EPISODE 3
The Journey
Aria's POV
I settled into my seat. The bus wasn't moving yet—I guessed they were waiting to see if more passengers would arrive before departing.
I wasn't convinced about this trip at all, but I had no choice.
Come to think of it, this bus looked like it had been around since the war. Okay, maybe I was exaggerating, but it really did look ancient, almost like it belonged in a junkyard.
And the driver… well, he seemed polite, but could he really drive? I didn't want to judge, but with his squinting eyes and tired face, he looked like he could retire any moment. Good thing I hadn't said that out loud earlier, or he might have thrown me off the bus on the spot.
"We'll wait five more minutes. If no additional passengers come, we'll depart," the driver said, staring in some direction I couldn't figure out.
Gosh! Please forgive me for being rude.
This was going to be a whole day's journey. Luckily, I had brought biscuits and some snacks. I didn't plan on buying anything outside—they weren't cheap. I needed to save what money I had left in case of emergencies.
Five minutes passed. The driver tried starting the engine, but it didn't respond. He tried again.
The bus refused to start!
He gave us an apologetic smile.
"It'll start. It just needs to warm up. Please bear with me," he said, still trying to convince us.
A woman sitting in the middle row let out a sharp sigh. The man in front of me didn't react at all. He had headphones on and looked completely unbothered. Probably didn't even hear a thing.
Well, I guess we had no choice but to wait for the bus to "warm up," as the driver said.
I kept checking the time. I wanted to see Grandma so badly, but I had to be patient. This was the only bus that traveled that far. Maybe that explained why it looked so overused.
Ten minutes later, the bus finally roared to life, sounding like a horse ready to run.
The driver's face lit up with a childlike smile, as if he had just been given a new toy. My heart sank. He reminded me of Dad whenever he fixed something and Mom praised him—he'd smile just like that.
"It started! We're departing now," he said, glancing at us.
I smiled back, reassuring him that it was fine.
Hours passed. The familiar roads turned strange, and the concrete gave way to bumpy, paved paths.
This was the farthest I had ever traveled alone. Everything outside the window felt new.
The buildings gave way to trees and bushes. The clear sky burned crimson as the sun began to set.
Seven hours had gone by. Sleepiness weighed on me, though it was hard to rest with the bus jolting over rocks. I had tried earlier, but my head kept bouncing against the glass window like a ping-pong ball.
The bus stopped.
Maybe because there is a convenience stall here.
We were far from the city now. Houses were spaced two or three apart. It was peaceful and quiet, with hardly anyone outside. The clock read 5 p.m.
"Those who want to buy something to eat, we'll stop for fifteen to twenty minutes. Please be back before 5:30," the driver said politely.
I stayed put. I had my own snacks.
A woman stepped off the bus and walked to the stall. From my seat, I peeked out the window. The shop was small but had food. She bought a pack of cigarettes and smoked by the side of the store. The shopkeeper stared at her disapprovingly. Maybe she had never seen a woman smoke before.
The man with headphones had dozed off, his head resting on a huge bag he hugged tightly.
Geez, that was smart. I should've done that earlier. My head still hurt from bouncing against the window.
I ate my snack while scanning the area again. Does Ashville look like this? The muddy road said it had rained earlier. There were no tall buildings, only small wooden houses, most with straw roofs.
There were no children playing outside. Is it because it's already past five?
20 minutes had past.
The driver started the engine again but didn't move until the woman came back. Once she boarded, we continued.
But just before leaving the village, a flock of black crows—four or five, maybe more—suddenly darted toward the windshield. One struck hard and fell beneath the bus, crushed instantly.
The driver didn't even flinch. He just clicked his tongue, annoyed, as if this wasn't unusual.
I turned back, staring at the dead crow as it faded into the distance. I sighed.
Aren't crows supposed to be bad omens? Or maybe it's just me.
There was still more time to go. Maybe if I slept, I'd wake up in Ashville.
I had just closed my eyes when the driver announced we had arrived at Ebonvale.
So, not all the passengers were bound for Ashville.
That left only me and the sleeping man. I hope he's headed there too, I thought. At least then I'd have someone to ask for directions. I just hope he won't ignore me again.
I gave myself an awkward smile.
When the woman got off, I leaned back on my backpack and drifted to sleep.
*******
BEEEEEEEP! BEEEEEEEEEP!
HOOOONK!
I jolted awake to blaring horns. My head shot up.
My eyes widened. A car was speeding straight at us, headlights glaring. But what truly froze my blood was the bus right behind it, rushing toward us as well.
The yellow light of the car filled my vision.
"Go left, sir!" someone shouted.
I turned. The young man was yelling at the driver, but the driver was steering right to avoid the car and bus. His face was pale with fear. Mine must've been too.
The young man looked desperate.
Why left? Doesn't he see? We'll crash into the mountains if we turn left!
But when I glanced right, my stomach dropped.
The cliff.
He was right. If the driver kept heading right, we'd go over the edge.
"What the heck!?" I screamed. "Go left, sir!"
The tires screeched. The car slammed into the left side, and the bus in front swerved right, barely avoiding a collision—but it was too late to miss the cliff.
My life flashed before me—memories of my family, my home, my friend.
The bus plunged downward. My body slammed against the seat as we bounced and crashed. A sharp sting cut across my forehead.
Blood.
Warm and flowing, trickling down my face like a mountain stream.
The falling feels like forever when the bus finally stopped, smoke and fire spreading quickly.
I tried to get up. I have to get out.
But half my body was trapped. Pain throbbed through me, my head spinning from the injury.
My vision blurred.
Before everything went black, I whispered—
"Help…"