At the station, her husband bought her a coffee.
«Drink it, sweetheart, it’s a long journey,» he said. «Drink up, darling, perk up.»
Chloe finished it, and the world started to blur. As he helped her into the carriage, he whispered: «In an hour, you won’t even remember your own name.»
Consciousness was drifting away, but someone sat beside her.
«Chloe? It’s me, Anthony.»
Chloe woke up that morning with a light feeling of unease she couldn’t explain. The October sun was shining outside the apartment window. The city was waking up, but she still couldn’t shake the strange sense that something was wrong.
Maybe it had to do with the way James had looked at her last night when she told him she was going to her parents’ place. His gaze had seemed overly attentive, studying, as if he were memorizing her face. Chloe got out of bed, threw on a robe, and walked to the kitchen.
James was already sitting at the table with a cup of coffee, scrolling through something on his phone. When she entered, he looked up and smiled widely, almost ear to ear. It was too wide for seven o’clock on a Saturday morning.
«Good morning, darling. How did you sleep?» His voice sounded upbeat, almost too upbeat.
«Fine,» Chloe replied.
She went to the coffee maker and poured herself a cup.
«You got up early,» she noted.
«I wanted to make sure I could see you off at the station. You know how anxious I get when you leave.»
Chloe turned to him, leaning against the countertop. James seemed to be telling the truth. Over the past few months, he had become incredibly attentive.
In their seven years of marriage, he had often let her go anywhere alone without even seeing her to the door. Now, he controlled every step she took, calling three times a day, asking where she was, with whom, and when she would return. At first, Chloe even liked it.
She thought her husband had finally started to appreciate her. But over time, this attentiveness began to feel suffocating.
«James, it’s just a week. Mom isn’t feeling well. I want to be with her.»
«Of course, of course, I understand,» he said, sipping his coffee without taking his eyes off her. «I’ll just miss you. The house feels empty without you.»
Chloe sat across from him, holding the warm cup in her hands. Something about his behavior was unsettling, but she couldn’t figure out exactly what. Maybe it was how James had changed over the past six months.
He had become nervous, irritable, often leaving the room when the phone rang. At night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She had woken up several times to find him sitting in the kitchen with a glass of whiskey, staring at a single point.
When she asked what was wrong, he brushed it off. Work problems, everything will sort itself out soon. James ran a premium alcohol supply business.
He had a small company that, as she believed, brought in a stable income. At least, they always had enough money. Although the main source of family income was her advertising agency, which Chloe had built from scratch and brought to the top of the market in five years.
«Are you sure you’re okay?» she asked, studying his face.
Dark circles had formed under his eyes, and his skin looked oddly gray.
«Yes, everything’s fine,» he said again. But the smile didn’t reach his eyes. «Just a little tired. Maybe I should go somewhere too, get a break.»
«Next time, we’ll go together,» Chloe suggested. «To my parents or wherever you want.»
«We’ll see.» James looked away. «Better get ready, or you’ll miss your train.»
Chloe got up and went to the bedroom. She had packed her suitcase the night before. It was a small one, just for a week, containing a few dresses, jeans, and sweaters.
October could be cold and windy. She took out her favorite blue jacket from the closet and checked the pockets. Phone, documents, wallet—everything was there.
When she came out of the bedroom already dressed, James was waiting for her in the hallway. He was dressed too, holding the car keys in his hand.
«Let’s go.»
He took her suitcase, even though he usually never did. On the way to the station, they were silent. James turned on the radio and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the rhythm of the music.
Chloe stared out the window at the traffic jams, the grey sky, and people hurrying about their business. For some reason, she didn’t want to leave. Some inner feeling whispered: Stay, don’t get on that train.
But it was foolish. Her mother really wasn’t feeling well, complaining about her heart, and Chloe had promised to come. The station greeted them with its usual bustle.
People dragged suitcases, children ran between legs, and train announcements blared over the loudspeakers. James parked by the entrance, got out, and took her suitcase from the trunk.
«Come on, I’ll see you to the platform.»
They walked through the turnstiles. The train to Boston was leaving from Platform 5 in 20 minutes. James walked beside her, holding her by the elbow, as if he were afraid she might run away.
At the schedule board, he stopped and looked at the screen.
«That’s right, Platform 5.»
«Yes, here, look.» Chloe pointed to the line with her train.
James nodded, but for some reason kept staring at the board, as if checking something else. Then he suddenly turned to her.
«You know, I’ll go grab you a coffee. The journey is long, almost 12 hours. Want me to?»
«You can get one on the train,» Chloe replied, surprised by his offer. James had never been this attentive.
«No, no, I’ll be quick,» he said, already heading toward the station cafe. «Wait here, I’ll be right back.»
Chloe stayed by the schedule board, watching him disappear into the crowd. What had gotten into him today? Why was he acting like this?
She took out her phone and wrote to her mother: On my way, see you tonight. The reply came almost immediately: Okay, sweetie, I’ll be waiting.
James returned about five minutes later with two cups of coffee. He handed one to her.
«Here, a latte, just how you like it.»
Chloe took the cup, feeling the warmth through the cardboard. The coffee smelled really good, milky, with a light hint of vanilla.
«Thanks,» she said, taking a sip.
The taste was ordinary, maybe slightly more bitter than she was used to, but bearable.
«Drink up, darling. The journey is long. Perk up.»
James watched her drink without taking his eyes off her.
«How is it? Good?»
«Yes, fine.» Chloe took a couple more sips. «Did you get one too?»
«I don’t feel like it anymore,» he shook his head. «I had some at home.»
They walked toward the platform. The train was already at the track. The conductors checked tickets, and passengers boarded the cars.
Chloe finished her coffee, tossed the cup into the bin, and immediately felt a light dizziness. Probably drank too fast on an empty stomach.
«Chloe, are you okay?» James took her hand. «You’ve gone pale.»
«Yes, it’s just… A little dizzy,» she replied, leaning against the railing. «It’ll pass.»
«Let me help you get on the train.»
His voice sounded caring, but there was something in his eyes Chloe couldn’t quite place. They reached her car. The conductor checked her ticket and nodded.
Chloe tried to climb the steps, but her legs suddenly went like jelly. James grabbed her by the elbow and nearly pushed her into the vestibule.
«What’s your compartment?» His breathing had quickened.
«Fourth,» Chloe managed to say with difficulty. Her tongue felt heavy and uncooperative.
What was happening to her? Maybe her blood pressure dropped. James guided her down the corridor of the car.
«You’ll lie down now. Rest a bit. It’ll pass.»
The compartment was empty. James helped her reach the lower berth and lay down. Chloe fell onto the hard bed and closed her eyes.
The world blurred and spun. Her heart raced, pounding in her temples.
«James…» She tried to call him, but her voice came out as barely more than a whisper.
He leaned over her. His face was dangerously close. And then Chloe saw something in his eyes that she had never noticed before.
Coldness. Emptiness. Determination.
«Goodbye, Chloe,» he whispered into her ear. And the words sounded like a sentence. «In an hour, you won’t even remember your own name.»
He continued, his voice low: «Won’t remember me. Won’t remember your life. Nothing. And no one will ever find you.»
Chloe tried to say something, to grab his hand, but her body wouldn’t obey. She saw James straighten up and leave the compartment without even looking back. She heard his footsteps fading down the corridor.
She heard the vestibule door slam. What has he done to me? The thought flashed through her mind before consciousness began to dissolve.
Coffee. He must have put something in the coffee.
The train started moving. Chloe felt the carriage slowly gain speed. Outside the window, the lights of the station blurred, then houses, flickering faster and faster.
She tried to hold onto consciousness, but it slipped away like water through her fingers. Fragments of memories rushed through her mind. James as she had known him seven years ago.
Young. Smiling. Confident.
Their wedding in a small restaurant, attended only by the closest family and friends. How he kissed her in the rain during their first year of marriage. How they had dreamed about children, a home, a future.
And then, other memories. How he had changed in recent months. Strange calls at night, after which he would go out to the balcony and stand there for a long time, smoking cigarette after cigarette, even though he had quit three years ago.