The Blind Woman at the Bus Stop
A Story Every Day in 2024 April 24th 115/366
He was a callous bastard. This proved it all the more. I knew it from junior school. He'd take a kid's sandwich, bite into it, spit it out and crush the rest in front of them. His laughter would be maniacal, especially if the kid cried.
It always made me feel uneasy.
Why were we friends? Proximity. Habit. We lived close to each other. His mum was lovely and I often wondered what quirk of evolution caused him to be so cruel. As our mums car-shared, we were thrown together and found ourselves hanging out after school. We sort of helped each other - he copied my school work and I benefited from his malevolent umbrella, like a shield of cool badness.
As we got older, we were already growing apart but it was the blind lady that finally made me sever the connection. I knew that I'd receive his enmity from that day forward but I was prepared to chance it.
We moved in separate circles: his, an apprenticeship at a local firm and mine, A levels; but we'd go to the gym once my classes were done and work out.
I was starting to make new friends. Him, not so much. His mum had been ill. I felt sorry for him. And her.
We were leaving the gym that day, him driving, us now teenagers and the deluges of spring were relentless, filling the roads with huge puddles.
The blind lady with her long hair and her staring eyes, high-vis waistcoat and prominent white stick was waiting for the bus. She must have known how wet it was; she may have known how close she was to the blocked drain which was causing an inordinate amount of water to accumulate right where she was standing. Most car drivers were avoiding it.
He saw her. He saw her vulnerability and what scrap of humanity he had left him, his casual meanness manifesting itself as he powered towards the puddle to plough his way through it.
I shouted out "Stop!" but he wouldn't.
I never looked at her. My shame wouldn't let me. But the image of that woman drenched and him laughing shrivels my insides.
***
365 words
A callous bastard indeed. I wonder what sort of man he'll become? This feels like the start to a deeper tale of a friendship that goes more than awry. Maybe there's scope for more...
Thanks for stopping by! If you do read this, please do leave a comment as I love to interact with my readers.
115/366
About the Creator
Rachel Deeming
Mum, blogger, crafter, reviewer, writer, traveller: I love to write and I am not limited by form. Here, you will find stories, articles, opinion pieces, poems, all of which reflect me: who I am, what I love, what I feel, how I view things.
Keep reading
More stories from Rachel Deeming and writers in Fiction and other communities.
Comments (10)
I'm glad he only splashed her with water, the sociopath 😱
This is excellent. As many have already commented, this has the bones of a much bigger story. There's a want in me to put that guy in his place, but also to understand what makes him tick. Like, maybe Mom is not so nice afterall behind closed doors.
Sickening scene at the close. I agree with others that are lots of doors that could lead off of this piece! Great writing, Rachel!
In my head, I hope that something happens to him to make him change and become a better person. I often think that people who are the most unhappy do the most toxic and unpleasant things. This was so well written Rachel. I hate to say 'as always', but this really is the case.
Great story Rachel, very enraging and upsetting while being very much based in reality at the same time.
I see a much broader story developing from this, for example- the punk becomes a big-time gangster and the friend becomes a cop. He needs payback!
I agree with Hannah, Rachel, there is a lot to be mined in this story. But the question that Dharrsheena asks begs for access to some sort of Rosetta Stone to understand why a person enjoys causing pain to others.
Excellent story… The poor lady at the bus stop! Another ‘soft’ target. Finally, at last… a line was crossed & the narrator has had enough. You make it seem so real✅
This is such good micro fiction, there's so much story.
That guy was so cruel!! How can someone have the heart to do such a thing?! Gosh that would have made me so angry!!