Journey the Endless Road

You have to walk this lonesome road. 

You have to walk it by yourself. 

Nobody is going to walk it for you.

So tie your shoes tightly, tuck in the laces, and start walking the road toward your fate…..

The girl hated fridays. Classes ended at 16:00 with the children herded onto buses to go back to their respective homes for the weekend. As she rode the hour or so back to her father’s home she missed school more and more, already looking forward to Monday morning, when she would return to the mundaneness of fifth grade life. Monday-Thursday she had the reprieve of the school’s dormitories and escaped the scorn of the latest “auntie”, her Papa’s current girlfriend.

 In her head, she ran through the routine. She would step off the bus, her bookbag on her back, cello case in hand, and the bag with her dirty laundry slung across her. Her phone with its charger was safely tucked into her coat pocket. Her parents would be waiting for her, however impatiently, as if she could take over and drive the bus herself to get there faster. Auntie would impatiently wrench the clothes bag off her like she wanted to break the girl’s arm, neck, or both. Papa would take hold of her book bag by the top handle wordlessly waiting for her to slip out of the straps. She would be left with only her cello case to carry while she trailed quietly behind the couple into the apartment building in a newer development sticking close into the elevator up to the 47th floor. That was her welcome home. She really could wait for it……

The stuffy bus plugged along taking various exits to different suburbs and neighborhoods of the main metropolis. The girl knew she would be among the last ones to get off. So she had settled into a seat at the very back of the bus and was watching the sun dipping and the city lighting up as it zipped by. Suddenly a voice came over the intercom. 

“Good evening, children. I’m sure you are all eager and excited to return home to your parents…..” The voice of a nice elderly gentleman droned.

“Not me.” The girl grumbled toying with her uncoiling thick dark plaits.

Her seatmate, who had only sat to her right at a teacher's direction, shot her a disdainful look. 

“But this bus must make a detour. If you are standing up then please sit down. We don’t want any of you children to get hurt. The bus will go very fast in a moment…..”

For good measure, the girl, who had been resting her head on the window, sat straight up in her seat and braced her feet firmly on the floor.

And just as promised the bus unexpectedly accelerated. 

It lasted less than 30 seconds but unsettled the remaining dozen or so children on board all the same. 

“Excuse me, Mr. Bus Teacher?” One of them called out to the bus driver.

But the seat up front, where an aging squat man had once sat, was now empty.

The girl’s phone buzzed and so did the phones of her schoolmates.

“Okay, I will come pick you up tomorrow afternoon.” her father had messaged her. “Tell me then why you were punished to stay and make sure it’s a good reason.” 

This message was the least of her worries at the moment though. 

The landscape outside of the bus’s windows was different. The haze of pollution was gone, the moon was now high in the sky so bright it hurt to look at, and the road ahead was devoid of all vehicles. The children looked at each other too stunned to speak.

“Don’t worry, children. You were accidentally taken on the wrong bus.” The same elderly gentleman spoke again. “So now you will be joined by the original passengers this bus was meant for.” 

The bus slowed and meandered to the side of the highway, but the doors remained closed. 

“Now, children, you should not try to leave the bus. Stay in your seats. The fairies, goblins, and the beings are generally friendly to the young ones.”

Again the children exchanged looks. 

“We’re getting kidnapped by a driverless bus for ghosts?” A boy towards the front of the bus dared to vocalize what they were all thinking. 

Against the voice’s warning, he started to stand up from his seat. 

“Ben is not a very good boy.” The elderly man chided. “Disobeying his elders.”

“Hey, how did you know my name??” The boy looked puzzled. 

“It’s on all of your stuff, idiot!” A middle schooler reminded him. “Now sit down!”

The younger boy returned to his seat. 

Then the bus’s door groaned open and the most delicious smells filled the bus.

Steamed buns, park ribs in sauce,steamed rice, knife cut chicken, noodle soup, and so much more. The children hadn’t eaten since lunchtime at school. Most of them, the girl included, were anticipating a home cooked meal shortly after arriving home, or in her case dinner in a restaurant. Her father would let her order whatever she wanted. 

“Don’t be lured, children. If you eat the food of the spirits you will be bound to this realm.” The elderly man warned them to ignore their growling stomachs. 

The missing bus driver returned and he was not alone. A queue of five trailed him onto the bus. An elderly woman smiled kindly at the children and took a seat at the very front of the bus. A middle-aged salary man sat midway between the back and the front. A young boy made his way wordlessly to the back of the bus and sat down beside the girl. His eyes were sad black pools. 

The doors groaned closed and off the bus went again.

“Orion.” Though looking straight ahead, the boy spoke the girl’s name. 

Her coat covered her uniform which bore a name patch. Her book bag was on the floor shielded by her legs. 

“I wish I could have your life.” The boy said wistfully. 

The bus had been going for hours, yet the scene outside stayed largely the same. 

The sprawling metropolis under a bright, beaming, crystal moon just off the next exit. But the bus never left the deserted 24 lane highway. It was like they were on a road to nowhere.

“It’s like your heart’s desire. This road I mean. All of you ended up on this bus, because of something in your heart. Now you’re like fish in a tank.” The boy went on. “Something lured you on to this bus with those who can no longer dwell in the human realm.” 

Since the scenery would not change anyway, Orion closed her eyes and leaned her head on the cold glass. 

She thought of her father standing at the curb faithfully Friday after friday. He was always there, having negotiated with his coworkers to leave work before nightfall and stay later on Saturday. After she had changed out of her school uniform and put on her own clothes, he’d ask what she wanted to eat. They would go wherever she wanted for dinner and she’d make up for all of the healthy but boring cafeteria meals that had sustained her during the school week while he drank himself bleary eyed and endured his girlfriend’s ceaseless nagging. When Papa gave in and an argument started then it was time to go. Right about now she should be following Papa and his woman back to the apartment with an overly full belly and heavy stinging eyes. Those eyes would be glued to the Tv in her bedroom with roasted chicken and crispy fried fish skin bubbling in coke and beer in her stomach until sleep took her away. She'd be ,of course, completely unfazed by the ruckus coming from the other room.

The worst case scenario was she’d awake with her father sprawled across her bed sleeping it all off. His vices never troubled his only child. She never had anything to fear.

“Maybe there’s a chance.” The boy spoke again suddenly.

Still she kept her eyes closed to hold on to her memories and the screen within her eyelids soon faded to black as the usual sleep took her all the same. Just before she slipped into unconsciousness, she felt something brush her hand.

“My daughter, wake up.” 

Orion’s eyes popped open. 

Above her loomed her father.  

At her side….no one. 

There were only two more kids left on board the bus, just like any other Friday.

Her father yanked her to her feet rather roughly by the sleeve of her coat. 

Outside the bus’s window the signs she well knew lit up neon overhead. Although it was far later than usual and the night was well set in.

“Quickly! Get your bags! Where is your cello case?” He rushed her to gather her things as he swiftly strided back down the short aisle. “A geriatric patient for a bus driver! Really? Is that what we’re paying thousands of dollars per year in tuition fees for?” 

Once Orion had all of her things she hurried of the bus and the familiar routine played out. Auntie yanked her clothing bag off, her father grasped the handle of her bookbag, and she wriggled her arms out of the straps. 

“What’s that?” Papa asked.

She looked puzzled.

“That.” He flicked a finger to indicate her right wrist. 

The sleeve of her school’s uniform jacket had slipped back slightly to reveal a white paper band clasped tightly. It bore a single scarlet stain not thicker than a line of thread and her name in jagged calligraphy not unlike a child’s. For its’ presence, the girl had no words, so pulling her uniform sleeve back down, offered only a small shrug.

“Leave her be. She was on that poorly ventilated bus for so long her brain is probably still asleep. “Auntie dismissed it. “That bus driver got lost for so long, it’s a wonder he and the children didn’t end up stranded in the middle of nowhere!”

That was the most understanding Auntie had had to say about Orion in the whole nine months they had both occupied her father’s life.

The trio stood waiting to cross the road in the exhaust of the ancient shuttle bus. 

“Are you going to take your father’s hand or not?” Auntie chided.

Orion pulled herself from her foggy headed state. Sure enough, before her face waggled her father’s long spindly fingers. She reached out, started to reach out, and then caught sight of her palm. 

It was the same amateurish scrawl.

Your life is a gift. Walk your road to the end….