The Travel Column

A Slower Chapter

Just wanted to warn ye. I handwrote this at school. Expect more work on this done this next week, I have no school to attend. Lina has not caught up yet, Cam still hasn't started, but I have had requests to continue.

Sto

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I tackled Carson to the floor, making sure that he had hutr his head correctly.

As I pushed my way through the aisle, a single thought pulsed through my head; What are you getting yourself into? I kneeled into seat 20 and freed Carol's hands and mouth wordlessly. We walked in tandem towards the people who had covered Natty's mouth. I remembered the useless horse bit in my mouth. I spat it out hastily. Blech..

I saw my scarf hanging on a chair seat, an odd smell eminating from it, one that I recognized. I pulled my shirt over my nose (Carson must have removed my coat) then snatched it. I ran towards the scowling men and pushed it straight into their faces. They slumped to the ground. I hadn't expected them to 'go down' without a fight, I decided to look into this later. Carol found a thermos of water and poured it on my scarf, I wrung it out and placed it into an empty tote bag that probably belonged to one of the previous bus riders. I shuddered at the thought of them. Carol put her hand on my shoulder. 

"They probably fled, I don't smell any blood." I looked up into her blue eyes.

"I hope so." I muttered. I jogged towards the back of the bus. Seat 35 was where Nat was struggling to stand up. Blood was visible on his sandy brown hair.  "What have you gotten yourself into, Natty?" I whispered. 

"Same to you," He said back after I removed the gag. "I was so worried." Without any warning, Nathaniel threw his arms around me, rested his chin on my shoulder. A little shocked, I laid my hand on his shoulderblades, then proceeded to ruffle Nat's hair. I pushed him back a little. Sure, Carol looked a little 'frazzled' in the back of her mind, but she laughed it off, and opened the emergency exit. I took a running start, and leapt about 5 feet out, and fell 4 feet down. I made a hard landing, which causedplumes of dust tobillow up from where my feet stood. 

"Where in the-" I whispered. I heard the thump of Carol landing, then the "oof!" of Nat. The thrivingmetropolis that we had been standing in just seemingly hours before, had either been ruduced to dust, and considering Carson, it could have been possible. Another possibility was that the bus had traveled very far. Based on the kink in my neck, the first possibility seemed even more so true. 

"Oh well," I sighed to myself. 

"BRAT!" I heard a bird call. It hopped off a wire,and spread its  jet black wings to reveal baige plumage underneath.. This bird was like none other.

"What is that?" Nat whispered, using his right hand as a visor to the glaring sun. "I have never seen a bird like that, even back home." He brushed his hair aside, as I did to a wispy black lock of mine. 

"We should find people, and maybe something to eat, or at least a restroom," Carol decided, repositioning her indigo pin. "It's our chance to get away, before Carson wakes up." 

"How about the bus?" Dump 'em here, and drive." Nat asked. 

"Not a bad idea. I can drive, I guess. Did a lot of it on the job." I shrugged. 

"SHOTGUN!" Carol whooped, speeding to the door. I laughed and springboarded up onto the emergency platform, making sure to close the door behind me. 

"All aboard!" Nat yelled through the window. We had left the thermos of water alongside Carson and his two lumps of paid muscle. I waved them off, and got the bus running. Hoping that our 3/4 tank of gas would take us far enough, I threw the vehicle into gear and sped off.