Places To Read, An Unintentional Multipart Short Story Series – Part 1

On A Bus

A bus journey – it takes double the time that a car journey does, it is crowded and, most of the time, there is some sort of smell and you don't really want to know what is making it. After the anxiety of telling the bus driver where exactly it is you're going, and then the awkward walk to your seat, knowing that the driver is waiting for you and everyone is judging you, you find an empty seat, check it's at least semi-clean, and sit down. Your bag rests by your feet as the bus pulls away, and you lean down, opening the bag, and pulling out your saviour – a book.

The hustle and bustle of chatter fades away as you focus in on the words, leaning your head against the window and then quickly removing it when you feel the buzzing of the window vibrating from the bus's movement. It would take half an hour to drive. You have an hour. After a few minutes, when you're settled in and invested in the story, you almost don't want to get off the bus to meet your friend.

Maybe you could just stay on the bus all day, reading, because the smell isn't all that bad and no one bothers you when you're hiding behind a book...

The bus pulls to a stop and you look up, tears running down your cheeks. They can't have died! Why did they have to die? They were your favourite character. Why is life so unfair?

Why did they have to die just as you reached your stop?

You wipe your face with the sleeves of your jumper, hoping your eyes aren't too red. If you had been at home, you would've been sobbing, but you're in public. You didn't want to be the crazy person crying over a book on a bus.

You tuck the book away in your bag, picking it up and ducking your head as you walk to the front of the bus, thanking the driver in a voice that is gritty with the dryness of your throat after trying to control your emotions.

Your friend is waiting, you plaster on a smile and wave to get their attention. They spot you and wave back, unbeknownst to your woes, or of the fact that you would actually rather be reading than hanging out with them. 

Hi!

So I was going to make this a post about the different places I read, but, of course, that would constitute as a plan and, therefore, it did not go ahead. Instead, it turned into a bunch of (very short) short stories about reading in different places.

And I thought 'wow this would make a good series'.

And then I thought 'wow this could be multiple posts and I wouldn't have to brainstorm as many ideas'.

Yes, I'm lazy.

But I don't really care!

So I hope you enjoyed reading On A Bus and the next instalment in Places To Read will be out at some point. (When I can be bothered to post it!)

Bye!