Scar Red

5: City Vibes🌆

My homesickness worsened as soon as we stepped into the bus and entered the highway, compared to my ecstasy some days prior to that one.

I was next to the window with Mrs. O'Neil beside me, my hair styled in a way that it fell over the part of my face that was unsightly, if not I would have attracted the attention of quite a few people.

My gaze was plastered to the scenery outside as I subconsciously stroked my bracelet which I made by simply wrapping the pendant around my wrist. The trees breezed past us in a blur and it seemed as though I was fascinated by the view but truth be told, this didn't even bait my attention in the slightest.

"Ooh how I missed them so..."

Sighing wearily and pulling my duffel bag closer to me, I turned to her. She hadn't said anything to me since we entered, being quite the conversationalist that she was. Maybe she noticed that I was anything but in the mood for such chit chat and even if she did talk to me, I'd probably be too self absorbed to answer.

"Uum...how long till we get there?"

She examined her watch before raising her head again.

"Two and a half hours dear, don't think about it too much, we'll be there in the blink of an eye," she said.

Oh jolly! That's how far away I'd be from home. I resisted the urge to sigh again as my hand went to my good luck medallion to fiddle with it, looking around carefully for the first time since we got on that bus.

There were 20 occupants in total, plus the driver who looked like someone obliterated his cat. We were all headed to the same place but unlike me they knew what to expect.

I spotted a little girl on her mommy's lap who was peeking at me, no, openly staring at me like I fell from the sky. The reason was obvious and I grimaced whilst cupping my face in my hands.

That was going to be a long ride.

"Carina... Carina wake up, we'll soon be stopping," I faintly heard her call.

"Mmmhmm..." I mumbled, running a hand over my face, trying in a futile attempt to shake off the sleep. With the unwithstandable boredom that ensued and all the breeze that continually flew in from the windows, who could resist?

I wanted to sleep some more, why was that woman pestering me?

"Don't you know where we have to be?"

Yeah, in sleepytown that's where I'm in. My body only jolted awake when the bus jerked forcefully to a stop, launching us all in like motion forward in our seats. I knew that driver was anything but happy, but no need to transfer the aggression and try to kill us all! Sheesh!

It was obvious that others harboured the same thoughts as me because the driver was bombarded with insults from all directions, I think I heard some profanities too.

"This is where we stop, Carina," Mrs. O'Neil said, she was still looking a bit shaken from the incident and I instantly looked out the window and what I saw next impressed me greatly as tall, looming buildings came into my line of vision.

I wondered how those things were erected, it seemed so impossible and how exactly people reached the last floor without wearing themselves out just climbing stairs.

I saw some buildings that had major parts of them made with glass, how stupid was that? I also saw how some people were so scantily clad, whoa! How could someone feel so comfortable wearing those type of things…

It was only when I heard the clearing of a throat behind me that I noticed how much I'd been rotating my head 360° on that window just to savour the view and how much attention I'd attracted whilst doing that. Some were of irritation and disgust as I noticed some strands of my hair covering that part of my face had slid towards my ear.