Music rang in my ear buds, the pressure on my leather seat shifted, my eyes locked onto the figure that has planted itself onto the bus seat beside me. I groaned inwardly. I chose the back seat in the hopes I would be able to avoid human contact.
I turned up my music.
The stranger didn't attempt any kind of communication, I thanked them for that, but my curiosity had been peaked. I observed them from the reflection of the glass, dressed in a pale blue ankle length frock coat, I couldn't decipher the gender. The matching fedora on their head covered any masculine or feminine features of their face. But my eyes were drawn to something else, their hand had been firmly grasped against their right side, knuckles white.
I sucked in sharply when I saw the crimson begin to leak through their knuckles. I stood to call for help, only to have the strangers free hand haul me back down to my seat, dislodging my ear buds.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
The stranger did nothing but groan.
I started to call for help.
"No, please." Came the stranger, their androgynous voice gentle and soft.
"What do you mean no? You're bleeding." I pointed out.
"With an edge like that in your voice, you might just cut me yourself." They struggled to maintain an even tone.
I sat in silence, bewildered at their stupidity.
"What can I do to help you?" I urged.
"Do you really want to help me?" Caution radiate through their words.
"Um. Duh, you're kinda hurt. Really back by the looks of it." by this point, the crimson stained the pale blue like an ink spill.
"Put those headphones back in, and blare your music as loud as you can." Observing my reaction, they spoke again, "Not for long, I'll tell you when to take them out again."
Begrudgingly, I did as they said. Prayer of the Refugee blared in my ears as the stranger stood up and began speaking, a strange energy radiated from their being. Everyone on the bus turned, their attentions all fixated on this person. As if on command, all the passengers and even the bus driver stood up, and walked out the door like soldiers.
The frock coat stranger sat down again, gesturing for me to take out my ear buds. "What did you just do?"
"Call it a magic trick." I could hear the grin in their voice. "Take this." The stranger held out a piece of folded parchment paper.
Confused, I took the paper nonetheless. It had been a list.
"What am I supposed to do with this? Let me take you to the doctor or something." I again urged.
"No, I'll be fine. If you want to help, simply get me those ingredients." They answered, voice wavering slightly. They pointed out of the window, "You see that guy out there? The bald dude in a suit? Don't cross him. Avoid him at all costs." Warning flared in their voice.
"Why?"
"He's the one that did this to me. I have to go now, here, use this to get to me." They scribbled something on another piece of paper with crimson. "Just make that on the ground and I'll be there. Thank you for your help, good-bye."
A gentle breeze blew from inside the bus, the stranger's clothes fell to a heap on the floor, as if they had never been there to begin with.
