Honk! Honk! “Let me out! Open for the life of everything!” The door keeps hold in place and my eyes point upwards towards the bus outside, already starting its engine again. 

Bang! Bang! Bang! My foot rammed into the door frame repeatedly, sending a small feeling of pain into my foot, but also gave me a sense of relief. From the door opening up, my arms scoop up my backpack onto my arms, while I make a run for it. The bus wheels were already in motion, leaving a trail of smoke behind its tracks. “Wait! Stop the bus! I’m right here! Slow down!” My shouting to the driver was like a flightless bird trying to reach its nest in a tree. But I wasn’t going to lose the bus. Not on my first day. 

As the bus driver kept driving, I started running. My mother always said if ever I wanted to accomplish something, I would have to chase after it. Sometimes I wonder if she meant that literally. 

I knew it was basically the law for the school buses to drive slowly and check for any traffic on the open road, but for whatever reason, the thing was driving around like it was in an open field. While dodging out of the way of upcoming cars and noting the reckless driving patterns from the large yellow motor vehicle, I also noticed that I’ve not made much closing distance. In fact, I was falling behind on the streets. A real shocker right? I felt my breath shorting in and my legs wanting to take a plea deal to accept defeat.  

The bus gained more distance with each step I took, leaving me tired and a bit hopeless. The bus looked more like a blur by the time I took a break by the street sidewalk. Groups of people going on with their morning day passed by me, while mine was falling apart. “If I had my own car, this wouldn’t even be a problem.” I sighed and sat down. People's lives filled the streets with laughter and hardship as at least someone was occupied with doing something in the town. But what stuck out to me was a man yelling next to an alleyway. He was wearing a brown and torn-up jacket along with the rest of his run-down clothing and his eyes were blood-shot red. “Come get a brand-new hotrod. I repeat it's brand new and it only costs around five bucks.” As he spoke to the people passing by him, I could only think of his voice sounding like a rusted car, you find in a junkyard that still works somehow.

Two things can come out of this: the universe is setting up with success for once or setting me up for another joke. There really wasn't much I could do and standing around wasn’t going to get me anywhere. 

I approached the man and coughed from either the scent of his horrible perfume or a toxic gas coming off his jacket. I waved my hands in the air trying to clear the air, but soon I realized that was pointless to get away from his clouds of poison. 

“Sir, you said you're selling a car for five dollars? Like an actual vehicle to use on the road?” I carefully asked and a crooked smile appeared on his face with some of his missing teeth showing.

“That’s right, kid. You must be new around here huh? It's rare to see a new face in this town that is interested in my business and I see all kinds of people. The cruel, the shady, and especially – the freaky. He-a-he-a-he-a-he-a.”

He coughed between unusual laughter while talking to me and before I knew it, he walked into the shadows of the alleyway. 

“By the way, my name is Dave or you can call me by my street name ‘Wizard Dave’. Let me just go to the shop and bring it out for y-ya.” 

What went wrong? I truly wonder what I did to end up in this placement, where I am talking to a local hustler. Oh, that's right: that black-colored demon wouldn’t let me get dressed this morning.  

I sighed and listened to the people passing by from behind and to the sound of tapping noises below me, as it felt like I was turning to dust at this very moment. My eyes took back towards the dark side of the all away with the sound of metal grinding against the concrete ground unexpectedly. My eyes widened upon what vehicle Dave had managed to put together. 

“What is that?”

“This is your new ride, my friend. Hop in and you should be satisfied with your purchase.” 

This thing was not a vehicle. I would not call it any type of automobile, but was instead a craftship that a thirteen years old would make. All I could see in my sight was a dumpster with a door on the side attached to a piece of rope and a few large holes on the front which had to be its windows.

I looked down at where life was probably heading and looked back up to see Dave, who seemed to have a smirk on his face. He leaned down towards me and held out his hand. I should have known to pay first.

“Fine. Take it. But how do I even drive this?” 

“Well there is a steering wheel inside of it, but there really is no way to make it move. You would have to pay an extra thousand for the automotive power for it.”

As I saw Dave hold the devil lettuces in his hand before sending them into his dark realm in his jacket, I, too, was going to be sent into a realm filled with not darkness, but rage. I gave this man five dollars and all I get in return is literal garbage. Oh, brother.  I tried calming down and thinking deeply while my eyes were pointed at what was now my only way to school. 

Oh boy, walking would take a whole hour so that wasn’t even an option from the start. Wait, one second! All I need is something strong enough to push or pull me into this thing. Better yet, I need someone, like an animal and I know the perfect animal for this. If you don't have horsepower, use snake power. This might be an idea I could pull off. 

“Well, Dave I think you might be right,” I said with a tone of gratitude and feeling more assured in my plan and entered the dumpster. “This is just the hotrod for me.”

Dave looked confused for a moment and shrugged his shoulders as head back into the alleyway. 

“Fine by me. You're just lucky I kept this one clean and remember this: As I always say: If you find my products aren’t funny, then they are worth your money.” 

With Dave gone, now I could really start cooking. I looked around the inside of the dumpster and saw a dirty pillow on the floor and around it were two pieces of rope, as if attached with glue or whatever substance he used.  I made sure my seatbelt was tied around me in a knot and peeked into my pants to check on the engine. 

“Wakey wakey, little man,” I whispered and out and saw the snake resting in a curled-up position on my boxers. It kept sleeping through the calls of my voice and wasn’t even taking notice of me. Just when I actually needed it for something other than ruining my life, it was to leave me alone. Great. But I am not taking “no” for an answer. 

“I said– WAKE UP!” I screamed with fury in my lungs and shoved my fist right onto my head with heavy force. Hissssss! Oh boy, I felt that bruise from that, but at least he is up now.  

Its whole body pops out of my pants with a spiral spin towards the lid, almost taking the form of a metal spring and starting to grow rapidly in size. This was the common size for it and would rarely be any longer, especially than how I saw it back home earlier. But that is just the right amount of width and length I need. I just had to trigger it with the right word and it will have the strength of ten horses combined. My mother always told me not to misuse it for any self-gain, but this is an emergency so I technically get a pass here. 

“I know you're mad that I disturb your beauty sleep or whatever, but I have a good reason for that.” I rolled my eyes at its predatory gaze and felt a bit nervous from feeling its slithering body do loops around my neck. I hold out my hands in the air, hoping its nut-size brain can understand I am not here for any fighting.  

“Just let me speak for a moment. So I need you to go out that hole over here and start pulling us to the school in this thing. Now you might be considering not to do that, but just think of all the delicious food you could swallow: the burgers, pizzas, chickens, hotdogs, waffles, pancakes, and even some insects already on a dinner table waiting for you.”  

I pointed off to the rectangle-shaped hole and began using the art of negotiation. My words were music to its inner ears and I could see a hungry look take form in its eyes. The scaly body starts rattling and shaking like an erupting volcano and cracks appear through its surface. The scales along it slowly started to break down fully towards my waist. Emerging from the scaly cocoon it was in, its size almost took hold of dumpster space, fitting in the corners like puzzle pieces and having me in the middle of its reptile mass. 

Maybe this is the day it starts following my lead for once and not trying to mess everything up for once. If this works out, I think all my problems could go away for today.