Kayate opens the door to the driver seat.
I take a step back, afraid to see a gremlin.
But instead of the regular bus it always leads to, there's a room on a train, a dining car.
"You said you we going on a train. It's not too late," he holds the door open.
"Of course," I smile, walking into the room. It's like I was never on the bus.
The atmosphere changed as I sit across from Kayate, at one of the dining tables.
There was already a meal, a nice, delicious chicken broth, on the table in front of us. Hot and steamy as if just cooked.
We dig in.
Kayate looks as if he's enjoying his meal. But I couldn't. This was all way too mysterious to settle in. The infinite driving bus. Infinite rooms on the bus. Rooms that change. And now self-serving food. It's as if something is trying to keep me on this bus. Or someone.
I steal a glance at Kayate, who seems to have caught on with my suspicions.
"What?" He smiles warmly.
"Where are we going?"
"What is it, Precious?"
He knows. I take my first bite.
"How long have you been on this bus-, er ride?"
"For years? Months? I can't say. I just know I'd get idle sick if the motion stopped. But I'm happy." He places his spoon on the table. "Because you're here. You see, I haven't had a passenger before."
"You're the driver, how come you don't stop the bus?"
"Because I'm not in control. I'm just the driver, anyone could become the driver. You can be the driver. And since you're here, I could leave and pass the driver title to you."
My eyes widen with fear.
"But that wouldn't be fair. I've suffered for way too long here, it would break my heart for the rest of my life to imagine the soul I've trapped on this infinity bus to suffer so that I could escape. That's why, we're both staying"
"I can't stay here... There's someone..." A high frequency rings in my ears. "Who needs me."
I just can't make out who that is.
"This can't be how it ends. We can escape this."
"... We?" He's stuck on the word. "How?"
"I don't know yet."
"I've been on this bus longer than you, there's no escape."
"No! It's because you're so pessimistic!" I stand. "You're stuck on the fact that we can't escape to where you're not open to the possibility that we can."
"I-..."
"The bus is probably feeding off of your negative energy to keep on going. And the bus is making you feel negative."
"What a wild guess."
"I'm sorry, I read too much horror novels."
"You're right, I need to be more open. You know, the bus feeding on negative energy isn't that wild."
"Really? It's possible?"
"I'm just being optimistic."
"Hmph! I thought I was onto something..."
I look out the window. Nothing's new to see out there. Just the same sights looping with the train.
"This train really does go through the same places continuously?"
"Yes, actually, it does."
"What if we try to get off from where get off?"
"That's a possibility, but how do we get off? We can't even access the driver seat."
"Can you take me to the bus?"
"It'll be my pleasure, my dear." He stands and takes my hand as he led me out the door to the horrible bus.
"The back door."
"I've tried to open it before."
"Kayate!"
"I'm sorry."
I walk over to the back door and try at the knob. It's like something is blocking it from opening.
"It won't budge! Maybe we should wait for the stop we started from."
"You're so confident."
I sit on the seat. Kayate sits near.
"So, where did you come from?" He claws at the seat.
"From the stop near the zoo." My conscious is gnawling at the tip of my tongue. I could speak, but my memories don't align. It bugs me how I can't remember. "What about you?"
"It's been a while... But I think it's the same stop."
"Could that be the connection to the reason we're on this cursed bus?"
"Maybe..."
I look out the window. "Do you know when is each stop?"
"I'm sure I do. But the stop won't arrive any minute now..." He readjusts his sitting position. "You remember the outside world?"
"Well, I'm forgetting. I just remember my feelings and what happened right before I entered this bus. I can't recall anything I did out there or anything."
"That's the effect of this bus. I've been on this bus for so long that I don't remember, not even the faintest thing." He looks out the window. "I was hoping it didn't happen to you yet. I want to know what it's like out there. It feels as if I was born on this bus, like this is where I belong for the rest of my life."
"I promise we will get off this bus! You have my word! You've suffered in here for far too long."
"Promise?" He's stuck on the word again.
"Promise!"
"You're so determined."
My eyes widen. Someone has said that to me before. I just can't remember who.
"What's wrong, Precious?"
"Have you ever had flashbacks? From the outside world?"
"... I've had... But it's faint. And I can't recall it again." He stands. "There's the stop." Ahead of the bus is the bus stop.
We get up and try to open the back door.
"It won't open," I grunt.
I try at the window. It's also tightly shut. Kayate looks at the door to the driver seat.
"Come with me." I dash toward the door, it opens. It's the driver seat!
The doors slide open at the empty stop. I never thought I see the stop again. But Kayate was even more shocked. His eyes were widened and didn't blink. He was practically frozen.
"Kayate?" I mutter. "Let's leave before the bus starts again."
Kayate snaps out of it. "My memories. They've returned." His silver eyes meet mine. "What about yours?"
I step out the bus. A wave of fresh air hits my face, replenishing me.
"I remember." I stand on the bus stop chair, at the distant zoo. "Nigel..."
Kayate also steps out the bus. He bows. "Precious, you've saved my life. Therefore, I'm in your debt."
"No, Kayate, you should live free."
"I... have no one. I have nowhere, nothing. I was excited when I first met you. You've shed some light on my black heart. I'll only express my gratitude if you let me follow you on your travels as your bodyguard, or you tell me what I should do next."
"Bodyguard?"
"It may not seem as it, but this is a major feat for me in a long time..."
"If this is what you want, then-" I've been interrupted by a voice, a male's voice.
"Congrats for escaping," the voice says, approaching the bus. It's a fox and beside him are jackals. "But it seems you can't get far..."