User blog:Skylord Elberich/Lowest Point

Vidalia was in a questioning mood. She was wondering about the universe, about life. But most of all, she was just bored. She decided to ask the Collector if he could impart some knowledge. "Sure thing" he said "What would you like to know?" Diptera thought about it for a second, and she remembered something.

"Remeber that time we went to the Empty City?"

"Yes, Diptera, I do remeber. That day was a rollercoaster from start to finni-"

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Do you rember the bus we saw?"

The Collector stopped at that point. He looked at Diptera, a very sincere look on his face. "Ah... that bus" he spoke in a hushed tone. "Well, this calls for a story, methinks." Diptera, with a huff, said "Alright then."

"This bus is no ordinary bus. It belongs to no known bus company, and it's number is 000. It has no set route. Hell, it doesn't even stop at bus stops, half the time. It only appears to those who have hit their lowest point in life, like a man who lost his job, only to find that his wife has left him for his best friend, and taken his kids. A drug addict finding out she has five months left to live, and nothing to take away the pain. An old man with no living relatives diagnosed with alzheimer's, slowly losing the memory of his loved ones. People filled with sorrow and dread and grief and ashes and... and nothing. These people usually just walk along the street, until this bus shows up. They hop on, and if their day is really bad, they don't even have to pay. The driver just says 'this one's on me' and drives on.Which brings us onto the bus driver. Most people who've managed to get off the bus in time often describe the driver as a living shadow, or a smiling man with unatural eyes, or even a youth in a hoodie, with a gas mask or respirator. There are two possibilities of what will happen when you get on that bus, either you get off at wherever feels right for you, or you ride to the end of the line. If you get off, then you change, always for the better. You get happier view on life as a whole, kick old habbits, start anew, live the rest of your days in relative peace. But woe betide those who ride to the end of the line. They end up in the Empty City, to be forever wrapped up in their personal perdition, until they become, how do I say... 'permanent residents' of the city."

Vidalia was both fascinated and horrified by what she heard. "How... how do you know all this?" She asked, fear in her voice. The Collector, with pain in his eyes, replied "Because, my dear Vidalia... I rode that bus once, a long, long time ago, before I took the name 'Collector'. I was a fool, and in love. However, due to what I am, I knew it wouldn't last. I couldn't bear to watch her grow old and die, while I lived on. I made sure she would never come looking for me.. by faking my death. Sadly, she soon went mad with grief, and took her own life shortly after. When I found out, I just kept walking. After walking for 10 miles straight, a bus came beside me. The driver looked at me, and said 'Get on.' I obliged. I needed a rest, anyway. I rode it to the last stop before the city." The Collector then lit a cigarillo, and drank some of his gunfire. He looked at Vidalia, who he saw was... crying. "Why are you upset? It's my sorrow, not yours." Vidalia replied "I'm sorry... ugh, you must think I'm a big baby for crying like this..." The Collector, a kind soul, said "Of course not. Human emotion is one of the most beautiful things in all the universes, and believe me, I've seen some shit." He then offered a cigarillo to Vidalia, which she gladly accepted.