Bus Ride

23rd September, 2011 : Bus Ride

I stepped onto the large tourist bus and made my way to the first available seat, 3 seats down from the door. I put my backpack next to me and stared out the window as the rest of the passengers slowly boarded the bus. An air of excitement seemed to resonate off the passengers getting onto the bus but all I could feel was a sense of dread mixed in with a sense of adventure. The tour guide stepped onto the bus and announced that we were leading for the Airport. I didn't know why I was on the bus, but I did know I was heading for Paris. The ride was fairly still as I stared out the window at the blue of the sky and the houses passing by. Whilst staring I saw a house that looked a lot like mine and I knew I had to tell someone at home to. There was a sign stuck to the back of the driver's seat stating the use of mobile phones was forbidden, however i knew I had to get the message across. I unzipped the front pocket of my bag and slipped my phone out. Instead of texting my family I logged onto facebook and left a message on my sister's wall. I didn't know exactly what the message said but it was regarding something that was "meant to happen". The tour guide started to yell at me and I noticed behind him in the window some black birds flying. I put my phone back in my bag as he continued to yell at me, and then he fell down. The road began to twist and turn and in front of me I watched as the road became quite hilly. The bus driver continued to navigate his way up and down and making sharp turns and I couldn't shake the feeling that we were driving too fast for this sort of road. The bus driver swore as he swerved dangerously on the road, missing the telegraph pole by a centimetre. He loudly assured us that it would be alright and he was used to this sort of road. I stared out the front window, seeing the dark clouds gathering. I turned my head out to stare and couldn't shake the feeling that it seemed to get darker outside as we drove. The suburbs seemed to get darker and the houses began to change. The seemed to get creepier and looked more abandoned and haunted as we continued driving. I put my jacket on and wrapped my arms around me to hide the shiver I just got and to reassure myself that it was okay. The bus halted to a stop and I felt my body shift forward, my head hitting the seat in front of me. Bags fell from the seats however I began to lose sight of them. I sat up and looked around, the people on the bus seemed to disappear leaving me with the out guide and the bus driver. I couldn't help but notice how dark it was outside and how I couldn't make out any of the houses or anything anymore. The bus suddenly jerked upwards as if picked up by an unseen force and then all of a sudden we were thrown sideways. The bus came down hard into a tree. I felt my body hit the windscreen first and I was thrown from the bus. I landed hard on a stone path. I swore as I picked myself up off the ground. I brushed the rocks from my palms and dug out the piece of glass which had embedded itself into my palm. I tossed it aside and stood up looking around. I wasn't sure where I was, but I knew I was no longer in the same country I was in before. Something felt weird where I was and I began to head back to the bus, hoping to find my phone so I could call someone for help. As I walked through the deserted street, I couldn't shake the distinct feeling I had that I wasn't alone. I reached the edge of town and I could just see the last of the sun's rays disappearing behind a mass of black, which was strange because the sun looked like it was in the middle of the sky. Everything began to get really dark and cold. I ran for the bus which was just up ahead. The bus itself was upside down and the windows were completely gone. There were dints on the bus like it had rolled to be in the position where it landed. The floor around it was covered in shattered pieces of glass, some blood and the occasional leaf. I went up to the bus and leaned down to peer inside. I saw myself laying there, a bus seat on top of my torso. Confused I went to move inside when I felt a hand on my shoulder and a voice say "follow me", I went to turn except I heard my phone ring. I could see sitting in the glass, vibrating and providing a small stream of light. I reached for it. Then I woke up to a phone call.