Night Bus - Printable Version

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[bg=transparent][box=transparent width=650 border=0]It's 9pm on a Monday and the shadows cast by dead trees and old buildings submerge the world in grey.

A young fox waits at a bus stop. A long, vacant road stretches out before him. It’s strange… he's been going to this school for eight years but something about this stop doesn't feel quite the same… Has something changed?

He glances around.

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

Nobody's here. Gods, the bus probably left hours ago. He’s long past curfew at this point. Not that he was going home anyway, but still…

Better check the schedule.
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[box=transparent width=650 border=3]Well that doesn’t look right.

Did they...change the times, and uh, common language of this stop? How long has he been standing here, anyway? The air smells really weird. Stale and musty. It reminds him of something familliar he can't quite put his finger on. It’s making him dizzy.

He shifts, adjusting his bag.

His paw hits something.

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[box=transparent width=650 border=3]A blank name-tag pinned to his shirt. He doesn't remember receiving it. Did someone give this to him? Maybe...In the morning during orientation, before all the chaos. He probably just forgot about it. Yeah. That’s it.

He hasn't written anything down, but he gets the feeling that maybe he should. It’s just a stupid plastic rectangle but somehow it feels… important.

Really important.

Urgent-

-He digs out a pen from his pocket and holds up the tag. He starts to write and-

Hesitates.

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[box=transparent width=650 border=3]What, uh… what was his name, again?
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[bg=#0F112C][box=transparent width=650 border=1] >Bell. They're mute, and communicate in signs and expressions.[/box]

[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Yeah, that's right. Bell. It actually might be a nickname. People would joke that someone needs to put a bell around their neck so they know when they're coming. Nico's pretty sure they had class together last year.[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]They're mute, or at least super quiet. He's never heard them talk before and most people tend to ignore them. They sit in the back of class most days. No clubs, and they have a stare that could melt iron. He wonders what fact they wrote on their tag. It's probably something like…
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[box=transparent width=650 border=1] >"I can see dead people."[/box]

[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Nico almost laughs. Exactly! They’re such a weirdo.

Then again, it's not like he's much better…[/box]

[box=transparent width=650 border=1] >What is this... incident? Mass fight? Seems like both you and her have injuries[/box]

[box=transparent width=650 border=0]It... wasn't a mass fight, it was just-

...

He doesn't want to think about it.

Details aside, it was a personal thing... just him and a few other kids. Bell wasn’t involved. He has no idea how they got that wound.[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Speaking of Bell, they've been staring at him for a solid minute now and he hasn't seen them blink. They didn't react to his outburst at all. Even for Bell, that seems pretty weird.

What're they even doing out here? They should have left hours ago with everyone else. Unless they waited for him specifically.... But what could they possibly-[/box]

[box=transparent width=650 border=1] >She produces a bouquet and holds it out expectantly. Oh no…[/box]

[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Wait- what?[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]As if on cue, Bell suddenly springs to life, thrusting a bouquet of powerfully-scented flowers in Nico's face.

He jumps back in surprise, wrinkling his nose. No way! Where did they even get those from, their hands were empty! If Nico didn't know any better, he'd say it's almost as if they reacted to his thoughts... Jeez, what is with this kid? He barely knows them! He isn't even sure what gender Bell is. Not that it matters but-

What's he thinking? He's not interested in anyone! Not for any reason! He just needs to get away from this stupid town, away from all these people, that was the plan![/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]They're still staring. No time to think, he'll just have to follow his instinct.[/box]
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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Terrible instinct![/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]The flowers skid to a halt in the street, leaving behind a bloodtrail of mangled petals.[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Idiot! Literally anything else in the world would have been better than that! He can never get this stuff right. People suck! Social situations suck! This whole stupid planet sucks!

At least reject them properly, moron.
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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Just as he's about to speak, Bell suddenly pulls out a notebook and writes something down. Nico stares. That...wasn't what he was expecting. Shouldn't they be upset or something?

Unless...

Unless they're making fun of him. Writing this down to share with everyone later, get a good laugh about what an idiot he is. That's it isn't it? Well screw that!
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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Nico rips the notebook out of their paws. He looks over the page and-[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]So it wasn't a confession. Great! Well now he feels like an asshole.

He stiffens his posture and tries to look dismissive. Better let them down quick before they get hopeful.[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]There. That should do it. The last thing he needs is another person around to look after. That... never goes well. Hopefully Bell gets the picture.[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]They didn't.

Eyes lit with sudden determination, Bell takes off into the street. Nico stares, dumbfounded. Are they... going after the flowers? But he just rejected them! What aren’t they getting?[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0]Lights appear up ahead.[/box]

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[box=transparent width=650 border=0] The bus is coming! They’re gonna get hit![/box]