CHAPTER 15 : The Train That Never Arrived
The old central train terminal had been closed for twenty-two years.
Claire arrived at eleven fifty-eight carrying Daniel’s ring.
She told Adrian to wait outside with the police.
The terminal clock began moving when Claire entered, though the building had no electricity.
At midnight, a single train rolled onto the platform.
Its windows were black.
The doors opened.
Claire stepped inside.
The carriage contained only one passenger.
Noah sat beside the window, holding his blue plastic key.
He ran into her arms.
Claire checked him for injuries.
“Where is Celeste?”
Noah pointed toward the next carriage.
“The lady who looks like you said I have to choose.”
“Choose what?”
“Which mom comes home.”
Claire held his face.
“You only have one mother.”
Noah shook his head.
“She said that is not true.”
The door to the next carriage opened.
Margaret Vale stood inside.
Behind her were Victoria and Celeste.
At the far end of the carriage, a man sat with his back toward Claire.
He wore Daniel’s coat.
Margaret held out her hand.
“The ring.”
“First tell me who that man is.”
“He can tell you himself.”
Claire moved closer.
The man slowly stood.
Before he could turn, the train lights went out.
Claire heard a struggle.
Noah screamed her name.
When the lights returned, Margaret and Victoria were gone.
Celeste lay unconscious on the floor.
The man in Daniel’s coat had vanished.
A phone rested on his empty seat.
It began ringing.
Claire answered.
Daniel’s voice whispered, “Do not let the train reach the final station.”
The doors locked.
The train began moving.
Claire tried the emergency brake.
It had been removed.
Celeste opened her eyes.
“You should not have brought the ring.”
“You told me to bring it.”
“No,” Celeste whispered. “Margaret did.”
Claire looked at Daniel’s ring.
The metal band had opened, revealing a tiny storage chip inside.
Every secret Charles had collected could be stored on it.
The train entered a tunnel.
Noah pressed his face against the dark window.
“Mom, there’s another train beside us.”
Claire looked out.
A second train raced through the tunnel only a few feet away.
In its illuminated window stood the man wearing Daniel’s coat.
This time, he faced her.
It was Daniel.
Or someone identical to him.
Beside him stood another little boy who looked exactly like Noah.
Daniel raised one hand and placed it against the glass.
The boy beside him did the same.
Then Claire’s phone received one final message:
ONLY ONE OF THE CHILDREN IS REAL.
The second train accelerated and disappeared into the darkness.
Claire turned toward Noah.
Her son stared back at her with tears in his eyes.
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Then he quietly asked:
“Mom… why did Dad call me by another name?”
