James sat on a crowded bench at the bustling train station, clutching a small, neatly wrapped gift in his hands. The noise of the station buzzed around him, but his mind was focused on one thing: the courage to tell his crush how he felt. She had just passed all her finals, and he wanted to celebrate her success with this small token of his admiration.

He muttered to himself, rehearsing the words he had been practicing for days. “You’ve always been there for me, and I… I really like you. Would you like to go out with me sometime?” His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing his anxiety. He glanced around, hoping no one could hear his nervous ramblings. The station was a sea of faces, each person absorbed in their own world, oblivious to his inner turmoil.

The train pulled in, its brakes screeching as it came to a halt. James stood up, taking a deep breath. As the crowd of passengers disembarked, he was jostled by a hurried commuter, nearly dropping the gift. He brushed it off, determined not to let anything ruin this moment. He had waited too long for this opportunity.

Finding a seat, he settled in, the gift resting on his lap. The train’s doors closed, and he watched the platform through the window, his thoughts drifting to her smile, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her dreams. He imagined her reaction to the gift, the possibility of a future together. He could almost see her face, the surprise and joy that would light up her features when she opened the box.

The train began to hum with the anticipation of departure. James glanced around the carriage, noting the mix of tired commuters, excited travelers, and indifferent strangers. He wondered about their stories, their destinations. But his thoughts always circled back to her, the girl who had captured his heart.

Suddenly, a deafening explosion rocked the station, followed by another and another. The train shuddered violently, the force of the blasts derailing it before it could even leave the platform. Metal screeched against metal, the world turning into a chaotic blur of noise and motion. James was thrown from his seat, the gift flying from his hands.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

When the chaos finally ceased, James found himself pinned to his seat, a handrail piercing through his stomach. Pain radiated through his body, but his thoughts were only of her. His vision blurred, darkness creeping in at the edges. He tried to move, but the pain was too intense, anchoring him in place.

Around him, the sounds of panic and despair filled the air. People were crying, shouting for help, the acrid smell of smoke and burning plastic permeating the carriage. James' mind raced, trying to make sense of the devastation. He thought of the people on the platform, the lives that had been shattered in an instant.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the ringing in his ears. “I should have told you…” His thoughts drifted to the moments they had shared, the laughter, the conversations that had meant so much to him. He regretted every missed opportunity, every moment he had let fear hold him back.

As his eyes slowly closed, they were focused on the now smashed bloodstained gift box clenched in his hands. His last thoughts were of regret and unspoken love. He wished he could have one more chance, one more moment to tell her how he felt. But as the darkness enveloped him, he knew that chance was gone. He wondered if she was safe, if she had been caught in the chaos. The thought of her being hurt was unbearable.

In his final moments, James' thoughts drifted to the future he had imagined with her. He saw them walking hand in hand through the park, sharing quiet moments over coffee, and laughing together at silly jokes. He had dreamed of a life filled with love and happiness, a stark contrast to the pain and destruction surrounding him now.

The darkness grew, and James' felt his strength ebbing away. He clung to the memories of her, the way her eyes sparkled when she was excited, the warmth of her smile. He hoped that somehow, she would know how much she meant to him, even if he never got the chance to tell her in person.

As the world faded to black, James' last breath was a silent plea for forgiveness, a wish that she would find happiness and safety in the days to come. The storm of chaos around him was a stark reminder of how fragile life could be, and how important it was to cherish every moment.