I sighed as the time declared that I was officially late for the bus. Brushing off and straightening my clothes while exiting the nest, I considered my options. My now very limited options. I had never been so late that I couldn't reach the first bus stop on time. For most vampires, either they had cars or could easily catch up to, even simply pass the bus to get to school. I'd be flying blind; literally. Well, okay, we didn't actually do the whole, 'turning into a bat and flying,' thing. Luckily, for the most part, we didn't have the whole allergy to sunlight thing either... I don't think? I know I don't, at least. I've been pushed so far to the outskirts that even I am not sure of what lore is bull except mostly through my own experiences.

Back to the problem at hand, my options were either try to run on the hopefully deserted sidewalk and hit the bus' next stop, or take my chances along the rooftops doing almost the same thing, but having the choice of the next bus stop or trying to reach the school. I could feel the sun already warming me, knocking out the rooftop option. It would be hard enough to navigate my way along the rooftops intermittently using my Geiger perception and focusing my hearing. There was no way to also check if I was being to obvious to those below. Getting a thrashing would then be the least of my worries if people started talking about it or even a video of me was recorded. I didn't even bother trying to think of someone who could drive me, either. That would have been a glaring waste of time.

Having taken only a few moments of indecision, not once considering not going to school with the looming science test in my near future, I clicked my watch to spit out the directions to the next bus stop along the route to school. Bracing myself and mentally counting how fast I would have to move to reach it, I shortened my walking stick by half and took off at a relatively normal pace. I hadn't bothered to don my sunglasses, considering how fast I was going to go, which wouldn't have been too bad for someone that could actually see, but would have given those same people wet pants or a heart attack for attempting blind. Oh, and unless they were a professional long distance 'sprinter', the length of time and speed I'll be moving would have actually been impossible. The sounds of creatures, clang of pipes, creak of foundations, wooden boards, struts, heartbeats, electricity, cars, my own shoes and many many other sounds hit me like a wave as I tried to use the various noises to my advantage. I pushed away the least helpful, pulling up and focusing on the various other sounds that would assist me aside from the electronic spew of directions released by my watch trying to keep up with my increasing pace.

The cars worked great to keep me centered on the sidewalk and help me locate the areas where the blocks ended while I used the sound of footsteps like drips into puddles in the cacophony to locate where the still sparse but increasing number of pedestrians were along my path. These as well as my own steps assisted in giving me a feel where bushes, trees, walls, and so on were. In a momentary lapse of concentration when I noticed that I was passing the stop I usually took to school, I tripped on a part of the sidewalk that was cracked and had jutted up just to spite me. Now, I could have done some sort of crazy ninja ability moves, but considering the increasing number of people, I merely allowed my right hand, void of anything, to painfully catch my fall. Painfully, because it wasn't just sidewalk that my hand smashed into. Disoriented, I levered myself up with my cane, quickly tucked it under my arm and felt my palm, which was bleeding pretty good according to my sense of smell, to feel if there was anything stuck in it. I pick out a good sized shard of what was most likely glass, and clenched my fist rather than lick at the wound until it was clean and closed. While vampire saliva did nothing for large injuries, it worked perfectly for things such as paper cuts and the occasional glass shard.

I knocked my cane against the sidewalk, then against the nearby bus booth to reorient myself before taking off again. I really wanted to check the time, but I had to wait until the watch automatically updated my expected time of arrival. I really didn't want blood to get anywhere else so, though I had considered licking it, it would have been even worse if I was found with blood on my mouth and chin. Luckily, the injury had already clotted, so it was no longer dripping everywhere by the time I passed the bus. According to my watch and the traffic light, I would just make it to the next bus stop where a small group of stationary hearts beat. As I neared, I could easily hear clicking, the droning of some music, and some small talk between two girls presumably around my age.

I slowed to a jog as I neared, most likely garnering a few sideways, frontways, and longways looks at my odd appearance. I could only imagine what I looked like- unfocused eyes, messy hair, and bloody hand. Good news? The next time this happens, at least I'll have a trail to follow. In addition, thankfully, this much exercise is hardly a warm-up, so there was no worry about sweating or b.o.

"What the hell is up with him?" I heard a girl murmur to someone close to her.

I pretended to stumble but catch myself and fully open my walking stick again, using it more as a prop than a necessity, "Is anyone still here? Did I miss the bus?" I asked to no one yet anyone, hopefully making it seem like I only sped up momentarily because I thought I would be late. Thankfully, my watch decided to take this moment to mechanically spit out, 'You have arrived at your destination... The time is now- Seven. Thirty. Two.'

I wished I could run a hand through my hair, but one was occupied with the walking stick while the other was occupied with blood still. Mostly dried, but nonetheless blood. I could have held the walking stick under my arm, but I didn't feel safe yet to even momentarily loosen my grasp. Call me paranoid, but i wasn't taking any chances at making this day suck any more than it already has.

"You just made it, man," A guy said to my right and back several paces. I turned my head slightly as I listened to him walk forward. He stopped a couple feet from me, and I could feel his face get close, then move back before he waved in front of my face. A few chuckles and giggles issued in response to the act. "Are you blind?"

'What gave you that idea, shithead? The fact that I have a walking stick or the fact that my eyes are obviously not focusing on anything or anyone? And what the hell is so funny about doing that to a disabled (vampiric) blind kid?' I kept my face mostly straight, only donning a slightly confused air while tilting my head minutely. "Yes. I didn't want to lose my glasses when I thought I would be late, or I would definitely look like the stereotypical blind kid you expected to see," I replied, unable to keep the annoyance or bitterness from creating an edge to my most likely unappreciated response.

The guy, even though I couldn't see him, lifted his hands according to the rustle I heard and took a step or two back, "Woah man, my bad-"

There was a moment of silence before he shifted closer again, "What happened to your hand?"

"Biffed trying to get here on time. Sidewalk won," I replied, shifting on my feet.

"Well, that sucks," I heard as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"There should be a first-aid kit on the bus," A girl spoke up, before muttering so low that I wasn't sure if even anyone heard, "God, that is gross."

I heard as someone else started coming closer, and I instinctively flinched a step back in response. I must have been very frazzled not to have heard the person right away until they were almost on top of me.

"Oh, hey, sorry if I surprised you," the encroaching girl spoke out. I could hear the bus approaching, maybe only a minute out now. "Can you stretch out your hand? I'll pour some water over it, then hand you a sanitary toilette to clean it up a bit."

"Oh, uh, thanks," I mumbled as I shoved my cane through my backpack strap against the right side of my body, still apprehensive even while listening to the cap being twisted off. She slowly poured the water on my forearm and down to my hand, to which I rubbed. I could tell by the texture where the blood was and whether I was actually doing anything to clean it off.

When the water stopped, "Put your hand out and I'll give you the toilette. I would help but..."

"No, I get it," I responded quickly. Blood is a dangerous thing. Always has been, but people are more careful about it now. "Thanks."

I used the toilette to clean off the best I could, then grasped the toilette in my injured hand. It burned a little, but that was better than possibly getting any more blood anywhere. From the smell and texture, the girl had helped me get at least most of it off too. I heard the bus as it neared and the brakes creaked as it stopped, the hissing sound reaching my ears as the doors opened.

"Thanks again," I called out as everyone congregated toward the bus. She responded with a no problem before I lost her to the bus and various people. I reached into my back pocket and got my wallet out, feeling the plastic part that held my school card I needed to scan to get on the bus.

'This day could have been even worse...' I couldn't define the various feelings I had toward what had happened. I thought it over as I used the gauze given to me by the driver to wrap my hand until I got to the school nurse's office. It was still beyond words for me.