Chapter 5

3 0 0
                                    

The bus stop was any generic bus stop you would expect, I only had to walk a few feet to the bus stop. There was a little white sign posted that had a picture of a bus printed on it, this showed me where all the stops were. In the corner of my eye I saw a blue wolf approaching me, Cobalt wasn't lying about going to Forest City High School. We said our morning hellos and both stood in an awkward silence until the bus stopped before us.
Cobalt hopped up the bus stairs and made his way towards Monty, who was sitting near the front of the bus, beak in his book. I decided to sit in the seat across from them which was empty. I gazed out onto the street and watched many animals go about their day. A pink flamingo held onto an old looking briefcase and passed by a short mouse wearing a pinstripe suit. I was very fascinated with what was going on in these animal's lives, I wondered where they were going, what they were like, who they used to be, I even created my own little backstories for them in my head.
The bus made a stop and a tall blue heron and a white horse proceeded to get on the bus. I watched as the horse made their way towards my seat.
"Can I sit here with you?" the horse asked politely.
"Oh sure," I replied and that's when I looked behind me, the absolute jungle of madness pursued at the back of the bus, "you can sit here anytime you'd like," I added.
"Cool thanks bro, my name's Toni," she replied.
"My name's Mac," I said.
We would continue to chat and get to know each other for most of the bus ride until Toni put on a pair of earbuds in... and... I lost her. I'm starting to see why Monty sits up here, the bus seemed so loud, I just wanted to get off of this vehicle, something about the first day of school always got to me, like back in fourth grade when my mom had to pick me up from school because... well this story might explain what I mean...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Yes, yes, yes she says her stomach hurts," the nurse said into her old office phone, "what time do you think you can pick her up. Oh? Hold on."
I remember puking my guts up that day, I didn't know anyone could vomit that much, especially a fourth grader like me, who was very small... and very, very short. It was really embarrassing too! I remember one of the kids in the class above me was also in the nurse's office at that time and for about a week he called me Vomit Hair! The car ride home was the worst, I had to listen to my mom reiterate the same thing over and over.
"Why didn't you tell me you were sick," mom said.
"I told you I didn't feel good," I said through many tears.
"You should have told me!"
"I did! I told you I wanted to stay home from school b-because I didn't feel good!"
"Oh Mac-"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Mac! Earth to Mac!" Cobalt interrupted my flashback, "We're at the school."
"Sorry, I was-" I stopped, I didn't hear the shouting of my classmates behind me, I think I'm late.

Forest City Book 1Where stories live. Discover now