Beneath The Full Moon {TMT #1}

Chapter 2

The air stilled. Everyone held their breath and dared not to move in fear of the bus tipping again.

My breathing, however, came out uneven as my heart rate increased at a frightening speed. My neck burned, but I couldn't move to adjust it. The bus still didn't either, and I silently thanked God for that.

Everyone knew that someone would have to take action to try and get us all to move the bus to its original position. But no one dared volunteer. We were all scared, that fact was obvious, but if someone didn't come up with something soon, we might all end up seriously injured.

Miguel shifted beside me in an attempt to rise and I blanched when I realized what he was about to do. I tried to stop him from volunteering but the least movement in my neck caused me pain so instead I prayed Miguel had an effective idea in mind that would get us all out of here.

I felt him struggle in an attempt to turn and face us without causing too much movement that would prompt the bus to fall over. "Everyone, try and push the bus so it lands even on the right side!" Miguel shouted loud enough for people to turn their heads towards him, but they still remained in their positions, not moving an inch.

"Do you want to be trapped here till we die? Do it!" he yelled and the anger mixed with fear in his tone snapped everyone out of their trance. It took a lot of effort from all of us to sway the right side of the bus without applying much pressure to the left. I even caught sight of the redhead Miguel was ogling push struggle to help with the landing.

Everyone, including I, forced the bus' right wheels to touch the ground with all the strength we had left. The bus groaned a little and I nearly collapsed in relief at that heavenly sound.

With more efforts from each of us, the bus finally fell on its right side and everyone collapsed to the floor at the sudden jolt. Without any second thoughts, we all rushed out of the bus and flooded the road. I walked around the bus to examine it and figure out what exactly had happened to it.

However, I wasn't expecting to see what I saw. The bus' wheels on the left side had slipped into a huge pothole in the ground. The tyres had been burst and the side of the vehicle was deeply dented.

What kind of accident was this? I had no idea, but I had an inkling that it wasn't a normal one. There was no plausible reason as to how the side had gotten dented and how the tyres had gotten anywhere near the pothole.

Hadn't the driver been aware that there was a giant pothole on the left side of the road? If he had, then why didn't he avoid it? And if he hadn't, then how the hell had he missed it? The thing was wide and deep.

With a sinking heart, I averted my eyes from the scene and watched as the tourists showered numerous questions on John the tour guide who seemed as baffled with the situation as we were.

Miguel came from behind me and rubbed the back of my neck. I flinched at the contact.

"Hey, hey. Relax, amiga," he soothed, trying to get me calm so he could work his magic on me. I shut my eyes and forced myself to relax when his fingers expertly began to ease the pain in my neck.

"Thanks," I breathed out when he was done and smiled gratefully at him, though traces of the pain still lingered and made me slightly uncomfortable. But I forcefully tried to block the feeling and rolled my eyes when Miguel smiled back and winked.

Diverting my attention to John and the troubled tourists, I took a deep breath before tuning in to their frantic yells.

"...need you to calm down, everybody!"

"He needs help," I muttered and tugged on Miguel's arm, who nodded and followed me as I made my way towards the center.

It wasn't by sheer bravery that I jostled calmly through the crowd, but by experience.