The Wrong Bus

By Sreemoyee Mitra

The incessant splashes of rain have been compromising everyone’s vision. The streets were flooded and a mist surrounded the atmosphere. It has been pouring like cats and dogs since the afternoon. At thirty minutes past ten on a dark rainy night; Nikhil was walking towards the bus stand in Neelgunj. He is usually home by now every day, but got today, the weather added a flavour of mystery to the regular conversations among his peers. Blindness has taken most of Nikhil’s ability to work but never took his spirit. He mostly relies on his family wealth but comes in the restaurant once a week as a paid piano player. The rain, piano and his peers caused this delay.

Rain is enjoyable only through the comfort of a warm home. Although vision had never been an issue for him in the rain, it was the scarcity of transport that he feared. He stood at the bus stop, drenched in rain with drops of water flowing from the tips of his umbrella; waiting for his bus which he knew was fifteen minutes later.

“Do you need any help?”

A sudden soft female voice startled Nikhil. It has been nineteen years of darkness in his twenty nine years life, “help” was the last thing he needed.

“No. Thank you.” He said very politely.

“Are you sure? I can help you get on the appropriate bus.” said the persistent girl.

She sounded like a young girl, barely in the first half of her twenties, Nikhil assumed. He found it bit strange as it was late and not a very usual crowded bus stop.

“No. I know the time of my bus”, I’ll manage. Thank you once again for asking. You should be at home. It is not safe to move here this late. Kindly take care yourself.” Nikhil replied the girl with politeness and sincerity and moved aside a little.

“Alright Sir!” The girl said and while walking away said the words “Make sure to board the wrong bus. Good bye”.

Nikhil heard her chuckling a bit while the sound of her footsteps faded in the rain. He stood there dumbfounded. He uttered to himself “Wrong Bus?” “Why would i take the wrong bus?” He was bewildered and slightly annoyed at the joke of the young girl. Although he has faced his fair share of sympathy all his life, he felt it to be rude to mock a man after offering him help herself. Breaking the knots of his thoughts, Nikhil heard a bus approaching. He knew it was not his bus. It was not its time yet. The bus stopped and a man got down; seeing the black glasses on Nikhil, the conductor asked “Where to?”

Without answering Nikhil got up and sat on a seat. The bus started to move. He was shocked by his own actions. Why did he get on this bus? He will have to get down and walk for 10 minutes now in the rain. He was pissed at himself. Before he could curse his foolishness any longer, he heard a screeching sound, probably of a car, behind the bus which was then followed by a massive sound of thrashing. The bus had stopped and the passengers started to panic and shout. Words like “Oh God!” “Are they dead” “Why do they drive like this?” reached Nikhil’s ears. He could sense the hassle in the bus and few of the people getting down. The driver and conductor must have left cause no on answered when Nikhil questioned. After about 10-12 minutes, when they returned Nikhil asked the bus conductor “What happened brother?”

“A horrific accident Sir. You got very lucky. Some drunk men were driving at a speed of 200 and crashed inside the bus stop. Police and ambulance have arrived but it seems like two of them are dead. They crashed exactly where I picked you up from two minutes ago.

Nikhil’s throat dried up, he felt short for words. He was lucky. Truly. But nothing made any sense. How? Who was that girl? He had so many questions whose answers he might never find. He could sense his heart pounding unnaturally fast as the bus started to move.

It was around midnight when he came home; he had to walk for some time, although the bus had dropped him a little closer than they usually should. Exhausted and drenched he sat down. Even in this chilly weather, he could feel the perspiration on his forehead. The night went like a nightmare, he could not sleep. The girl.. the strange advice.. the rain.. the bus.. the car.. What if? All these crossed his minds million times till he heard the rain stop and some birds chirping. The morning air came inside the window like a new life to Nikhil. He went and made himself some coffee and turned on the TV for the daily news. On the news, it was the accident of last night. Nikhil listened in horror as the reporter said-“Four men were found inside the car. Their identities have yet not been revealed by police. Two of them died on spot and the other two were rushed to nearby hospital where currently they both are in critical condition. It has been believed that all of them were drunk and lost control of the brake and the accident happened. To police’s shock few hours after the accident when the burnt car was being investigated, they found a body of a twenty something girl at the back of the car. It has been assumed that the four murdered her and was taking her to someplace desolate to dump her body. The girl’s body was half burnt and have been sent for post mortem.”

A trail of chill passed through the spine of Nikhil. He wasn’t lucky. He was saved.

By Sreemoyee Mitra