Something From Below

Inkwell

Chapter 1

The bus was late. No. I was late. The bus stopped at the stop at 8:05. I was late.

Pulling my notebook from my bag I quickly wrote, that the current bus for bus stop number 3506 would arrive at 8:07am. I closed the book at put it back into my bag, before sprinting towards the bus stop. I was soon with in sight of the stop and the bus was nowhere to be seen. I looked at my watch 8:05am. Right on time. I smirked a little, overcome with my own cleverness, my own je ne sais quoi. Hahahha ha ahaha.

I soon arrived at the bus station. I checked my watch. The face read 8:06. I let out a breathe of relief. Phew.

Soon the bus arrived. I stepped on and scanned my bus pass, the machine dinged, and I had 24 credits left. I nodded at the driver before continuing towards the back of the bus, sitting near the rear-mid.

The day seemed to go on and on and on, and I felt weary already, despite the time only being 8:10. This day was going to be long, I know it. Long as most days now, seems like I'm never able to sleep. I yawned before looking out the window to watch the passing shapes and cars, trying to see the people within but only catching glimpses of blurred tones and patches of colour. I sighed.

I pulled out my phone and thumbed around mindlessly, finding nothing to entertain me. I felt anxious. Thinking of the notebook, a sense of curiosity and delight entered my mind. I put this feeling to the back of my mind and returned to my phone, feeling guilty.

I sat up, and stretched a little.

The bus was soon approaching my stop and I grabbed the pull cord, ding, a light turned on near the front of the bus, on a panel facing the seats.

I stood up and walked to the exit.

I had English class today, in the morning, and a Math class in the afternoon. I was taking electives at the local university for a semester, unsure of what I should do with myself for the rest of my life.

The question was daunting, crippling even. Based on modest information, ones expected to make this choice, to love the choice even, and I found this dreadful. Perhaps I was not alone, but some part of me wished to be free of this, to be bold enough and daring enough to throw myself into something. To truly commit. I was too much of a slacker to commit, I thought.

I made my way through the university campus and was soon near the building where both of my classes where, the so called Birch Building, surrounded by a sparse grove of birch trees for a few hundred meters. I felt an eerie sense walking through these woods. Always had.

The door opened and I walked through into the entrance plaza, and to a corridor that led to my English class.

I shuffled inside the class room, among a trickle of students. I waved to one of my friends, Jake.

I walked into the lecture hall and found a spot next to Jake, near the middle of the seats.

"Hey" he said

"Yo" I replied. I looked at him and then at lecture hall. I dug in my book bag for my binder, and pulled out a pen as well. Placing this all on one of the pull out desks, I opened the binder and flipped my notes to today. I took out a new sheet from a binder compartment and clipped it in.

The class began and I started taking notes. We were going over some English literature assigned for reading. I'd finished a while ago and felt bored by the class, knowing that the class would take awhile to progress. I started doodling in the margins of my notes, drawing nothing in particular but shapes and circles. I then moved onto a skull.