Enough – creative writing

William Peterson rapped his knuckle against the hollow ply-board and gathered the familiar stench of wear cigarette stubs and oil into his lungs. The finger-stained door flapped open carelessly and the soft hard echoed round the concrete w boths. A hand appeared, thrusting some gaunt keys towards William. It belonged to Janet. She was only fifty-ish, simply the fifteen years spent doing no involvement in the fumes had eroded her eye deep into her face and had buried her nature even further down. William didnt even nod in acknowledgement verbalize to Janet would have been like conversing with a piece of machinery. The door closed.William was late, as usual, hardly didnt hurry. He walked casually across the bus station, passed a small imbibe of irritated passengers, and then clambered aboard the number 51 bus. erstwhile in the drivers seat, William removed his coat slowly, much to the annoyance of the passengers, who were either go toing purposefully at their watches or direc ting quick, sour glances in his direction. They started to board. First in the queue was a young mother carrying a chubby babe awkwardly on her narrow hips.Her face was sallow, and she wore a frown that was accentuated by two smooth streaks of moody lip-liner. An old lady sidestepped up next, fit a puffed ball of grey hair precariously on her star. She spent several minutes counting away the exact add up in five pence pieces, before falling into the nearest seat in one robotically arthritic movement. Following her was Williams friend surface-to-air missile, a tall black man. He was wearing a brand new baseball exhaust hood that aged him considerably. After greeting William and paying for a return ticket, Sam sour and beamed at the chubby baby, and then climbed the clammy steps to the upper side deck. Then three teenage girls giggled their way on to the bus, just polish their conversation.Oh-my-God, did you hear what happened?I know, shes such a bitch.Their self-absorbed wo rld of mobiles and Bacardi Breezers move its way to the adventure seats and settled. Only a few more(prenominal) people climbed aboard and the bus was not even a pass full.William checked his watch, and tried to start the engine. It wheezed for a few seconds and then obdurately staggered into silence once again. This bus reliability had ventured beyond temperamental. Cursing inwardly, William gingerly wrestle the key for a second time It started thank God. The 51 pulled out of the concrete hovel into mellowing autumn sunshine. The bus groaned, stretching its stinking bodywork as it picked up speed. It was late afternoon.The girls at the back laughed some more and rearranged their bulging shopping bags. William visibly relaxed and sank deeper into his seat. The soft pad had moulded itself perfectly to the work on of the buttocks that had occupied it for so many years. For a moment, William almost regretted that he had decided to retire in two months time, but this absurd jot quickly passed as he recalled how much he hated the job. The sweet-sour look of cigarette smoke wafted down the steps.No smoking shouted William all over his shoulder, though he felt utterly hypocritical as he did so he smoked like a chimney himself. As he turned back round, William looked with horror at the road ahead. directly in front of him was a young girl, stark(a) up at him, frozen with fear. William screeched on the 51s protesting brakes and prayed for the first time in his actionFinal ChapterA crushing semi-silence had descended on the courtroom. The second-hand of a measure was leap round somewhere above Williams head. In front of him, he could suck up Carla Greene walking sedately. Still sporting the same hideous shade of lip-liner, she stepped up to the witness box. The dark curves round her mouth buckled and puckered as she started to speak, and William fixed his eyes on them, though he did not hear what she give tongue to. He was transported back to the day when Carlas lip-liner had formed a great oval, and when her mouth had issued piercing screams as she pointed at a small, lifeless mound in the road. He had been haunt by that image ever since, and byword her face almost all time he closed his eyes. Williams chest tightened and he took a deep, clogged breath that brought him back from the verge of breaking down into tears. The sound of it do several people look over at him.William dipped his head down to avoid their stares. He knew the girls parents would be looking, and he couldnt face them. The pain in the ass of this guilt was worse than anything he had felt before. He dared not look up. Instead, he pretended to be engrossed in picking a callous on his thumb. After a while, Carlas voice stopped, and the sound of the clock ticking could be heard again. William ventured a glimpse up, and was relieved to foregather Roses parents were looking at the judge. He studied their faces the mother, despite her show of effectuality to day, could not hide the devastating grief she obviously slake felt. though quite young, her skin appeared dull in the harsh light, her eyes were gusty and her brow was lightly wrinkled. The father, who was receiving counselling along with his wife, looked vacant and bewildered.Though William had told himself measureless times it had been an accident, blame had engulfed him during the past few months. A part of him still couldnt accept that a moments lapse in concentration could destroy a young life, and ruin the lives of a whole family. William had wanted the court model to be over, so that he could put this all underside him, but now, actually sitting in the court room, confronted with so many distressful faces, he felt that he would neer be able to do that. Somehow a sentence of community service the norm for a charge of driving without due care and attention, wasnt enough to heal the wounds left by the accident.The court was adjourned for the day, and some window blinds w ere opened as they all stood, letting thick shafts of sunlight into the room. The general mood lifted roughly and a low hum of conversation developed. William saw Cynthia up in the gallery and also noticed Thomas peering over the high railing, his undisturbed blue eyes darting around inquisitively. After a few moments, Cynthia turned and smiled at him. At least, William thought, he had people around who cared for him. William walked out of the courtroom, staring at the green carpet tiles beneath his feet as he did so. Once in the corridor, Mr OBrien walked over and spoke to him briefly. The conversation passed completely over Williams head.I think youre going to get away with a relatively mindless sentence of community service, Mr Peterson. The evidence the girl gave was hardly incriminating.MmmmSo, Ill see you tomorrow then.Uh, yes.William could see through into the foyer where Cynthia and Thom were waiting, and he willingly broke away the stilted conversation to hurry off and meet them.Hi protoactinium Cynthia said, kissing him on the cheek, Howve you been?Oh, Im fineI see you didnt manage to take in anyone to look after Thom, then.No, but he was fine up in the gallery didnt hear a squeak out of himNo, but a court is no place for a child.Cynthia fell silent at her fathers criticism, but readily took his arm as they walked outside. The Crown Court was a Sixtys building, and through the door they were greeted with a typical concrete courtyard, complete with co-ordinated shallow flowerpots in which some thoughtful person had planted graceful purple pansies. Their colour pinpricked the otherwise monotone surroundings. William and Cynthia stopped so that Thom, who was compete on the steps, could catch up. It was then that William saw Rose Eliots parents exiting through the doors behind them. They were walking slowly as Mrs Eliot was obviously heavily pregnant, a particular which had escaped William until then. He watched as they came down the steps past Thom, and saw them look at him.Suddenly, William found himself walking over towards them. He didnt rightfully know why. He just realised that he desperately indispensable to speak to them, to tell them how sorry he was, to tell them he would never forgive himself Mr and Mrs Eliot looked quite shocked at first, but as William move closer, they just looked expectant, as if they had wanted to speak to him as well. When he had reached them, William said the only thing he felt that he could, the only thing he wanted to say, and the only thing, it seemed, they wanted to hear.Im so, so sorry.That was all. That was enough. That said more than a whole court case could say, or a capacious bunch of flowers sent to a funeral could say. It was enough.