By Bus with Vicki - Part 6

Hello FFFs,
Have you had a busy week? Hot weather? Noisy nights? Lots to do? I did. Still have lots to do and hot weather. Last night was noisy because, around midnight, a fierce wind came up and began lashing the tree branches against our skylight and making the entire house quiver. It was pretty noisy because the leaves were wet and they squeaked on the glass while the branches thudded on the roof. Then the thunder came and the rain. This morning I noticed some good sized branches were down from our maple tree.

I've been writing this week. If you haven't visited Read Another Page this week, you might want to check it out as I have progress bars for all four of my books on my home page. (Just know that there are other things that I haven't gotten fixed yet. :) ) It's been rather fun playing around and learning new things. I designed my social media buttons to match my site, and am hoping to work on everything more today.

Yesterday I didn't write. Instead I spent time listening to the audio of "Through the Tunnel." I can't wait to share it with you all when it is finished! The reader has done such a great job!

There are other things I have been contemplating about this blog, about my Read Another Page blog, my book writing, and other things. I haven't reached any decision yet, but I'm thinking. :)

By Bus with Vicki

Part 6

    Startled by something, Vicki blinked in bewilderment. Where was she and what was going on. A low murmur of voices was around her and dim lights were growing brighter.
    “Vicki?”
    Vicki sat up, her headband sliding down on her forehead. It all came back to her when she saw Kayla’s face. “Where are we? What’s happening now?” Reaching up, she shoved back her headband, not caring what it looked like.
    “We’re at the next station. This is where Clyde and I get off. The driver said there would be a short break before you leave again with a new driver.”
    “Oh, then I can get off and tell you good bye?”
    “Sure can,” Clyde said from behind his sister. “But you might want your sweater as it’s chilly outside.”
    Grabbing her sweater, Vicki slipped it on as she followed Clyde and Kayla towards the front of the bus. There the driver stopped her a minute.
    “Wait a minute, young lady.”
    “Yes, sir?” Vicki turned.
    “I just wanted you to meet your new driver. He’ll make sure you get on to the new bus in the morning when you have to change.”
    “All right.” She gave a sleepy smile and shook hands with the new driver.”
    “You aren’t going far are you?” asked the new driver.
    “No. I just promised I would call my parents when I got here, and I have to say good bye to some of my friends.”
    The new driver nodded and turned to another passenger who was waiting to speak to him.
    Vicki hurried to catch up with Clyde and Kayla who were waiting for her near the station doors. “I have to call my parents,” she told them.
    “There’s a pay phone right there,” Kayla said, pointing.
    Fishing out her coins from her purse, Vicki put in the money and tried to dial, but the phone remained dead. “Oh, dear. It’s out of order.” Her dismayed voice full of sleep, sounded close to tears.
    “What?” Clyde moved over. “Out of order? Hmm, it sure is. Let’s check inside.”
    There were no other phones available. The only one inside had a long line of folks waiting to use it.
    For the first time since her trip had started, Vicki felt discouraged. “Mom and Dad won’t go to bed until they hear from me,” she wailed. “They said they wouldn’t. And now I can’t call them. The bus is going to leave before all these people get a chance to use it. Oh, what am I going to do?”
    Kayla hugged the girl. “Don’t fret. Why don’t you let Clyde call your parents, either when we get home or sooner if we can find a pay phone? He can tell them what happened here and assure them that you will call them tomorrow.”
    The despair vanished. “That would be fine. But make sure you tell them I’m okay. But don’t tell them what delayed us because I want to tell them.”
    “Of course not,” promised Clyde with a laugh. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll just let them know you are fine, that the phones were either in use or out of order and that you’ll call them tomorrow. But,” he added, “you’ll have to give me your phone number.”
    Quickly Vicki dug into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper with a number on it. After reading it, she handed it to her friends. “Susie and I wrote our home number on several pieces of paper for my purse, just in case I couldn’t remember the number and lost one paper, then I’d have others.”
    After promising again to call her parents as soon as they could reach a phone, Kayla gave Vicki a hug. “It’s been fun to travel with you, Vicki,” she said.
    “I enjoyed being with you too.” And Vicki beamed at her friends. “We had such an adventurous day, didn’t we?”
    Clyde chuckled. “We sure did. But we have to leave and you need to get back on the bus.”
    “Oh, I’m going to. Don’t worry. I don’t want to be left behind.” Vicki gave Clyde and Kayla one last hug. “Good bye, don’t forget to call my parents.”
    “We won’t.”
    With a wave, Vicki hurried out of the station and into the dimness of the parking lot. The bus was still there and Vicki saw Mr. Newspaperman climbing on. “Maybe I’ll be able to talk to him later,” she thought happily, glad he wasn’t getting off like Kayla and Clyde were. The driver was busy putting some suitcases in the bottom of the bus, so Vicki just called, “I’m getting on now,” and hurried up the steps.
    Dropping into an empty seat, she leaned her head against the window. She had heard one person in the station say it was almost eleven. It gave her a strange feeling to be awake and on a bus so late at night. She yawned and closed her eyes. Since there wasn’t anything to look at, she could just go to sleep again.
    The movement of the bus moments later made her open her eyes. The lights were dim, and she looked out at the station. “I wish it were light so I could see the mountains,” she thought drowsily. “But I can see them tomorrow.” Reaching down for her bag, she groped around. It wasn’t there. With a yawn, she murmured, “I must have the wrong seat.” Though she had every intention of getting right up and moving to the seat with her bags, she couldn’t make up her mind to do it quite yet.
    Finally, rubbing her eyes, she stretched and sat up. “I’ll go find my seat now,” she told herself. The bus was quiet as she slipped from her seat and, swaying and stumbling, made her way towards the back, stopping at each row to look for her bags. They were not to be found. All she could see were sleeping passengers. Even Mr. Newspaperman was sound asleep and snoring softly.

Have you ever had to use a pay phone? 

Where were her bags?

Will you be back next week to find out what happens next?