The Night Bus

Sara stumbled onto the bus intoxicated from an after work party, "Sorry" she mumbled to the driver and flashed her travel card as she swayed her way to slump into a seat.  She wanted to go home a while ago but they weren’t having it, she knew she wouldn't hear the last of it if she did leave early so she stayed.  It wasn't all bad she actually had a really good time and secretly she was glad she stayed out, it’s just this horrid bus home.  She is normally the last one on here due to her house being at the last stop, but tonight, even after the good evening she didn't seem right, she felt dizzy and tired, so she shut her eyes for a few seconds in hope to ease the dizziness.  Never again she whispered to herself as she gentle drifted off to sleep.

Oh no, she whispers to herself, was I asleep? The bus is still going I wonder where we are.  I don't recognise any of this area.  I know this whole route, oh damn where are we.

The bus stops and a shadowy figure walks’ onto the bus, Sara can’t work out what his face looks like but she notices he’s carrying a bunch of flowers with him.  As he turns to sit he drops the flowers, Sara rushes over to help, and in all honestly she just wants a better look at his face.  She picks up the flowers and hand them to him, he doesn't even address her, so she just leave them on the set next to him, just taking him for a rude old man and walks back to her seat.

A little while later and strangely the next stop, a teenage boy gets on with his dog.  He looks quite dirty and he’s covered in blood like he’s been fighting, but its dried blood like it been there a while, he looks really slim too.  He walks past ignoring everybody and just listening to his music, the only thing that he seems to be interested is his dog.  Then he sits quietly at the back of the bus.

The bus blacks out for a moment the lights flicker for a second, Sara thought she saw the shadow figure staring at her, but as the light came back on he was still looking forwards, it looked like he hasn't moved at all, must have been her imagination. But the bus has stopped again this time picking up a man and his boy.

The man seemed to be a young dad about thirty two and the child was about six.  They looked so cute, they were wearing their favourite sport team shirts, and they looked like they were going to a game.  The boy was holing a teddy obviously a mascot of some kind, as they walked passed Sara the boy dropped it, Sara picked it up to hand back to the boy but the bear just went straight through him.  In a panic Sara drops the bear and the boy picks it up and runs towards his dad, who picks him up and cuddles him tightly.

The bus seems to be going at some speed, lights from the outside just rush past and it doesn't look like this bus will be stopping any time soon.  Sara slumps into her chair trying to hide from the shadow man who is really giving her the creeps.  It seems like only a couple of minutes have past but as she looks out the window they seem to be in a completely different area.  The bus comes to a jerking stop; Sara bumps her head on the chair in front of her.

The shadow man stands up and walks towards the door holding the flowers.  The doors thrust open and the shadow man turns to Sara before he walks of the bus. He walks towards woodland area, but doesn't seem to go in straight away.  He turns again looking at the driver who just nods at him.  Almost like he’s telling him it will be alright, the show man lays the flowers at a tree, and then seems to disappear.  The bus starts to move once more.

Sara couldn't believe her eyes.  Did she blink?  Did she miss something?  Its late she’s had a hard night, she just wants to get home.  But the lights flicker again.

Again the bus seems to be moving at some speed, how nobody else can see this.  This time the bus stops again with a jerk outside a sports stadium.  The dad and the boy walk towards the door as the door open, the driver says something but Sara misses it.  The man gets off first then turns to lift the boy off the bus, lifting him to his shoulders where the boy sits, both seem to be cheering.  As they walk towards the stadium they slowly disappear together, leaving only the teddy, which drops to the floor with a bounce.

The bus moves again, not far this time.  It stops in a shopping town by a row of shops. The teenage boy gets off with his dog, nothing was said this time, not that he could hear, he still had his earphones in.  The teenage walks towards a doorway and sits down stroking his dog which lay down next to him.  The bus seemed like it was waiting for something to happen, Sara looks at the driver again she’s the only one on here.  But he was just looking at the boy.  As Sara turns round the boy seems to be fading away to nothing, but then almost straight afterwards the dog fades too.

What is going on Sara’s thinking, I'm so confused I just want to go home.

She thinks she should speak to the driver and walks towards the front of the bus. "Excuse me driver, what is happening?" she asks.

The driver just points to a sign that reads - do not disturb the driver while the bus is in motion.  To which Sara returned to her seat.

The bus was again going at speed until it stops again to pick up a woman who was smartly dressed up seemed in a bad way, her hair was a mess and her shirt was hanging out; she was sobbing silently trying to hold in the tears.  An old couple also go on the bus slightly up the road, they was holding hands and seemed to be oddly happy.

As they found their seat Sara thought that these would be the best people to ask what is currently going on.  The old man just gave her the biggest smile she had ever seen and said "don't worry child, your stop will come.  Just have patience" and turn to look at his wife once more.

The bus sets off again, Sara sitting in her seat looking out the window, what the hell did that mean.  I'm so confused.  I don't want to be here, I want to be at home.  Sara getting really frustrated and walks to the driver one more time.

"SIT DOWN" he barks at her and points to the sign again.

The Bus stopped. It appears it shouldn't have stopped where it did, everybody seemed panicky.  "Please stay seated, I'll get us out of here, please remain calm until I do and don't panic” The driver said, but you could hear a slight tremor in his voice.  Even he seems scared.

Just then the windows start to rattle and banging on the roof starts.  The noise was deafening.  The driver opens the door so he can take a look around and two long black arms reach into the bus and pulls him out.  They are now officially stranded.  The door close and the lights go out.  Darkness starts to consume the bus, the couple just hold each other in their arms and the woman is rocking to and fro, whispering to herself.  A feeling of emptiness floods the bus, Sara no longer cares, she feel drained, she feels like this is the end and she’s ready for it.  But then something comes over her she stand up shuts all the Windows to stop the darkness seeping in any more.  The feeling to help these people, these strangers, overwhelms her.  She needs to help them somehow.  She has an idea she going to drive the bus away, drive away from the darkness.  She asks where they want to go and then drive home afterwards.  So what of the police come, yeah it steeling but she needs to do something.  Sara runs towards the front of the bus and jumps into the driver seat. But the bus won’t start, there are keys, there’s everything she needs, why won’t it go.  Bloody hell just starts will you Sara whispered begging the bus, please.  But nothing happens.  Looks like they are just going to stay here and wait for help.  The noise is still going Sara can't even hear herself thing. She curls up into a ball, hoping it will stop.

Everybody is on the verge of exploding, their heads fill full to the brink and she can't take any more.  Sara lets of a scream.  Then everything stops.  The darkness clears and a new driver is standing there at the door.  He’s younger than the one before, he looks about thirty but he’s skin is dry and looks aged.  The doors open and he walks on smiling and calls "all aboard".

A man on a skateboard gets on, he has no legs, and he just pulls himself along with his arms.  He nods at the driver and finds a lace to sit.

The driver looks around the bus and sees the old couple still holding each other. "I know where you're going" then sees the crying girl and smiles "i know just the place for you too".  Then he turns to Sara, "Hmmmmm".

The legless man smiles and asks "what about me".  The driver smiles, "alright there Terry, travelling again, can you not do right from wrong" and they both laugh.  The driver takes hes seat and the bus starts.

We travel for a while, Sara notices the bus is no longer picking people up.  He seems to be driving passed many people.  Bus just brushes this thought off, she obviously has no idea what this bus is doing, and she just hopes that it will get to her stop soon.

"First stop cemetery" the bus driver yells.  The old couple stand up and walk off the bus, like before the bus seems to wait till they go.  Sara watches them walk towards the chapel of rest, they stand at the doorway still holding hands, they kiss each other and they both fade away.  The bus is on the move again.

The lights flicker and the bus moves at speed again.  They are in a town now and the bus stops outside a tube station.  The driver turns to the woman smiles and says "we're here".  she gets up and walks to the door, the driver whispers "It's OK now" which causes the girl to sniff, she smiles and walks off the bus right into the tube station.  Sara can't see if she vanishes as she just blended into the crowd of commuters.

The mood on the bus changed after that woman left the bus; it was just Terry the driver and Sara on the bus.  The whole time the driver was moving the bus Terry didn't take he’s eyes off Sara.  This journey seemed the longest it seemed like the Driver just made it long on purpose.  When he finally stopped the bus, the driver walked towards Sara, as he passed Terry it was like a cue for Terry to follow him.

"You shouldn't be here.  You’re too fresh” The driver snarled.  The biggest smile grew on Terry's face, "I love fresh meat, and I'm in need for new legs".  Sara panics she has nowhere to run and Terry is edging towards her with every breath.  She kicks the skateboard and he rolls backwards, she then pushes the Driver to the floor, he lands on Terry with a thug, while she jumps passed them and runs to the door lever.  She pulls it but nothing happens, the door doesn't open.

"Don’t you know, you can't leave till you’re at your stop, darling".  The driver yells as he and Terry are still trying to sort themselves out.  She runs past them again pushing them down again, she running for the door, at the back of the bus, nothing again.  She hides at the back of the bus, and pulls her legs into her chest.

She can hear Terry's wheel squeaking as them come closer, "There's nowhere to hide" he sneers.

The lights go out.

The squeaking stops, in fact Sara can't hear anything.  But silence. 

She shuts her eyes begging, crying, and praying.  Please.

Then a bright light fills the bus, almost blinding everybody on it.  She can hear Terry and the Driver moaning about their eyes, then footsteps.  Something cold touches her arm "She's mine" Yells Terry.  Then she heard him cry out in pain, His arm no longer touching her arm.   Her eyes still closed. She too scared to open them, a warm touch.  She slowly opens her eyes.  A being, pretty and glowing whispers to her "You're safe now, you weren’t meant to be here".  Finally help.

The driver stands to stop them leaving, but the being pushes him, he doesn't move.  It tries again, once more he doesn’t move.  This time the driver pushes forwards and the being falls to the floor.  As soon as they drop Terry is on top of it.  He’s biting, scratching, punching.  He rips of the being limbs and put them on where he’s legs would be.  Smiling he looks at the driver and runs off the bus.  The driver is laughing, then stops suddenly and looks at the girl “Your mine now".

He walks to the driver’s seat again and starts the bus.  He doesn’t drive for long, but they end up facing a long dark endless tunnel.  There is no light in there at all.  It’s just pure darkness.  He pulls her off the bus "you know why you are still fresh?" he asks.  Sara doesn't reply.  "You are still alive somewhere" he adds.  Sara just looks at him, Shocked, Horror.  What!!!!!

"And the live ones always come with me” He pushes Sara to the front of the bus and manages to push her off it then yanks her to the front of the tunnel.  Two long arms come out the dark tunnel. "Ooh, he's fishing" the driver laughs and pushes Sara towards the dark opening.

"Welcome home" was the last thing Sara heard as the arms dragged her into the dark abyss.

The next day at Sara office all everybody could talk about was what was on the news this morning.  The police are looking for a bus driver who attacked a young lady after a night out.  He left her and the bus stranded.  The girl is currently in a coma awaiting a response.