SHORT STORY BY WILLIAMSJI MAVELI

As she hung the last sticky note for the evening on the wall beside her manager’s door, a flash of silver caught her eye from the desk. It was her mother’s scarf, a deep burgundy that Ananya often wore to shield her prematurely graying hair. A melancholic smile crossed her lips as she murmured softly, “You always knew how to wrap me up, didn’t you, Mommy?”

Just then, the clock above the children’s section chimed 11:28 p.m. Two more minutes to solitude. She fidgeted with her pens and books, arranging them with the precision of a painter. “Good night, dear friends,” she whispered, addressing the volumes that lined the shelves.

The library felt like a world away from the bustling streets outside. Ananya sighed deeply and took a breath, as if preparing herself for the reality waiting just beyond the door.

“Goodnight, books. Goodnight, rooms.”

She locked the heavy door behind her, appreciating the sturdy feel of the aged wood beneath her palms. Clutching her color-coded keys, she stepped out into the crisp night.

The side street was familiar, her silent companion on countless journeys home. “Goodnight, Taco Bell sign. Goodnight, Rite Aid.” A gust of wind lifted her scarf slightly, causing her to shiver. “Goodnight, Westside Apartments. Goodnight, Jack-o-Lantern smile.” She paused, gazing up at a grinning pumpkin bobbing in the window above. “You look mischievous tonight. Mommy would’ve told me that smiles come with a price.”

Ananya felt her heart tugging with the strength of memories, as she recalled a night long past, filled with shadows and whispers. "Mommy?" she whispered back to that shadow, trying to shake it off.

"GET OUT!" The voice rang in her ears, echoing from time gone by.

“Focus…” she murmured to herself, shaking her head to dispel the darkness.

The comforting sound of the bus arriving cut through her thoughts, loud and inviting. As she climbed aboard, the driver, Shalini, greeted her with a warm smile painted beneath a Hello Kitty sticker that bore the marks of countless rides.

“Where to tonight, Ananya?” Shalini’s voice was sugary sweet, yet playful.

“The Clinton Street drop,” she replied, feeling the warmth of the bus envelop her as she handed over her fare.

“Everything’s a bit dead this late, huh?” Shalini mused as she tore off a ticket stub. “I’ll have you there in ten minutes tops. You know what’s funny? They say this is the time when ghosts like to wander. You believe that?”

Ananya caught Shalini's grin and chuckled nervously. “I prefer to think of it as quiet,” she replied, sitting near the back, away from the curious eyes of the few other passengers.

Shalini’s voice blared over the intercom, “Route E-2, homebound.” She turned up the music, a soulful tune floating through the air. Ananya felt the rhythm penetrate her, calming her anxious heart.

As she gazed out the foggy window, entranced by the passing scenery, Ananya's thoughts turned to connection and loneliness, a silent battle she fought nightly. Why does the world feel so vast and yet so desolate? she pondered.

Her trance was broken as she observed the seatback peeling away. Intrigued, she plucked at it absentmindedly. The sight of blood and earth forming a puddle around her elicited a gasp. “What on earth—”

“Hey, you alright?” Shalini’s voice cut through her shock, but it was laced with a teasing rhythm of laughter as she drove.

“Of course! Just... a little mess,” Ananya stammered, torn between embarrassment and disbelief. She wiped her hands on her pants, wondering if she had somehow envisioned all of this.

“Your hands? You didn't hold any gardening classes before? We can’t have our book lover turning into a mud-maiden,” Shalini joked, her voice light, but Ananya felt a deep chill crawl up her spine.

“Just… what’s happening?” she murmured darkly, wrestling with the thrums of anxiety.

The bus pushed deeper into the night, the shadows flickering like the ghosts Shalini spoke of. Ananya couldn’t help but feel the atmosphere thickening, threatening to engulf her reality.

“Next stop, E-2!” Shalini’s voice pierced through Ananya's internal storm.

Breath coming in quick gasps, she fought the urge to plunge her hands back into the seat. “This is insane!” she whispered, feeling the world around her oscillate wildly. “I’m not hurting anyone!”

“Are you sure?” echoed a voice in her head. “Look around you.”

Dizzy from spiraling thoughts, she closed her eyes. Just a dream, just a dream, she hummed to drown out the confusion.

Ananya's song mingled with the bus hum, creating a haunting harmony that masked her despair. And when she opened her eyes, the blood was gone—the seat was whole again, laughter ringing sweetly once more.

“Ma’am? We’re at the Clinton Drop.” Shalini’s voice broke through the spell.

“Sure. I… I need to go.” Ananya clambered up, her heart racing.

“Everything alright, dear?” Shalini called after her, concern lacing her tone.

“Just fine! Happy Halloween!” Ananya exclaimed, stepping into the crisp night air, finding herself enveloped in shadows thick enough to hold secrets, smiles flickering from store windows like memories half-remembered.