The night was dark as she stared into the abyss. There was no lights to be seen, save for the sliver of moon pushing through the clouds. The seat was barely comfortable and the coat she wore didn't cover her well. The rumble of the bus engine was regular enough to lull anyone to sleep but it wasn't working. Too many thoughts chasing each other around in her mind. She was too exhausted to sleep.
She had reached the end of her rope. Everything came to the end in Toronto and there was nothing left. After months of trying to find another job, only to continue empty handed, she realized this was it. She finished deleting her life yesterday, saving the things she could not part with in a small storage unit to return to later, and bought a one-way ticket west. Suitcase in hand, she boarded the bus three hours ago to begin again somewhere else. She had a small amount of money for this ticket, and decided to see how far it would take her and that is where she would begin again. $300 got her as far as Dryden ON, and it would be a place to start. She still had hours to go. Gratitude that the bus was relatively empty, she got up to stretch her legs and wandered up to the the front.
"I don't know how to you it," she stood with her arms crossed, just behind the bus driver, staring out into the night.
"You get used to it," he replied.
"The endless hours of driving, with nothing but the radio for company, it just seems so empty to me," she mused.
"I don't have to run away from my life until I'm ready to," he answered. "I have lots of time to think and often I find the answer on roads like this." He looked sideways at her, as if he knew more than he was saying.
"Are you psychic?" she smiled.
"No, but you're not the first with an 'end of the rope' look about her to board this bus."
"What do you mean?"
"Not many get on with a large suitcase and a pillow for a day-long journey. Most would fly and not bus through the night ... except for those that want time to think. And Dryden ... either you have family there, or that's as far as you could buy."
"Hmm ... you have a point. Are we going to be stopping any time soon to walk around a bit?"
"Yes, there's a ten minute stop at the Pointe-Au-Baril turn-off coming up in about fifteen minutes."
"Great. It will be good to get out and move around." She turned around and headed back to her seat.
Trying to cover with her coat again, she closed her eyes. Memories of the day she was called in to her manager's office, of the number of resumes she sent out and the phone calls she made and realizing that she needed to change something and the sleepless nights ... all didn't stop. Even the slowing of the bus's engine didn't slow anything down for her.
The bus came to a stop. She got up again (not nearly as stiff as before!) and made her way to the front. The door was open so she disembarked. A couple of other passengers were standing around in the cool night air, sleepily having a cigarette. She walked a few yards away and stretched. Looking up into the dark night air, she almost believed that she could reach up and touch the stars. They seemed so big and so close! Oh, that she could just pull herself up and off this planet!
She turned back to see the passengers making their way back on the bus. The bus driver was talking to someone on the side, someone she had not seen before. He was tall - taller than the busdriver. Lanky with dark hair and it looked like a black leather jacket that he wore. It seemed like money was exchanged and he made his way on to the bus. She picked up her pace and got to the bus seconds after.
"A new passenger?" she asked.
"Yup. You might get to know him. Seems he's also going to Dryden," the bus driver answered.
"You make it sound like Dryden is a tiny town where everyone knows everyone and their business!"
"Well, it's not quite that bad but it ain't no Toronto!"
She made her way back to her seat and noticed that the new passenger had made himself comfortable in the seat behind her. She settled into her seat again, arranged her pillow and tried to get comfortable. It was going to be a long night if she didn't fall asleep soon. She closed her eyes.
She woke when the bus started to slow down and mumbling came through. It was still dark. She heard the firm, loud words: "Sir, you need to hand that to me, calm down and return to your seat." Her eyes flew open and she peered over the seats. The bus had stopped and the bus driver was standing in front of a passenger, holding out his hand. There was a strong note of concern in his voice.
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