38

Translation Notice

This article is a work of fiction originally written in Italian. It has been automatically translated to English using an AI tool. The rhythmic and narrative qualities may differ from the original.

I hate being woken up by the sun, even more so opening my eyes and not seeing my room, but only fleeting shapes. Trees? Yes, trees. I'm looking at a window. One of many, it seems. Then people and smell.

Okay, windows, people and a world scrolling by. I'm sitting on a bus. Yet I don't remember getting on it, let alone falling asleep on it!

I need to talk to the driver. As I walk down the aisle I see the bus number: 38. On the sign, no destination. "Excuse me, where are we headed?" I'll look like a weirdo with this question. "To 39," the driver answers. Damn, he's weirder than me. "I don't understand," I reply, barely holding on. "Nothing to understand, boss. We're headed to the next bus. You'll get off 38 to get on 39. Just like you did from 37 to 38." "But I don't remember anything!" This situation confuses me. "Boss, that's your problem, but it's not the first time this has happened to you. Now let me drive, the road is still long. We don't have short shifts, us drivers." So I do just that, I let him drive. I'll observe the others for a while. As I walk through the bus I notice countless faces: young faces and old faces, some sad and some smiling. An old lady looks at me with interest. She's sad and melancholic, but gives me the impression of wanting to hug me. The idea doesn't seem reassuring at all.

Then there are some young people. They're chatting, more or less in the middle of the bus.

Everyone has a peculiar look. A girl has eyes full of reproach, she seems to want to tell me something, but then immediately turns her gaze to another person. Just when I thought I understood her. Then she does it again, over and over. No, I can't handle it.

I move on, I'm almost at the end of the bus. More or less where I woke up, almost a lifetime ago – or so it seems. There's a person I hadn't noticed before, actually two, three.

For the first time, people who make me feel at ease, but it doesn't last long. The people disappear, one by one. When I turn around I realize there's almost no one left. Just the old lady and the driver.

Alright, I'll enjoy the ride, let's see how it goes on 39.