The Last Train to Echo Point

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a crimson glow over the old railway line. Echo Point was a name that had faded into local folklore, a place where trains would halt in the dead of night, their whistle piercing the silence. Now, a group of four friends—Emma, Jake, Lisa, and Tom—found themselves drawn to the abandoned tracks, a place of rumored hauntings and forgotten secrets.

Emma, the most curious of the bunch, had stumbled upon a photo of the train station from the turn of the century. The caption read, "Echo Point Station: Last stop for the lost train." Her imagination was already racing, and she convinced the others to embark on a ghost hunt.

As they approached the station, the air grew cold. The wooden boards creaked under their weight, and the wind howled through the broken windows. The station was a shell of its former self, the walls peeling, the roof sagging, and the floor littered with fallen tiles. But it was the train itself that held their attention. An old, rusted engine stood silent, its windows fogged with condensation, as if watching them with cold, unblinking eyes.

Jake, the practical one, suggested they start with the engine, but Emma had other ideas. "There's something in that station," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can feel it."

The group ventured inside, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the bare walls. The station was a labyrinth of corridors and dimly lit rooms, each more decrepit than the last. They passed the old ticket booth, its counter filled with dust, and the waiting room, where wooden benches were now splintered and worn.

As they continued, they began to hear it—the faint, ghostly echoes of a train. The sound was almost imperceptible at first, but it grew louder with each step. "It's coming from the east wing," Jake said, pointing towards the far end of the station.

They moved cautiously, their torches flickering in the darkness. The east wing was a storage area, filled with boxes and old luggage. The echoes grew more intense, and then they saw it—a figure shrouded in a long, flowing coat, standing at the far end of the room.

"Who's there?" Emma called out, her voice trembling.

The figure turned, and for a moment, they thought it was a man, a worker perhaps, returning from the night shift. But then, as the figure moved, it became clear that there was no face. It was a ghost, a spirit trapped in the station, waiting for the last train to Echo Point.

"Please help us," the ghostly figure whispered, its voice echoing through the room. "We were waiting for the train, but it never came."

Lisa clutched Tom's arm, her eyes wide with fear. "It's a ghost," she stammered.

The echoes of the train grew louder, a desperate plea for help. The group knew they had to find a way to break the spirit's curse. They followed the ghost through the corridors, the echoes growing more insistent, until they reached the train.

The train was old, but it was still in perfect condition. The windows were clear, and the seats were comfortable. The ghost sat in the last carriage, its face still hidden by the long coat.

"Please, help us," the ghost repeated, its voice breaking. "We were waiting for the last train, but it never came."

Emma stepped forward, her heart pounding in her chest. "We don't know why the train never came, but we can help you find peace."

The ghost looked up at Emma, and for a moment, it seemed to hesitate. Then, it nodded, and the echoes of the train faded into silence. The ghost stepped forward, and the long coat fell away, revealing the face of an elderly woman, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"Thank you," she whispered. "You have given us a chance to rest."

The group watched as the ghost's form began to fade, her spirit finally at peace. They returned to the present, the echoes of the train gone, the spirit of the woman from the past released.

Echo Point Station was no longer haunted. The last train to Echo Point had arrived, and the curse had been broken. The friends left the station, their hearts filled with a sense of accomplishment and a newfound respect for the spirits of the past.