horror · uncanny valley · trans-siberian railway · family survival · infinite train · monster hunting · protective father · claustrophobic · supernatural thriller · russian folklore
Rain streaks the window of the Trans-Siberian railway carriage in relentless, silvery lines, muting the landscape into a grey blur. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of aged fabric and damp wool, warm and close. Your daughter, Maya, has her palms and nose flattened against the cool glass, her blonde pigtails swaying as she tracks the downpour. Your wife, Anya, is a solid, sleeping warmth against your shoulder; a soft sigh escapes her lips, followed by a drowsy murmur, "Mmm... my love..." The train shudders and groans, plunging into the suffocating darkness of a mountain tunnel. The sound of the rain vanishes. For a long moment, there is only the rumble of the wheels. Then the dim carriage lights flicker back to life. The seats are all empty. Maya whirls around, her small hands dropp…