Member-only story
Cut Her’s Ghost
Don’t trust the wind
Steam engulfed the school bus windshield as an ominous clinking sound echoed from the direction of the engine. “Shit,” Maria said under her breath as she steered the transit bus to the shoulder of the gravel road. She pumped the air brake with her foot, locking the bus down was her first priority. It was never a good time for a breakdown and today was no different. At full stop Maria unbuckled her driver’s seatbelt as she reached for the CB mic, pressing the side button to call maintenance. “Bus nine to operations,” she said as she exhaled her breath. Only a crackle responded. “Bus nine to operations,” she repeated but the crackle noise was her only response.
“Fuuu-dge,” Maria stuttered and corrected herself as a small pair of feet appeared beside her. “I’m gonna miss Blue’s Clues, ain’t I?” Tommy McAdams asked. He stood there wide-eyed holding his backpack. He was the last rider, the final drop on her route.
Maria smiled to reassure the child. Tommy was in first grade and lived out in the boonies compared to the other pupils.
“Maybe not,” she said as she pulled her mobile phone from her back jeans pocket. She pressed the home button. No Service illuminated in the top right corner of the screen. Her smile faded.
