Chapter 4 - Second day, Part 1

Second day



Part 1



The morning arrived. It was not raining, but the fog wreathed above the landscape. The sun could not break through the stiff blanket of clouds, only a pale, glowing disk on the sky remained. A crow cawed far away, except that, no living thing showed up. After a few hours when the fog cleared away a little, a shape of a crashed car evolved from it. To the left side of the distorted cabin, footsteps in the mud could be recognized. Maybe they belong to the car’s insane driver. A few steps from the right side of the vehicle, there were two black, huge stripes on the road. They led to a bend. But after that bend, there was nothing. Just the destroyed border and some debris informed anyone who could see, about the events of the previous night. That was the problem. Nobody was there. Except a bus, hanging between life and death...

***

Frankie came to. She had a terrible headache. She touched her forehead. Her palm was bloody. She did not remember what happened; she thought she has just crashed into another driver. She looked around in the bus. The others seemed okay no one had serious injuries.
Oh, Frankie, what are you doing? You forgot how to drive? She thought and started the engine. By that sound, Mac awakened, and quickly looked around. He immediately shouted:
- Frankie, don’t!
If he realizes the situation a nanosecond later, when Frankie pushes the accelerator, their lives would have ended right there. But that’s not how what happened. Frankie looked back to the boy, who seemed quite frightened.
- Oh, I’m so sorry, Mac, we just had an accident! Are you okay? I’ll take all of you to the hospital right away! - jabbered Frankie.
- No, no, no, no, no! Frankie! Forget that! We are not going anywhere! Please stop the engine, right now! - said Mac slowly.
- What are you talking about? Of course, we’re going, and that’s final! - declared Frankie and wanted to put the bus in first.
- Frankie, you don’t understand! If you step on that pedal, we’re doomed!
- What is this nonsense? Everyone needs to see the doctor...
Mac realized, Frankie doesn’t remember what happened. He told her the situation. She stopped the engine and looked out, through the broken windshield.
Mac was correct. Above them, there was the abandoned road, below them there was the abyss. When the bus fell down, it impacted into a stone ledge, which slowed it down, so the old, thick, massive tree below the ledge could hold the weight of the bus. However, the vehicle remained hidden; nobody could recognize it from the road.
- What are we going to do? - asked Mac.
- I don’t know. First, we have to wake up the others, and check their injuries. Then we have to figure out something, to give life signs with, because until then, we’re isolated! - said Frankie.

***

Meanwhile at Foster’s:
Mr. Herriman hopped in the foyer and looked out from the window. The Foster’s bus wasn’t there at all.
- That is completely unacceptable! - He said.
- What’s the problem, Funny, Bunny? - asked Madame Foster from behind.
- Madame, I’m glad you are here. I suppose, it is necessary for us, to have a discussion about your granddaughter’s reckless disobedience against the house rules, and against my authority.
- Oh, come on, Herriman, I thought we cleared this up a thousand times!
- Madame, I certainly cannot leave this petty offence unpunished! - The bunny declared.
- Why, what did that poor girl do again? - Madame Foster asked.
- I defined the exact period, which is expendable for such free time activities as road trips. I stated clearly, that the excursion must end by this evening! As you may notice, Miss Frances have not returned, therefore I must say that this ignorance of rules is not acceptable! In addition, the unauthorized occupancy of our only transportation device is an outrageous manifestation of selfishness! - Mr. Herriman spoke his thoughts.
- They have not returned? I could swear I spoke to Frankie last night... Ha-ha, maybe it was just a dream... Well, it rained hard yesterday, maybe they couldn’t manage to come home and stayed in a motel or something! Don’t worry, they’ll be back soon! I hope they are not in trouble! - Madame Foster worried.
- I don’t think there’s a case of emergency. I suppose Miss Frances knows exactly that she could not fulfill her obligations to me, as such; she does not want to face the consequences.
- Oh Herriman, I didn’t know you have that kind of colorful imagination!

***

The fog cleared away completely. Frankie could estimate their situation better. The bus trapped among the pinny boughs of the old tree, which saved their lives. Below them there was a deep, rocky cleft, there was no escape that way. However, they could not escape to up way, because the hillside was smooth and covered with moss. Frankie looked back to Mac, who was busy with the others. As she expected, Eduardo began to panic, after he was informed about the desperate accident.
Wilt and Coco tried to calm him down, while the others had a serious argument.
- Maybe we should try to give signs with the headlights! - Mac suggested.
- That’s a crazy idea, congratulations, Mac! - Bloo shouted. - If there’s nobody on the road in the daytime, then, why do you think, that somebody will recognize our signs in the night? That would only work in the dark, duh!
- Oh, yeah? Then what’s your idea?! I bet you don’t have any kind of plans! You’re just criticizing everyone, like you do all the time! - Mac declared.
- This, time you’re wrong, I must say! I have a plan!
- And what is it? - Goo asked.
- Okay. We’ll just sit down and wait for the rescue team to save us. - Bloo smiled.
-That’s bad even for a joke! You must be kidding, right? - Mac questioned.
- Of course, I’m not! Think about it! Someone at Foster’s will recognize our disappearance, and call the police. It’s just a matter of time, when they will find us!
- You’re telling me, to do nothing, just wait until we starve to death? - The boy yelled.
- We’re going to die?! Waaaaaaaa! - Ed cried from the back.
- Don’t be silly, no one’s going to die! - assured him Wilt.
Frankie wanted to say something, but Goo was faster.
- Wait, guys; Bloo has a point. You see, tons of people lives at Foster’s, mostly, we know all of them, at least the badger or the crazy lady will recognize, that we’re lost! I agree with Bloo, so don’t worry, we’ll be rescued in no time!
- I guess you’re right... There’s nothing else to do... - said Mac.
- But you thought it was necessary to yell at me! - Bloo said.
- I’m sorry, Bloo! I didn’t mean it seriously! I’m just scared and don’t know what to do.
- At least we survived! - sighed Frankie.
- Well, yeah, but what if they won’t find us? What could we do then? - Mac worried.
- We’ll discuss that, when this problem becomes to existence. - replied Frankie.
- Yes... - said the boy doubtfully.
- You should try to do something, which attracts your thoughts away from our situation... - Frankie suggested.
- Yeah, come on, Mac! Let’s help the others with Ed! - Goo grabbed the boy’s hand.

***

It took almost an hour to calm Ed down. Bloo and Frankie were sitting in the front, the others surrounded Eduardo to keep him busy, otherwise he’d scream again. As the sun occupied its place upon the sky, they soon experienced their first problem. The cabin’s temperature warmed up, the heat was beyond endurance. Everyone got rid of the unnecessary clothes. They were all lying on the seats, when Bloo suddenly stood up, and went to the picnic basket. He picked out a bottle of water and wanted to drink from it. But Frankie grabbed it out of his hands.
- No, Bloo! We have to spare the water! - She explained
- Why? I’m thirsty! - Bloo said.
- It’ll take days to find us. I suppose nobody can recognize us from the road. That’s why we have to save water, to survive!
- But I’m thirsty!
- All right... use only a little! - She gave the bottle to Bloo.
Then they went back to their places and set down quietly. None wished to talk or do something. Especially Eduardo was in a bad condition. His huge fur multiplied the power of the heat for him. Wilt and Coco took care of him as they could in their disadvantageous circumstances. However, they seemed quite worried. Mac and Goo were sitting in front of each other. Their eyes met several times, but none of them said a word. It was quiet in the bus; Ed’s rhythmical breathing was the only sound. No cars, not even a single bicycle showed up. The prisoners of the bus just waited and waited for the non-existing rescue team...
The day slowly passed by, it was even slower for them.
- What can possibly the time be? - Goo asked.
- I don’t know, my watch broke when we crashed...- Frankie replied.
After this short conversation, which broke the quietness, that ruled the atmosphere, they subsided into silence again. The afternoon turned into evening and nothing has happened.
Just the heat retreated for their relief.

***

Meanwhile at Foster’s:
- Something has happened with them, I can feel it! - declared Madame Foster.
- I’m quite not sure of that, Madame. In my opinion, Miss Frances prefers not to return to Foster’s, because she would have to face her duties and her punishment for not retreating the residents in due time. - Herriman said.
- Maybe you’re right. I’ve tried to call Frankie on her cell phone, but she turned it off I suppose. Perhaps she just wanted a few days without chores. Nevertheless, if she won’t come home by tomorrow afternoon, I’ll call the police. But she’ll get a big discipline for not informing me! - Madame Foster spoke.

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