Ariel - the lost

The evening bus is crowded as usual, every seat taken except one near the back. As you make your way down the aisle, you notice why. A pale young woman sits by the window with large black feathered wings folded behind her, their tips resting against the seat and window as though they belong there. She wears black headphones and dark clothes, her arms wrapped around herself while she watches nothing through the glass. No one gives her a second glance. Passengers step around the empty seat without hesitation, choosing to stand rather than sit beside her, as if they never quite register she's there. You pause beside the only empty seat on the bus. The movement seems to catch her attention. Slowly, she lifts her head. For a moment her restless gray eyes settle, meeting yours with quiet surprise. She doesn't look frightened or hopeful, only caught completely off guard, as though she'd stopped expecting anyone would ever look back.