My Late Night 'Horror Story'

As an 18-year-old, we are at this age where we start to have late nights out, hanging out with friends or loved ones. We all love to have fun and wish that we do not have to end it by going home. Despite having no extensive financial means of supporting ourselves, we always put our bets on the last bus or train to take us home- even if missing it would imply having to let go our two days worth of pocket money for food.

Well, I've had no short of these experiences. Its always the last bus or last train I'm taking home. Whenever I check my bus timings close to 12, I am always filled with anxiety. It is only when I am able to secure my route home that I can breathe a sigh of relief.

Today was like every other day, again I put my bets on the 'lasts'. I found out I missed my last train and now it was to the bus. I managed to secure the last bus 851 to town and wait for it to arrive. Exactly as the bus arrival timings predicted, 851 arrived at 11 54 on the dot and I comfortably boarded the bus, taking my favorite seat on the bus- the spacious two-seater to the left back of the bus driver.

I was on my journey home, replying some of the messages on my phone. This was going to be a long ride. The bus inched slowly towards the direction of town area. As per usual, the bus reached the next stop and stopped to open its doors. Although focused on my phone, it took me a while to notice that there were no passengers alighting or boarding, yet the bus doors we both open for a considerable amount of time. What was the bus driver waiting for? Is there any passenger running for the bus?

Suddenly, it struck me, a story my primary school teacher once told me. It was meant to be a 'true horror story'. So it went like this, my teacher was taking a bus home late at night. The bus route passed through a heavily forested area which looked like there wasn't much human traffic there in the daytime, much less at night. There was a bus stop in the middle of that route. The bus didn't just drive past the deserted bus stop but instead chose to stop there. For a very long time. Both its front doors and back doors opened but to welcome nor bid farewell to no person. My teacher who similarly notice this long break for which the bus stopped got curious and started looking around as I did. The bus driver seemed to be idling, sitting there motionless. Was the bus driver waiting for someone? Or something? It was a good few minutes of wondering and waiting before the doors of the bus closed and the bus driver moved on and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Just as I shuddered out of my thoughts I looked up to observe the bus driver before me. Before I could jump to any conclusions, the bus driver turned around and apologized. He mentioned that he had to wait at the bus stop as he was driving the last bus and they had to follow the lat bus timings. I was both amused and relieved as I heard that explanation. So nothing paranormal here phew. I fact I was in respect of the fact that this wrinkled, white-haired, Chinese bus uncle stuck to the last bus timings to ensure that all of us (especially the late-nights-loving youths) manage to get home. Though he did stop at every few stops for a going 1-2 minutes regardless of people boarding and alighting...

So what did I learn from this experience? My main takeaway was that we should not easily jump to conclusions, observe your surroundings and most importantly, communicate. If it was not for the bus driver's simple explanation, I would not have learned more about the bus systems and even worse, have many suspiciously scary thoughts would have running through my head. I would not have thought of asking him about this odd behavior.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!