The Cloud Rail Station (7)

Part Seven: The Station Lobby Gritting his teeth against the pain, Su Yue pushed himself up and stumbled into the station lobby, slamming the heavy wooden door shut behind him. The lobby was vast, with a ceiling at least three stories high. Several iron oil lamps hung on the walls, casting a sickly green light that made the entire space flicker. Several rows of dilapidated benches occupied the center of the lobby. Seated on them were over a dozen gaunt figures in varied attire. They wore clothes from different eras – some in Republic of China-era robes, others in student uniforms from the Japanese occupation period, and even a young man in a modern down jacket. All of them stared blankly into the void ahead, their faces expressionless, lips slightly parted, as if they had been waiting here for centuries. Su Yue carefully skirted around them, trying to find any other living soul. As the green light from the oil lamps swept over their feet, Su Yue's pupils dilated instantly – they had no shadows beneath them. They were either spirits trapped here by some power, or some more terrifying, monstrous entities… To be continued…