Exploring the Spirit Train: Calm, Whimsy, and a Short Story

Spirit Train Ride Print - Take a ride in the overgrowth cart. Enjoy the scenery, the cart service, and some small friends on your journey. What spirits will you find while aboard? Shop it as a print here.

“ALL ABOARD!!!”

The conductor’s voice echoed loudly across the concrete platform that was Gate 5 of the train station. The final passengers filed into the cart with a minute to spare. The only sound was the heavy steps of a woman’s red Converse running towards the train.

The woman was sweating a little; her brown crop top clung to her shoulders a little, and her cargo pants looked comfortable for a long trip.

Willow was late, her auburn hair danced in the wind, and her duffle bag seemed to float in the air by the sheer velocity she was running to catch that train. She had to get on this train and fast. She pushed past her limit to get a burst of energy to get even a little faster.

The conductor was clearing the doorway for it to close when she jumped right through, just in time before the door slid into place.

The conductor almost fell back against the wall as she caught her breath next to him. He brushed himself off and glared at her, “Ma’am, PLEASE be on time for your train in the future. That was extremely dangerous.”

Willow rubbed the back of her head and looked sheepishly at the conductor, “Sorry, sir… the cafe was running slow at the passenger lounge.”

The conductor sighed and pushed her into the passenger cart to go take a seat. He was done looking at her.

The cart was sleek in its modern design. The blue tones made the place cool and calm in the midst of the rumbling, shifting, and shrieking of the train created outside. But, you would think this cart was very old, and very unkempt with the overgrowth of vines, leaves, and moss that covered the ceiling and luggage compartments.

The passengers themselves were their cast of characters. Towards the front was a blonde Faun looking at his phone. He was an amputee, but it didn’t hinder them from typing so fast to whoever was on the other side of the phone.

Across from him was another blonde with a straight bob cut. She was hunched over, grabbing whatever she hid in her bag. But Willow didn’t watch long enough to see what the blonde woman was grabbing, even though she could sense magic surrounding the woman’s hands.

Behind them was a little elven girl with two buns. She was dressed like a little sailor with her striped shirt and little orange scarf around her neck. She was looking around the aisle, waiting expectantly for something unknown.

Behind her was another woman, possibly a sister or cousin of the elven girl. Her reddish dress flowed as she placed her luggage in the vacant seat next to her. Her braided hair flowed down her shoulder, and Willow needed to stop staring at this beautiful woman.

There were more passengers, but Willow needed to take a seat before the conductor came back and reprimanded her again. She dropped her duffle bag onto the aisle seat of choice and lowered onto the window seat next to it. With a huff, she sank into the comfortable train seat and turned off her brain for a few moments.

The quiet cart was comfortable. The passengers kept to themselves, no weird interactions that you might get in a crowded cart to the city. Willow felt like she could calm her mind with no issues in this cart.

The calm paired well with the outside world broadcasting in the windows. The train passed through the healthy valleys filled with plush trees that were untouched by mankind. A couple of times, the valley opened to grand mountains that painted the sky with their greens. Willow just needed her headphones with some lo-fi sounds, and it would be a complete set.

This calm was required for this train cart. Willow did remember seeing the sign in her frenzy, escaping the conductor. There was a reason, and it was supernatural.

As the train rode through the trees in the valley, twinklets of spectral energy flowed into the cart. The energy manifested into little ghostly creatures that began walking around the cart. The little elf girl shifted to look down the aisle again to see a little mouse with its cape around its shoulders.

In the vines were little mice or ferrets playing like the vines were a jungle gym. One was hanging just above Willow’s head. Some of the spectres next to the mouse were just orbs still trying to form into their little personalities.

Willow turned her head to see a rabbit climbing up onto the empty seat next to her. The large rabbit sank on top of the seat, its front paws grabbing on. Their ears were up in alert as they looked at Willow with curiosity. Willow smiled and offered their lap as a place to chill out.

The rabbit happily hopped onto Willow's lap and watched the window. Willow proceeded to pet their head. She was surprised to feel fur despite the spectral nature of these creatures. That’s how she spent the rest of the ride to her destination.

The destination? Wherever she decided to get off. She was content to ride this train out till she got bored. She doesn’t have a set schedule, just riding the wave for interesting sights, sounds, and interactions. This rabbit spirit is just one in a bunch of moments of the day.

She can’t wait to see what she sees next.

Does this aesthetic resonate with you, and want more?

Thank you for reading another short story based on one of my cozy illustrations. I hope you found a new game to add to your inventory. If you’re looking for even more whimsical vibes, such as artwork, you can explore my full portfolio here. Want more cozy recommendations straight to you? Join my biweekly newsletter below!