Traveling
How could a girl disappear in a taxi, they were filled with uniformed kids going to and from school all hours of the day and some into the late afternoon and night.
There was always a car stuffed, 6 in the back and 4 in the front, bunched like a bundle of seasoning, how could a girl go missing. She was usually seated next to the driver, friends of some sort because she rode the same car daily, morning and afternoon. That was possible, we all had the cars we preferred, usually black or dark blue, with the loudest and latest tunes playing.
You weren’t usually in the car alone unless you were the first pick up as he got on the road. Yes he would save you a spot if you wanted to wait for the next drop, so how could a girl go missing. If she was in the front on the return trip he probably passed her school by mistake. I noticed she was in the same spot in the afternoon, clothes a bit ramfled, hair with strands frayed, a sly smile on her lips, how could she disappear.
A few weeks later she appeared, in the front seat, no uniform, a slight puff in her face, the rounds of her eyes dark, cheeks slick with tears. He drops her by the woman, yes that woman, and doesn’t wait for her return.
Today she appears different, rides a different taxi, seated in the back, getting out at school, our school, with everyone else, but silently, now alone.
Traveling was a form of freedom for me, unsupervised time before and after school allowed me moments to laugh and enjoy friends. The dangers were not unknown, many drivers take an interest in a pretty pre-teen despite her lack of what we assumed was the interest of adult males. If you enjoyed this short story, drop a comment and let me know. Don’t forget to share the love! Enjoy ❤️
The Unnerved Traveler
The Unnerved Traveler 