Clicking the 'send' button, he moved his strained eyes away from the computer screen and stared at the desk clock sitting next to the monitor. Unable to make out the digital numbers on it, he cursed softly and put on his rimless pair of glasses and read the time again. The clock showed it was already nine at night. Letting out a stifled yawn, he pushed the wheeled chair away from his desk and bent over to reach the bag that contained his laptop. Making sure that everything was packed, he glanced over at the screen again and couldn't help the smile as he saw the words 'message sent' blaring.
Exiting himself out of the Internet, he proceeded to shut down the computer. He stood and stretched himself, feeling the tension and cramps oozing out of his body. Walking out of his grand office, he switched off the light and stepped out of the room, only to be greeted with darkness. All his colleagues had gone off work as early as five that afternoon. If only their client hadn't wish to change certain designs on their floor plan, he would be home sitting in front of his TV too.
Walking out of the main office, he met up with Charles, the security guard, and while waiting for the elevator to get to his floor, chatted with him. Sometimes he wondered why a man such as Charles, who was already over his prime years, would risk his life working in such a line. Besides, the area where he was working was notorious to such 'night life'. Robbers, muggers and the number of homicides occurring nearby had turned into such a norm that it didn't bother him as much. He wondered why he didn't move away to a big city himself. And as the elevator's door opened and he left Charles with a warm 'good night', he found himself still asking that same question.
Before he could dwell into it much longer, the door flew open with a soft 'ting' sound and he exited eagerly, knowing that even a second delay would mean missing the last bus ride home. It would take a good ten minutes walk along the desolated pavement before the bus stop would come into view and it was during these times that he spent it lost in his own train of thoughts, not letting his fear and insecurities of the darkness got the better of him.
Some times, the walk would seemed to take hours and it was during those times that he would find himself drenched in cold sweat, every little sound or movement in the dark would set his over-worked imagination set on overdrive. And then there were times when he was too distraught about some unfinished projects that he would have to face early the next day or was too excited to get back home where the finals of the Super bowl would be on TV that the walk seemed to take only seconds. That night it had felt like seconds and he wasn't about to complain.
The bus stop, as he had expected, looked abandoned as always. No one in their right frame of mind would be out on the street this late in this neighborhood. No one but people like him, who slaved day and night in his job, knowing that it would be the only way to make ends meet. His fast pace slicing through the cold night air stung his cheeks and lingered painfully there. In a place such as this, he kept telling himself that it was okay to feel nervous. There was no sounds or movements around and yet that unsettling feeling lingered like the nauseas smell of stale bread.
He wasn't allowed to even rest his legs let alone warm one of the wooden benches when he heard the soft purring of the bus from a distant. Straining his eyes in the dimly lit area, the sight of the bus's blurry headlights slowly coming into focus confirmed his suspicions. Standing next to the bus stop sign, he waited patiently for the bus to arrive; subconsciously pulling his long coat and hugging his own figure.
The bus stopped as expected, the huge sound it made as it halt to a stop sounding uncannily like a sigh. He climbed the small steps appreciatively as the door opened and the familiar Latino driver greeted him with an almost too cheerful smile on nights such as those.
"Working late again Kevin?" He smiled as he waited for him to reach the top before closing the door behind him and started building up the engine again.
"You seemed contented enough to work the night shift D." He replied, as he scanned the entire bus. It was brightly lit, he assumed that Howie had finally got the 'man on the top level' as Howie had described it to agree to the change of bulbs. He could see only a man in the bus and other than his wavy, sandy beach blonde hair, his face was hidden behind a thick paperback novel. He squinted out of habit and found it a novel from John Grisham. Heavy reader, he concluded and drifted his eyes back to the driver.
"I can either sulk about it or laugh it off. I've decided to be nice tonight considering that I have two tired workers in my ride." He replied, always ending every sentence with a smile plastered on his face.
"Well, great to know I'm not sulking alone." He joked as his eyes followed the gaze of the driver, concentrating on the path that stretched out in front of them. The headlights offered view that laid out about two meter in front of them, beyond that, whatever lay was left to the imagination.
"He's name is Brian, 22, first day at his job in the Owen's Bank. He's the Head Accountant there you know." Howie offered. He wondered if Howie asked all his passengers their vital stats.
"Oh yeah? Sounds he's got it all. So why is he sulking?" He asked, trying to make conversation.
"Probably just like you. Wondering why you decided to work in this kind of neighborhood when you can be a big shot somewhere else." Howie guessed.
"Maybe I could start a discussion with him about that." He joked. Howie laughed lightly and shook his head.
"Hey, I know you're tired, take a seat and rest a little. I'll yell at your stop." Howie said, waving him away.
"Yeah sure, great wake up call D." He sighed as he made his way to the back. He heard Howie laughed heartedly and shook his head. He wished he could be as positive as Howie.
He walked pass the young man Howie had called Brian and as if on cue, he had brought his book down and their eyes met. His eager blue ocean eyes met his warm green. He wanted to offer a smile but the young man had beaten him to that. It was a tired smile but sincere and he returned the gesture and sat on the seat on the other side of the bus.
Brian had buried himself under the book again by the time he had settled in. The thought of drifting off to slumber land was tempting but he decided that he could finish up with some paperwork and prevent the hassle of doing it early in the morning when he haven't had his caffeine shots.
Taking out his laptop and settling it on his lap, he switched it on and immediately clicked on the icon 'IslandView Condominium' and the file opened up in front of him. Scanning through what he had managed to draft and feeling satisfied about it, he went straight to the last page where he had left the last paragraph hanging.
Aluminium framed sliding glass window with fixed glass panel above to Engineer's details.
He paused as the bus jerked and rode on the uneven path. It meant that they were heading to what he had nicknamed 'the forest area'. One more stop in front of a High School and they would have to go through a thirty minute ride with no stops at all. At one point, it would even pass an old Cemetery.
Gaining his balance back, he focused on the screen again and recollected his thoughts.
Steps: R.C. staircase to Engineer's details. Riser - 170mm, tread - 275mm, minimum 1,000mm(h)
He felt the bus stopped and he brought his gaze out of the window and into the darkness. With what little light he could gather from outside, the shadows and outline of the building that stood in front of him registered in his memory and he knew that they were stopping at IslandBay High School.
His attention was brought back to the bus when he saw two youngsters, barely eighteen, made their way into the bus noisily. One of them, the one with the short dark brown hair and long sideburns exchanged a little greeting with Howie while the tall blonde guy moved along in silence, eyes concentrating hard on the device he was holding in his hand. He didn't know what it was and figured it would be too weird to see a young boy with a palm held notebook in hand.
"Nick, no Hello to your favorite bus driver tonight?" Howie teased as the young man walked passed him.
"Don't expect him to talk when he's got that stupid Nintendo with him." The other boy replied, shaking his head.
"What about you AJ? Don't you have that complicated thing like your cousin does?" Howie asked.
"I'm out of batteries D." AJ replied as he made his way to the back of the bus, where 'Nick' had settled in.
"You've been playing that thing in class didn't you?" Howie asked, a little stern.
"He got himself detention and I'm forced to wait for him!" Nick yelled from the back.
"Shut up man!" AJ scowled as he smacked the blonde's head.
"Fuck off J!"
"Boys lower down your volume, Kevin and Brian need their rest. Show some love!" Howie yelled as he started to drive.
"Oh, hi Kevin!" The young man called AJ yelled. He was shocked at the boy's casualness and turned back to smile at him. To his surprise, AJ smiled back and waved at him.
"Hi Brian." Nick followed, eyes still on the game in hand. Brian appeared from under his book and turned back, the exact same unexpected look on his face.
"Hi...guys." Brian replied, unsure of who had called his name.
"Sorry Brian, my cousin here doesn't seem to understand the concept of being polite." AJ retorted and slapped the blonde on his shoulder.
"Okay, that does it man! One more slap from you and I'm throwing your ass of this window!" Nick shouted and then turned to face Brian. "Hi Brian, sorry for the noise guys." Smiling at both Kevin and Brian and leaving them bewildered, he continued on his game.
Kevin decided that he couldn't continue with the paperwork and proceeded to close the laptop and put it back in his bag.
"Kids huh." He looked up and saw Brian shaking his head.
"Yeah." He replied, unsure of what to say next.
"You wonder why their detention lasted till night." Brian giggled.
"Ah, those were the days." He replied, founding himself giggling along. At the back, the two cousins argued about the blonde's tactic to handle the game.
"Some times I wonder when did I grow up." Brian sighed as he dog eared the page on the book and kept it in his bag.
"You're not gonna continue reading?" He asked.
"With those two hanging around at the back? I don't think so." He laughed softly.
"Yeah well, same thing here too. I don't think I can get any job done." He replied.
"So, I was just wondering, will it take long to reach Eastbay?" Brian asked.
"That's a very long ride from here. And very exclusive, why aren't you driving?" He asked. Eastbay was a private property, everyone who is anyone lived there.
"I don't think the car would last a day in this neighborhood." Brian replied, amused at himself.
"Yeah, I thought so too. Sometimes I wondered why I didn't just pack my stuffs and get a better job." He sighed.
"Me too. But it's just sad to quit just because you're afraid of the neighborhood right? I mean, the job itself is good." He reasoned.
He stared at the young man and realized that had been his reason too. It took another person to answer that for him. He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I love my job."
"God damn it Nick, you're gonna die if you do that!" AJ started yelling at the back.
"Boys! What did I tell ya huh? Lower it down!" Howie yelled at the front.
"Howie, you're yelling yourself!" Nick shouted.
"Don't be smart with me boy!" Howie growled and that got Kevin and Brian to laugh.
"See, we're entertaining the working, tired men here! We're not disturbing them!" AJ defended himself.
"Is that right Brian? Kevin?" Nick asked, flashing his boyish grin.
"Yeah, you guys are alright." Brian laughed.
"Yeah, I agree." He smiled.
-
The smile on his face trailed his gaze as he looked out the window. By the way the trees were swaying and the sudden chill that was in the air, he knew they were about to pass by the Cemetery.
He had never liked the dark. It scares him just thinking about what may lay hidden and waiting behind every nook and corner of alley ways or abandoned tunnels. And graves were, he could safely bet, his least favorite place to be. But each night, they had to pass the place, and Kevin secretly anticipated on it, for the next stop would be his.
"Oh no...not again!" Kevin brought his attention back to the bus to where Howie was.
"What is it D?" Brian asked, a little too anxious.
"Those kids are at it again!" Howie frowned as he honked the bus.
"I wanna see!" AJ squealed as he ran up to the front of the bus to see what was going on. Nick followed suit, the Nintendo already forgotten.
Soon, Kevin and Howie abandoned their seats and followed them to the front.
About a meter in front of them, a group of teenagers with torch lights in hands, were blocking the road. Next to them was the only bus stop found right out side the Cemetery. They looked terrified and yet, Kevin could sense their excitement.
"Don't they get tired of this?" Brian mused.
"How come their parents let them be out here this late?" Howie groaned.
"I don't think it's the same teenagers." AJ replied.
"Come on guys, just give what they want and they'll be on their way." Nick said, grinning.
"You heard the boy D." Kevin smiled. That was enough encouragement for the driver as he stepped on the gas and sped.
The crowd didn't move, determined to block their way. Kevin closed his eyes as the bus went through them. He could feel their fear and excitement as he went pass through their bodies, their gasped of shocked and curiosity filled his heart, making him remember how it feels like to feel again.
~*~
"Do you believe me now?" The boy in the red shirt asked proudly as he looked at the shocked faces of his friends.
"The bus...it...."
"It went through us!" The girl with the auburn hair cried.
"I told you it's true." The boy in the red shirt replied.
"So...you're telling me the cousins Mc Lean and Carter used to attend our high school?" A blonde boy asked.
"Yeap. And that day in school, they got detention and took the last bus home and it was somewhere here that the bus was hijacked. Robbers, muggers, who knows? They took everything they had and then shot all five of them right there on the chest. Their ghosts still haunt these streets every night. They were just trying to get to the next stop, to get back home."
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