Wednesday's Words on a Friday

 The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles. Sadly, Delores has now closed her blog forever due to other problems.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write. A story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.

If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along to read it and add a few encouraging words.

This month the words/prompts are supplied by Sean Jeating and can be found here

This week's words/prompts are: 

1.countenance  2.favourite  3.once  4.pillow  5.regret

and/or:

1.bags  2.faces  3.machos  4.steps  5.swearboarding, which I didn't use

Charlotte's colour of the month is Smoky Rose.

Here is my story:

Climbing the steps back onto the bus a few minutes later, they all felt more tired now the outing was over and looked forward to the comfortable chairs in the TV room. Gordon counted head as he always did and smiled to see Denise using her big soft purse as a pillow, her eyes already closed. The driver set off slowly, then faster once they turned onto the highway. Cassie had her bag on the floor between her feet, everyone else held bags firmly on their laps.

Sally and Doug noted the tired faces, but knew that none would regret their day at the beach, the faraway look in Cassie's eyes meant she was mentally storing every moment to write into her diary later in the evening. The beach had always been her favourite place to go and Sally knew this would be her last trip.

She leaned back and closed her own eyes for a few moments only to be violently jerked awake as the driver swerved and slammed on the brakes. Resting with two wheels off the bitumen, they all watched as several open-top dune buggies sped past, swooping and swerving along at great speed while the young drivers and passengers, who appeared to be quite drunk, tossed empty cans from their vehicles.

The sudden stop had caused most of the "Twilighters" to jerk in their seats, Sally and Doug, with Gordon, checked each passenger. Most appeared to be unharmed, though a little upset, with Marjorie haughtily declaring,"I simply cannot countenance such rude behaviour!"

Lucy had bumped her head against the window while Denise seemed to be still asleep, but Gordon noticed the change in her face and body. Denise was far too still and he quietly told Doug and Sally that she appeared to have died in her sleep. The driver, known as Mick, because his indigenous tribal name was too hard to pronounce, asked the passengers to please remain calm as Denise was moved to the long bench seat at the back of the bus. All of them immediately realised what had happened and were silent for the rest of the journey.

Back at their home, Doug went ahead to inform the head nurse of the death, and everyone else quietly went inside to put their bags away in their rooms. Gordon stayed with Denise until a couple of ambulance drivers arrived to carry Denise out on a stretcher and take her to the nearest hospital. They later discovered she would have been already dead before "those machos idiots" as Marjorie called them, had caused Mick to carefully swerve and stop the bus. 

Chatter in the TV room was subdued that evening, many saying "at least she died happy."