

Outside, the fog had thinned, it seemed to cling to the station itself. Careful not to fall off the slippery platform, the boy and girl made it back where they came from. They moved cautiously, leapt down to ground level, and started to follow the railroad track back through the forest.