“WHERE IT ALL BEGAN”

Abrielle

It was 11:10 on a Thursday morning, and I was still driving on the road. I needed to catch the bus at 11:30 am so I wouldn’t be late for work. After all, it was a busy fall season, and it wouldn’t matter what season it was; the airport was always the busiest place you could imagine.

As I got out of the car and walked towards the shelter, I stepped on something that made a crunchy sound. It was a brown leaf that reminded me that my favorite season had finally arrived — autumn. However, I quickly checked my watch and realized it was already 11:25 am. Worried that I might miss the bus scheduled at 11:30 am, I hurried to the shelter as fast as I could.

The air was cool and moist as it touched my face. I looked up at the sky above, and although it was pretty gloomy, there was an undeniable sense of peace in the atmosphere. I was standing outside a shelter, waiting for the bus to arrive. Some fellow employees were also staying nearby and conversing about work. As I waited, I pulled out my book and prepared to board the bus. Finally, at 11:30 am, the bus arrived.

We were all standing in a line, waiting for our turn to get on the bus. I usually preferred sitting at the back to enjoy the scenery during the fall season. As I settled in and was about to read my book, I noticed someone running frantically towards the bus. From a distance, I couldn’t make out their appearance. However, as they came closer, I saw that they were a man, roughly 5 feet 8 inches tall, with dark brown hair and a floppy fringe haircut. He appeared tired from running but had a robust, masculine build with sharp shoulders. 

As he stepped onto the bus, he quickly made his way to the back and sat on the left-hand side. Though he was out of breath, he managed to check his phone. I caught a glimpse of his nameplate and assumed his last name was Kim. Suddenly, someone called out to him, “Jeremiah!” He looked over to where the voice came from and saw his friend. “Come on, man, sit here,” his friend gestured. Jeremiah got up and made his way over to his friend. I peeked out from behind my book and saw him smile.

Jeremiah Kim.

As I sat on the bus, suddenly, I felt butterflies in my stomach. In a whisper, I said a little prayer, “Lord, not again.” Looking up at the sky through the bus window, I remembered a Bible verse from Proverbs 3:5-6, which says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” I held back whatever emotions I was feeling at that moment.

I knew I needed to gather my thoughts. I need a rooted self-control.

—end of pages 1 and 2—