Boarding the Inbound Route

Thunder cracked directly overhead, vibrating through the steel posts of the shelter. The downpour was relentless, but a heavy inbound transit bus soon hissed to a halt at the curb, parting the deluge. When its bi-fold doors creaked open with a rush of warm exhaust, I made my move. Pausing only to test the slickness of the threshold, I vaulted across the flooded gutter and clamped my talons onto the ribbed rubber step tread. Slipping unnoticed past the turnstile stanchion, I wedged myself into the dry recess beneath the passenger heater vent. The engine rumbled into gear, finally carrying me back toward my home sector.