The Last Bus Home

Text 1: Six Fifteen, by Nadia Merrow

An original short story extract.

The doors folded shut at Bay Four. Above the ticket office, the minute hand clicked onto six fifteen. Leila was still halfway across the station, dragging a heavy sports bag behind her. This was the last bus home.

She pushed through the crowd. The bag thumped against her legs, her trainers skidded on the wet floor and people stepped across her path without seeing her. Then the strap snagged on a bench. The bag burst open. Socks, shoes and a bright red towel scattered across the tiles. ‘No, no, no,’ Leila whispered, snatching up everything she could reach. Across the forecourt, the bus’s indicator began to blink.

The engine growled. The bus edged away. Leila abandoned the open bag and sprinted, waving both arms above her head. For one terrible second, the bus continued towards the exit. Then its brake lights flared red. The doors opened with a sigh. Only when Leila dropped into a seat did the station stop spinning around her. Rain streaked the window, but inside the bus everything was warm and still. She had made it.

How does Nadia Merrow use language and structure to show the pressure on Leila as she tries to catch the last bus?

You could write about:

• words and phrases that suggest movement or panic
• a point where the pace quickens and a point where it slows.

You should use relevant subject terminology to support your answer.