My first Cramp writing

Old Woman on a Bus

The rain had slowed by the time I reached the bus. The day was dismal but for some unknown reason, dismal days always made me happy. My festive mood was heightened by the on time bus, so no waiting today. As the vehicle slowed, I reached for the entering handle to put myself on to the steps. I noticed the bus was quite full most likely due to the rain. No walkers today.

All the seats were full except for one in which a very old woman occupied. I made my way back to her and asked politely if I might sit there. Lord, how old is this woman I thought. Her face contained more wrinkles than I'd ever seen on a human face before. Her eyes were dark and half closed. She nodded for me to set down.

After I'd adjusted myself and was comfortable for the 32 block trip, I looked over at the woman. Crap, she's staring at me I thought. Her stare was eerie and made the hair on my arms stand up. I tried to smile but doubt the smile was sincere. I tried to pull my eyes away from hers, but they were fixed. She leaned close to me and whispered ..."God sent me you know."  Her eyes were glued to mine and I felt she was looking straight through my skull.

A smile was beginning to form at the corners of my mouth. I couldn't help it for at that instant the old lady seemed quite mad. "Sure he did," I said with as much control of my voice as I could muster for I was on the verge of laughing.

"He did," she said. "He's asked me to take over the world for him."

I tried to hold back but to no avail. Laughter rolled out. I clamped my hands over my mouth to keep the laughter in, but it didn't work. As I laughed, tears started running down my cheeks.  Something in the way she spoke, perhaps her deep growly voice, struck my funny bone. I couldn't stop laughing and the other occupants of the bus were all looking at me.

The woman seemed to recoil as I laughed on, but never taking her dark eyes from my face. As suddenly as it began, my laughter stopped when she reached out her horribly wrinkled hand and touched my arm. Something shot through me from her physical contact with my skin. And it wasn't good.

"I want you to help me...be my minion. You are the only one who has the gift and God needs you to help me." she said. She pursed her lips tight and shook her head up and down, her eyes never leaving mine. I noticed she wafted an strong odor of Oregano from her tattered clothing.

I didn't know what to do. Something in side  told me not to laugh anymore but it was a struggle. This old hag is super crazy I thought and I need to get out of here. I looked around for someplace else to sit, but there wasn't an empty seat. The pressure of her hand on my arm suddenly became very strong. I tried to move out from under her touch but my arm was struck. Slowly my eyes returned to her stare. Her lips started to curl up at the ends in what I thought was going to be a smile. Not so. Once she parted her lips her teeth showed.

God, this woman is freaking nuts I thought and tried to shake my arm loose from her grip. I took my free hand and tried to lift her hand off my arm but she held fast. I applied more pressure to her hand to release me. Suddenly she pulled her hand away with such force it bounced back and hit her in the face. Then she started to cry. I tried to comfort her as I didn't want the other riders to think I'd hit her. But she really began to blubber. Vociferate, in fact.

Suddenly the bus stopped and the driver came back to our seat to see what was happening. "Did you strike this woman?" he said with accusation clear in his voice.

"I did not," I said. "She told me God has sent her to take over the world," I looked up at the driver before continuing but one glance at his face and I knew he didn't believe me.

"So," said the driver. She's old. She's probably nutty but that's no reason to hit her."

"I didn't hit her. She had a hold on my arm and when she released me, she hit herself with her own hand. I didn't do it."

"Sure she did. I think it would be best if you vacated this vehicle now. You young folks think you can treat old people any way you want. You had no right to hit her." He reached under my arm and pulled me to my feet and less than gently moved me to the door.

I protested but he wouldn't hear me. "Yea yea yea. This should teach you some manners," he said as he pushed me through the door and onto the street. Immediately the bus doors closed. I stood on the sidewalk and watched the bus begin to move. As it inched on, my eyes caught sight of the old woman. She had her head pressed against the window and she was smiling at me. The kind of smile that gave one the creeps. As she passed by, she raised one claw like finger to her lips, meaning for me to be quiet.

It had started to rain quite heavily. I had 6 more blocks to go before I reached my destination. I started to walk when another city bus pulled up and stopped for me to climb aboard. No, not today. I'll walk my 6 blocks. I love the rain.

Word count: 994