The Silent PassengerJacob loved driving at night. The empty roads, the hum of the engine, the way the darkness swallowed the world—it was peaceful. But one rainy evening, on a lonely stretch of highway, he picked up a hitchhiker. And that changed everything.The EncounterThe man stood at the side of the road, drenched, his face hidden beneath the hood of an old coat. Jacob hesitated but eventually pulled over.“Need a ride?” he asked.The man nodded and silently climbed into the passenger seat.The SilenceAs they drove, Jacob tried to make conversation, but the hitchhiker never spoke. He just sat there, staring out the window. Every now and then, Jacob glanced over, feeling an unease settle in his gut.Then he noticed something chilling.In the dim glow of the dashboard, the hitchhiker’s reflection in the window was wrong.It wasn’t moving.The RevelationJacob’s breath hitched. His hands tightened on the wheel. The figure beside him was motionless, but in the glass, its reflection turned to look at him.Heart hammering, Jacob slammed on the brakes. The car skidded to a stop. He turned to face the hitchhiker—but the seat was empty.The passenger door was still locked.The AftermathShaken, Jacob sped off, refusing to look in the rearview mirror. When he reached the next town, he pulled into a gas station and asked about the highway.The attendant paled. “You saw him, didn’t you?”Jacob swallowed hard. “Who?”“The Silent Passenger,” the man whispered. “He’s been hitching rides for years. But no one ever sees him leave.”
