Bus Ride Home

         Amber laid her weary head against the cool crystal of the bus window. After an exhausting day of school and a lost basketball game she was more than ready to fling herself onto her warm cozy bed. Her big, beautiful, tawny eyes roamed the scenery outside her glass frame, taking in every detail. It got dark quick in the evening, night fell early and swiftly. A mist rolled in over the mountains and the weather was muggy. It was obvious there was not going to be pleasant weather for a couple days. The blinking light on top the bus flashed like lightning, illuminating the outside surroundings in small burst of artificial daylight. With each flash Amber saw the woods light up around her. Not enough to show every detail, but she could see the outlines of branches and twigs bent like arthritic hands. The sight amazed her. This belongs in a horror movie. She thought.

The school bus rocked slightly as it made a sharp turn onto a bumpy road. In burst of the flashing light Amber caught a swift glance at the street sign: Vixen Hollow.

Amber rummaged around in her seat trying to grasp ahold of her backpack and gym bag. The bus creaked to a stop and Amber stood up to walk down the aisle. Her stop was the furthest from town and she was always the last one off. She flipped her long ocher hair away from her face and saw something out of the corner of her eye. Amber turned and saw boy about her age sitting a few seats back from where she was standing. She stopped dead in her tracks and studied the boy, looking for anyone she recognized from school.

He had short cropped black hair and a tiny white scar above his mouth that cut into his top lip. Most of his face was covered in shadows from a low hanging hat but Amber could still tell she had never seen him before. His eyes were dark and beady and hinted at an air of danger. His skin was dark from a farm boy tan and he was sprawled out across the seat with his booted feet dangling in the walkway. He wore a t-shirt with the sleeves torn off and ripped blue jeans clad his legs. His expression bore a grim smile as if he knew something nobody else did.

Amber took a step towards the boy when the bus driver called her name.

“Amber! Hurry up, I don’t plan on staying here all night.”

“Sorry John, I’ll be right up.” Replied Amber. She readjusted the strap of her gym bag on her shoulder and, taking one last glance at the boy, headed toward the bus exit. John tipped his hat and Amber flashed a smile his way as she stepped off the vehicle. She drug her feet through her driveway and standing at her doorstep she watched the bus disappear into the misty night.

Turning around, Amber opened her house door and stepped inside. It was all lit up and friendly looking from the outside with the green panel siding and a stone retaining wall but the inside couldn’t have been any more different. The air was thick with cigarette smoke and the stench of beer suffocated anyone who entered. Amber walked straight up the double set of creaky wooden stairs to her room. She laid her bags next to her bed and shut the door. She reached up and pulled the chain on her light to turn on the fan and cracked open a window. Even though it was the middle of winter, being cold was better than not being able to breathe.

After a few moments the airborne poisons cleared out and fresh crisp air flowed in. Now able to do things without coughing, Amber unpacked her bags. She threw her jersey and gym clothes into her hamper, reminding herself to do the laundry before her next game. She carefully put her basketball shoes on the windowsill so they could air out. Amber picked up her gym bag and, after a few shots of some strong perfume, placed it in her closet. As she closed the twin folding doors, her stomach growled. Amber looked down in surprise and remembered she hadn’t eaten anything since lunch. Opening her door and closing it carefully behind her, she headed down the steps.

Upon reaching the bottom she delicately opened the basement entrance. The lights were on and she could hear a couple announcers discussing the batting average of a player. A loud snore was heard over the TV and Amber let out a sigh. Shutting the door she turned a corner into the kitchen.

Amber grabbed a pot and after putting some water in it, she placed it on the stove. While she waited for that to boil, she walked over to the cabinet and grabbed a pack of macaroni mix and threw it across the room onto the counter. She turned and ran back up the first flight of steps and veered sharply to the right towards a shut door painted black. Rap rap, rap rap, thud! Amber knocked in the secret order she came up with, using her knuckles first for the hollow sounds and then the palm of her hand for the hard ending.

She heard a bolt sliding back and the soft clink of a chain being taken off. The door creaked open and a pair of orange eyes peered out.

“Relax, he’s sleeping in the basement.” Amber said, pushing the door the rest of the way open.

“Maybe his liver finally gave out.” The boy replied with a grin.

“Don’t say that, Justin. Who would pay the bills? Who’d get us food or bring home a paycheck? Not to mention we’d be put into foster homes.” Amber replied.

“You pretty much handle the bills yourself and I could quit school, get a job down at the farms. We wouldn’t need a foster home, we’d have each other.” Justin said, a gleam in his eyes.

Amber rolled her eyes and said, “I’m making mac and cheese, you want some?”

Justin nodded his head and the two siblings raced down the steps. The water had heated up and was boiling. Amber grabbed the packet of noodles and dumped them into the pot. She looked up and saw Justin leaning against the wall across from her.

“It’s going to take a few minutes for the macaroni to cook.” Amber said, hopping up onto the kitchen counter and sitting.

“I haven’t been down here for such a long time.” Justin replied in a quiet voice as he looked around.

“I know. I never get to see you anymore.” She said and watched as Justin shuffled his feet uneasily.

“I’ve been busy.”

“Doing what? You’re up in your room all the time. What do you do in there all the time?” Amber said.

“I’ve been going through our old family albums and searching online to see if maybe we missed a great aunt or second cousin or someone. I want to get out of here Amber.” Justin replied, his face pale and serious.

“Justin, you know we don’t have any family. They are all dead or don’t care enough to come get us.”

“I think the noodles are done.” He said, turning his face away from her.

Amber turned off the stove and poured the macaroni into a strainer and shook it back and forth to get all the water out. She scooped the pasta into two bowls and put cheese sauce into each one.

"Here, this one’s yours.” She said, handing a bowl to her brother. They sat down at the kitchen table together and ate. A few bites into the creamy dinner, they heard a clunking and the basement door burst open.

“Whar da food?” Came a slurred voice from a man stepping into the kitchen. He was tall and had the body of what used to be an athlete, but was now bulging with a beer gut. His once smooth and sharp face was covered in stubble and crumbs from cheap crackers. His fine black hair was dirty and messy with pieces sticking up every which way.

“I say whar da food?” He repeated and stumbled towards the stove.

Amber slowly got up and grabbing her bowl she started for the stairs. Justin stayed in his seat, as if daring the unruly man to come any closer. The man turned to look around him and tripped over his own feet. He reached to stabilize himself and in doing so, brushed his hand against the hot surface of the stove. The man howled in pain and grasped his scorched hand. He saw Amber moving away and labeled her the reason of his agony.

“Stupid gal, thank you can get ‘way with dis?” He started toward her and knocked the bowl of macaroni and cheese out of her hand. He grabbed her wrist in his hand and shook her.

“You thank you run dis house? You thank you don’t need me?” He growled in a low voice.

“Dad, you’re drunk, let go of me.” Amber said, doing her best to stay calm. Her father’s grip only tightened and her wrist began to ache.

“Let her go, Dad.” Justin said, rising from his seat and turning to face his father. The man released his grasp of Amber’s arm and turned to face the boy.

Amber, knowing but not wanting to see what would happen next, ran up to her room. She ran her fingers through her hair and rubbed her temples. She grabbed her music and plugged in her headphones. She cranked the volume all the way to drown out the shouting matching taking place below her. With nothing better to do, she reached for the homework in her backpack. When she unzipped the first pocket to grab her pencil something fell out and clattered to the floor. Amber leaned around her bag and picked it up.

It was a small blue velvet box with a small silver clasp on it. Amber flicked off the fastener and carefully cracked open the gift. Inside was a thin silver chain necklace with a small delicately carved golden heart studded with diamonds hanging from it. Amber gasped and gently removed the jewelry from the box. She spun it around in her and after studying it for several moments clasped it around her neck.

***

“I just found it in my bag yesterday. I have no idea who put it there.” Amber said to Evelyn, her best friend. They were waiting after school in the foyer for their buses to show up.

“Why would anyone do something so sweet and not take credit for it?” Evelyn asked, playing with the golden heart in her hand. “Is it real gold?” She continued.

Amber laughed and said, “I wish, but I don’t think that anyone likes me that much!”

Just then the numerous school buses pulled up. The girls said their good byes and went their separate ways. Amber threw her stuff into her seat and got comfortable for the long ride home. She plugged in her music and closed her eyes.

“Hey,” said a rough voice, “I think your stop is coming up soon.”

“Wha-what?” Amber said, sitting up and yawning.

“I think you dozed off for a tad bit there.” Came the voice again, this time with a hint of humor.

Amber opened her eyes and saw the boy she had seen the day before. He was sitting in the same seat as her with his hand on her shoulder.

“I don’t think we’ve met, my name’s Jacob.” The boy said and he scooted back to give her some room. His hand slipped off her shoulder, his fingertips grazing the warm skin of her arm as he pulled back. “You live in Vixen Hollow, right?” He said.

“Um, yeah.” Amber replied nervously.

Jacob scratched the back of his head. “I didn’t mean to sound like such a creep. I watch you walk sometimes. The bus, I mean. I've seen you walked off the bus.” He cleared his throat and tugged at his shirt collar.

“I’ve never seen you before, where are you from?” Amber asked.

“Uh, not anywhere close to here. I live pretty far out in the countryside.”

“I was always the last one off the bus, how come I’ve never seen you?”

“I just started riding after football season ended. My mom can’t get off work early enough to get me from school.” Jacob said.

“Are you good?” Amber asked, trying to figure out what made her so uneasy around this boy.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked, suddenly on the defensive side.

“At football, are you any good of a player?” Amber replied.

“Oh, well I start if that counts for anything.” Jacob answered, adjusting his hat.

“Are you okay? You seem a little nervous.” Amber asked, studying his face.

“Can I ask you something?” He asked, intently focused upon her.

“Sure.” Amber answered as the bus pulled to a stop in front of her house.

“Did you like your gift?”

“My gift?”

Jacob lifted his hand and reached for her neck. His fingers brushed her face and a chill went down her spine. He looped the small sliver chain around one of his fingers and pulled the necklace out from under her shirt. Amber grabbed his wrist, the necklace dangling from the tips of his fingers.

“You gave me that?” She asked, her voice shaky. Her blood ran cold as she watched Jacob nod his head.

“Why?”

“You deserved it.” He said, his fingers turning over until the chain was in his palm. He slipped his hand into hers and dropped the necklace back into her hand.

“I believe this is your stop.” Jacob said coolly, standing up and sliding backwards to let Amber through.

She grabbed her bags and stood up in front of him. He was taller than her by a good foot and a half. She could clearly see his face, including the small scar that cut into his lip. She was about to ask him something when her thoughts were interrupted.

“Amber! Come on, girl. I want to go home!” Shouted John from the driver’s seat. The man startled Amber and she spun around in surprise.

“Hold it John, I’m in the middle of a conversation here.” She irritably shouted up the aisle. Amber was in the act of turning around to confront Jacob when the bus driver distracted her once again.

“Amber, you’re the only one on here. The bus has been empty since we left town half an hour ago.”

“What?” Amber said, whirling around to look for Jacob. The aisle was barren as a desert. Her heart fluttered with panic.

“Amber, you okay back there?” John called. He didn’t get a reply as the girl slowly ambled down the walkway. She went to step off the bus when John grabbed her shoulder.

“Hey kid, you alright?” He asked, concerned.

“Yeah,” Amber replied, looking down at a golden heart in the palm of her hand. “I’m fine."