Welcome to The Spot Writers. This month, the topic is “someone is caught on a bus without a ticket.”
This week story comes from Chiara. Chiara is currently in Berlin, Germany, not quarantined anymore but still doing her best to catch up with semi-abandoned writing projects. Her YA novel “Mi chiamo Elisa” was published in Italy by “Le Mezzelane Casa Editrice” in September this year.
No crossing without a ticket
by Chiara De Giorgi
You’ve probably heard it said that spirits are dead people who, due to unfinished business, can’t cross to the other side. Well, it’s true. However, I don’t think you have ever stopped to consider what kind of business might be considered “unfinished”. I know I hadn’t, until I died and couldn’t cross to the other side.
See, I had always wanted to get on a bus with no ticket.
I know, how trivial is that? But I saw people doing that all the time, and could never muster up the courage to do so myself. What if I got caught? It wasn’t even the threat of a fine, that held me, but rather the thought of being singled out as a lawbreaker in front of a bus full of strangers. Oh, the shame! I could never face getting on a bus ever again. So, to make a long and painful story short: I wished I were brave enough to perform that single act – hopping on the bus without a valid ticket – and experience the thrill of doing something forbidden, but never did. I have lived a boring, law-abiding life until the day that I died.
When I passed, I found myself on the bank of the river Lethe. A boat was crossing the river, coming towards me. On it was Charon, of course, who called me and asked me to show him the ticket. I checked all my pockets, but found none. I had no ticket!
“You can’t come aboard with no ticket, that’s the law,” he said. Then he turned the boat and went back to the opposite bank.
Not knowing what to do, I sat down and fell asleep. When I woke up, I was back in my world as a spirit.
I started walking around, pondering the situation: what was I supposed to do? Should I find a house to haunt? Or should I become a sort of a guardian angel, go around and help random people who couldn’t see me?
Then I saw a bus, and I suddenly knew: I would hop on it – with no ticket!
That’s what I did, and that’s what I’ve been doing ever since. I’m having so much fun! One bus after the other, and then a train, a boat, even a plane! I’ve been travelling all over the world for decades now and have no intention of stopping. Charon has sent his minions after me several times: he insists that now my business is finished and it’s time for me to cross to the other side. He is sure the ticket must be in my pocket at last – and he’s right, of course. It keeps materializing, and I keep throwing it away. I don’t care, I want to stay here and travel with no ticket for all eternity.
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The Spot Writers—Our Members:
Val Muller: http://www.valmuller.com/blog/
Catherine A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/
Phil Yeats: https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com
Chiara De Giorgi: https://chiaradegiorgi.blogspot.com/
Alan Kemister, author 