I was still shocked trying to process what I had seen but then the bus moved quietly, its engine a low hum that seemed to swallow every sound. I sat down slowly. The silence pressed down on us like a grave, heavy and cold.
The women around me were still unsettling, their faces expressionless, their eyes glazed over. They looked like dolls, perfectly still, except for the occasional twitch that sent a shiver down my spine.
I adjusted my lingerie, feeling the fabric cling to my damp skin, and turned slightly, hoping to start a conversation with one of the girls.
"Hi, I am Ara Henderson."
The girl beside me didn't speak. She glanced at me once, quickly, and then turned her gaze forward, rigid and distant. It was as if her body existed in the bus but her mind had vanished.
A pit of doubt formed in my stomach.
I tried to push the thought away. I reminded myself of why I was here. I needed the money. Soon I would be at the hotel, meeting with my client, and all of this would be over.
I rested my head against the window and closed my eyes for a brief moment, trying to block out everything else, but a sudden jolt in the bus shook me awake, dragging me from any semblance of calm.
"What's going on?" I groaned, my voice barely above a whisper.
Outside, traffic congestion stretched endlessly. Car horns blared like sirens, echoing through my chest and stirring memories I wanted buried. My stomach twisted, and I clutched my lingerie tighter, as though it were a lifeline.
The driver turned sharply down a narrow street, and a whisper traveled from the front, close enough that I could hear it because where I sat was really close to the driver's corner.
"That road is blocked. It's dangerous."one of the drivers said.
"We can't be late. Miss Pepero would kill us if we arrive at the airport late." the other replied his voice laced with fear I've never heard before.
"But this could endanger their lives." the driver said.
"They were never useful, just money-making tools." the other said slowly as though we meant nothing, like we weren't humans.
I froze, my breath caught in my throat. Airport? Money-making tools? My mind raced, connecting the dots to the warning from the bathroom girl. Could it all be true?
Fear gripped me like ice. I needed to know more. I turned to a nearby girl, my voice urgent.
"Where is this bus headed?"
She ignored me. I hissed under my breath and ran to another.
"Where is this bus headed?"
This girl, finally, responded with a scoff.
"Our destination is Zingo. We meet our clients, do whatever they want, and we get paid by Miss Pepero." Mona said.
I gasped softly.
"Zingo? That's in another continent! I wasn't told about that."
She looked at me venomously.
"Miss Pepero would never tell you anything. You're new. You'll get used to it. All our money goes to that… psycho." Mona clenched her teeth.
My stomach sank. This was worse than I imagined. Panic clawed at my throat. I needed a way out. This must have been a mistake and I guess the bathroom girl was right.
A sudden idea came.
"I need to pee," I whispered.
The men hissed at my words.
"It's always the new ones who are troublesome. Pee on the floor and get out of my sight," one snapped.
I clenched my fists and forced my courage. "I have to pee." I said, and let out a sound that would draw every eye. A horrible, explosive fart tore through the confined space of the bus.
The stench spread instantly, suffocating, making everyone recoil. The girls gagged. The men shouted, their faces contorted in disgust.
I was satisfied with the mess I had created.
"Her intestines are rotten! Get her out!" the driver screamed.
I seized the moment. The bus screeched to a stop beside a bush. The doors flung open. I leapt out, heart hammering and I saw Mona past me, silent and quick.
"I need to pee," Mona muttered, glancing around nervously.
Branches clawed at our arms as we ran deeper into the woods. Twigs snapped under our foot. The cold night air bit my skin, but I ignored it, focused on moving forward.
"Why did you come?" I whispered, breath shaky.
"I knew you wanted to escape. I also wanted to see Miss Pepero's reaction," she replied.
"So she transports people without their consent?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"Yes," she said, eyes sharp.
I pulled out a small phone from my lingerie.
"You brought a phone?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Always keep it hidden," I replied.
Her expression softened slightly. "I feel you might be the salvation of others." She sat on a mossy rock, taking slow puffs from a cigarette she took out of her lingerie.
"What about the other girls?" I asked, worry gnawing at me.
"You want to rescue them? You can't if those men are still alive. We need a plan," she said, leaning closer and whispering urgently.
I knew the plan was dangerous but I just couldn't escape without taking those girls along. Their faces still hunt me and I could see them everywhere.
We crept back to the bus, hoping our plan would work out perfectly and we would be able to save everyone from this money hungry freaks.
"What took you so long?" the driver barked.
Mona hissed back, sharp and dangerous.
We moved with careful precision and sat inside the bus. I clutched my stomach instantly and feigned pain, screaming in agony.
"Help! Help me!" I shouted, letting the chaos inside the bus explode.
Mona ran to the driver.
"She's dying!" she yelled.
One of the men lunged toward me, and I reacted instinctively, throwing sand into his eyes. He screamed, stumbling back.
The other men scrambled, confused, and Mona fought with strength and precision. As Mona and I tried to fight for freedom, the other girls just sat still watching with no hope.
In the commotion, no one noticed the cliff ahead. The bus hurtled toward it, red warning signs flashing in the moonlight.
Screams filled the night as the bus tumbled down the cliff, rolling violently before crashing into a lake.
Parts of the bus became damaged and disfigured. I cried out, unconscious for a heartbeat.
When I awoke, flames licked the edges of the wreckage. Blood, bodies, and smoke filled the scene. Everyone was still—except Mona whose body was covered with blood and sharp wounds. She kept groaning in pain.
"Hey" I screamed, shaking her gently.
"We escaped," she whispered, tears streaking her face.
"This is all my fault. No one's waking up!" I sobbed.
Her leg was trapped beneath twisted metal. Smoke and fire thickened around us. I began to cough violently.
"You have to go. The bus will explode!" she warned.
"I won't leave without you," I cried.
She pushed me toward safety.
"Go. There is no hope for me. You set me free from my hell. Thank you." She held my hands, kissed them softly, then let go.
I ran out. Moments later, the bus exploded behind me.
Pain seared through my body. Every step was agony. I stumbled onto the highway, barely able to walk. Darkness and shock blurred my vision.
Headlights flashed towards me. A black Rolls Royce approached at impossible speed.
Everything was too blurry that I didn't even notice the car and suddenly there was a huge impact. Before I knew it, the car had ran into me and I was laying on the floor.
"I am sorry, mother. I failed," were the last words I whispered as the world slipped from me.
I saw a tall shadow came down from the car, I couldn't see the face well, all I knew was he was hovering over me like a Hawk. Then I whispered.
"Help me," I cried before darkness claimed me.