One by one, the passengers filed back to their seats. They eagerly gazed through their windows, hoping for a glimpse of their destination. But the only thing they saw was their own reflections. Outside was black as pitch. You wouldn’t even be able to tell if the train was moving by looking out the window. 

Everyone felt the train was slowing down. The normal excitement and anticipation of arriving at their destination was instead replaced by a subtle dread. No one understood why. They all dealt with it in the same way though, denial. 

At last they lurched to a stop. 

The iron beast that had pulled them all this way let out a hiss of steam that sounded like a sigh of relief after a long journey. 

The conductor appeared in the doorway and...

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