Excerpt:

Midnight Express is a classic horror story by Alfred Noyes, written in 1935. It follows the terrifying experience of a young boy haunted by an illustration in a book. The picture shows a man standing on an empty railway platform at night, triggering inexplicable fear in the boy. Years later, the now-grown boy finds himself at a similar railway station and spots a shadowy figure.Considered one of the finest scary stories ever written, Midnight Express has been featured in numerous horror anthologies, including 65 Great Tales of the Supernatural and The 8th Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories.

It was a battered old book

Bound in red buckram. Mortimer discovered it at the age of twelve, on an upper shelf in his father’s library. Against all rules, he took it to his bedroom to read by candlelight when the rest of the old Elizabethan house was shrouded in darkness. Mortimer always felt a sense of intense awareness during those nights, when the ticking of the grandfather clock, the distant murmur of the sea, and the sounds of moths fluttering around the candle filled the silence.

The old book fascinated him, though he never quite grasped the story. It was called The Midnight Express, and there was one illustration on the fiftieth page that he could not bear to look at. It frightened him deeply.

The picture depicted an empty railway platform at night, lit by a single lamp. A solitary figure stood under the lamp, facing the dark mouth of a tunnel. The man seemed to be listening, tense and expectant, as if awaiting a dreadful event. Despite the simplicity of the image, young Mortimer could not explain the dread it instilled in him. He pinned the pages together to avoid accidentally seeing the picture again and vowed to read the whole story. But each night, before reaching the fiftieth page, he fell asleep.

Years passed, and Mortimer forgot about the book. But one night, waiting for a train at a lonely station, the memory resurfaced. The clock struck midnight, and there, under the solitary lamp, stood the figure from the picture, exactly as he remembered.

This time, Mortimer was determined to confront his fear. He approached the figure and swung around to see its face, only to find himself staring into his own eyes, as though reflected in a mirror. Panic seized him, and he fled from the station, pursued by echoing footsteps.

Desperation led him to a cottage, where a shadowy figure with a face wrapped in cloth silently beckoned him inside. He followed the figure up the stairs to a room where a fire burned, and on the table lay the same battered old book. Mortimer, trembling, opened it. The pins he had used as a child to block the fiftieth page were still there. He began to read the story again, only to realize, with growing horror, that it was his own story, repeating endlessly, with no escape.

Review Of Midnight Express

Midnight Express is a timeless tale that masterfully combines fear, suspense, and the supernatural. Alfred Noyes’ ability to craft an atmosphere of inescapable dread resonates deeply with readers, making this story a standout in the horror genre. The tension builds gradually, drawing the reader into a world where reality and nightmare blur, creating an unforgettable experience.

This story is not just a simple ghost tale but a deep exploration of human psychology and fear. The cyclical nature of the narrative emphasizes the inescapability of fate, a theme that haunts the reader long after the story ends. Mortimer’s terrifying encounter with himself symbolizes the inescapable nature of fear, where the past and present collide in a chilling realization that there is no escape from destiny.

For horror enthusiasts, Midnight Express serves as a must-read classic that highlights Alfred Noyes’ storytelling genius. Its placement in major anthologies solidifies its importance in supernatural literature. Whether you’re revisiting old favorites or discovering Midnight Express for the first time, this tale remains a gripping reminder of why the supernatural continues to captivate and terrify readers across generations.