The Lost King

Insouciant 1

"And happiness is what you need so bad. Girl, the answer lies with you." - What is and what should never be.

Who ever said that silence can't change a thing.

It's not that I'm particularly unsociable, but I'm not the sort of person that sits next to strangers on the bus. I'd much rather avoid the hassle of it all. Alas, today every seat is full, bar one. 

Just my luck.

I droop into the worn out seat paying no mind to the figure next to me as the bus rumbles to life. The wiry winter evening stretches on forever. Without much thought I slip in and out of a trance of memories, hoping to pass the time. Unfortunately whenever I come to I find myself still far from my destination. An everlasting journey. 

I've never read about King Arthur and his knights bored out of their minds on long winding journey. They spend their time fighting bandits, duelling, and saving damsels in distress. Having proper adventures.

The closest I get to an adventure is bus trips like this one. Where I am alone. It's not like there's even some great purpose behind my travels, unless fetching groceries or visiting the hospital count.

The voices of the other passengers have long since turned into a static hum and I can feel my brain turning to mush. Fatigue clings to my eyes and a frown has settled on my lips.

As if God sensed my weariness and sent a distraction, a crumbly voice perks up. "Come on Lass. Dinnae flap. Miracles happen everyday." An old man nudges my arm with his. I force a polite smile and nod. This is why I don't usually sit next to people. He nudges me again. I exhale through my nose, peering at him through the corner of my eye as he grins boyishly cheerful.

I always choose to trust my gut, it knows what's what. Whether it can pick up on bad vibrations or it my subconsciousness way of letting me know what it's noticed. I never take it for granted. From my head and raven locks down to my toes and chipped nail varnish, I'm no fool -except for when I am. I know about talking to strangers and the risks, if school taught me anything it's that. But for once. My gut is silent. So, doing the opposite of logical thing, I answer him. Though not completely intentionally, the words spew out of my mouth.  

"Not everyone gets a miracle..." Even to my ears the words sound bitter. 

The stranger shakes his head and his eyes wrinkle. "And ya the expert hmm?" his wispy white eyebrows rise "Abo'dy deserves a miracle. Even you, though you dinnae think so do you Gal?"

"I never said that." I look down at my hands as his toothy grin widens.

"Aye, not with your gob but with yer heart."

I turn away, the windows catching my eyes as they get attacked by rain. Since boarding the skies have darkened tenfold. Now the rainfall crashes against the glass, obscuring all beyond them into shadows. 

"Me?" I blink unsure. "My life is fine, I don't need a miracle." .

"Hmm, right. Ya Auntie is never 'round. Un with ya Maw gone the loneliness is eatin' you up." He spits. Ice spirals inside of me and the blood drains from my face. How does he know? I'm about to ask when he cut me off with his murmurings. "Ya need a miracle alright. Good 'n proper."

"How do you know about my Mother?"

"Hush! I'm thinking."

My lungs feel like they are wrestling a grizzly in my chest. My father did have family I've never met, God I pray this man isn't one of them. He doesn't didn't seem malicious, more like a vaguely Scottish Dumbledore. I lean back trying to subtly scoot away, but not wanting to appear afraid nor weak I bar my shoulders.

My heart leaps to my throat, desperate to escape as the pensioner starts murmuring viciously under his breath, frantically searching through his pockets. For Pete's sake. I risk a glance around to see if anyone had noticed this man's odd behaviour.

How the Hell?

A moment, nay a second ago this bus was jam packed full of people. It's what forced me to sit next to this guy in the first place. But now...

It's empty.

"What is it ya wished for Lassie? Adventure isnae?"

His words hardly register in my mind as desperately I scurry away, feet struggling to find purchase on the floor as I tug myself toward the front of the bus. Towards the exit. Towards where the driver must be sitting. The bus is still moving, the vibrations of the engine pulse beneath my feet. Like weights are bound to my legs, each step is like I'm wading through a river of mud.

Where did everyone go?

Only a few steps further.

The stranger stands as the wind screams against the wall, rain trapping us in it's blurry abyss. My fingers scrape the glass shield that separates passengers from where the driver should be. Should be. The seat sits empty. Yet the bus drives on.

Glimpsing something glowing behind me I spin, The stranger is closer now. Screams begin to rip from my throat as I kick, tug, rip at the doors to no avail. I have to get out of here. Condensation clings to the panels, damp as I hit it again and again until my palms bleed. I pray that by some miracle they open. That someone comes to my rescue. But nothing.

Blood and water stream down my arms and drip drip drip from my elbow to the floor. The pain centres me to some extent as the world rocks around me, making my head bang to the beat of my heart. It's too much to hope this is a nightmare.

A weathered hand lands on my shoulder, kind eyes and a sweet smile looking down on me. Is this the end? I'm only seventeen, my life hasn't even begun. It can't end now.

"Dinnae work ya'self into a state Lass." My whole body shakes as his arms encompass my body. "Nae a thing to worry 'bout. Just wishes an miracles. Take a kip Lassie. Dinnae worry. Nothing bad will 'appen to ya." I struggle but find myself unable to move, frozen, like someone has pressed pause on my world. Even the rain has stopped.

It's the stranger that prevents me from collapsing in on myself as my eyes start to drift shut. Soon shadow coats my vision and my stress leaves my shoulders.

A soft melody plays, unfamiliar but comforting.

It lures me into deeper, deeper sleep.