I think everybody who spends any amount of time in the Metro has seen a train that doesn't stop at the station.posted by empath at 10:17 AM on December 15, 2010 [23 favorites]
Usually, they're 'money trains', carrying fares so they can be deposited, or just trains out of service for maintenance. At least, that's what they tell you.
Some of the trains that don't stop, never stop. Not to pick up money, not for maintenance, not for anything. WMATA knows about them. They've been seen by passengers, drivers, janitors. Always late at night though, sometimes even at 4 or 5 in the morning, when Metro is supposed to be closed.
They get the reports, but they say when they check the tapes, the trains are never seen, except maybe as the wind that blows a piece of litter around on the platform. That's what they say.
Usually, the trains are empty, but sometimes people are seen on the train. Usually people say it looked like a homeless person, sometimes just standing, holding the bar on the ceiling. Sometimes they look out the doors or windows, their mouths open in a silent scream.
It's not always homeless people, though. Sometimes its a regular person like you or me. Sometimes men in dark suits, sometimes things that are shaped like men, but clearly aren't -- with grey skin or strangely elongated limbs.
The homeless children in DC say that you can get the train to stop, though. You have to stand in the exact center of the platform, face due south with your eyes closed, while an out-of-service train comes into the station. No matter what you do, don't look at the train, don't even open your eyes. You'll hear the train stop. Don't move, don't open your eyes. You'll feel a hand touch your shoulder. You will want to scream, but you can't. Whatever you do, don't scream.
A voice will say:
"What do you seek."
You must say: (you will find that you have no choice)
"I seek the way between worlds."
When you wake up-- IF you wake up-- you will still be on the platform, but days, perhaps weeks will have passed. You will have no memory of what happened. But everyone you know will see that you've changed. Some of them will ask you about it. Most will be afraid to say anything.
But you will have changed, because of what you've seen. You just can never talk about it.
All you can do is tell the story of The Train That Never Stops at a Station.
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posted by l33tpolicywonk at 10:08 AM on December 15, 2010 [1 favorite]