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Ever since you were young, you had always wondered, what is that strange bus that passes by every now and then?
It was a school bus, its lettering of the district no longer visible due to age, the bus itself rusted and the glass shattered, the tires barely working and yet it still drove. But you had never seen the driver, only the occupants within. It was a strange phenomenon you would see every now and again, the rickety old school bus driving methodically down your street before disappearing around the left bend out of sight, but not out of mind. You had always wondered how and why it still drove. Rumors were spread around the neighborhood of what it might be doing and where it might’ve come from. Some said it was a ghost bus, picking up ghost kids to go to a ghost school. Others said it was just a busted old bus heading out for repairs, yet you couldn’t fully agree with their side of the story. The bus was always the same when it went through its rounds. It never changed, it never appeared newer or had repairs. It was always the same.
Even as a kid, you had never really believed in the paranormal. You were a skeptic, much like your parents. Things could be explained logically. But even yet, you weren’t sure how to logically explain the thing that was the school bus. Whenever it passed by and you were outside, often playing with your neighbors, you could feel a chill pass down your spine. The bus always had this... Feeling to it. Something you couldn’t understand or explain. The bus itself carried this ominous feeling, as if something wasn’t quite right. So, when you were fifteen, you and a few friends and neighbors went out to investigate. The bus had plagued your childhood, looming over your mind whenever you even saw a school bus. You had to, you needed to find out what and why the bus came by.
“This looks like the place where it starts out,” Said Tyler, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. It was the middle of spring, mere days after spring break had ended.
You looked up, peering at the forest beyond. “You sure? It’s just forest,” You responded with a slight frown, waving a hand toward the thick foliage beyond.
“Positive. We always see the bus coming from this way, right?” Tyler replied.
He did make a good point. In all your years, you had only seen it come one way, and it came the way the small group stood at. There were four of you total. Tyler, a sophomore who had been held back, so technically making him a freshman like you. He was a scrawny kid with bushy dark brown hair and hazel eyes, and always wore loose clothing. He was and still is your childhood best friend. The next was Tyler’s twin sister, Triffany. Triffany, unlike her brother; was an athletically built girl with a lighter shade of brown hair and blue eyes. She was wearing some jogging shorts and a tank top, fashioned with some Youtuber’s logo, though you weren’t quite sure what one. “Seems the right way,” Triffany said with a flourish, sweeping her hair back with her right hand before placing the hand onto her right hip. You don’t say anything, merely studying the foliage, confusion lighting your expression. How on earth would a bus come from that way? There’s no road, just trees upon trees.
“What’s the matter?” Came a teasing voice behind you, causing you to jump. A rumbling laugh came from the owner. El. El was a brawny kid, who always seemed to enjoy teasing you. They were tall, taller than Tyler or Triffany, and both were quite tall. Standing at 6’2, El towered over you like a shadow, and was inches taller than the twins. “Stop that,” You groan, swatting their hand as it reached down to ruffle your hair. They only chuckle, before turning to Tyler. “So. This is the way, huh?” They look around, before shrugging. “Looks kind of suspicious, don’tcha think?”
That received a confused look from both you and Triffany, though Tyler merely shrugged. “Yeah, well. This is the way it shows up. Always. Not like you’d know; you don’t live in this neighborhood.” El gasped dramatically, lifting a hand up to their mouth. El was the dramatic one of the group. That was known, due to their love for acting (which got them into the drama club easily), but sometimes El really just overplayed their role. Tyler gave them an unimpressed look, before turning back to the woods. “C’mon, let’s look around. If it appears here, its bound to show up sooner or later.”
Tyler was the unofficial leader of your group. He was commanding, smart, but sometimes really stubborn. Triffany often times had to keep him in check and knock some sense into him (literally). You shrug, “Alright then. Lead the way, oh great leader.” That receives a grin from Tyler, who marches ahead, Triffany at his heels. You followed behind Triffany, El following at the end.
The four of you wandered through the trees, careful not to get violently whacked in the head with branches (of which El was whacked several times due to their height). “Tyler, are you sure you know where you’re going?” Triffany asked after a while, swinging a branch out of her way. You duck under it as it arcs back. Tyler whipped around, facing the three of you. “Of course, I do. Not. I don’t know where I’m going! All I know is we find this bus then get out of here!” Triffany quieted, before sighing, reaching up to fix her long hair. She mumbles an apology, of which lays on deaf ears. Tyler whipped around once more; his mood now tampered due to his twin.
“Let’s just find this stupid bus and go home,” Tyler mumbles, weaving through the overgrowth with the rest of the group pursuing. The walk was uneventful, however that soon changed as an unease wafting from the group as they soon approached a clearing in the forest. And there, nestled among the grasses, was a bus. The lettering for the district practically invisible from afar. Rusted trim, shattered glass. The group let out a collective gasp, except for El, who whispered, “Holy shit.” The bus was real.
It lay there, like an ancient beast in slumber. The grass covering the tires, beginning to grow up over the lower trim. Vines clung to the top of the bus, moss clinging to the outer trim not covered by grass. It was a startling discovery, one that made the group stand stock-still, mouths agape as they stared in awe at the school bus. Tyler’s stoic personality switched, a grin growing expansively across his face, curved up in a gleeful expression that held excitement. “Yes!” Tyler grinned, pumping a fist into the air with triumph. “I knew it was real!”
“We never said it wasn’t, Ty.” Triffany quipped, rolling her eyes; albeit amusedly.
“What’re we gonna do now, that we found it?” You asked, glancing over to your friends after studying the bus.
“We’re not sure yet,” Tyler responded without a beat. “I mean, we could probably tell the neighborhood about it.”
“Uh. Hey, guys?” El asked. You couldn’t help but notice the slight edge to their voice.
“What’s up?” Triffany answered before Tyler could, which made Tyler pout.
“The bus. It’s – It’s turning on.”
That made everyone freeze, and almost robotically turn toward the bus. The whirr of an engine alerted everyone, making everyone swallow. The lights flickered on, and the bus tore itself away from the grasses, wheels churning. A metallic screech entered the air.
“Fucking hell, run!” El screamed, already sprinting away from the bus. You needed no further prompting, booking it away from the bus-come to life. You heard the thunderous footsteps of Triffany and Tyler behind you, as well as the engine of the bus as it drew nearer. "THIS WAY!" El yelled, waving one of their arms for the rest to follow.
El was out first, you following in close second. Triffany and Tyler were nowhere to be seen. As you and El panted, hearts thrumming with the panic and the adrenaline, you soon saw Triffany burst from the foliage.
..But Tyler was no where to be seen still.
The panicked expression on the girl's face read it all. Something had happened.
You scramble toward her as she breaks down, tears falling from her face as she sniffles and wheezes.
"What happened, Triffany?!" You asked worriedly, holding onto her hands as she struggles to calm herself down in between sniffles. "I-It- It took him," She finally managed out, sniffling pretty hard.
"What do you mean, it took him? Who took him?" El pressed, having moved forward in the time Triffany was calming herself down.
"T-The bus. It opened up its doors and this - This THING came out and wrapped itself around his waist and -" Triffany looks about ready to cry again. You and El both leave it at that. You both got the picture.
It was now weeks after the disappearance of Tyler. Triffany wasn't out as much as she was before, most likely mourning the loss of her twin with her family. As you and El stood on the sidewalk, backpacks slung over your shoulders; you saw it.
It was a school bus, its lettering of the district no longer visible due to age, the bus itself rusted and the glass shattered, the tires barely working and yet it still drove. the rickety old school bus driving methodically down your street, heading straight for the two of you. And there, in the bus; was a new occupant, seated on your side of the window. It was a scrawny kid with bushy dark brown hair and hazel eyes, wearing loose clothing, staring straight ahead.
Tyler.