Faeville

Chapter One

I waited at the farthest bus stop from town. The sky was grey and light raindrops fell around me. My black umbrella shielded me from the cold and wet.

Mother stood next to me and Father was inside the bus station, checking the bus hours. The bus was thirty minutes late.

Father came outside and gave me a big hug. "Bus's just around the corner."

As he said that, I could hear the screeching of tires as the small yellow bus pulled into the stop. It reminded me of a school bus. Loud rock music pounded the small windows and a man who reminded me of a parrot bobbed his head hard.

Mother and Father looked at each other questioningly and I backed into them.

"Have a great life," said Mother as she pushed me into the bus. "Write often!"

"I will!" I said through the open window. "Love you!"

"Love you!" Mother and Father both screamed as the bus pulled away from the stop. I waited until we were out of sight, and then I closed the window.

I sat back against the firm leather seat, setting my blue suitcase next to me. I tugged at my short brown ponytail and straightened my white shirt and overalls. I was definitely not a city girl. My thick southern accent was acquired from when I lived in Kansas. My parents moved around a lot, so I promised myself that I would settle down somewhere at eighteen, but I was twenty.

"You be goin' to Faeville?" asked the bus driver, turning down the music on his radio with his thick and hairy hand.

"Yes, sir," I said, looking around the bus, realizing that I was the only one there besides the bus driver. "Why is there no one on this bus besides you and I?"

"Because no one travels to yer Faeville much. Sad. Real great town it is. Real great people. Ever been?"

"No, I'm moving there though."

"Good. Estate's real nice there be. I don't settle, I just transport. Little apartment above the bus stop I have. That's all. Full-time. And I mean...FULL-time."

"Cool," I said, not understanding this man's crazy talk.

"The name's Marley, but you can call me Capt' Marley. 'Cause this is my ship, and yer me crew right now."

"No thanks."

"Ah well. Say, ever know any fancy lasses where yer from?"

"What do you mean."

"Well, a lass like you ain't gonna be alone. Men are gonna be linin' up to see yer face every day."

"Um, thanks."

"No worries."

"Um, so are we there yet?"

"No, about another twenty to fifteen minutes."

I groaned and leaned against the seat.

"Say, there's a real nice city by Faeville. Small city but expensive goods. Real rare and expensive. Why, Gracie's has three hundred thousand dollar furniture!"

"What!" I said, gasping. I hoped I wouldn't have to shop there for furniture.

"Simple folks shop at Tim's. Nice man. Say, the city. Perhaps ye and me could...well ya know. Walk in the city. Hand in hand. Cup o' tea?"

"What? No!" I said. I started to get severely uncomfortable.

"Just a thought."

"That thought is making things awkward. Have you ever heard of sexual harassment?"

"Now that's a term I'm familiar with. I don't think that's sexual harassment. I mean, lot's o' lasses say I got me a fine helping of harassment but I don't. It's just small talk."

"You're messed up."

"See, there's the town," said Marley, pointing out the window from his seat up front.

I smiled harshly, eager to get of this bus.

"So...the city?" he asked, locking the doors.

"No!"

"Fine," he said. The doors opened and he grabbed my stuff, throwing me and my suitcase onto the hard cement of the bus stop. Yes, this is a great way to start off my new home.

"Gross," I whispered under my breath.