“The Last Train Home.”
Title: The Last Train Home
Genre: Drama
Setting: A dimly lit train station at night. The platform is nearly empty except for a few scattered passengers. A cold breeze fills the air.
Characters:
- Alex – A young man in his late twenties, struggling with a big decision.
- Emma – A woman in her early thirties, a stranger who offers wisdom.
- Conductor – The train conductor, who announces the arrival and departure times.
Scene 1: The Train Station
(Alex sits on a bench, staring at a ticket in his hands. The platform is quiet except for the distant hum of an approaching train. Emma, a woman with a warm but tired smile, sits beside him.)
Emma: (Looking at Alex’s nervous expression) Waiting for the last train?
Alex: (Nods) Yeah… I guess I am.
Emma: You don’t sound too sure.
Alex: (Sighs) It’s complicated. I have a ticket, but I don’t know if I should get on.
Emma: (Curious) Where’s it taking you?
Alex: (Hesitant) Back home. Back to everything I left behind.
Emma: Ah… running away, or running back?
Alex: (Smirks) Maybe both. I left home two years ago, convinced I had to start over. But now… I don’t know. My mom keeps calling, my friends keep asking when I’m coming back. I thought I had everything figured out, but now—
Emma: (Gently) You’re afraid.
Alex: Yeah. Afraid I failed. Afraid I’ll go back and nothing will be the same. Afraid they’ve moved on without me.
(A distant whistle sounds. The train is getting closer.)
Emma: You know, I took this same train once. Left behind a life I wasn’t sure I wanted. But here I am, back at the station.
Alex: Did you regret it?
Emma: (Thinks for a moment) Not regret, exactly. Just… learned that no matter where you go, you carry yourself with you. A new city, a new life—it doesn’t erase the past. It just adds to it.
Alex: So what do you do when you don’t know which way to go?
Emma: You ask yourself one simple question: What matters more? The past you left behind, or the future waiting for you?
(The train pulls into the station. The conductor steps out and calls the passengers.)
Conductor: Last train boarding! Final call for departure!
(Alex grips his ticket, his mind racing. He looks at Emma, searching for an answer in her eyes. She simply smiles and nods toward the train.)
Emma: It’s your choice. But whatever you decide, don’t be afraid to live with it.
(Alex takes a deep breath. After a moment, he stands up. He looks at the train, then at Emma. Finally, with newfound determination, he steps toward the train doors.)
Alex: Thank you.
Emma: (Smiling) Safe travels.
(The train doors close behind him. Emma watches as the train slowly pulls away into the night. The platform grows silent once more. She sighs, glancing at her own ticket, then stands up and walks away into the darkness.)
(Blackout.)
....
