The Walk

Rattling, the bus slowed, signaling the end of this part of the journey.

“Green Valley, next stop!” The driver yells, glancing slightly over his shoulder.

Rubbing his face, Ethan prepares himself, clearing his throat and starting to stand. The condition of the road made the stop uneasy, but Ethan was sure of his footing. Any city boy worth his salt knew how to handle standing on a shuddering bus after all. Reaching overhead, he grabs his carry-on and slings it over his shoulder, the weight of it a more taxing burden. Fitting your whole life into two bags was… Well, he didn't want to think about it.

The driver helps him retrieve his second, larger, bag from the undercarriage. ‘At least this one has wheels’, he thinks, pulling out the extending handle. Looking around, the stop looks just like he remembered it. The same sign. The same bench. The same glass box.

“You know the way?” The driver asks, pulling Ethan’s attention.

“Yeah, up the path.” He nods towards a smaller road, a little too small for the large bus. “Done it before.”

The driver frowns, then turns away, heading towards his bus.

“Thanks!” Ethan calls out, the driver responding with a lazy wave over his shoulder, before slumping in his seat and closing the doors. Ethan watches the bus leave, swatting aside the cloud of dust kicking up in its wake. “No turning back now…” he mumbles, looking to the path, his shoulder feeling heavy. Letting out a sharp sigh, Ethan puts one foot in front of the other, and starts to walk.

A surreal sensation set in after only a few yards. This was a road he’d been on many times, and the familiar feeling was unusual to say the least. It was quiet, peaceful even. The sort of peace that gives a man time to think. Frowning, Ethan adjusted the bag on his shoulder. He’s done too much of that already. Quickening his pace, he decided he needed to think less and hurry more. Grandma’s house, or rather his house now he supposed, wasn't all that far compared to the heart of the town. Supposedly, if what the lawyer told him was true, somebody came by to make sure everything was in order. Water, power, that sort of thing.

No internet for now, he was told, but somebody was scheduled to come handle that.

A stone on the road catches the rolling luggage, causing Ethan to stagger. He had been moving too fast, too eager to get there. Too tired of thinking.