My pounding heart

Chapter Nine

I MUST have gone white because he smiled as if he had achieved something. My heart pounded as I thought 'He must be crazy.

To scream like that. I'd better watch myself. Try to be passive and pacify him'. I took a deep breath and said, "There's no need to shout, mate. I'm not deaf.

I can hear you. There's no need to get upset. I didn't mean what I said about your brother. He is your brother isn't he, the driver?" He did not reply, but just kept looking at me.

I went on, "I was a bit upset that's all. I'm not going to report him. I had no intention to do that, no."

"Fares please", he said in a normal tone, as if it were the first time he had spoken.

'Perhaps he'd been joking', I thought, 'Having a joke at my expense. After all there's not much to do on this route. Yes, that's it, he just gets bored. Best to be friendly.'

I smiled and said, "The mist came down a bit sharpish didn't it".

A ticket rolled out of his dispenser. It just rolled out on its own. He did nothing, turn a handle, press a button - nothing. How?

Perhaps a secret switch. Maybe he liked to fool the passengers with the trick. A real joker. I laughed and pointed at the dispenser. I thought it best that I went along with the joke. He sneered.

My smile drained, but before I said anything I noticed something else. The ticket had no printing on it.

"Looks like your dispenser needs a refill of ink." I said.

The bus jerked violently. I fell sideways off my seat and my head struck a handrail. I collapsed into the aisle.

Twisting to sit up I put my hand to my head and felt blood. I sat dazed on the trembling floor looking at the blood on my hand. The bus swiftly accelerated.

I heaved myself onto a seat and sat gingerly touching my wound trying to think what had happened. The diver had pumped his breaks sharply, deliberately? Or, perhaps, to avoid something in the road. That seemed somehow unlikely.

I looked up and saw the conductor moving slowly towards me; a predatory movement that made my flesh creep. It was obvious that he had not fallen. I screwed back on the seat. He must have known, expected the brakes to be slammed on.

Now he was at my seat and his expression changed from one of menace to one of concern, as if he felt sorry for my injury. He held out his hand, I hesitated, but relieved by the sympathetic gesture I reached up.

As I touched his hand he snatched it away, then spread his fingers and put his thumb to his nose. Anger charged through me.

"You nasty bastard!" I shouted. "Can't you see that I'm injured. He did it on purpose didn't he, the driver? He slammed the brakes on purpose! You stupid pair of ape faced shits!"

He replied by spreading his hands and raising his shoulders.

"You stupid monkey!" I raged.

I was on the verge of tears with exasperation at my bad luck. I pulled myself to my feet. Blood ran into my eye and my head reeled.

I pulled out my shirt from my trousers and wiped the blood from my eye. My anger sapped. I was sick of confrontations.

All I wanted to do was to get this dammed journey over with and get back to normality. Suddenly one of the naked electric light bulbs that ran either side of the deck exploded!

Tiny fragments of glass showered over me and I raised my arms to shield my face. A faint smell of burning filled the deck. The shock of the explosion left me with an intense bout of the shakes.

I looked up and caught my refection in the darkened window opposite. I looked haggard, my hair was matted and my forehead was smeared with blood.

"What a mess." I said, lowering my face.