I heard the music before I woke up. In my dream, I was in a club on the corner of the stage ready to jump. I leapt toward the crowd in an attempt to stage dive. The crowd looked ready for me, hands in the air, but then slowly moved away. I hung in the air until there was no one under me, and then fell toward the solid wood floor. I lurched awake.

The music didn’t stop when I woke up. It kept on, boom, boom, boom. It should be enough to keep anyone awake, but not me. I’ve heard this same song too many times. Countless times. Every time I wake up it’s the same. I’m here in this seat, leaning against the window with the vibration of the bass in my chest.

The first few hundred times, I would get panic attacks and not be able to function. Then, for a while, it was exciting. Was I going to live forever? Would I wake up to this same day forever? Now it was tedious, monotonous, and exhausting. I have no desire to stir from this spot. Can I just stay in my seat? No. That was definitely not an option.

“You ready?” My buddy asked me. “We got this!”

I didn’t respond at first. I actually considered trying to pretend I was still asleep, but, of course, he asked because he saw me wake up.

“Don’t you ever get tired of this?” I asked. “The same thing every day? I mean, it used to be fun, but it doesn’t change. Every time we wake up on this bus, headed off to…to wherever we end up. Oh, wait. I know where we end up. We end up dead. Am I the only one who sees this as a little bit tedious?”

He just stared at me like I had spoken in some unknown language. He didn’t understand. He was just part of this never ending cycle.

I looked out the window and saw our destination in the distance. I got up and stretched. Just then the back door of the bus sprung open and everyone crowded out. The wind seemed to suck them out of the open door.

Soon I was at the back door and jumping out.

“Where do you want to drop in at?” My buddy asked.

“I don’t care, you decide” I replied. Then I realized, I had forgotten to thank the bus driver.