The Last Bus
William and his friends had had a great time, laughing and telling stories, but he couldn’t keep track of time. He realised that he had missed the last bus home when he looked at his watch after it had become midnight. Outside, the street was silent and dark. The road was covered in long shadows by the moon, and the temperature had dropped significantly.
William shaking and whispered, “Well, this is just great,” putting his coat closer around him. “It appears I will be walking home.”
The chill in the air as he started down the deserted street made him wish he had kept his eye on the time. His steps resounded deeply in the silent evening. A small, abandoned bus stop caught his attention; it looked out of place. Above it was a sign with the words “Night Bus” in peeling, faded letters.
William looked down and said to himself, “That’s strange.” He then looked around. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen this bus stop in my 100 walks along this way.”
The bus stop was old, with a wooden bench that was cracked and a sign that appeared to have been ignored for a long time. William’s curiosity overcame him despite the uniqueness. He made the decision to hold off and hope that this “Night Bus” could provide him with a ride home.
Slowly, the minutes passed, and the cold started to penetrate through his coat. William walked forward and backward, the frosty air disclosing his breath. He heard the distant rumble of an engine just as he was about to give up and go back to walking. He raised his head to see the old rusty bus pulling up. The headlights sparkled aggressively, giving the abandoned street a ghostly glow.
“Is this actually taking place?” William questioned out loud while rubbing his eyes in shock. “I think I’m dreaming,”
The bus sighed to stop in front of him, and the doors slowly creaked open. The bus’s interior was darkened by fluttering lights. It was hard to see clearly, as if the air was filled with a foggy haze. He looked up at the elderly man driving the bus, who was dressed in a long dark coat with a hood pulled low over his face. He said nothing as the shadow covered his face.
After a brief moment of hesitation and feeling of nervousness, William made the decision to board. It was too good an idea to stay inside and get home before it got too cold.
William sat near the back and said, “Good evening,” trying to break the ice. The driver did not reply. With their expressions hidden by the shadows, the other travellers were seated in silent rows when William turned to face them.
William tried to ignore his growing feeling of fear and said to himself, “This is a bit disturbing.” The familiar sights of his neighbourhood were quickly replaced by strange, twisting streets and dark buildings as he looked out the window. It all appeared distortion and bizarre in the moonlight.
As the bus moved forward, William’s familiar landmarks faded away, replaced by dark streets and decaying houses. The driver’s expression remained hidden, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
“Excuse me,” William said, raising his voice above the rumble of the engine. “Is this the right path? “I think I’m lost.”
The driver did not respond, and the other passengers remained silent, heads lowered and faces hidden. William’s discomfort developed into a deep sense of worry. He looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, his heart racing in his chest.
“Hello?” William spoke louder, his voice shaking. “Can someone tell me where we’re going?”
No one responded. The bus continued into the dark, twisted roads, and the inside air got colder and heavier. The fog inside the bus thickened, making it difficult to breathe.
“This isn’t right,” William said, panic rising in his voice. “I need to get off.”
When he tried to get out of his seat, the bus appeared to accelerate and the doors stayed tightly closed. He felt trapped, the darkness outside pressing in on him. The mist’s noises appeared to vibrate within his ears.
At a lonely crossroads, the bus finally stopped. William ran for the doors, his pace accelerated by fear. He emerged into the chilly night as the doors slowly opened.
Looking around, he saw that the bus stop had been replaced by an abandoned building. The building was ancient and poor, with broken windows and dirty walls. William was so afraid when he realised how unfamiliar this place was to him.
“I’m getting out of here,” William stated strongly, but his voice trembled. He began walking away from the building, hoping to find his way back to the familiar streets. However, as he walked, the surroundings appeared to twist and change, with shadows growing longer and buildings becoming more terrifying.
As he walked, he heard a wind-borne whisper behind him. He came to a halt and turned around, but no one was visible.
“Is someone there?” William’s voice echoed across the empty street. There was no answer, just the sound of the wind whispering through the trees.
The whisper exchanged, faint and disturbing. “Welcome to the last stop.”
William’s heartbeat accelerated. He turned around to see the same rusty bus approaching him from behind. Its headlights sparkled in the dark, casting disturbing shadows. The bus doors creaked open, and the driver stood there, his face still hidden underneath his hood.
“No way,” William responded, backing away from the bus. “I’m not getting on that bus again.”
However, the driver’s stare seemed to draw him in, and the darkness around him grew thicker. William felt a mysterious pull towards the bus, and his fear grew. He turned back to look at the twisted, shadowy buildings that surrounded him.
“What’s happening?” William shouted, his voice shaking with fear. “Why is this happening to me?”
The driver’s eyes, though still hidden, appeared to promise more answers—or possibly more questions. The other passengers became more visible, but their faces were dark and expressionless.
With no other options and an increasing sense of fear, William boarded the bus. The doors shut behind him with a final, echoing crashes. The bus began moving, its headlights cutting through the dense fog and dark streets.
William took a seat, his thoughts racing with fear and confusion. He looked around at the other passengers, who remained silent and unmoved, their faces covered up by the dim light. He wondered where the bus was taking him and if he had ever find his way home.
As the bus travelled through the night, the streets outside became increasingly distorted and alien. William felt a sinking feeling in his chest as he realised that the Night Bus would not take him home. Instead, it was taking him to a the world of shadows and darkness.
The bus kept going through the night, the streets becoming darker and the fog getting thicker. William took one final stare out the window as the familiar world he had known became enveloped in darkness. Now he realised that the Night Bus was going to be his last trip—a journey into the unknown.
The bus took him farther into the night, into a world where the laws of nature were suspended and the shadows held mysteries of their own. William sat silently, accepting his destiny as the bus continued its journey, taking him to a place far beyond his wildest expectations.
Thus, the Night Bus carried William and the other passengers into the depths of darkness, where the known world ended and the unknown one began, as the night became darker.