The night they never returned

A story by Abhigyna

The excitement was everywhere. A group of school students were going on a trip, and this time, they were traveling by train.

As soon as they boarded, the coach filled with laughter and noise. Bags were pushed under seats, windows were claimed, and friends gathered together. Some students played games, some sang songs, while others simply enjoyed the thrill of the journey.

The senior students from classes 9 and 10 were the most energetic. They joked loudly, challenged each other, and refused to sleep. It felt like the night belonged to them.

As the train rushed through the darkness, one by one, the younger students fell asleep. Even the teachers, tired from the long day, slowly drifted into sleep.

But not everyone was asleep. A few students were still awake, whispering and laughing softly, enjoying the quiet night.

Around midnight, two students quietly got up from their seats. Without making much noise, they walked toward the washroom at the end of the coach.

No one noticed them leave.

Time passed. The train kept moving through the silent night.

Morning arrived, and the train finally reached its destination. Students woke up, stretched, and started collecting their bags. The excitement returned as everyone prepared to get down.

But suddenly, a teacher noticed something strange.

Two students were missing.

At first, it didn’t seem serious. Maybe they were sitting somewhere else. Maybe they had already gotten down.

But as the teachers checked every seat, every corner… panic slowly began to spread.

Then someone suggested checking the washroom.

A teacher slowly walked toward it.

The door was locked from inside.

A cold silence filled the air.

And something felt terribly… wrong.

What they were about to discover would haunt them forever.

— Abhigyna jaiswal