The Bus Incident

I wake up feeling more rested than usual, with a suspicious feeling flooding through me. I turned over and checked the clock; I was late for work. “Shoot,” I say as I jump out of bed. I grab random clothes, not caring if they match. I  brushed my teeth. I bend down to open the bottom cabinet for my deodorant. I can’t find it. I dig through all the random objects that I haven't seen in ages. For some reason, I found a hairbrush that wasn’t even mine. I live alone. Confused, I skip putting on deodorant, skip breakfast, and rush out the door. I bolt towards my car, realizing I forgot my keys. “Great.” I say, “Can this day become any worse?” I ran inside, scrambling through all my belongings, resulting in my keys being lost. “Dammit.” I say, “I’ll just take the bus.”

I walk to the bus stop, which is like a mile away from my house, and sit on the bench. At least 9 other people were waiting with me. I check my phone and see that 20 minutes have passed. “What am I going to say to my boss that I slept in? That’s irresponsible of me.” I say to myself. One of the people on the bench next to me looks me up and down. I stare at them and give them a slight smile, and look away. 

Once the bus arrived, everyone formed a neat line at the door entrance, leaving me at the back. They slowly walk on the bus one by one. It feels like it has been minutes since I just waited to get on the bus. 

Once I got on the bus, many people were sitting and standing, leaving really no room for me. I walked backwards, looking for room for me to sit, but accidentally bumped into someone. “Oops, sorry!” I say. They look back, looking everywhere as they try to find the source of the bump. A sudden, confused look took over their face. I raise an eyebrow. “Hello?” I say, waving my hand in front of their face. Again, no response. Concerned, I pulled out my phone and opened the camera app, and to my dismay, nothing was there besides the blue ceiling of the bus. I drop my phone in shock.

When I arrive at work, I rush into the meeting room to clock in and realize everyone is there. They were holding a single flower and set it inside a vase. I walk closer and I see my face in a picture. It read “Here lies Anna Frank, December 1, 1999 - August 29, 2025.” My heart dropped. Am I really… dead? I head over to my desk. Everything was there just as it was the night before, but there were many roses there and post-it notes saying “Rest in Peace, Ana.” “No, no, this can’t be happening,” I shout.

I head back to the meeting room, “Very funny, guys.” But then I remember the guy on the bus, not able to hear or see me. “Oh shit, I’m really dead.