The World Where I Belong

Chapter 3

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"If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor." – Eleanor Roosevelt
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As I waited for the bus, the steady patter of rain on the bus station roof provided a soothing backdrop to my phone browsing. The occasional flicker of the street lamps added a touch of calmness to the dimly lit surroundings. Engrossed in scrolling through comments and pictures, I was interrupted by a gentle vibration and a soft ding from my phone.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" I called out, startled as a small child collided with me, causing my phone to slip from my hand and skid across the wet pavement beyond the shelter of the station roof.

Ding.

Grumbling with annoyance, I quickly retrieved my phone from the ground, hastily wiping my sleeves over it to dry off the raindrops.

"What is a small child doing at this hour anyway? On top of that, all alone..." I muttered to myself in dismay, looking up from my phone to see where the child had run off to. Noticing something shimmering on the ground, I realized they must have lost a toy. Sighing tiredly, I walked over to the little shiny thing, leaving the bus area and accepting getting wet again to retrieve it. As I hunched over and picked up the lost item, examining it in my palm, I noticed it was a small silver key with carvings on the handle, intricate patterns that seemed to dance in the dim light. In confusion, I looked up from the key, scanning the area around me.

"Hey child, you lost your key!" I called out into the darkness.

„₭ɆɆ₱ ł₮ ₩ł₮Ⱨ ɎØɄ", startled, I instinctively stepped back, my eyes darting around the dimly lit bus station. As I turned, the dim glow of the street lamps cast eerie shadows, painting the surroundings with a yellowish hue. The darkness beyond seemed to swallow everything in its path. Terrified of that voice, my heart raced as I ran back to the safety of the bookstore, each step echoing in the silence of the night. Rattling at the handles, I stood in front of the closed doors, my heart pounding against my chest. Hurriedly dialing Angel's number, I pressed my back against the cold glass doors, seeking reassurance from her solidity. It rang once, and then she picked up.

"Hey, there was this kid, and then this dark, deep voice—it sounded so strange, but like it was coming from a child?!" I started to ramble, my words tumbling out in a rush. Distressed and frightened, I strained to hear her voice on the other end.

"Whoa, slow down, Lizzin. Take a deep breath. It's probably just your mind playing tricks on you. You know how spooky things can seem in the dark and rain. Maybe it was just a weird echo or something. Are you safe now? Do you want me to come over?".

"Yeah, you're probably right, Angel. It's just... I don't know, it felt so real. I'm in front of the bookstore, the doors are closed but I can't shake off this creepy feeling-", a sudden movement in front of me cut me off. A car parked in front of the walkway slowly rolling down the window. Mr. Woods appeared unexpectedly, his concerned gaze piercing through the darkness. He sat in his car, the dim light of his dashboard casting a subtle glow on his features. Motioning for me to approach, he beckoned me towards his window, his voice cutting through the heavy silence of the night.

"Lizzin, are you alright? Why aren't you by the bus station yet? Did something happen?" his words hung in the air, adding to the ominous atmosphere that surrounded us in the midst of the pouring rain. Relieved, I assured Angel that everything was fine and my boss had just shown up. Her voice softened with understanding as we exchanged our goodbyes and hung up. Approaching Mr. Woods' car, I leaned over to face him through the window, pulling the neck of my jacket up to shield myself from the rain.

"There was something strange at the bus station. A voice... it spooked me, so I came back here," I explained, feeling a sense of relief as I shared my experience. Mr. Woods listened attentively, his expression softening with concern.