IT WAS THE LAST BUS....

PS :This post has got nothing to with my life..this one is a short story my first piece of work that was appreciated..wrote it when I was in my eighth grade..So..heres my first short story.. :)

"IT WAS THE LAST BUS..."

It was raining heavily..I was completely drenched in rain when I reached the bus stand..I loved rain..but not today because I didn't want to miss my bus ..I checked my watch ; Na i wasn't late..it was only 6pm..and the bus was scheduled to start within 30 minutes..I was happy to find a vacant window seat..He was supposed to reach before me...I wondered what kept him too long....Rain was still pouring..

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I remember the expression he had when I asked him whether he was ready to live in a safe place where he could sleep peacefully without an empty stomach..At first he stared at me..he was bewildered by a question that too from a stranger he had met 3 days back...He murmured something...and said "paanch rupiah madam" I guess I got the answer..I payed him for the bouquet he gave me..He grabbed it and in the next second he was invisible within the crowd that had gathered at the beach..I dint get much time to convince him...I was sad at his response..

Sister Angelica was right may be he was used to his way of living..She had advised me not to get so close to the boy whom I had met just 2 days back after my arrival .By profession I am a writer working for a small magazine named Voice..I often took leave from my busy schedules to visit Angelica who was my mother sister father everything..I loved being at her place..She owned a small house with a beautiful garden facing the beach..I got the feeling of being in a fantasy world whenever I visited her place..Most of the stories I wrote were born here right here at her place...Lying on her lap I thought of him...I thought about our first meet..

I was having a look at the most spectacular sunset when i felt a small pat on my shoulder..I found a small boy of 6 or 7..with a basket full of handmade bouquets..He was dark and thin and wore pants too big for his size..He had lot of scratches and burns on his body..but he had a bright smile on his face..I returned his smile..He wasn't looking at me but at the sketch of the sunset I had made..I gave him the sketch..his fingers traced along the sketch and the letters written below it...I bought a bouquet from him and asked him to keep the sketch..

May be I was too quick...But all I wanted was to help him... I didn't know what brought me close to this little one.I didn't know where he lived..he had tears in his eyes when I asked about his parents..I recognized the pain in those tears the pain of an orphan..an abandoned life..He had fear in his eyes..he did fear something or someone..may be that was why he neglected my offer.

It was Sister Angelica who woke me up the next day to let me know that I had a visitor..I could get her from her smile who the visitor was...I rushed outside to meet him.He was wearing the same khaki pant...the same cute smile..but he had a new-imprint on his left cheek..a fresh burn.. He kept a distance from me.. It took a while for me to put up the same question again in front of him..This time he gave me a quick nod..He promised to meet me at the bus stand...and left quickly before I could say a word..

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The rain had finally stopped pouring..I rechecked my watch. 10 more minutes..I tried to relax and not to worry..I decided to take ticket for two..to my surprise instead of tickets the conductor handled me a cover..He said someone had left it for me when I was sleeping..I found a rolled sheet of paper and a bouquet in it..As I unrolled the paper tears started to roll down..it was the sketch of the sunset..

I could hear the voice of the cleaner shouting " ..last bus.. this is the last bus...."

Yeah it was the last bus....

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