Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The One Way Bus ❯ Meeting The One Way Bus ( One-Shot )

The One-Way Bus

Have you ever wondered what happens when you die? Many people do. It is quite common for people to not only question death, but fear it as well. The thought of not knowing what will happen after death causes this fear in many individuals. It is not the fear of one's own sins, but rather the fear of the unknown that strikes us as terrifying.

I spent many nights contemplating death. More than any twelve-year-old girl should have to. You see, I was diagnosed with cancer and told I had about six to eight weeks left to live. When death did come, I, like many others before me, was not ready. All those nights, spent contemplating and preparing emotionally for my death were in vain.

I was surrounded by the blackness of my fear. The darkness felt like it was collapsing around me. Just before all hope was lost, I saw it: a light in the darkness. It was small, but grew by the second. I was forced to close my eyes to shut out the blinding power of the light. Even with my eyes closed, I could tell it was getting stronger. I was still afraid, but not as much since the darkness seemed to have been devoured by this light.

All of a sudden, the light stopped. It was as if someone was holding a flashlight and had switched off the power. I gathered my courage and opened my eyes. To my surprise, I was not alone. There was a bus parked directly in front of me. It was a large gray bus that looked as if it had seen better days. My mind was racing, trying to figure out how this bus ended up here with me. After putting two and two together, I realized that the light I saw came from the bus's headlights, which were now pointing away from me.

Slowly, I approached the bus, praying that whatever was inside was friendly. As the doors slowly opened, I caught my first glimpse of its inhabitants. They were human and they looked friendly enough to me. The driver waved his hand signaling for me to get on the bus. I was against the idea at first, but when I considered the alternative of being stranded in the darkness, I decided the bus was better.

The driver, whom I learned later, was named Caron; looked like he hadn't left his seat in years. He was a plain man; the only thing that stood out about him was his quiet and reserved nature. Moving further back the bus, I got a good look at its inhabitants. There were only two other people. One was a quiet man sitting in the back with an angry scowl planted on his face. The other man was sitting in the middle of the bus wearing a flashy three-piece-suit. This man looked like he was troubled, so I decided to take a seat next to him and try to find a way to help him.

After a few minutes of talking, I found out he was a politician. He was filled with regrets for deeds he had done in his life. Some of the things he told me made no sense, but it seemed like getting to talk to someone about his problems was helping him. So, I sat and listened quietly to his talks of woe in hopes of lifting his dreary mood.

"The physical globe is spun by wealth. Although I fear that all the corruption in my life denies me the salvation that I so desire. I regret my choice of priorities in life because now I know, that wealth cannot buy redemption." The man kept saying things like this, and though they meant nothing to me, I could see that getting this off his chest was bringing him peace.

Eventually, the conversation ended. The man and I sat quietly on the bus until we arrived at our destination. As I exited the bus, I was met with quite a sight. There was a line of thousands of people stretching as far as the eye could see. Caron directed the three of us to the end of the line and told us not to leave our spot. The politician was in front of me, and the scowling man was in front of him.

Caron left with his bus and the politician explained to me that we were waiting in the line of judgment. As he spoke, more busses arrived, sending more people to wait for their judgment as well… Many years have passed, waiting in this wretched line. It felt as if time itself was here with us, waiting to be told what to do next. The man in front me is next to be judged. Then it will be my turn, but I am not afraid.

After my death, I realized something. The unknown should not be a source of fear. Instead, it should be seen as a chance at better things. So many people overlook this in their lifetimes, just as I did. They focus on the negative and miss its potential for greatness. Not everything will turn out to be better, but it is easier to handle those problems if you have hope. That hope is my light in the darkness. Therefore, I am not afraid.