Counting
	The large coach bus rocks around and about down the street, sailing through the night and slicing through the city's white lights, each blurring into the other, painting a picture of an artificial Sun. The passengers all sit in an almost perfect silence. Heavy breathing, quiet murmurs, and soft, barely audible music fill the cabin and bring a feeling of cramped peace to the young passengers. Each set of riders sit in seats of two, aisles of four, in various positions and a variety of colours. Their vacation promises bliss...
	Towards the middle of the bus, along the right side, sits a young girl and boy. She has her head against his chest and sleeps softly. Her dark brown hair fades into his black shirt, making it impossible to tell where she begins and he ends. As her big brown eyes rest behind two tired eyelids, he looks out the large glass window and holds himself still, not wishing to disturb her. Every now and then he looks upon her delicate frame and wonderful features.
	1…2…3…4, wait. Did she wake? No, no she’s still asleep, still asleep. Is this real? I can't believe this. With each breath she takes, my arm rises and falls with her –she sleeps so peacefully, so beautifully. The feeling of her stomach’s soft skin feels magical beneath my fingers. This is beyond love -this is beyond life! It’s as if we are no longer two people, but one and slowly, the world’s lines are melting away and the colours are blending into one. Everything is one. Is she counting as well? Her head is pressed against my chest and sways slowly with my constant breathing. Is she counting each beat of my heart? Does she feel what I am feeling? Is she one with me as I am one with her? This is so perfect I could write about it…56…57…58…59…
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	The bus continues down the road slowly accelerating and decelerating, stopping and going. A few rows behind the sleeping girl and boy, another boy sits staring out the window. He is by himself and has been staring out into the unfamiliar surroundings for the majority of the trip. From the trees that grew sparse as buildings became plentiful, to the other cars whizzing past, nothing more than blurs of random colours and the lines of the road that seemed neverending.
	5…6…7…8, I wish I had brought my iPod. If I had known we wouldn’t keep the flippin’ lights on the entire trip I’d ‘ave brought more than a book.  I can’t see shit on this dark bus. Jeez, now all I can do is count the stupid lines on the road, cause ain’t nobody wants to be awake and talk. How much longer ‘til we gets there? It already feels like we been driving for long ‘nough. God, this is going to be so long and boring, I hope the Sun rises soon and wakes everyone…26…27…28…29…
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	The Sun slowly begins to rise and bring a slight glow to the bus, waking some, but only to a whisper and tired smiles as a friendly greeting to each other. But towards the front a girl is sullen as she watches the couple in front of her awaken, seeming to only steepen her displeasure.
	9…10…11…12, they just keep kissin’. They did it all last night and what do they do when they wake? Kiss. Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, KISS! Goddamit! That is my man! That scanky lil bitch, I hate her. She has no right to have him. And HIM! How could he? How could he just leave me…leave me…for HER!? Aggggh! I’ll get her, I’ll get her. And him! He’ll know you don’t mess with me dammit…23…24…25…26...
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	The hours have passed and the Sun has risen, the students awaken. But as all comes back to life, the driver succumbs to sleep. The bus curves from the road slamming into…1…2…3…4...cars, and careens into a ravine. The bus rolls into the hard unforgiving land…5…6…7…8...times, and slams into a rock halting its tragic demise. The young passengers are everywhere within the ruined confines of the bus, dying -dead…9…10…11…12...