As Sam approached the bus stop, he noticed the bus idling at the curb. The familiar yellow vehicle was belching out thick plumes of exhaust, which wasn’t unusual, but today there was a different smell in the air.
It was faint at first, but as he got closer, it became more pronounced—a sharp, acrid odor that made his nose twitch. As the bus pulled away from the curb, Sam’s uneasiness deepened.