The howl

A bus is heading north
Descending through a mist
That was formed in the warmth
Where the sea and night air kissed

The passengers arranged themselves
To sit in isolation
They spread out along the aisle
Avoiding convesation

When the engine started with a howl
Handling the road like a wild
Untrained colt
Creaking with it's load
The bus grinds to a halt

And I'm the only one awake
Except the driver
The night has been to take them all
And left us two survivors
And then I heard the howl

The dog lay in our way
Spread out on the track
A long forgotten stray
An empty void of black

The driver tried to move her on
But coward back in fear
She would either let us go
Or we'd be stranded here

But when I looked her in the eye
I knew what I must do
I reached deep down into my soul
To memories of you
And I gave a howl

A howl, a prayer full of hope
Like every song ever wrote
Born from a pit of despair
A sacrifice of truth to the air
And knowing the meaning of the song
She hung her head and was gone

Now the midnight bus is rolling on
The passengers wake up
One of them is bleeding
And another's throwing up

Another two are fighting
One begins to yawn
And I wonder
Surely this is hell