TICKET BOY

The downfall of my life began and ended with one cataclysmic event. Rather than a snowballing effect full of small painful moments, my soul was crushed by one experience. I had returned home from the office one Friday evening. My hands were full as I carried the laptop bag and a bouquet of flowers for Sarah. Although it was rare, some days I would have this surge of romance and appreciation for her. Maybe that was my issue, too little compassion towards my girlfriend of 3 years. As I made my way up the steps to my house, I opened the door and placed the laptop bag on the table.

“Hey love, I’ve got a surprise for you,” I called out.

I didn’t hear much of a response other than the shuffling of bed sheets and the stamping of feet against the floorboards.

“Are you all good there?” I asked, making my way to our bedroom.

The heart skips a few beats moments before a traumatic event. It was as if the mind forewarned you and gave you some sort of premonition. I knocked on the door before slowly making my way in, flowers in hand.

The pain of betrayal is almost a physical sensation. Like a deep cut saturated with vinegar and salt before a sharp boulder is wedged into the cavity. Like waking from a nightmare, feeling relief but then being plunged back into that same dream. She was in bed with another man, the bed covers brought up to their necks. Their eyes were protruding unnaturally. Rage, blankness, sadness, relief, depression. I felt that cocktail of familiar emotions as I marched to the kitchen and grabbed a butcher's knife. I stood at the bedroom door, feeling like my eyes and soul had shrivelled up into a ball of nothingness.

“Calsher, please, don’t do this,” Sarah pleaded.

I could see the fear and pain in her eyes like a deer as it caught a glimpse of the rifle scope.

The man lay in the bed shivering, not making as much as a peep or whimper.


I didn’t have it in me. The knife fell to the floor and bounced as the blade scratched against the wood.

“It means nothing Calsher, can we talk about this?”

Those were the last words I heard from Sarah as I shut the door. I left the house without any particular plan, without any possessions in hand. Three bus trips later I found myself in a rural town. It wasn’t a particularly scenic town. The backdrop was full of open fields with the occasional tree and shrub. I travelled through the night and reached this town as the sun rose. I nodded to the bus driver as I waited for the next stop.


“You look a little worse for wear. Somethin’ botherin’ ya?” the bus driver asked as we pulled up to the next stop. The bus had been empty for the last hour or so, it was only us.

“Nothing that would blow your mind, I caught my girlfriend with another man last night. So here I am.”


“By god, those women ain’t got no morals I tell ya,” the bus driver said.


“They out there breakin’ good honest men, what's your plan now son?”

“I don’t know, I’ll probably camp out here somewhere, maybe see if I can find some work,” I replied.

“Listen here, I been lookin’ for a helper, a bit of company on these long trips would be handy. I’ll pay you a wage, you just gotta take the bus fares from the passengers. Offer is there if you want it, I’ll be stoppin’ here tomorrow morning at 7:30,” he said.

“I appreciate that, I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” I replied as I got off the bus.

I slept on the wooden seat at the bus stop that night, contemplating suicide every hour. The place was barren, the only way to end myself would be to climb a tree and take the leap of faith. Those feelings ran through me like waves of electricity before fading away. I felt the full weight of loneliness as I dozed off to sleep, stomach empty and burning with hunger pangs. A hungry sleep is torture to the soul.

I woke up the next morning with the honking of the bus horn. Wiping my crusty eyes, I looked up to find the bus door open.

“Got yer a coffee and sandwich son. Waddaya say, you want the job? You can stay with me while you get on yer feet,” the bus driver said.

“You’ve sold it to me, thank you, name’s Calsher, good to meet you,” I answered as I made my way onto the bus.

“Likewise boy, call me Des.”

“Alright if I take a minute to drink and have this sanga?” I asked as the bus took off.

“Take yer time, we won’t get any passengers til just before the fork.”

The trip took us across a few landmark spots. We went across a little bridge, which overlooked a running river. Back through the open country, passing multiple bus stops along the way. The scene was tranquil but at the same time it was devoid of any human life.

“It’s beautiful but bare out here,” I said.

“Ain’t always been like this, I used to pick up heaps of passengers along this way, been quiet the last couple months. Yer’ gonna meet a young lady in a few stops. Other than that it’s a peaceful trip,” the bus driver responded.

We eventually pulled up to a bus stop a few minutes up the open road. A young lady rose to her feet and gave us a wave. She was marred by a hazy dust which seemed to float around naturally out here.

“Make sure ya check ‘er ticket,” the bus driver said, giving me a stern look.


The young lady hopped on the bus and she had this voracious glow about her. There was some hidden thirst for life inside of her. This caged sense of excitement. It felt refreshing to see.

“Hey Des, good morning,” she said as she reached out to grab a ticket from her purse.


“Don’t show it to me, show it to him, young Calsher here is my new ticket inspector,” Des said.

We caught eyes for the first time here. I wasn’t sure if I felt the butterflies due to my recently broken relationship, but I felt drawn to her. She had deep caramel brown eyes with brown hair parted to the side. She had a little flower pin in her hair and dressed smart in an office outfit. Her figure was mesmerising. She had nice curves, tightly pressed against her dark work pants.


“Well I’ll be, it’s nice to meet you Calsher, I’m Mary Ann, but you can call me Mary. I suppose you want to see my ticket,” she said, waving it above her head.


“Stop yer’ playin’ and hand it to him,” Des called out abruptly.

Mary’s eyes seemed to shake a little when she heard these words, like a puppy being disciplined. It felt out of line, but who knows. She passed me the ticket immediately.

“That looks good to me, nice to meet you too, you’re a bit nicer looking than Des over there,” I replied.

Mary giggled as she sat down at the front of the bus, just parallel to my own seat.

I noticed that Des had become quiet after this young lady got on the bus, it was almost as if he was irked by her presence. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. He breathed heavier and those frown lines surfaced like the craters on the moon, illuminating at night. I looked over at Mary and noticed she was a serial leg shaker.

“Ah I thought the bus was rocking a bit more than usual,” I said.

“Oh very funny, I’m a nervous passenger, it’s like I’m putting my life in the hands of a stranger. I can’t really shake that thought,” she replied.

“It’s alright, I get it. Sorry, it was a bad attempt at breaking the ice,” I replied.

“What brings you to our little town? I’ve never seen you before,” Mary asked.

“I guess honesty is the best policy. I found my girlfriend cheating on me. Basically walked out of the place and ended up here, call it a nervous breakdown if you want,” I replied.

“Oh one of those, welcome to the club,” she replied with a wink.

“Not the kind of club I wanted to join but here we are,” I said.

“For what it’s worth, I didn’t know my parents. I’ve been going through a nervous breakdown since I was 10,” she said

We couldn’t say much more so we laughe

We continued on through the barren country fields. It was a sleepy road of nothingness until we reached a fork in the road and the bus pulled up at the stop sign. There didn’t seem to be any traffic on the roads but Des seemed to pause here and contemplate which direction to go.

“Is this the fork you were talking about Des?” I asked.

Silence. Like a scene from a Disney film, the fork on the left seemed to lead into a canyon of dead trees. The leaves had long fallen and buried themselves into the rotten soil below. The clouds seemed to cover the landscape. To the right, there was a lush road with beautiful oak trees lit up by the sun. The leaves were intact, a contrast of brown and green, healthy and unique. You could see a small township just beyond with a host of small buildings and structures.

Des remained silent. His face almost blank like his soul had floated away for a moment. A lifeless expression took over him.

“You okay Des? you always do this when we get to the fork,” Mary asked.

This seemed to bring the bus driver back down to Earth. He shook his head.

“Argh sorry folks, was just thinkin’ about the wife again, sorry,” he responded, turning on the right indicator

After a few more stops we eventually dropped Mary at the town centre, there were more people here.

“I’ll see you tomorrow I hope, ticket boy,” Mary said with a smile

“Same place, same time?” I asked.

Her face lit up with a cheeky grin as she walked off the bus, the doors shut with a surreal quickness.

“Nice girl,” I said

“Don’t trust her Calsher, she’ll be the death of ya’, I promise yer’ that. Be careful,” he replied coldly

“Is everything alright with you?” I asked

“All well, I suppose. Been a bit lonesome since my wife passed on. Nothin’ us fellas can’t handle,” he responded

“I’ll get us back to my place and help you settle in son.

We made a round trip through the town and back, almost half way to the point where I was picked up. The bus pulled up on the street out front of a large Victorian home. It was built sturdy, brick by brick. It towered over the lawn below, the double storey structure painting a shadow on the front half of the grass. It was a tranquil and exotic looking place, well cared for.

We made our way in and Des led me through the hallway. There were stacks of photos framed on the walls. They showed Des and a young lady who I assumed was his wife. It was some years ago, Des seemed to have a bushy brown haircut which had now faded into baldness. The young lady was beautiful, smooth skinned. She had a vibrant smile, the warm smile you get from a familiar face.

“Was that your wife?” I asked.

“Sure was son, she passed on a few months ago,” I said
“Sorry,” I replied.

Des waved it off as he led me to my room.

“This’ll be your spot, make yourself at home, I’ll be out back choppin’ wood. If yer’ up to it, come give me a hand when yer’ settled,” Des said as he walked off.

“Plenty of clothes in the wardrobe, I ain’t gonna wear ‘em,” he added

I sat down for a moment and studied the room. More photos of Des’ wife. She was clearly his focal point, someone he worshipped

I made my way through the house to the backyard. Des had a great big axe and was chopping thick bits of firewood.


“I’ll give it a crack,” I called out.

“Atta’ boy, let's see you go,” he answered, passing the axe over

I started smashing through the wood, breaking up the logs, it was exhilarating. There was some kind of release when you feel the wooden fibres breaking apart. I was immersed in the movements. The wood chips scattered themselves in different directions like an organised symphony. Eventually I took a break and looked over to find Des. I saw him staring at me from the back door. As I caught eyes with him he turned and walked into the house. Unusual, but I suppose the poor guy was broken insid

That night I ran a quick shower and found some clothes to change into before making my way downstairs for dinner. We ate in silence, a tiring day had passed. It was an exhausted type of silence, up until Des blurted out a few words.


“Yeah I caught her, that’s how it all happened,” he called out, as if continuing a conversation.


“Caught who?” I asked

“Oh, my wife. Caught her with another man in this old house here,” he replied

“Man, that must have hurt,” I said

“Sure did son, sure did. Painful for all the players. A heart doesn't quite build itself back together after it’s broken,” he answered.

“I forgave her, but I ain’t got no trust left in women since that day. Sorry if I spoke outta’ line today about young Mary. I’m just weary and scared, don’t wanna see you get hurt boy.”

“Anyway, the wife got real sick after all that drama. Bad case of depression and then it all spiralled into something nasty.

We left dinner on that note. I washed up the dishes and we parted ways. Des slept in his master bedroom downstairs, while I slept upstairs. Through the course of the night I could hear the creaking of footsteps. There was a quiet vibration which shook up the hairs on my arms. Dozing in and out of sleep, I felt like I could hear some kind of sobbing. There was the occasional whimper and the rattling of teeth. Dreams are powerful things and the sensations can feel too real sometimes

I awoke the next morning, got changed and made my way down the stairs. Des had prepared some sandwiches and takeaway coffee for us.

“Thanks Des, how’d you sleep?” I asked

“Not sure I did son,” he answered, passing me a coffee and sandwich

Like clockwork, the day started again. The bus took off and Des had become more talkative now, his social switch had flipped

“It’s been nice havin’ ya ‘round Calsher. Real nice. Ain’t so lonely no more, you know? You’re like a boy I never had.

“Cheers Des, for everything, the job, a place to stay. You’re a good man. I owe you one,” I answered.

“You owe me nothin’.

The whole morning I had been thinking about Mary, but I didn’t tell Des. There was something bubbling away at his core. Something fragile and sensitive that was ready to crack. As we passed each bus stop, my heart began racing. I felt this tingle of joy, anticipating our arrival at her bus stop. Eventually we started approaching and there she was, dressed in the same outfit, stunning as ever. Once again the bus was empty until we picked her u

“Morning Des, morning mister ticket boy, here’s my pass,” she said

“Checks out, welcome aboard,” I said

All we got from Des was a grunt. Something had started turning in his mind. He looked in deep thought but almost like the mechanical parts in his brain were seizing up. His expression fell away again and transformed into a blank canvas.


“Not sure if this is pushing it but would you wanna’ go for dinner tonight? I know you’ve just broken up with your girlfriend so you can say no,” Mary asked.


“Let’s do it, why not?” I said

“Okay, I’ll meet you at my bus stop tonight, let's say 7?” she asked

“Done,” I replied.

It was almost like magic. I looked over at Mary and her leg had settled

Eventually we made it to the fork and that haunting silence took over the bus again. Des froze up but this time his arms seemed to quiver and shake. The blankness never left his face, this time he seemed to be stuck in that distant place.

“I don’t think Calsher will make it tonight love,” Des finally sai

As he said this, I heard the loud click at the bus doors. Des had hit the lock button, an emergency feature on his bus. At the same time, a thick panel of glass lowered down from above which barricaded and protected him. His face became distorted, his pupils dilated and transformed into a pocket of pure darkness

It took a moment for me to realise that something was amiss. Des flicked on his left indicator and started to turn towards the hollow canyon of dead trees.

“Des what are you doing!?” I asked frantically

There was a deep silence again as the bus kicked into gear. The speed pushed beyond 90 kilometres per hour as we bobbled and shook from side to side.

“I told yer’ Calsher. These women will be the death of ya,” Des went on.

I looked over at Mary to see that broken look of panic. She had frozen up, her lip quivering in fear. I stood up and grabbed onto the rails as the bus rocked back and forth. I started to punch at the glass barrier but Des didn’t even flinch. His eyes were as empty as the canyon of death around us.

“Des stop the fucking bus right now!” I screamed out, continuing to punch the glass.

It was hopeless. I scanned around to try to find the emergency glass breaking tool but saw that it was missing from the holder.

I grabbed hold of Mary and held her close to my chest. I could feel the wetness of her tears soaking into my chest. I cradled her into me.

“Picture this Calsher. In some parallel universe , somewhere out there. You’re just like me, doing the same thing. We ain’t no different!” Des screamed out.

“I ain’t lettin’ no woman break our bond, you did this to ya self Calsher.”

The bus roared and choked as it pushed beyond 100 kilometres per hour. Beyond the dead trees I could see the edge of a monstrous canyon. There wasn’t any time to think or act. I placed my forehead against Mary’s and closed my eyes. Things were easier that way. My ears popped and a sense of deafness fell upon me. The skin on my neck felt kissed by tiny little shards. We were almost drowning. It was like the hard rain smothering a single solitary flower. We blended together as those little bits of glass found refuge in our flesh.

After working as a plumber in Melbourne for 9 years, Patrick Minkowski decided to pursue his love for writing and storytelling. His debut novella, Gemini Ode To Clockwork, was self published in 2025. Patrick enjoys writing dystopian fiction while also dabbling in the horror and thriller themes. Patrick hopes to write a collection of short stories in the near future.