The moment the car skidded to a halt, Piya didn’t wait a second.
She shoved the door open and sprinted away into the freezing night air, not stopping until she plunged straight into a crowded bus stop where dozens of people were waiting in the snow.
Piya showed incredible courage and quick thinking in that moment!
Now that she is safe among the crowd at the bus stop, what happens next?
Does the bus to Mount College arrive, or does she encounter someone unusual in the crowd?
Just as Piya reached the bus stop, a large bus pulled up to the curb.
However, it wasn’t the specific bus she was waiting for.
Within seconds, the entire crowd boarded, leaving the bus stop completely deserted.
Standing alone in the dark as the snow fell, Piya’s heart raced.
A sudden wave of fear hit her—what if that terrifying taxi driver came back looking for her?
Frantic, she rushed over to the last person about to board the bus.
“Excuse me! What is the destination of this bus? I am waiting for the bus that goes to Mount College…”
The passenger turned, looking at her with concern.
“Mount College? Oh, that bus left thirty minutes ago. There are no more buses heading directly there tonight.”
Seeing the panic in Piya’s eyes, the person added, “If you don’t have anywhere to stay, you should really take this bus. It won’t take you straight to your college, but it gets you pretty close.”
The person glanced at the darkening sky and warned her softly, “It’s almost nightfall. You really shouldn’t stay out here alone. This area gets dangerous after dark, especially for a young girl.”
Shaken by the warning, Piya quickly stepped onto the bus and took a seat.
Trembling from the adrenaline of the taxi incident, she hugged her bag tightly against her chest.
Trying to find comfort, her hand slowly reached up to clutch the silver “‘S'” locket hanging around her neck.
Her inner fear turned into quiet determination.
“I am not just here for my studies,” Piya swore to herself in silence.
“I came all the way to Vancouver to find out the truth about my father. I want to look him in the eye and ask him why he abandoned me and Mom… and why he didn’t even care when she passed away.”
It was late at night when Piya finally stepped out of the bus.
The road was deathly quiet, surrounded on all sides by a massive, dense forest.
As she walked alone down the desolate street, her eyes caught the faint glow of a small, roadside snack stall.
An old man sat on a wooden bench outside the shop, silently smoking in the freezing air.
Inside the stall stood a young boy.
Piya approached the old man first.
“Excuse me,” she said politely.
But the old man didn’t answer.
He didn’t even blink; he just continued to smoke, staring blankly ahead.
Shivering slightly, Piya turned to the boy inside.
“Excuse me, do you know when the next bus for Mount College will arrive?”
“A bus for Mount College?” the boy asked, looking at her in surprise.
“Yes… the next one comes tomorrow morning at 10 AM.”
“What?!” Piya gasped.
“Tomorrow morning? Are there no buses at this time?”
“No,” the boy shook his head.
“You won’t get any bus tonight.”
“Oh no… I can’t wait that long, it is very urgent that I get there,” Piya muttered, panic rising in her chest.
Seeing her distress, the boy stepped out of the stall and stood beside her.
He pointed toward the dark, looming trees.
“Do you see that forest? If you cut through there, it only takes 10 to 15 minutes to reach Mount College.”
Relief washed over Piya’s face.
“Oh, that’s great!”
“But please,” the boy quickly added, his voice dropping to a serious whisper, “don’t even think about going through that forest.”
Piya frowned.
“What? Why not?”
“Because people say that forest is extremely dangerous,” the boy warned, his eyes wide with genuine fear.
Piya tightened her grip on her luggage.
After the terrifying taxi ride and her burning desire to find clues about her father, she wasn’t going to let some local rumors stop her.
“Oh, please. I am not scared of anything,” Piya said firmly, her stubborn side showing.
“And besides, it is urgent, so I have to go.”
Without another word, she picked up her heavy bags and marched straight toward the pitch-black tree line.
The old man just sat there in the shadows, taking another drag of his cigarette, silently watching her walk into the dangerous forest without saying a single word to stop her.
As Piya stepped deeper into the forest, a joyful smile spread across her face.
The moonlight filtered through the snow-covered branches, making the woods look like a magical, sparkling wonderland.
‘”Wow, it’s so beautiful,”‘ she whispered to herself, taking in the peaceful scenery.
‘”Why did everyone say this place is dangerous?
How could something so beautiful be dangerous?”‘
She continued walking straight down the snowy path, feeling completely relaxed.
But suddenly, a weird, unsettling sensation washed over her.
A swift gust of freezing wind brushed against her back—like someone, or “something”, had just rushed past her at an impossible speed.She quickly spun around, her eyes scanning the dark, snow-draped woods.
But there was no one there.
Only the quiet rustling of the trees.
‘”It’s just my imagination,”‘ Piya muttered, shaking her head and trying to calm her racing heart.
‘”I’m just tired from the long flight and all the stress… that’s why I’m imagining things.”‘