Romance (A collection of short stories)

One Last Ride With You

One Last Ride With You

My knees were shaking and my hands were sweating cold. I was wearing the new flowered dress that I bought specifically for today... I wanted to be pretty for him. Three months taking this same bus, at the same station, and at the same time just to see him. So gorgeous him, but only him for I didn't know his name... yet.

Looking at my reflection in the window glass I thought, 'If only I was prettier, or more slender, maybe... Oh, there he is!' My heart hammered inside my chest with loud palpitations I could only hear -fortunately- when I got to see him through the window, walking on the sidewalk approaching to take the bus. I was waiting for that moment for months. And everything was going perfectly for the only available space in the bus was next to me.

He entered the bus, so sleek in his dark brown leather coat that fitted him so well. He walked towards me and I could smell that perfumed I loved. Didn't know the brand, but smelled so delicious on him.

"Can I sit?" He was looking straight at me with a smile on his face and pointing to the space in my seat occupied on purpose by my big magenta purse.

"Sure." I grabbed my purse and placed it on my lap with a coquettish teenaged girl gesture.

"Hi." That fabulous man was greeting me with the sweetest voice I'd ever heard. My whole self was trembling with the proximity of his body to mine. I had dreamt with that moment for the past three months and finally it was happening. He was sitting next to me. The warmth of his body felt so good to me. He smiled and waited for my response.

"Hi." I just replied and smiled back. His brown eyes were so pretty. I could get lost in them. Instead I buried my stare in the different shades of pink on the leather of my purse and played awkwardly with my thumbs. 'I'm such a moron.' I repeatedly thought finding nothing smarter to do, or say.

"Do you live near?" The gorgeous man sitting next to me broke the silence.

"What? Well, I mean... yes, a few blocks from here. Why?" I spoke so quickly and unnatural. It was obvious I was nervous.

"It's just I've seen you taking this bus every single day for months and... Look, this might sound strange, but I can take the subway instead and it would take me half an hour less to get to work. But you don't take the subway..." He left the rest of the sentence in the air, unfinished. Yet he just said what I was craving to hear of all these months. I blushed. I know I did blush... and smiled. He kept talking looking directly into my eyes. "My name is Hiram, nice to meet you." he said extending his hand to me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Eve." I answered. My hand was a little shaky as he held it gently and kissed the fist.

"That's a beautiful name, Eve." The latter was a long whisper. My name sounded so wonderful in his voice.

We talked for some minutes of different things. Hiram was single, a few years older than me and worked as a bank teller. And yes, taking the subway would take him less time to get to work, what made me feel flattered. He had noticed me before the same way I did. Things were going better than I expected.

Hiram was all I ever dreamt of. He was charming, smart, and funny. I was enjoying that ride so much I just wished it would never end. All of a sudden, I heard there was heard a big commotion a few seats in the back. People were screaming in the rear part of the bus. We turned to see what was going on. A tall, dark skinned man with a long beard was speaking in a foreign language and pushed everyone as he walked dragging with him an old lady to the front of the bus. Oh God! He was holding a knife against her throat!

What! My cheerful state turned into uneasiness and fright. That man was certainly a maniac or a robber. I saw this guy when he past next to us arguing with everybody: with the lady, with the passengers, with the driver. Everything seemed so confusing.

People was crying and screaming. Mothers held tight their babies in their arms. Some couples embraced each other and others were praying. Hiram wrapped me with his arm me with strength. I couldn't believe what was happening. The bus was taken by a mad man and we were hostages.

Everything was happening so fast, I couldn't think or talk. Hiram's embrace made me feel somehow safe, but the scene was horrifying enough to make my cry. I knew something terrible was going to occur.I started shaking even more. I was real scared.

The man pushed away the old lady who fell abruptly on the bus floor. A gentleman helped her to stand up and protected her with his body. The raged man threatened this time the driver with the dagger and yelled at him. He wanted the driver to stop the bus but he refused. The argument kept going on and some of the passengers tried to convince the guy to calm down and stop his madness. Instead of desisting, the man tore apart the weather coat he was wearing. He had some sort of vest covered with what seemed to be explosive devices wrapped all around his torso. We were sitting in the middle part of the bus, but I was able to see perfectly well what the guy was wearing. He was a terrorist!

I thought I was about to faint. It couldn't be possible! I was so afraid and frustrated. All the pretty pictures of me and Hiram that hovered pleasantly in my mind just puffed away. I was crying inconsolably. We were going to die!

Hiram noticed my distress and whispered into my ear, "Everything will be fine. Don't worry... I'll be with you no matter what." I wanted to believe him, but I couldn't. Tears ran down my face like a river and I could only rest my anguished body on Hiram's chest.

A man jumped from a seat behind the mad man pointing him with a gun. Both men wrestled fiercely. People was screaming and jumping with despair on their seats. Others were trying to open the emergency door in the back. I saw some ladies trying to take their kids out through the windows. I was so frightened that all I heard was Hiram saying to me. "Put your head on my lap. No matter what you see or hear, don't move from there."

I did what he told me. I felt his upper body as he leaned over and covered me... hiding me... Protecting me. People was screaming louder. In the distance I could hear the sound of sirens approaching. Could that be the police coming to rescue all of us? Would I have a happy life with Hiram after all?

I closed my eyes. Suddenly A loud thundering noise was heard... and the lights went off.

"Please, stay with me Eve!" I heard vaguely Hiram talking. The humming in my ears was louder than his tender voice. I could see nothing but a blurry mixture of shadows and lights tainted in red. Pain was all over my body. An acrid smell of blood and smoke filled my nostrils. A distant sound of people screaming, crying and sobbing was fading away. Hiram lifted me and held me closer to his body. I found his face with my hands.

"Hiram..." I spoke and felt weaker. The taste of blood filled my mouth. I didn't find the strengths to talk... or to breath. The piercing pain in my body grew intensely throughout my whole existence. I couldn't resist it. I wanted to scream but no voice came out of my mouth.

"I love you Eve." Hiram spoke to me in a whisper. I felt his soft and warm lips on my forehead in a form of a kiss. My heart palpitated faintly as I gave one long feeble exhalation. And lights went off... forever.