0:00

The

0:03

first time I caught the night bus was pure

0:05

chance. I'd heard the legends, of course,

0:07

we all had. Urban legends are

0:10

a big thing where I live. I suspect

0:12

it's partly because I hail from an unremarkable

0:14

and frankly dull provincial city

0:17

that has little else going on. Kids

0:19

growing up around here don't have much to do,

0:22

and so their imaginations tend to run

0:24

wild with escapism being all the

0:26

rage. My friends and I were

0:28

obsessed with urban legends during our formative

0:30

years, gobbling up tales whispered

0:32

in the playgrounds, and later posted

0:34

by anonymous users on online forums,

0:37

We found the legends both frightening and

0:39

exhilarating, bringing excitement to

0:41

our otherwise boring lives. It

0:44

would be fair to say that I was quite naive

0:46

back then. Some of my friends were

0:48

more cynical, but I truly believe

0:50

them all. The vanishing hitchhiker of

0:52

Spencer Street, the south side patrolman,

0:55

and the white lady of Croftmanner were

0:57

a few of my favorites. My friends

0:59

and I took on the role of amateur sleuths

1:02

investigating every site and searching

1:04

for any evidence of these legendary cryptids

1:06

and other worldly entities. To

1:08

my extreme disappointment, we found nothing,

1:11

no ghosts or ghouls, no monsters,

1:13

and no signs of anything out of the ordinary.

1:16

Eventually, I too became cynical,

1:19

concluding that all such legends were just

1:21

childish nonsense, and I was wasting

1:23

my time pursuing them. The

1:25

last bus was another of the local myths

1:28

that we'd heard growing up, and I'd

1:30

assumed it was fake like all the others, but

1:33

Now I know better. Officially,

1:35

the last bus out of the city center leaves at

1:37

a quarter to midnight from the bus depot on

1:39

High Street That's the bus which

1:42

sensible people catch if they want to get home

1:44

safely after a night out on the town.

1:47

The pubs and clubs close at one AM,

1:49

and the crowd of drunken revelers pile

1:51

onto the streets, fighting for taxis,

1:53

lining up for late night kebabs, attempting

1:56

a last minute hookup, or calling

1:58

up friends in search of all night house parties.

2:01

It's the same chaotic scene every Friday

2:03

and Saturday night. Usually, there

2:05

are a couple of fights and a few people

2:07

who will injure themselves by falling over

2:09

drunk on the pavement. It's all

2:11

depressingly predictable. The

2:14

police will be called out as will the ambulance

2:16

crews and eventually the crowds will disperse

2:18

as an eerie silence returns to the

2:20

darkened streets. Then

2:22

we enter the twilight hours when all

2:24

sensible and law abiding citizens are at

2:27

home safely tucked up in their beds.

2:29

After hours, the streets are left to

2:31

the vulnerable, like the homeless with nowhere

2:34

else to go, forced to seek shelter

2:36

and shop door fronts, wrapping their

2:38

cold bodies and old sleeping bags and

2:40

praying that they make it through the night. Then

2:43

there are the predators, the one that

2:45

your mother warned you about, the gangs

2:47

of bugs who patrol the streets, their

2:49

blood up as they search for a victim to violently

2:52

attack and the predatory men

2:54

who lurk in the shadows watching for vulnerable

2:56

women who they can prey upon. On

2:58

a Monday morning, you'll read the stories in

3:00

the local newspaper, and the homeless man

3:03

beaten to a pulp. The young girl

3:05

sexually assaulted in a back alley police

3:07

will open investigations and appeal for witnesses.

3:10

Sometimes they'll catch the perpetrators and

3:12

other times they won't. You'll have

3:14

sympathy for the victims, but secretly

3:16

feel relieved that it didn't happen to you

3:18

or somebody you know. In

3:21

these cases, the culprits are human

3:23

monsters. Made of flesh and bone

3:25

and not the other worldly fiends I tried

3:27

to chase. During my cynical

3:29

years, I believe these human predators

3:31

were the worst things out there that they

3:34

owned the twilight hours before the dawn,

3:36

but I was wrong. There

3:38

are far worse things that lurk in the

3:40

shadows. The first occasion

3:42

I caught the night bus came during a difficult

3:45

time for me. I'd just turned twenty

3:47

one and had split up with my partner of two years.

3:50

Looking back, I now see how the breakup

3:52

was the best thing for both of us. But

3:54

at the time, I was devastated and

3:57

so angry. My

3:59

friends had taken me for a night out on the town,

4:01

in the hope it would cheer me up. A

4:04

nice idea, but unfortunately it

4:06

didn't work out that way. I drink

4:08

way too much starting out on the

4:10

beers and moving on to shots of hard liquor.

4:13

We went to a club where I made several

4:15

embarrassing and unsuccessful attempts

4:17

to hook up. As if that wasn't

4:20

bad enough, I then started a fight with my

4:22

best friend. Throwing a punch at him before

4:24

I got thrown out of the club by the doorman and

4:26

foolishly decided to walk the streets alone

4:28

in his drunken stooper. I

4:30

somehow managed to avoid getting beaten up

4:33

or falling on my face and cracking my head

4:35

on the pavement. Instead, I

4:37

managed to stagger to a bus shelter, not

4:39

realizing in my inebriated state

4:41

that the official bus service had finished for

4:43

the night, and there wouldn't be another one

4:46

due until morning. I remember

4:48

laying down to rest on the bench and I must

4:50

have passed out because I woke up several

4:52

hours later and saw the streets were empty.

4:55

I was all alone or so I thought.

4:58

My heart almost jumped out of my chest when

5:00

I saw the old bus driving down the street towards

5:02

me. Emitting black smoke from its

5:04

exhaust pipe as it came, its noisy

5:06

engine interrupting the previous quiet.

5:09

The vehicle was partially illuminated by

5:11

the street lights although I noted

5:13

with some concern how the lamps flickered

5:16

as the bus drove by them. The

5:18

vehicle looked like a throwback to the nineteen

5:20

sixties the kind of ancient

5:22

tin can on wheels you'd expect to see

5:24

at a classic car show. Unlike

5:27

the modern vehicles we're used to, Though

5:29

was that glide along the street quietly, this

5:31

old rest bucket rattled along and

5:33

wisely looking as if it could break down at

5:36

any moment. But instead, it

5:38

kept coming. Driving down the empty

5:40

road and coming ever closer to my shelter.

5:43

I noted how there were no emblems or motifs

5:45

painted on the side of the bus and no

5:47

destination name was shown above its front

5:50

windscreen. The vehicle's exterior

5:52

was painted all in black and even the

5:54

windows were tinted Meaning, I cannot

5:56

see who or what was inside. I

5:59

felt a cold chill run down my spine

6:01

as I recalled the details I'd heard about

6:04

the last bus legend. One

6:06

of those I'd read and studied during my

6:08

youth. The vehicle I was seeing before

6:10

me matched the description of the one in the

6:12

stories, the phantom bus that appears

6:14

on an abandoned street in the early hours,

6:17

offering rides to the weary and needy.

6:20

I came close to panic in that moment wondering

6:22

whether I was dreaming or suffering a paranoid

6:25

delusion. I'd spent

6:27

so much of my youth chasing these legends

6:29

searching for any evidence that could prove

6:31

the existence of something outside our

6:33

own reality. But now that the truth

6:36

was staring me in the face, a big

6:38

part of me wanted to just up and run away.

6:40

I couldn't tell if I was excited or

6:42

terrified, but I held

6:45

my ground and waited for the bus to come

6:47

to me. I stood up on my

6:49

shaking feet as the bus pulled in

6:51

beside my shelter, and despite the

6:53

amount of alcohol I'd consumed, I suddenly

6:55

felt quite sober. It seemed

6:57

to take forever for the vehicle to park and

7:00

for the creeping door to swing open. When

7:02

it did, I was confronted by a friendly

7:05

middle aged man wearing a neat blue uniform

7:07

form while he sat behind the wheel driving

7:09

his bus to an unspecified location.

7:12

He smiled down at me, his eyes twinkling

7:14

in a welcoming fashion. Then

7:17

he opened his mouth and spoke in a soft,

7:19

almost fatherly tone of voice, saying,

7:24

good evening, my friend. Are

7:26

you coming on board? I'd heard

7:28

about the enigmatic driver before, but

7:30

nevertheless, his appearance in whole

7:32

demeanor took me off guard. I

7:34

struggled to find the words to respond, stuttering

7:37

my way through my reply, where

7:40

where will you take me? I

7:42

inquired nervously home.

7:45

The driver responded with a reassuring smile.

7:48

I'll take you home. Eventually, but

7:51

life isn't about the destination. It's

7:53

about the journey. Sometimes

7:56

you need to take a leap of faith. So

7:58

what do you say my young friend? Will

8:00

you ride with us? I'll admit to

8:02

being scared in that moment, terrified

8:05

in fact, Somehow, I realized

8:07

how important this was, how the decision

8:09

I made right then could shape the rest of

8:11

my life. I didn't know exactly

8:14

what would await me if I got on board, but

8:16

I had a good idea and it was terrifying.

8:20

But if I walked away, I would never discover

8:22

the truth. And so, I

8:24

took a deep breath, plucked up my courage,

8:27

and stepped onto the bus Seeing the

8:29

driver smile as the door shut firmly

8:31

behind me. When I saw the driver

8:33

up close, I sensed something

8:35

sinister about him and instantly started

8:38

regretting my decision, but by then

8:40

it was too late. That was

8:42

the first time I rode the night bus.

8:45

Over the years, I've been on it three times

8:47

in total, living to tell my tail

8:49

on each occasion. Catching

8:51

the phantom bus isn't as easy as you would imagine,

8:54

There's no set of rules that you can follow,

8:56

no set time or location. I

8:58

don't know whether it's sheer chance or if

9:00

the bus itself chooses the passengers. I

9:03

have, however, been able to piece together

9:05

common threads using both my own

9:08

experiences and those of others who've

9:10

made the journey. We have an online

9:12

form which we use to tell our stories and

9:14

exchange information. It's an

9:16

issue of safety as much as anything else.

9:19

The night bus can be lethal if you don't

9:21

keep your wits about you. Having

9:23

accumulated this knowledge over the number

9:25

of years, I will now share it with you

9:27

here. Once you step onboard

9:29

the bus, you'll see rows of hard

9:31

back seats stretching back to the rear of

9:33

the vehicle's interior, There's nothing

9:36

unusual about this, at least

9:38

not at first glance. You'll see

9:40

other passengers too, but you mustn't

9:42

engage with them at this point. And don't

9:44

look them in the eye. Take

9:46

a seat on an empty bench somewhere toward the

9:48

front of the bus. It doesn't really matter

9:50

where exactly they will come to you

9:53

in their own time. The journey itself

9:55

can last for hours, or at least that's

9:57

what it will seem like when you're on board. You

10:00

can see out the windows from the inside and

10:02

look upon the scenery such as it is.

10:05

Initially, you will see familiar sites

10:07

city center streets, buildings, and

10:10

businesses that you'll recognize. Nevertheless,

10:13

you'll soon realize that something isn't quite

10:15

right with the scene. The streets

10:17

will be totally abandoned. With no

10:19

traffic or pedestrians anywhere to be

10:21

seen, there won't be any businesses

10:23

open or lights emanating from anywhere

10:26

along the road. The further you

10:28

drive out from the city center, the more

10:30

bizarre the sites you will encounter. The

10:32

soon the tidy streets and well maintained

10:35

buildings will give way to urban decay,

10:37

crumbling structures and ruins, like

10:40

those of a lost city forgotten to time.

10:43

Eventually, the bus will leave the

10:45

city behind and enter what appears

10:47

to be a dense forest. The narrow

10:49

road you will follow will be shrouded in darkness

10:52

with the only illumination coming from

10:54

the vehicle's bright headlights. If

10:56

you glance into the woods on the other side of

10:58

the road, you will occasionally catch a glimpse

11:00

of shadows moving behind the tree line,

11:03

strange figures and unidentified animals

11:05

with glowing red eyes glaring through the

11:07

darkness. You'll see these

11:09

unnerving creatures for only the briefest

11:11

of seconds as the bus drags through

11:13

and then they'll be gone. At

11:16

first, you'll think it's just your fertile imagination

11:19

playing tricks on you. But deep

11:21

down, you'll know that there's something evil

11:23

lurking in those woods. By

11:25

this point in the journey, it should become clear

11:27

that you're no longer in the realm of the living.

11:30

I don't know where the bus takes you, but

11:32

I do know it is not wise stare out

11:34

the windows for too long. What

11:36

looks out there can drive you mad, and

11:39

besides, your focus should be on those

11:41

inside the bus. As they pose

11:43

the more immediate threat. My

11:45

fellow online sleuths and I think of the

11:47

passengers as lost souls. It

11:50

seems certain that they are no longer part of the

11:52

world of the living. There's something

11:54

lacking in them, an important

11:56

piece that is missing. Once you

11:58

talk to them and they will engage

12:00

with you whether you want them to or not,

12:03

you'll see the sadness in their empty

12:05

dead eyes. They'll want to latch

12:07

onto you because you have what they

12:09

want. Life. That's

12:11

why it's so important that you follow the rules

12:14

Don't let them get inside your head, whatever

12:16

you do. There are six entities

12:18

you're likely to encounter once you set foot

12:20

upon the bus, all of whom have their

12:22

own unique traits and tricks, which they'll

12:25

attempt to use against you. Based

12:27

on the shared experiences of our forum members,

12:29

I have pieced together a description of each

12:31

of these other worldly entities. Firstly,

12:34

there's the driver whose physical description

12:37

I've already covered The driver's

12:39

first job is to get you on board, and that's

12:41

why he'll appear to be so friendly in welcoming,

12:44

enticing you to take a ride on his bus.

12:46

However, once the door shuts behind

12:48

you and the bus starts moving, you'll

12:50

see the driver smile falter ever

12:52

so slightly as he breaks eye contact and

12:55

focuses on the road. Despite

12:57

this, the driver is a benign figure

12:59

who plays a small but important role in

13:01

the events which follow. His

13:03

job from this point forward is to

13:05

simply drive. And he does keep

13:07

his promise to you. He will bring you

13:09

home eventually, assuming

13:12

you don't fall foul of any of the spirits

13:14

during the drive, Like I said,

13:16

the journey will seem to last for hours,

13:18

but when he drops you off at your home street

13:21

back in our realm, no time will have

13:23

passed whatsoever. He

13:25

lets you off smiling once again

13:27

and saying, have a nice

13:29

evening. Hope to see you again

13:32

soon. And you'll be left

13:34

standing on the pavement outside of your home,

13:36

but weldered and in a state of shocked

13:38

disbelief as you watched the phantom

13:40

bus drive down the road. Before

13:42

it inexplicably vanishes at the end

13:44

of your street. After the driver,

13:47

the first passenger you're likely to notice

13:49

is the party girl, This is an

13:51

attractive young woman who appears to be in

13:53

her early to mid twenties. Her physical

13:55

appearance will change on each occasion Sometimes

13:58

her hair will be brunette and other times

14:00

blonde. Likewise, her

14:02

skin complexion can either be pale

14:04

or dark depending upon the beholder. What's

14:07

consistent is how she's made up and dressed,

14:10

donning a cocktail dress and high heels

14:12

and carrying a designer handbag Her

14:15

fragrance is sweet and enticing, but

14:17

you may also smell a hint of alcohol on

14:19

her breath. You'll note how her mascara

14:22

has run indicating she has been crying.

14:25

Nevertheless, there is something in her

14:27

deep and expressive eyes which will draw

14:29

you in. An inner beauty and vulnerability

14:32

that plays on your emotions. It's

14:34

worth noting that you will be attracted to young

14:36

woman in spite of your gender or

14:38

usual sexual a preference. You'll

14:41

be unable to take your eyes off her and

14:43

will feel compelled to take a seat close to

14:45

her. The party girl will engage

14:47

you during the early stages of the journey.

14:49

Distracting you from the bizarre sights outside

14:52

of the buses windows. At

14:54

first, she'll be flirtatious and fun

14:56

asking you about yourself and talking about

14:58

her night out But soon, the

15:01

conversation will take on a darker tone,

15:03

and the girl tells you about a tragic event

15:05

from her past. Childhood abuse,

15:07

a violent ex partner, or the death

15:09

of a loved one. The story

15:11

will vary each time, but will always

15:14

be one of sadness and suffering. Your

15:16

heart will go out to her even if you're

15:18

not usually an empathetic person. Once

15:21

she's told you her woeful tale, a

15:23

young woman will ask you to go home with her,

15:26

to give her some comfort. You will

15:28

be tempted, but under no circumstances,

15:30

should you agree to go with her? It's critical

15:33

that you remember what she is and

15:35

what she really wants from you. My

15:37

advice is to politely decline her offer

15:39

without causing her undue suffering. The

15:42

party girl may be a lost soul, but

15:44

by all accounts, she still feels

15:46

human emotions. She won't be angry

15:48

when you reject her. But instead, we'll

15:51

sobbed softly into her hands. You'll

15:53

feel guilty, but you must move on

15:55

and switch seats, leaving the poor girl

15:58

to her misery. The next passenger

16:00

you'll encounter sits a couple of rows behind

16:02

the party girl. We call her the

16:04

0AP or the pensioner. She's

16:07

an elderly woman in her eighties, her

16:09

white hair and curls wearing a shawl

16:11

and a heavy winter coat. And with

16:13

the shopping cart on wheels parked under her

16:15

seat, Her face is wrinkled

16:18

and the perfume she wears is quite overbearing,

16:21

but the OAP has kind

16:23

eyes and a sweet motherly smile.

16:25

She'll remind you of an elderly relative, like

16:28

a grandmother or a gray aunt, and

16:30

you'll feel an affection towards her.

16:32

A woman of her age and appearance is the last

16:34

person you'd expect to find riding a bus

16:36

during the early hours of the morning and

16:38

yet, here she is. Another

16:41

lost soul trapped on a journey that never

16:43

ends. The OAP will speak

16:45

with you in a kindly, wholesome fashion

16:47

asking about your life and family while

16:49

also entertaining you with anecdotes from

16:51

her long and interesting life. You

16:54

truly will feel a ease talking with her

16:56

but you mustn't forget what she really is.

16:59

The conversation will end with the woman asking

17:01

you to accompany her home, to help her with

17:03

shopping, or something like that. She'll

17:05

offer to prepare you something to eat, your

17:08

favorite meal or snack, whatever

17:10

that may be, and she'll offer to put you

17:12

up for the night. Again, you'll

17:14

be tempted, but you must say no.

17:17

On this occasion, it doesn't matter

17:19

how politely you refuse her offer. Whatever

17:21

you say or do, she will react with absolute

17:24

fury, screaming every obscenity

17:26

under the sun as her face screws up

17:28

in anger. It's the last thing

17:30

you would expect from a seemingly sweet old

17:32

lady, but this is what will happen. As

17:35

soon as she launches into her hateful tirade,

17:37

you should leave your seat and move further down

17:39

the bus. And you would be wise not

17:41

to engage with her again for the rest of the journey.

17:44

The next passenger you'll meet is a scruffy

17:46

middle aged man known as the drunkard.

17:49

He sits close to the back of the bus and

17:51

is perhaps the type you would spec to find

17:53

on a late night service. I

17:55

wouldn't recommend sitting too close to the drunkard

17:58

if only because he smells pretty bad.

18:01

His breath, stinking of alcohol, and

18:03

cigarettes. You'll know how

18:05

his old clothes are soiled and torn,

18:07

and his unkempt beard will be badly

18:09

matted. You probably

18:11

won't wish to engage with him, but the drunkard

18:14

will begin a conversation with you regardless.

18:16

And against your better judgment, you'll

18:18

get drawn in. The drunkard will

18:21

turn out to be surprisingly intelligent and

18:23

insightful, seeking to educate you

18:25

on such matters as religion, philosophy,

18:27

and scientific theory. He'll

18:29

tell you story in the form of a parable

18:32

or fable. One with a dark

18:34

twist to it. When I first met

18:36

the drunk he recounted to me the tale

18:38

of the frog and the scorpion, one

18:40

that demonstrates the cruel and destructive

18:42

nature of life. Next,

18:44

he'll remove a silver hip flask from the inside

18:47

of his jacket pocket and offer you a drink.

18:49

Regardless of your alcoholic preferences,

18:51

you'll be tempted to take a sip. The

18:54

drink will smell sweet and inviting, but

18:56

of course, you must refuse him. After

18:59

you turn down the drink, the drunkard will shoot

19:01

you an angry look before shaking his head

19:03

and saying, you're a damn

19:06

fool, a stupid child.

19:08

You have no idea what you're dealing with.

19:11

This is your cue to move on. Now,

19:14

you'll notice how the first three passengers are

19:16

trying to draw you in. Using whatever

19:19

charms or supernatural powers they have

19:21

at their disposal. Their ultimate goal

19:23

is to trick you into leaving the bus. Needless

19:26

to say, you must not do this.

19:28

Not if you want to make it home. Nobody

19:31

knows exactly what happens to those who fall

19:33

into one of their traps. We

19:35

do know that several members of our forum

19:37

have vanished without a trace over the years,

19:39

and my city has a long history of unexplained

19:42

disappearances. The fourth passenger

19:44

is different from the rest however. He

19:46

is a young male who sits on the back row

19:48

whilst listening to headphones linked up

19:50

to an eighty style walkman. We

19:53

call him headphones guy, and it

19:55

seems all he does is listen to music. His

19:57

eyes closed as he taps his foot to the

19:59

beat. The headphones guy will not

20:01

attempt to engage with you or even

20:03

acknowledge your presence. As not

20:05

to say, he isn't dangerous however. There

20:08

was a member of our group who had a run-in

20:10

with the guy. To be fair, it

20:12

wasn't unprovoked. Feeling

20:14

bold, my friend got right up in the passenger's

20:16

face. Waving his hands and clicking his fingers

20:19

in an attempt to gain the spirits attention.

20:21

When this failed, he foolishly grabbed

20:23

the guy's headphones, physically pulling them

20:25

off his head. Predictably, the

20:27

headphone guide didn't react well to this violation.

20:30

In an instant, he jumped up from his chair

20:33

lashing out with his fist and knocking his assailant

20:35

down in one punch. My friend

20:37

remembers a sharp intense pain in the

20:39

back of his head before he blacked out The

20:42

next thing he remembers is waking up in his

20:44

own bed the next morning with a broken nose

20:46

and a nasty gash on the back of his head.

20:49

He also found a note in his jeans pocket

20:51

crudely written on the back of an old bus

20:53

ticket in what looked like dried blood.

20:56

It read, do that again. I'll rip

20:58

your head off. Unsurprisingly, my

21:00

friend never rode the night bus again. I

21:03

don't know what the headphone guy's deal is, but

21:05

my advice is to believe him well alone.

21:08

At this point, you're probably wondering why one

21:10

would wish to catch the night bus at all,

21:12

given how you'll be transported to a terrifying

21:14

alternate reality and encounter otherworldly

21:17

spirits who wish to trap you there. Well,

21:20

the short answer is that no sane person

21:22

would bar a handful of crazed

21:24

urban adventurers and amateur paranormal

21:26

investigators such as myself. Most

21:29

of us who have boarded the phantom bus have

21:31

done so by accident. Not realizing

21:33

what they were getting themselves into until it

21:36

was too late. And most of

21:38

those who rode the bus once have no inclination

21:40

to do so again. But those of

21:42

us who do seek out the phantom bus for

21:44

a second or a third or in

21:46

my case, fourth occasion, well,

21:49

we have our reasons. One reason

21:51

above all others. In fact, we

21:53

want to see the harbinger and ask him

21:55

our one permitted question. I'll

21:58

regret my first ride on the bus for the

22:00

rest of my days. Although I was

22:02

drunk, I had enough wits about me to

22:04

see off the various tricks used by

22:06

the ghouls, but I wasn't prepared

22:09

for him. The harbinger is the

22:11

only passenger who isn't already riding on

22:13

the bus when you first get on, he

22:15

comes later. After you've negotiated

22:17

your way through the ghostly entities and you

22:19

think the worst is behind you. The

22:22

first thing you'll notice is the burning cross

22:24

mounted on top of Dark and Hills overlooking

22:27

the road on the left hand side. I

22:29

remember the first time I saw that boating

22:31

symbol and the immense fear I felt

22:34

as I knew something was coming. A

22:36

moment after I spotted the cross, I was

22:38

shocked to see the bus was slowing down,

22:40

pulling over to the side of the road and parking

22:42

up in a lay by Next,

22:44

the driver operated the swing door at the

22:46

front of the bus, opening it to whatever

22:48

lay on the other side. The

22:51

terror almost overwhelmed me as I

22:53

thought of the horrors that lurked within the shadow

22:55

lands of the creatures and demons

22:57

hiding in the haunted woods and hillsides

23:00

I recall looking to the other passengers somehow

23:03

hoping these devious spirits would offer me

23:05

some protection from whatever was coming

23:08

but instead, their heads were down

23:10

as they maintained a solemn silence. Realizing

23:13

I was on my own, I glanced out the window

23:15

to witness a site which chilled me to the

23:17

very bone. There was a small

23:20

covered shelter by the roadside, almost

23:22

covered by overgrown vegetation and

23:24

only just visible in the dim light.

23:27

And within this seemingly abandoned

23:29

bus shelter stood a tall hooded

23:31

figure, a sinister individual

23:34

with his face covered and his considerable

23:36

frame hidden underneath the long and

23:38

dark robe. The mystery

23:40

man remains still and silent Although

23:43

I soon spotted the animal by his side,

23:45

a large black dog that snarled aggressively

23:48

through a snout filled with razor sharp

23:50

teeth. As it collared it mean

23:52

with hungry and predatory eyes,

23:54

only a thin glass pain separating

23:56

me from him. I imagine

23:59

the hound breaking loose, ascending the

24:01

steps and charging down the aisle before varying

24:03

its razor sharp fangs into my soft

24:05

flesh. Thankfully, the

24:07

god's master retained control of his beast,

24:10

although I was far from out of danger.

24:13

I also noticed how hot or stifling

24:15

it suddenly became. As an almost

24:17

unbearable heat wave hit me. Meanwhile,

24:20

the bus remained parked for what seemed like an

24:22

eternity. Its door jar

24:24

has the driver waited to see whether his

24:26

passenger would get on. Now,

24:28

I've since learned that the hooded figure

24:30

we call the harbinger will do one of

24:33

two things at this point. Either

24:35

he will remain rooted to the spot until

24:37

eventually the driver will say something like

24:43

Well, not tonight then.

24:45

Before he closes the door and drives on,

24:48

from what I've been able to gather from both my

24:50

experiences and those of my contemporaries,

24:53

This is what happens most of the time.

24:55

Two times out of three, the harbinger

24:57

won't step out from the bus shelter, and that

24:59

will be the end of it. But sometimes

25:02

he will step forward marching through

25:04

the mud in his heavy boots while dragging

25:06

his hellhound along on a leash and

25:08

he'll come on board the bus Gliding

25:10

down the aisle with his faithful mutt following

25:13

behind him, prompting the driver to

25:15

say, good evening, sir. I

25:17

trust you'll have a pleasant journey. The

25:19

harbinger will not answer. Instead,

25:22

he'll take a seat near the front of the bus,

25:24

pulling his hood down to reveal what lies

25:26

underneath. To

25:28

this day, I can't fully explain

25:30

what I saw in that terrifying moment. It

25:33

seemed like there was only a dark void

25:35

where his face should be with two burning

25:37

orbs instead of eyes. He had

25:40

no mouth that I could see and so

25:42

my rights he shouldn't have been able to speak.

25:44

And yet he did. Come,

25:47

sit with me. He ordered.

25:50

Come sit with me so we

25:52

respect. As you can

25:54

imagine, I was utterly terrified in

25:56

this moment so much so that I

25:58

thought I might pass out, but the

26:00

reasons I can't explain, I obeyed

26:02

the harbinger's orders. Feeling

26:05

like I physically cannot resist him

26:07

and as if my legs were no longer under

26:09

my control, I remember looking

26:11

to the other passengers as I walked down the

26:13

aisle hoping that one of them could help

26:16

me, but each of the four kept their

26:18

heads down as they muttered in unison residing

26:20

a prayer in a language I cannot understand.

26:24

It became obvious that the harbinger held

26:26

power over these lost souls and

26:28

they were all trapped under his spell.

26:30

Perhaps they were once like us, falling

26:33

victim to the phantom bus in the harbinger's

26:35

godlike powers. In any

26:38

event, They offered me no assistance

26:40

in that fateful moment, and I soon

26:42

realized I was completely at the harbinger's

26:44

mercy. I involuntarily took

26:47

a seat on a road direct behind the harbinger.

26:50

His head turned in an unnatural way

26:52

to face me because his dog snarled

26:54

aggressively in my direction, but thankfully

26:57

assisted the urge to bite me in the lake.

27:00

I can't really describe how the harbinger smelting

27:02

other than to say he's stank of

27:04

death. The fiery orbs

27:06

he had instead of eyes stared right

27:08

at me, and I couldn't look away no matter

27:11

how much I tried, I felt

27:13

like I was on fire. I saw

27:15

burning under his hateful glare. In

27:17

my state of object terror, I imagined

27:19

what this monster might do to me. I

27:22

reckon he could kill me with ease, but

27:24

this was the least of my fears. Instead,

27:27

I believed I may become like the others

27:29

another anonymous fossil, riding

27:32

this damn bus for relativity. In

27:35

any event, I was powerless to do anything

27:37

in that moment other than remain frozen to

27:39

my seat waiting for the harbinger to

27:41

speak. Despite his absence

27:43

of eyes, somehow I could tell he

27:45

was looking down on me. That he

27:47

considered me with total contempt like

27:50

I was something he'd stepped on. To

27:52

this day, I don't know whether he

27:54

was speaking out loud or if his voice

27:57

was only in my head, either

27:59

way, I found myself totally

28:01

transfixed as he spoke his

28:02

words. I see

28:05

another new mortal has found

28:07

its way into my realm. He

28:10

began. I assumed he was referring

28:12

to me. All confessed

28:14

to having little time rear contemptible

28:17

and weak race. Nevertheless,

28:20

I must respect the bravery of

28:22

the odd individuals such as yourself.

28:25

Not many have the courage to come

28:27

to this dark place. For

28:30

this reason, I will grant

28:32

you safe passage, and I will

28:34

answer your one question ask

28:37

me what you will, and I will

28:40

impart you my infinite knowledge.

28:43

Now, this is a moment I've replayed

28:45

over and over again in my head over

28:47

the years. I literally could

28:49

have asked the harbinger anything The

28:51

winning lottery numbers who killed JFK,

28:54

the meaning of

28:55

life, he sees and knows

28:57

everything, and the possibilities are limitless.

29:00

One of the guys on our forum asked the harbinger

29:03

how he would die and was told that his

29:05

vices would kill him within six months.

29:07

Well, this guy was an addict, but he

29:10

laughed off the harbinger's warning and continued

29:12

using. Six months later,

29:14

he was dead from an overdose. And

29:16

then there was a young woman who, at

29:18

the time of her encounter with the harbinger, was

29:21

stuck in an abusive and controlling relationship.

29:24

She asked the entity what would happen if she

29:26

stayed with her asshole boyfriend. Well,

29:28

she was told her life would end unless she

29:30

broke off the relationship. This

29:33

proved to be the motivation she needed to leave

29:35

him. And about a year later, the bastard

29:37

was arrested for murdering another girl and

29:39

ultimately sentenced a life in prison. But

29:42

of course, I didn't know any of this at

29:44

the time. I felt nothing but pure

29:46

tear as I sat frozen to my seat.

29:49

Quaking in my boots as the harbinger glared

29:51

down upon me with disgust. In

29:54

that chilling moment, I could only think of

29:56

one question to ask, which I

29:58

stuttered out from my trembling lips. What

30:02

what are you? I swore

30:04

could hear the creature scoff with contempt

30:06

before he gave his

30:07

answer. My poor

30:10

child, a lost

30:12

who humans will never fully comprehend

30:15

what I am and what I represent. Nevertheless,

30:19

I owe you and answer and I

30:21

shall explain in the simplest of

30:23

terms. I am the

30:25

past, a present, and

30:27

the future. I see

30:29

you all from where I stand and

30:31

yet I have sworn not to intervene

30:34

in the mortal realm. He

30:36

paused momentarily turning his burning

30:39

orbs toward the darkened landscape outside

30:41

the window. This

30:44

world you see before me is my

30:46

kingdom, my domain, I

30:48

offer sanctuary to those who

30:51

have nowhere else to go. Giving

30:53

a home to those lost souls

30:55

trapped between the mortal and eternal

30:58

realms. Perhaps you

31:00

will come here one day and become a

31:02

permanent resident of my dark realm

31:05

or perhaps not, you

31:07

could have inquired after your ultimate

31:09

fate of course. But you

31:12

chose not to do so. But

31:14

I have answered your one permitted question

31:16

and fulfilled my outlook and

31:19

now my child, I

31:21

will bid you farewell. With

31:26

that, he rose from his chair and

31:28

summoned his hound gliding down the

31:30

aisle as he made for the exit. I

31:32

was flabbergasted and in a state of shock

31:35

I still had so many questions to ask

31:37

and I opened my mouth without thinking, wait,

31:40

I called after him instantly regretting my

31:42

decision to speak The harvest

31:44

returned sharply, his orb like

31:46

eyes earning every fiercer. His

31:49

how growling as it bared its sharp teeth

31:51

Pulling on its lead as it tried to get at

31:53

me. When the harbinger spoke again,

31:55

his tone became angry and threatening.

31:58

And my blood and you damn

32:01

full. I have tolerated your

32:03

thirst in my realm best bowl.

32:05

Do not test my patience. I

32:08

can inflict pain upon you, which

32:10

goes beyond your worst nightness. I

32:13

will not hesitate to do so and break

32:15

my rules again. I felt

32:17

all the blood drained from my face, and

32:19

my whole body shook uncontrollably as

32:22

sheer terror overcame me. Needless

32:24

to say, I did not utter another word.

32:27

Instead, I watched on and shocked

32:29

awe as the harbinger glided down the

32:31

aisle, dragging his snarling hellhound

32:34

with him. The driver brought the

32:36

bus to a slow halt to allow the godlike

32:38

creature to disembark. I

32:40

began to feel pings of relief as I

32:42

thought my ordeal was nearly over

32:45

but there was one last twist to his Macao

32:47

episode. As the harbinger

32:49

stepped off the bus, my fellow passengers

32:52

suddenly shot up from their seats, all

32:54

simultaneously turning in my direction.

32:57

To my horror, I saw their eyes had

32:59

turned jet black and their mouth were

33:01

wide open, revealing gaping black

33:03

holes. It seemed like they were trying

33:05

to scream and yet no sound was emitted.

33:08

And then I saw what was lurking in the darkened

33:11

woods on the other side of the road. Hundreds

33:13

of fiery red eyes emerging from

33:16

the tree line belonging to unholdy

33:18

beasts that howled like wolves in the night,

33:20

everyone focused upon our bus.

33:23

I reamed out and tear, fearing that

33:25

the harbinger had changed his mind and was

33:27

summoning his hellish minions to tear me

33:29

apart. The howling rapidly

33:32

increased becoming so loud, but I was

33:34

nearly deafened. What happened

33:36

next remains something of a blur in my

33:38

memory. I recall the horrific

33:40

den and the pressure built up inside my

33:42

head until I bought my skull where explode.

33:46

Suddenly, there was a winding flash of light

33:48

forcing it to hide my eyes underneath my

33:50

hands. A moment later, I open my

33:52

eyes again, only to discover that the beast

33:54

had vanished as had my ghoulish fellow

33:56

passengers. I was the only one

33:59

inside the bus, just me and the driver,

34:01

as we continued down that lonely stretch

34:03

of road. have very little

34:05

recollection of the rest of the journey. I

34:07

don't think it was much longer before we left

34:10

the dark realm and returned to the city streets

34:12

I knew and recognized When

34:14

we arrived on my home street, I cannot

34:16

believe it, thinking it was another trick.

34:19

I sat still in my seat for some time

34:21

until eventually I needed to be prompted

34:23

by the driver who called out to me

34:26

saying, your stop

34:28

my friend. Come on now please

34:31

I can't wait here all night. With

34:33

some trepidation, I walked down the

34:35

aisle and stepped off the bus, feeling

34:37

the cool fresh air against my skin

34:39

as I returned to the realm of the living.

34:42

I recall the driver wishing me a good night

34:44

saying he would see me again before

34:46

he drove away. So

34:52

that's my story, but it's

34:54

not quite the end of it. You may well

34:56

ask why I didn't abandon my obsession

34:59

with the phantom bus after my terrifying encounter.

35:02

Well, for a long time I did, but

35:04

in the end my curiosity got the better

35:06

of me. I don't like the uncertainty

35:09

of life, of not knowing what lay

35:11

is before me. I used to think

35:13

that's just the way it is, but now

35:15

I know better. The harbinger

35:17

is out there and he can provide the answers

35:20

I need I won't waste my opportunity

35:22

a second time. For years,

35:24

I have chased the bus and I've caught it

35:26

a further two times On both

35:28

occasions, I boarded and avoided the

35:30

traps set by the ghoulish passengers and

35:33

both times I waited for the harbinger

35:35

to board. But he would not move from

35:37

his shelter and so my hopes were frustrated.

35:40

It's been extremely disheartening, but

35:43

I will not give up. Tonight,

35:45

I will seek out the bus once again. I

35:47

will keep doing so until the harbinger answers

35:49

my call. I know the risk

35:52

One night, I may board the phantom bus

35:54

and never make it home. But nevertheless,

35:57

I need to do this. I must

35:59

know the truth no matter what the cost

36:02

Now, if you'll excuse me,

36:06

I have a bus to catch.