"Untitled chapter one" by Agnessa ´graymalk´ Dreytser

Untitled

Chapter 1

      The thunder in the sky decided for him, and he hopped onto the 3:15 bus, quickly walking towards the back. Collapsing into an empty seat he smiled at the bus driver.

      "Just put it on my tab" he called as he put his feet up onto a neighboring seat.

      The bus driver shook his head, turning to face the youth with an expression of annoyed amusement spreading over his face. "Alright, alright..." he chuckled softly, "one of these days you're gonna get me fired Gabe. And get your feet off the seat boy, this ain't no lounge party!"

      "Thanks Gus." Gabe mumbled, pulling his feet off of the seat with a weak smile. He leaned his head against the cool window and watched the ground rush by as the bus pulled onto the highway. The thunder growled again and the lightening put on a show in the sky above the speeding bus. Sitting up slightly and running a hand through spiky blonde hair, Gabe glanced around the bus. It was a lot emptier than usual, and he didn't seem to know anyone besides Gus.

      In the first seat, behind the driver's cabin, sat a middle-aged man in a black business suit. His jacket was open and hung loosely about his shoulders. With his thinning black hair and slouching manner he fit perfectly into the roll of a lawyer; perhaps he was one. Two seats behind him and to the right sat a fairly attractive young woman of twenty-five or thirty in a dark green dress. Beside her, was a little girl no older than five or six in a similar green dress. Mother and child must have been on their way to a party of sorts, because the child sat with a neatly wrapped box on her lap. Smiling weakly Gabe let his gaze dance further around the bus; the only other passenger was an old woman sitting two seats in front of Gabe. She sat a bit hunched over in her brown dress, her breathing heavy and loud in the silence. Her hair was hidden beneath a brown bonnet. She reminded Gabe of his great grandmother Silvan, before she had dies that is.

      Sighing softly he leaned back in his seat and slid down a little into a more comfortable position. The lightening flashed again, and in the faint glow the old scar spanning his left cheek was clearly visible. Closing his eyes Gabe allowed himself to drift off into the thunder, floating in a half conscious state. Trying to remember the actions of the past couple of hours proved too difficult and he decided not to try again as a wave of nausea passed over him.

      He felt almost drunk, but had not touched a drink as of yet. Gently reaching up to his forehead he pressed his fingers against the gash with a grimace and pulled them away slowly-well at least it had stopped bleeding. The bus swayed slightly towards the right as it finally turned onto the off ramp; moments later the driver's voice was heard over the intercom. "South Ponte St." he announced in a professionally raspy voice.

      Letting his head fall back against the window, Gabe closed his eyes as the bus began to slow down upon entering the residential area. The next thing he knew someone was gently shaking his shoulder.

      "Gabe... Damn it, Gabe wake up!" He opened his eyes with a soft groan and slowly turned his head, sitting up and glancing around. The bus was empty except for Gus, who stood before him with an exasperated expression. The continuous pattering of the rain had grown heavier and louder, Gabe noticed, and the lights had turned on outside. How long had he been out? Gus ran a hand over his balding head and straightened up slowly, leaning a hand on the back of the seat in front of him and watched the stirring youth.

      "Ugh... where am I?" Gabe asked, his voice muddled with sleep, finally starting to come to.

      "The end of the line Kiddo, and I can't take you back this time" Gus said, sighing softly as he took in the boy's broken appearance. "Back alley again?" he asked, his voice softening while he spared a glance at his watch. He was already late getting back to the station, another half hour wouldn't change much but at least he could take the whelp to a safer area.

      "Wha- oh... no... yeah" Gabe replied shrugging slightly. Gus had known him for at least the past five years, each time offering to take him somewhere else, but he couldn't afford to get Gus fired because of him

      Gus nodded slightly and turned towards the front of the bus "Alright, where ya' staying tonight?"

      Gabe looked over at the other man, his still groggy state and pounding headache making it hard to think "I dunno..." he paused getting a better look at where the bus had stopped "thought I'd try Will's place"

      Gus nodded again, smirking slightly, not missing the unspoken admission. He had to hand it to him; the kid knew how to think on his feet. It came as no surprise that he was a survivor.

      As Gus sat back down in the driver's seat and started the bus he glanced back at the youth in the mirror and shook his head again. "Poor kid" he sighed under his breath, and then turned to face Gabe, who had by now struggled onto his feet and was now standing behind the front seat.

      "Last time, kid. ''Kay?" asked Gus trying to sound nonchalant and almost succeeding

      Gabe shook his head, "nah, it's ok. I'll walk. Maybe the air will take the edge off"

      Gus frowned at this, granted he was late, but he couldn't help feeling bad for the whelp. Gabe was a good kid, not perfect, but still a good kid. It wasn't his fault he hadn't lucked out on life. Running a hand through his hair, messing it up slightly, Gabe smiled weakly. "Don't worry about it." he stated plainly.

      Gus nodded, then pulled out a ten from his pocket and handed it to Gabe, placing it into the other's hand. "Be careful, Gabe" he said smiling slightly. Gabe took the pre-offered money reluctantly and nodded

      "Thanks Gus, for everything, " Gabe said warmly pausing a second before tucking the bill into his back pocket, tugging his shirt down to cover it "I'll get it back to you, I swear"

      Gus shrugged and opened the door of the bus, a burst of wind sending rain onto the bottom step "you'll be alright?"

      "Mmm..." Gabe nodded as he shrugged into his jacket and then jumped down off of the step, his sneakers instantly absorbing the water from the quickly rising puddles at his feet, and with a final nod turned into the nearby alley. Showing his hands into the pockets of his jacket he started off at a slow trudge.

      Gus shook his head slightly sighing sadly, "Be safe." he murmured as he closed the door and the bus turned off back towards the station.