Identity

This is my second ever novel, please comment and tell me what you think

2:24 a.m.  April 12, 2011

Jasper Square bus station was crowded with sweaty bodies and sagging luggage, all pushed together like sardines in a can. The air was hot and humid, the way it gets just before a storm, with thick dark clouds that smother the sun. A large group of people stood on the platform, some awaiting the next bus, while others napped on benches or bought cheap coffee and newspapers. The entire atmosphere was dreary, causing tempers to run high and energy low.

Just left of the platform was a cement wall with two heavily graffitied metal doors marked as bathrooms. Near the edge of the wall was an unoccupied bench. The whole area reeked, the reason no one ever wandered in that direction. The bench was always empty

It was around midnight when a bus pulled in. A handful of passengers stepped out, stretching and rummaging through their bags. The platform was nearly deserted, except for a toothless man sprawled out over a plastic seat, snoring loudly. When no one boarded the bus, the small sliding door sealed itself and the vehicle drove away, leaving only a small puff of gray smoke. But something was different.

It took a moment to notice what had changed, a small figure curled up on the usually vacant bench by the bathrooms who wasn’t there before. At a second look, it was apparent the figure was a young girl. Her arm hung down over the wooden seat, and her reddish blond hair was splayed across her face. She wore a large, discolored denim jacket and what looked like a grayed nightgown. Her feet were bare.

Near three in the morning, the clouds finally gave in and rain fell in a heavy  pattering. The streets glistened with water and gutters spilled over, creating deep puddles on the worn sidewalk. The girl on the bench didn’t stir, the only movement being the steady dripping of water from her hair.