The Commute

Every morning, without fail, during her usual commute to work, Leah noticed him. He always sat in the same seat, near the middle of the train, right by the window. His face never changed expression, his eyes fixed on the passing blur of the city outside. He was tall, with dark hair that seemed slightly unkempt, and always dressed in an old brown coat, even during the summer heat.

One day, she sat across from him. Close enough to study him, but far enough to avoid suspicion. She watched him as subtly as she could, waiting for some sign of movement, some flicker of life. But he didn’t blink. He didn’t shift in his seat. His gaze remained fixed on the window, as if he were staring at something far beyond the city.

Days passed, and Leah became obsessed. She began to ride the train earlier and earlier, just to see if he was already there. He always was. He never got on, and he never got off. He simply was, like part of the train itself.

One Friday morning, Leah decided to confront him.

As the train rattled along the tracks, Leah stood up, crossed the aisle, and sat down next to him. The seat didn’t feel different, but the air around him was cold, unnaturally so.

She looked at him. Up close, he seemed even more unreal. His skin was pale, his hair slightly grey at the temples. His eyes — still focused on something distant outside — were an empty shade of brown. Leah spoke.

“Do you… do you ride this train every day?”

The man didn’t respond. His eyes didn’t move. Leah shifted in her seat, feeling a sudden wave of unease. She tried again, louder this time.

“I see you here every morning. Why don’t you ever get off?”

For a moment, she thought he wouldn’t answer. But then, slowly, his head turned toward her. His movements were stiff, as if he hadn’t moved in years. His eyes met hers, and Leah felt transfixed by them.

The man’s expression didn’t change. His voice was calm, detached. “You’ve been watching me.”

She tried to stand, but her body wouldn’t move. The train seemed to slow, the air growing stale. She looked around in a panic, but no one else on the train seemed to notice. They were all frozen, unmoving, their eyes staring straight ahead, as if the moment had stopped for them.

The train lurched, and the world outside the window blurred into a deep darkness. Leah’s heart raced as she tried to scream, but no sound came out. The passengers around her remained still, statues in their seats.

The man stood, his cold air brushing her shoulder as he moved past. Leah tried to follow him with her eyes, but her body refused to move. She was rooted to the seat.

He stepped off the train at the stop, disappearing into the fog that had rolled in. The doors slid shut behind him, and the train pulled away, leaving Leah behind.

She stared out of the window, her mind numb, her body motionless.

The train rattled along the tracks, and the passengers around her slowly began to stir, as if nothing had happened. But Leah remained frozen, her eyes fixed on the window.