1. Live

The day was rather ordinary.

 

I caught the eight fifty bus at the exact same stop, listened to the usual songs on my phone, greeted my friends at the university, took notes from the familiar voices of lecturers (even dozed off at times, as usual), and even ate sushi from the usual place nearby campus.. It was ordinary.

 

Not that I'm complaining.. rather, I liked the way things were. When you're able to plan your week - no, even your year - on a notebook, things are bound to be easier. I knew what to expect, so I knew how to approach my everyday life. Ordinary was good, ordinary was a reassurance.

 

The day was, well.. ordinary until it happened.

 

It was exactly five in the afternoon. I'm at the bus on my way home, and I put some earphones on to listen to music hoping that time will pass by quicker. An almost one-hour ride back home was a huge pain in the ass. At least the bus was just half full. I hated it when the bus was full. A huge sigh escaped my lips. I really want to hurry and eat mum's food.. and sleep. 

 

Bored, I looked outside through the bus window. Only half-way home, huh. The bus came into a halt, and more people hopped on the bus. One was an old lady with a walker. She slowly made her way towards me and sat to the empty seat next to me. I sat in front of the bus so this was to be expected. The others were some loud kids from some high school, and a man in a hoodie, his facial features revealing just enough for someone to suitably guess that he was in his thirties. 

 

The said man had both his hands in his hoodie's pockets, and he made his way into the bus without paying so the bus driver hurriedly caught his arm, causing the man to reveal his right hand from his pocket. My eyes widened in both shock and horror.

 

"Oh no~" He stared at his gun with a fake sad expression. "You caught me."

 

He shot the bus driver in the head, his blood splattering onto the bus' windows and floor. His body fell with a thud. The only thing that could be heard inside the bus were gasps, sobs, screams and one man's laugh.

 

"Don't move." His voice was loud and clear. Everyone was shaking in fear but we all stayed quiet. Everyone was too scared to move the slightest inch, because we knew.. anyone could die at any moment.

 

Tears rolled down my face. So this is really happening.. I can't believe this is happening. I hold in a sob. 

 

"If I see anyone move, or even a single phone light up, I'll kill everyone in this bus."

 

I close my eyes. The future I've planned for myself.. it could be gone any minute. I was going to become a doctor, save a few lives before I die, repay my parents for everything, marry and have kids. That was all I ever wanted to achieve in this lifetime. Couldn't I at least have that?

 

The man scanned the bus. I, too, looked around me. I see some high school kids way younger than me, an old woman, probably students from the same university as me, and a couple of middle-aged workers coming from the city, and a woman with baby. More tears roll down my face.. but this time, it was from anger.

 

"Now... I have a proposal." The man claps and grins in the most crooked way, as if containing his excitement. 

 

"If one person volunteers to, well.." He pauses and points the gun to his head. "..get shot by me here."

 

His grin widens. I clenched my fist. As tempted as I was to wipe that grin off his irritating face, I knew at this point I was powerless. If only I wasn't so weak and pathetic.

 

"Then I'll let everyone else live." He declares. "Now that's not such a bad deal, is it?"

 

Ah. I inwardly laughed. So this is it for me. I wanted to save lives before I die, didn't I? And this.. this is the perfect opportunity. The realisation was ridiculous that I had to hold in a laughter.

 

Before anyone else could blurt out anything, I stood up from my seat. People around me were crying at this point, blurting out no's and dont's, but I knew. I knew I had to do it.

 

"Me." I pause, glaring at the man. "Kill me."

 

He stared at me, amused. "Oh?" He let out a maniacal laugh. "Amazing! I didn't expect this!" 

 

"Brilliant- hey now, shh everyone." He pressed his lips with the gun. "Let's respect her decision, shall we?"

 

As tears rolled down my face for the last time, I closed my eyes and prepare for the bullet. I love you mum, dad, brother and my cute little sis.. and my friends. I thought of the future I'm about to throw away, but knowing that these people can at least live is enough for me.

 

I want to live.

 

The man grinned and pointed his gun at me. "Goodbye, little lady."

 

A gun shot was heard. Sobs of grief and siren sounds of ambulances followed soon after.

 

The sun sets. And the only thing that could be seen in the lonely bus that night were two dead bodies, and a smile of an old woman.