The Haunting Route 375: The Bus That Never Stops

The city of Beijing, a sprawling metropolis known for its historical landmarks and modern marvels, harbors a dark secret that whispers through the cobblestone streets. The legend of the 375 bus is one such tale, a chilling urban myth that has sent shivers down the spines of the city's inhabitants for decades. The bus, so the story goes, never stops. It travels through time, picking up passengers at random, never dropping them off at their intended destinations.

One crisp autumn evening, a group of college friends—Lily, Jack, and Tom—decided to seek out the truth behind this eerie legend. They had heard the tales from the older students, the chilling whispers from the backstreets, and the warnings from the city's residents. But they were young, invincible, and driven by curiosity.

They met at the bus stop, a quiet corner of the city that seemed to be on the brink of obscurity. The 375 bus was a relic of the past, an old, rundown vehicle with a faded sign that read "375." Lily, Jack, and Tom stood there, their hearts pounding with a mix of fear and excitement.

"Are you sure about this?" Lily asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Tom, always the braver one, nodded. "Absolutely. Let's do this."

The bus arrived, and they climbed aboard, the driver a silent figure who seemed to be in a hurry. As they settled into their seats, the driver turned to them with a peculiar smile.

"Where to?" he asked, his voice echoing through the small compartment.

Lily, Jack, and Tom exchanged nervous glances. They had no idea where they were going, but the driver seemed to know.

The journey began, and the bus rolled out of the city limits, away from the familiar sights and sounds. The driver, who had been silent until now, started to speak.

"This bus has a special purpose," he said, his voice tinged with a strange kind of excitement. "It picks up those who are lost, those who need help, and those who are ready to let go."

As the bus continued to travel through the night, Lily, Jack, and Tom noticed strange things happening. The driver, who had seemed so normal at first, now seemed to be a different person. His eyes had a hollow look, his voice was deeper, and the bus seemed to move through the air without any effort.

Suddenly, the bus stopped. The driver turned to them, his eyes filled with a strange light.

"Welcome to the afterlife," he said, his voice cold and distant.

Lily, Jack, and Tom were frozen in place. The driver, now a ghostly figure, stepped forward and reached out to them. As his hand brushed against Lily's cheek, she felt a chill run down her spine. The world around them seemed to blur, and they were pulled into the driver's grasp.

The next thing they knew, they were standing in a place that seemed both familiar and alien. The streets were empty, the buildings seemed to lean in on them, and the air was thick with an eerie silence. They looked around, trying to make sense of their surroundings.

"Where are we?" Jack asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lily turned to him, her eyes wide with fear. "I don't know, but I think we're in trouble."

As they wandered through the desolate streets, they encountered other passengers of the 375 bus, all trapped in the same strange limbo. Some were screaming, others were silent, and a few were laughing maniacally.

"Help us!" a voice called out from the shadows.

Lily, Jack, and Tom approached the source of the voice. There, in the darkness, stood a young woman, her eyes filled with terror.

"Please, help us find a way out of here," she pleaded.

Lily, Jack, and Tom exchanged glances. They knew they had to do something, but what? They had no idea how to escape this nightmarish place.

Suddenly, the driver appeared again, his ghostly form standing before them.

"You have to find the key," he said, his voice a mix of urgency and sorrow. "The key to the afterlife."

Lily, Jack, and Tom nodded, understanding that the key was their only hope. They began to search the desolate streets, their hearts pounding with fear and determination.

After what felt like hours, they stumbled upon a small, ornate box. The key was inside. As Lily reached into the box, she felt a surge of energy course through her body.

"Take it," the driver said, his voice fading into the night.

Lily took the key and held it tightly. The world around them seemed to shift, and they were pulled back onto the 375 bus. The driver was gone, and the bus was rolling once more.

As they traveled back through time, Lily, Jack, and Tom realized that they had been on the bus for what felt like an eternity. They had seen the faces of the lost, the scared, and the desperate. They had witnessed the pain and the suffering of those who had been trapped in the afterlife.

When the bus finally stopped, Lily, Jack, and Tom stepped off, their hearts pounding with relief. They had made it back to the real world, but they knew that the 375 bus would always be there, waiting for those who needed help, those who were lost, and those who were ready to let go.

As they walked away from the bus stop, they looked back one last time. The 375 bus was still there, a silent sentinel in the night, its sign glowing faintly in the darkness.

They had escaped, but the 375 bus would never stop.