Every day on my way to the bus, I often stop by McDonald’s. Alejandro, the cashier, greets me with familiarity because of my frequent visits. He has memorized my usual order, which is a delicious McGriddle with round eggs, cheese, and bacon, accompanied by a medium coffee with cream and sugar. In addition, I also order three small coffees for Carl, Samantha, and Robert.
Every week, the four of us are the first passengers to board the bus, and we have all been punctual for the past two years. However, two days ago, Carl wasn’t at his stop, and the driver waited for about five minutes before eventually moving on. Just then, a bizarre figure boarded the bus - a 7-foot tall woman with smudged mascara and oddly shaped teeth. Her arms were unusually long, stretching down to her knees, and she was dressed in a white and red polka dot dress with padded shoulders and high heels that had broken straps. She looked like a character who had just stepped out from an ’80s movie, but her appearance was strangely terrifying.
After boarding the bus, the strange woman took a seat directly behind Samantha and began to smile at her for an uncomfortably long time. As she smiled, I could see her sharp, razor-like teeth, which sent chills down my spine. Samantha seemed uncomfortable in her presence and relocated several times, but the woman followed and took a seat directly behind her every time. The next day, the woman boarded the bus at Samantha’s stop, but Samantha was nowhere to be found. Instead, she sat directly behind Robert and started smiling the same terrifying smile at him. The following day, Robert didn’t show up at his stop, but the woman did.
Being the only two passengers on the bus, I could feel the weight of her gaze and the intensity of her smile as she sat directly behind me. I was so frightened that I got off the bus at the first opportunity and walked the rest of the way to work. The next day, I stayed inside my house because the thought of encountering the mysterious woman again was too daunting. Her presence had disrupted my once peaceful routine life and turned it into a living nightmare. I could feel her eyes on me, even though she wasn’t there. It seemed like the woman had become the sole focus of my universe.
Out of sheer curiosity, I attempted to reach out to the families of Carl, Samantha, and Robert but was mortified to learn that they had been missing for quite some time. I tried to share my suspicions with them, but no one believed my story. Even when I gave a detailed statement to the police and described the strange woman, they dismissed it as a mere figment of my imagination.
Despite the authorities dismissing my suspicions and the lack of support from others, I remained convinced that there was more to the mysterious woman’s involvement in the disappearance of the three passengers. The image of her sharp teeth, elongated arms, and unwavering stare filled me with terror and dread.
As time went on, I started to doubt my own story and began to consider the possibility that I had conjured up the strange woman as a coping mechanism for the loss of Robert, Samantha, and Carl. Gradually, I tried to reclaim my sense of normalcy, going back to my old routine and even stopping at McDonald’s for my regular order. But my peace was short-lived, as I discovered that Alejandro was no longer working there. His coworker informed me that Alejandro had vanished without a trace, and no one had any clue about his whereabouts for the last two weeks.
The news of Alejandro’s disappearance confirmed my fears, and I knew that I had to leave town if I wanted to stay safe from the strange woman. The thought of becoming her next prey sent chills down my spine, and I was convinced that leaving was my only chance of survival. I packed my bags and set out, hoping to never look back or become another victim of the woman’s dark and mysterious ways.