The Ghost Train in Scotland

By Shantnu Tiwari

Jim is speeding through the Highlands when he crashes down a mountain.

 

And standing there, just for him, is a ghostly train.

 

Is he dead? What does the train want?

 

A Ghost Train Short Story

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shantnu Tiwari
• Release date: Apr 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393159254

Book preview

1

As the wind blew through the empty grassland of the Scottish Highlands, a rabbit tried to run across a deserted road. It being the middle of December, no tourist had been brave enough, or foolish enough, to venture through this road. And the locals were all warmly in their houses, watching the much-anticipated football match with Sweden.

Though it was only three in the afternoon, it was already starting to get dark. The closest human presence, a petrol pump/grocery store, had already shut, it being a Sunday. No one was going to be driving on this road today. And yet, as a rabbit crossed the road and entered the wild grassland, it was crushed to death. Beneath the huge metallic tyres of a nineteenth-century steam train that had come to a screeching stop right in the middle of the Highlands.

Why did we stop? asked the driver.

‘Cause we have a passenger, said the ticket collector.

The driver shrugged, like it was perfectly normal to pick up passengers in the middle of the Scottish Highlands.

How long do we need to wait?

The ticket collector straightened his tie and smoothed his coat. As long as it takes.

2

Jim wiped the sweat from his brows as he drove around yet another hilly bend. Though it was below zero, he had been sweating nonstop the whole journey. The reason was not the temperature, but his wife sitting next to him.

Can we talk it over? he asked.

She ignored him.

"We can go back to Edinburgh; we can discuss