Subway Station

The Subway Station is a scary story about a girl who falls asleep on the underground and misses her stop. It is inspired by a well-known Japanese urban legend that was posted on the Japanese messageboard 2ch. It takes the form of a series of late-night text messages between a Japanese girl and her boyfriend.

The following is a transcript of the text message conversation between a Japanese girl named Hasumi and her boyfriend, Takeshi.

2006/06/05 23:35
Hasumi: Are you still awake?

2006/06/05 23:36
Takeshi: What’s up?

2006/06/05 23:38
Hasumi： I’m on the subway. I fell asleep and missed my stop.

2006/06/05 23:40
Takeshi: Get off at the next subway station and get the next train back.

2006/06/05 23:41
Hasumi： That’s the weird thing. I’ve been waiting 20 mins and the train hasn’t stopped yet.

2006/06/05 23:43
Takeshi: Well, it has to stop sometime.

2006/06/05 23:43
Hasumi： I guess you’re right.

2006/06/05 23:44
Takeshi: Did you get on the wrong train by mistake?

2006/06/05 23:45
Hasumi： No. This is the same train I always get.

2006/06/05 23:46
Takeshi: Is there anyone else on the train with you?

2006/06/05 23:47
Hasumi： No. I’m all alone. The other carriages are empty. I’m kind of scared.

2006/06/05 23:47
Takeshi: Go up to the first carriage and see if you can talk to the driver.

2006/06/05 23:47
Hasumi： OK

2006/06/05 23:48
Takeshi: Ask him what the next station is.

2006/06/05 23:53
Hasumi： The window on the driver’s cabin is blacked out. I can’t see him.

2006/06/05 23:55
Takeshi: Try knocking on the window.

2006/06/05 23:56
Hasumi： I did, but there was no reply.

2006/06/05 23:57
Takeshi: That’s strange.

2006/06/05 23:59
Hasumi： The train’s slowing down now. It looks like we’re going to stop.

2006/06/05 23:59
Takeshi: Good.

2006/06/06 00:00
Hasumi： We’re stopped at a station now. Should I get off?

2006/06/06 00:00
Takeshi: You should definitely get off.

2006/06/06 00:02
Hasumi： OK. I got off. I’m on the platform. I don’t know this station.

2006/06/06 00:03
Takeshi: I’ll come and pick you up. What’s the name of the subway station? I’ll find it on Google Maps.

2006/06/06 00:04
Hasumi： It doesn’t have a name.

2006/06/06 00:04
Takeshi: Come on. It has to have a name

2006/06/06 00:05
Hasumi： I can’t see any name.

2006/06/06 00:05
Takeshi: Do you see any signs?

2006/06/06 00:06
Hasumi： They all say Subway Station.

2006/06/06 00:06
Takeshi: How about a timetable?

2006/06/06 00:07
Hasumi： Nothing. Anyway, I can’t take a train back. All the trains stop at midnight.

2006/06/06 00:08
Takeshi: If there’s a timetable on the wall, it should have the name of the station on it.

2006/06/06 00:10
Hasumi： There’s nothing on the walls.

2006/06/06 00:10
Takeshi: Well, just go up the escalator and see if you can find any signs etc.

2006/06/06 00:10
Hasumi： OK

2006/06/06 00:14
Takeshi: Anything yet?

2006/06/06 00:16
Hasumi： Nothing.

2006/06/06 00:18
Takeshi: Go outside. See if there are any street signs.

2006/06/06 00:20
Hasumi： There’s nothing out here.

2006/06/06 00:20
Takeshi: Are there any buildings nearby?

2006/06/06 00:23
Hasumi： Yes. Some. But it doesn’t look like there are any people in them. The lights are all off.

2006/06/06 00:23
Takeshi: I don’t know what to do. I’m freaking out

2006/06/06 00:25
Hasumi： Don’t worry. I’ll leave the station and look for a taxi or something.

2006/06/06 00:25
Takeshi: Good idea. Be careful.

2006/06/06 00:26
Hasumi： It’s really cold out here.

2006/06/06 00:27
Takeshi: Take care of yourself.

2006/06/06 00:41
Hasumi： Still no taxis or anything. What should I do?

2006/06/06 00:43
Takeshi: Maybe there’s a phone booth nearby. You could call a taxi.

2006/06/06 00:43
Hasumi： And tell them what? I don’t know where I am.

2006/06/06 00:44
Takeshi: This is getting desperate. You could call the operator and ask them to trace the call.

2006/06/06 00:44
Hasumi： I don’t see any phone booths. It’s like I’m in the middle of nowhere.

2006/06/06 00:48
Takeshi: Flag down the next car that goes by. Tell them it’s an emergency.

2006/06/06 00:58
Hasumi： The streets are really deserted. I haven’t seen any cars go past while I’ve been here. I’m really scared.

2006/06/06 00:59
Takeshi: Don’t worry about it.

2006/06/06 01:00
Hasumi: That’s easy for you to say. You’re safe and warm at home. I’m the one who’s stuck out here. I’m going to freeze to death.

2006/06/06 01:01
Takeshi: Don’t panic. It’s OK. We’ll get through this.

2006/06/06 01:11
Hasumi： You’re right. Sorry. I’m calm now. I’ll just walk along the highway until I see a car.

2006/06/06 01:12
Takeshi: Just be careful.

2006/06/06 01:14
Hasumi： Of course.

2006/06/06 01:18
Takeshi: I’m worried about you.

2006/06/06 01:30
Hasumi： The lights on the highway just went out. It’s pitch black. I can’t see a thing

2006/06/06 01:31
Takeshi: That’s it. I’m calling the police.

2006/06/06 01:33
Hasumi： How will they find me?

2006/06/06 01:34
Takeshi: I don’t know. But they can look.

2006/06/06 01:36
Hasumi： This is bad. This is really bad.

2006/06/06 01:37
Takeshi: Can you see anything at all?

2006/06/06 01:39
Hasumi： Not much.

2006/06/06 01:41
Takeshi: Is it really safe to walk along a road you’ve never seen before in the cold and the dark?

2006/06/06 01:43
Hasumi： I honestly don’t know what to do anymore.

2006/06/06 01:45
Takeshi: Be careful that your cell phone battery doesn’t run out. It’s your lifeline now.

2006/06/06 01:48
Hasumi： I can hear something in the distance. A weird noise.

2006/06/06 01:49
Takeshi: What is it?

2006/06/06 01:50
Hasumi: It sounds like drums. Drums or bells.

2006/06/06 01:51
Takeshi: What could it be?

2006/06/06 01:52
Hasumi： I’m just going to keep moving.

2006/06/06 01:54
Takeshi: Maybe it would have been safer to wait at the station until sunrise…

2006/06/06 01:56
Hasumi： Maybe…

2006/06/06 01:58
Takeshi: Just go back to the station, Hasumi. If you get lost, going back to where you started is the best thing to do.

2006/06/06 02:00
Hasumi: There’s a tunnel up ahead.

2006/06/06 02:01
Takeshi: Don’t go into the tunnel. It’s not safe. You could get hit by a car. Just give up for tonight. Wait for the first train in the morning.

2006/06/06 02:05
Hasumi： I just heard someone behind me shouting. When I turned around there was a man with only one leg standing about 10 meters behind me. Then he disappeared. I’m so scared, I can’t think straight.

2006/06/06 02:05
Takeshi: Get out of there. Can you make it through the tunnel on your own?

2006/06/06 02:07
Hasumi： I’m so frightened. I’m afriad to look behind me. I want to go back to the station but I can’t turn around.

2006/06/06 02:08
Takeshi: No. Run. Don’t you dare turn back.

2006/06/06 02:10
Hasumi： I can’t run. I can’t even walk anymore. The sound of the drums is getting closer.

2006/06/06 02:11
Takeshi: Calm down and listen to me, ok? If you make it through the tunnel, you’ll be safe.

2006/06/06 02:19
Hasumi: I called my parents. My dad said he’d call the police, but the sound is getting closer. I don’t want to die.

2006/06/06 02:20
Takeshi: Are you OK?

2006/06/06 02:24
Hasumi: I fell and hurt my leg. I’ve been crying so my face is a mess.

2006/06/06 02:25
Takeshi: OMG. I wish I knew how to help you.

2006/06/06 02:28
Hasumi: I’m still alive. I’m bleeding from when I fell and the heel broke off my shoe.

2006/06/06 02:29
Takeshi: Just keep going. Don’t stop. Once you come out of the tunnel, let me know right away.

2006/06/06 02:31
Hasumi: I made it out of the tunnel. The sound keeps getting closer.

2006/06/06 02:32
Takeshi: If you see a house, maybe you can take shelter there.

2006/06/06 02:35
Hasumi： There’s someone standing in the distance. It looks like a man and he’s got a car.

2006/06/06 02:36
Takeshi: Someone just standing there at this time of night? That’s suspicious…

2006/06/06 02:37
Hasumi: I’m going to ask him for help.

2006/06/06 02:38
Takeshi: Wait, Hasumi! Don’t trust that guy! Something’s not right!

2006/06/06 02:44
Hasumi： Sorry for worrying you. This guy turned out to be a very kind person. He even offered to give me a ride home.

2006/06/06 02:45
Takeshi: That person sound fishy! Why would he be waiting on the highway at this time of night? I don’t like the sound of this.

2006/06/06 02:47
Hasumi: We’re heading towards the mountains. He’s taking me away from the city. He won’t speak at all anymore.

2006/06/06 02:48
Takeshi: Hasumi, get out of the car!

2006/06/06 02:58
Hasumi: Things are getting strange. He’s started mumbling nonsense to himself. My battery is almost finished. I’ll look for my chance and run.

2006/06/06 02:59
Takeshi: I love you.

2006/06/06 02:59
Hasumi: I love you.

This was the last communication anyone ever received from Hasumi. At exactly 03:00AM, her cell phone dropped off the map. She was never seen or heard from again.