- Next stop Wonderland -

Onward the slow, steady double-deckered bus trudged, unwaware of the eventful journey it would embark on.

Perhaps its most illustrious passenger was its first, The Runaway Bride. Dressed in many gowns, she clambered aboard, determined not to let the tails of her gowns get caught in the door and yet not willing to let go of all that was behind her. She struggled to board with her many suitcases, all of which appeared empty. She sat alone, morosely staring out the window, wishing she were in the sweet surrounds of more familiar territory, and occasionally commenting on the poor lighting in the bus.

There was also The Teenager, who, taking his first bus trip, enquired if the bus would bring him to the vicinity of the Brawling Bunk. The bus released two puffs of exhaust fumes in agreement, and got on its way.

Passengers boarded and alighted as the bus progressed from zone to zone, and slowly the day wore on and along came peak hour. The bus reached a stop in a busy marketplace, when it seemed like the whole world decided to board simultaneously. At first the bus heaved and creaked under the immense load and it seemed as if it would buckle. But it gritted its windshield wipers (which you could imagine wasn't exactly the wisest thing to do, knowing what grit does to glass. But back to the story) and soldiered on, determined not to disappoint its multitude of passengers who had places to go, deadlines to meet and things to do.

A few hours passed and gradually the sunlight gave way to a veil of darkness. The bus could no longer see very far ahead, but still it went on, despite The Runaway Bride's constant requests for it to slow down or even stop altogether.

Then it came to a stop sheltering a bunch of drunkards, who decided to take it upon themselves to taunt the bus (don't ask why. they're drunkards. no one can explain their actions. just read the damn story.) and fling bottles of Smirnoff Ice, WKD, Jack Daniel's and rather vile Russian vodka at it. The passengers were terrified. They were fully aware that the bus could very well let them off, lightening its load and facilitating its escape from the mad mob to whom Sobriety had not been acquainted. They clung on to railings, seats, umbrellas, the toupees of the people in front of them (The Runaway Bride turned out to be bald!), and did pretty much whatever they could to prevent their ejection from the bus. But their fears were unfounded, for the bus had its engine set on protecting its driver, but more importantly, all the commuters it was carrying.

With a little struggle, it managed to shake off the Bourbon Bruisers, but little did it realise that another near-demolition experience lay in wait. As it made a turn at a major junction, a faster bus with gleaming upholstery and all the latest gizmos aboard cut its lane and sped off. This bus was notorious in the transport industry, for its temerity and ostentatiousness. It was fast and one helluva ride, knew how to attract all the passengers and beat our bus hands down on the excitement quotient, but deep in its hydraulic system lay some fundamental flaws: it had no gearing system, and was liable to cause immense distress and pain to whoever it was that decided to hop on and stay on.

Ignoring its little skirmish with an insurance claim, the bus moved on and after a while, it came to a stop where it recognised a member of the mob which had previously been intent on bringing about its systemic dismantling. Pissed off as the bus was with her, it let her on for it could not refuse one in need of help.

Upon reaching the Brawling Bunk, it dropped off The Teenager, who it then witnessed disappearing into a dark alley where he was handed a syringe.

The bus sighed, and realised that it just couldn't save the world. It could try as hard as it wanted to help, but it seemed like the more it helped, the worse things became. And so, with a heavy heart and a new coat of paint at every stop, it ambled on down the Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
~ Cause nice don't make you cool ~ (quote unquote Kelly Rowland)