One Last Stop

The wintry mix turned into a hazardous snowstorm. The enormous wipers could not keep the continuous snow from forming ice pellets on the windshield. Even with the weight of the transit vehicle, the long city bus slid along the unplowed streets.

Justin Porter struggled with the huge steering wheel. He tried desperately to keep the bus under control. But Mother Nature would not cooperate.

 A loud ding alerted him. Someone wanted to get off.  He inched along the slippery road. As he approached the next bus stop, the enormous wheels locked, causing the vehicle to bump into the slush-covered curb.

   Once again, Justin struggled to keep control. “Sorry, folks!” The doors released with a swish.

An elderly woman stepped out the back door into the frigid temperatures. He looked in the round mirror as she exited. Hopefully, the old woman did not have far to go.

After a couple of minutes, Justin closed both sets of ice-covered doors. He noticed that only two occupants were remaining on the bus. The brutal weather continued as darkness engulfed the deserted city.

Several of the streetlights blinked, initiating a routine four-way stop. But Justin did not have to worry about traffic. It seemed that his bus was the only vehicle visible on the city streets of Plainfield.

Justin had enjoyed living in the Plainfield district. The quaint historic town was littered with specialty shops that he and his family frequented from time to time. Except now, they were shut down early due to the extreme weather conditions and the fact that it was Christmas Eve.  Even with the snow, the decorative lights burned brightly on all the stores.

And because of the upcoming holiday, Justin volunteered to work the evening shift so that others may spend time with their families during this festive season. Justin had no family. His wife and daughter were taken from him much too soon. A tragic accident. He could still see the man standing with his head hung low in the courtroom, who wiped his entire world away within a second. Yet the drunk driver walked away unscathed and was released from prison only three short years later to live his life. Unlike his lovely Marie and his little girl, Eve now lies six feet under the cold, hard ground.

Justin’s eyes brimmed with tears. He tried to focus on the terrible road ahead. As Justin moved at a snail’s pace down Main Street, a sudden chill ran down his spine. His middle-aged body trembled on the warm bus. What was happening? But as quickly as it came, the odd sensation dissipated. He could feel the warmth pushing against his legs from the blowing heater.

Suddenly, a pull on the chord alerted him. He glanced up in the mirror. The last two passengers were standing near the back door of the bus.

The taller gentleman looked his way. “Merry Christmas!” he shouted as he exited the bus. Justin gave a slight wave. He was alone. With half his route completed, he would make one more sweep around the town square and go back to the bus barns.

Justin maneuvered the large bus slowly around the enormous monument. The storm raged on. With the ice and snow freezing on the wipers, visibility was becoming increasingly difficult.

His mind drifted to his wife and daughter. He hummed her favorite Christmas tune, “Silver Bells”. How he longed to be with them, even if it meant leaving this realm of existence. Many times, the emptiness and loneliness became unbearable. It took all his will to get up each day and go to work.

Justin’s route was almost complete. His shift was coming to an end. And then he saw them. Two individuals. Their coats pulled to fight off the frigid temperatures.

As Justin pulled up to the stop, he felt, once again, the bus sliding in protest as he gently pumped the brakes. It finally stopped and jerked to a complete stop. The front doors swished open.

Justin could see they were females. The shorter female entered the bus and sat down on the bench.

“Rough night to be out.” Justin covered the box with his hand. “No need to pay, miss, the ride is on me.” A scarf hides the taller female’s face.  She gave a slight nod, then sat down on the bench next to the little girl.

He closed the front doors of the bus, then slowly moved it forward. The wind howled against the enormous beast. He began to pick up speed.

“What are you two doing out on a night like this?” Justin glanced at the mirror. For a moment, he thought he might know them.

The two strangers turned toward each other as they slowly removed the hats and scarves covering their faces.

“Justin…my dear, I’ve missed you!” The middle-aged woman smiled.

Justin glanced up in the mirror once again. There stood his beloved wife, reaching her hand out to him.

“What the…” The bus driver slammed on the brakes. The huge tires tried to grip the icy road. But it was too late. Justin lurched forward and felt the impact on his chest as the heavy bus smashed into the unforgiving telephone pole. Metal screeching and glass shattering echoed inside his head.

Justin tried to catch his breath. Once again, his eyes darted to the mirror. There stood Marie and Eve.

“Daddy! Oh, daddy! Come and play in the snow, Daddy.” The little girl giggled.

Justin blinked several times. The engine hissed. The two people he loved most were buried over four years ago. Yet, there they were just standing a few feet away.

“Marie?” he whispered. His eyes drifted to the young girl. “Eve?” His dry throat stuck with words.

“We’ve been waiting for you, my dearest.” His wife reached out her hand and gently touched his tear-stained cheek.

“Merry Christmas, Daddy!” The little girl clapped her hands. Her pigtails bounced up and down.

“Please…please don’t leave me again,” he begged. His eyes blurred with tears. “I can’t live without you. The loneliness…it’s unbearable.”

The young girl took her mother’s hand. “Come on, Daddy, I want to play in the snow.”   Seconds later, the back door of the bus opened, and the two stepped outside into the blustery night.

“No!” Justin shouted. He tried desperately to stand up, but the dashboard of the bus pinned his legs. “No! Don’t leave me!” He sobbed. “Take me with you!”  And it was in that instant that Justin felt the immense pain surge through his broken body as blackness swallowed his soul.

**

Sub-degree temperatures had shut down the historic city. The transit dispatcher contacted the fire department. Justin Porter was overdue and could not be reached by radio. Even with extreme weather conditions, Porter was considered an experienced driver.  

It took thirty minutes to locate the transit bus in the blizzard. The front of the vehicle was completely crushed. Layers of snow and ice covered the enormous bus.

The back doors of the bus were frozen solid. It took two firefighters and a lot of muscle to pry them open. Once inside, they rushed to Justin Porter, who was slumped over the bent steering wheel.

“Is he still alive?” asked the younger firefighter. The older man checked for vitals. Without answering, he called for an ambulance.

An hour later, they loaded the body of Justin Porter into the back of the ambulance and drove silently away.

**

“Daddy…daddy…come play with me!” shouted Eve. Marie was laughing near her daughter. Justin looked around. The sun was shining, and the snow glittered upon the covered ground.

“Justin! We promised Eve we would go sledding.” She gestured for him.

With a huge smile on his face, he hurried to his wife and daughter. Then the three of them disappeared behind the veil of the gently falling snow.

Author’s Biography

Alice Baburek is an avid reader, determined writer and animal lover. She lives with her wife and four canine companions. Retired, she challenges herself to become an unforgettable emerging voice.