Night Bus - Printable Version

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[bg=#0F112C][box=transparent width=650 border=1] >Throw your bag at the bus as you run to push them out of the way. If the driver sees a bag fly across their windscreen hopefully theyll put on the breaks, and hopefully theyll have enough time to put on the breaks[/box]

[box=transparent width=650 border=0]The only thing Nico got out of that was "Bag! Throw!"
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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]He slips off his bag and chucks it as hard as he can at the speeding bus.[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]It hits! The lock bursts, papers and supplies scattering about the windsheild. The bus begins to swerve. He's bought some time, but only a second.

Nico surges forward.[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]He dives, feet skidding on the pavement, and shoves Bell across the street. The flowers tear from their grasp, littering the air with petals and that overwhelming perfume.

Nico stumbles. Dazed.[/box]

[box=transparent width=650 border=1] >The bus driver slams on the brakes, but it's too late! A vehicle that size can't stop fast enough[/box]

[box=transparent width=650 border=0]He looks up, blinded by the lights, frozen with panic-

-The bus screeches towards him.[/box]

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In an instant, he-[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=1] >Wake up. It hasn't happened yet.[/box]

[box=transparent width=650 border=0]. . .[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Nico jolts awake with a gasp.

He blinks. His vision pops and sparks, electric. A dizzying fog spiraling just out of focus and creeping inward until suddenly--

--a flash of pain, zipping from one temple to the other. Over in an instant. Like nothing was ever wrong at all. Though Nico still feels a little dizzy, and it takes several seconds recover.

What… what the hell just happened? He feels like he just got hit by a-

The-the bus! It- Wasn't it just...? Wait! Where's-[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Bell.

...

Huh.

Nico frowns. It doesn't look like Bell has moved at all.They're still just standing there. Staring with those big, empty eyes. He lets out the faintest sigh of relief. He's almost glad to see them. Not that a weirdly realistic dream suddenly makes them friends but... Gods. What a day. [/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Nico relaxes a little. He must be in pretty dire need of sleep to imagine something so vividly. Maybe he should rest a bit on the bus. After all, it's gonna take a while to reach the end. And he's still got a ways to go after that.

Nico turns his tired gaze out to the street. The dark, lonely, empty street... Funny, something almost feels... off. Like the shadows are too long, the light too dim.

Something moves.

He stiffens. A chill creeps down his spine. It's Bell, reaching for something. Reaching for...

Nico jumps in surprise.[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Bell whips out a bouquet, petals scattering on the wind, filling the air with a musty floral odour. Just like before, but this time the smell is even stronger, and the flowers... they don’t look right… Mangled, crooked, hanging from snapped stems like lolling heads on cracked necks. The colours are faded and the paper wrapping struggles to hold. Soaked through with floral innards.

And Bell... They just stare, as innocently as before. Nico's uneasy confusion reflected in big, round eyes. It doesn't look like they've noticed, or maybe they just don't care.

As Nico stands there, dumbfounded, deciding what to do, bright yellow lights bleed onto the pavement.

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]The bus shifts to a halt before them. Nico didn't see it arrive. Just the lights, a flash, and then it was there. He stares at it, still frozen. It doesn't look like any bus he's seen before. Do they even have double-deckers around here?

The doors swing open, light streaming onto the sidewalk.

A deep but friendly voice booms from within.[/box]

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