“Finally! End of a long shift. Time to go home~” you happily spoke, detaching yourself from your desk; you grabbed your bag and made your way towards the exit. Before you go leave, you turn your head around to bid goodbye to your boss and colleagues, but decided not to as you noticed they were all busy on their paperwork. Despite the dimness of the workplace, you saw your boss’s face—disoriented on his work.

Whoa~ Everyone is so hardworking tonight. You giggled, walking away from the work area. Or maybe it’s just me; maybe I enjoyed today’s work.

You keenly wait for the doors to open and went outside. You immediately noticed the faintness of the streetlights; they weren’t at their usual intensity which got you scared a little because you somehow depend on them whenever you work late.

You got out of the building and hopped towards the sidewalk. While waiting for a cab to arrive, you glanced down at your wristwatch. It read 11:31 PM.

“Oh my… I would be so late for tonight.” You whined, remembering the plans you made with your boyfriend for tonight. You’ve got nothing to do so you just shrugged it; your boyfriend was already used to it. When you spotted a car nearing, you quickly waved your arms for it to spot you also.

The car halted in front of you and you got inside.

You saw the driver oddly staring at you; finding him somewhat eccentric. Anxious to go home, you told him to drive you to the Seo-Gu train station. The driver obliged.

From there, I’d ride the train, drop at Dae-Gu… you glimpsed at the driver, and his unsettling eyes were reflected on the side mirror. You shook your head and continued arranging your trip. I drop off at Dae-Gu and walk a few meters so I can go home~.

You fished for your phone in your bag. You got four messages all from your boyfriend, asking if you’re going home already. You sent him a reply saying you’ll be home at around 12:30AM. You put your attention to the lightless road. It was a black hole ready to eat you up. Shivers ran down your spine, thinking you’ll probably walk alone in this dark night.

The eccentric driver dropped you off to the train station you mentioned earlier. You give him your payment, but he grasped your wrist and whispered something:

“Be careful when you travel this time of the night… You do not know what’s lurking in the dark.”

Then he slowly released his grip on your wrist. You felt horror climbing at the back of your mind. Perplexed, you tried asking why but then he was fast enough to drive away and you saw the cab’s door shut on its own.

What- W-What was that--?!

You tried to ignore the situation. Meekly walking up the station’s creaky stairs, you found it was surprisingly dark…and empty. Not that it was pitch-dark; the station was still lit by sleepy bulbs although you don’t notice because the cab driver’s words rattle through your mind.

You find yourself a space to wait for the train; you got your arms trembling on your sides. You peeped at the station’s enormous clock which has inexplicably stopped at 4:44. You got scared a little bit but it was gone straightaway because the train you’re waiting for had arrived.

Before stepping onto the train, you thought you saw a shadowy entity moved. You found it spine-chilling, so you disregarded it and hopped inside. You sat on the farthest bench.

You were astonished to realize all this time, no one was boarding the train. You spotted only two or three persons at the station, sitting on the same bench and all were asleep. Omo~ Poor people. Who knows when the next train would arrive? You ponder on this thought, vainly checking your exhausted face on the window opposite you.

A few minutes passed, you feel the temperature inside slumped. You hugged yourself. Maybe because I was the only one riding the train. You paused. Nah, of course…this is Korea! Supposed to be cold here! Duh.

The speakers in the train suddenly . You slightly tossed in your seat.

“Good heavens…” you managed to speak. It was just an announcement for the next destination…but a little garbled. You couldn’t understand what the announcer was saying, he’s like talking with his mouth full.

Right after the speakers stopped, the train paused as well. You looked at the automatic doors, anticipating anyone who’d join you in your lone journey in the middle of the night.

But no one came in. You shrug and held your phone. A reply was sent by your boyfriend—he was relieved you finally answered and asked you if you were with somebody.

“What!? This boy, seriously.” You exclaimed and then proceeded to reply.

All of a sudden, the lights went off. It was dark. Pitch black. You got scared and felt your heart throbbing on your chest. Your subconscious started chanting the cab driver’s words:

Be careful when you travel this time of the night…

You shut your eyes; sweat forming on your forehead and arms.

You do not know what’s lurking in the dark.

“Oh —!” you yelled, eyes tightly shut. “Screw that driver. Oh, good God please…” The train was still running, nevertheless. You kept your eyes closed.

Few minutes later, the lights went back and you opened your eyes. You realize you haven’t sent your message to your boyfriend, when you sensed company.

Gathering all the guts you have, you peeked at the window opposite you. You sighed out of relief after seeing your own image on the window.

“Aw, silly me. Why the hell would—”

The lights flickered again. You held your breath.

What…the …? You had your eyes open. The chilling sensation was there again. Sweat trickled on your cheeks and arms. Your heart was pounding hard in your chest.

Your eyes were hardly adjusting to the train’s darkness, petrifying you more. Your lips were a tad parted and your throat dried.

The sensation was getting massive every second.

You feel there was something or someone other than you inside the pitch dark train.

You were about to break down and cry when the lights again. You heaved a sigh, closing your teary eyes. Upon opening them, you almost got a heart attack on when you saw your reflection on the train’s window…with someone sitting beside you. Your heart almost leapt out of your ribcage.

It was a man. He was distorted and bloody all over. His eyes were bulging in a way that they might fall out of their sockets anytime; his lips is a dried bloody mess; and his arms and legs were slightly decapitated, blood freshly dripping off of them.

You cannot process your body to run. You tried screaming but got no voice. You abruptly stood up and ran opposite the man’s direction when you notice him moved. You were the image of scared: heart loudly pounding in your chest, very pale face, sweaty arms and hands, and trembling knees. You have nowhere to go.

You glanced up to the train’s next destination. It would four minutes to arrive there. You felt hopeless.

You hadn’t notice you dropped your phone—and your message hadn’t been sent. Yet you paid no attention; you were scared to death by the sudden appearance of a bloody man beside you. You try uttering few, indistinctive words.

“! Please go awaaay. Go away! God please, I want to go home now~” you began crying uncontrollably. “Stop moving you bastard!!”

The entity slowly made its way towards your direction. You felt your feet stuck to the ground. You want to run. You want to hide. But where? Four minutes is long enough for the menacing man to harm you or what-else-can-he-do. You cry more, sweat and tears mixing on your face.

To add more shivers on your spine, the lights flicked on and off again. The train, you felt, started to become shaky. Or maybe it was just your mind.

You started pushing the train’s emergency button like crazy, unsure if it would work. You should work or I’ll pound you more!

“Come on… please… open up…” you uttered in between sobs. Then you heard the man growl. You were brave enough to look back at him with your red eyes.

You saw his chopped lips stretch. It was like his face was going to split in halves. He continues gurgling.

Sweat dripped on your forehead. You pressed the emergency button twice faster. You heard the man speak, but was garbled… unconceivable.

A thought hit you.

“The announcement!” you finally found your voice. “W-Were you the o-o-one who s-spoke earlier?”

He stopped on his tracks. He glared at you, flashing you a twisted smile. Your body devitalizes, you felt like jumping out of the train’s window—if you can.

You looked at the man again, and you were able to analyze his face. He seems painstakingly familiar.

Oh holy heavens… he was the cab driver!!

“Careful... night. Alone... dark. What lurks.” The man spoke but you did not paid attention, you were out of your wits.

You saw he was now only a few inches away from you and you cried harder, making no room for air. You banged the emergency button; you rammed the doors as well…desperate to find a way out.

The doors miraculously unbolted. 

You have arrived at the destination. You were about to leap forward when the bloody man grasped you hair.

“AAAHHH—!!!” you let out a bloodcurdling shriek. “Let go of meee!!!” You struggled to break free, hitting his hands with your bag. He started laughing and you could imagine his twisted smile. It made you more frightened.

You managed to free yourself just before the doors close, snipping the man’s arms in the process. You flinched, gasped for air and wiped your damp face.

Your body was shaking badly; your heart pounds rapidly.

What… What had just happened…? You ask yourself, eyes staring on your shivering hands. Is this real…

You began walking aimlessly—arms hugging yourself and eyes bawling out. You viewed your wristwatch, 11:56PM.

Four minutes before 12. Good gracious… You quickly went away from the spooky train station. With no source of light, except from a small number of dim streetlamps, you decide to walk home. Your thoughts were still in disarray.

You walked in a street which you believed was the way to your house. Your lips promptly curved up into a smile when you recognized someone coming towards you. You knew it was your boyfriend.

Jagiya! Thank goodness. You breathed. I missed him so much…

But you stopped dead on your path.

He wasn’t your boyfriend.

It was the amputated cab driver. And he was running in your direction, his bizarre zigzag smile plastered on his face.

Blood drained from you face and the same horror found its way to your consciousness again, leaving your body helpless.

The next day, newspaper headlines read: “OFFICE GIRL FOUND DEAD AT THE STREETS OF DAEGU.”