Read The Secret Manuscript for Free Online Page B

former
possessions. When he felt the time was right, he casually exited
the apartment and wheeled the luggage out the front door.
    In and
out , he said to himself.
    With his
suitcase in tow, Ben headed down the walkway and out the gate. He
gave a gentle nod to the guard as he made his exit. He proceeded
toward the bus depot and never looked back.
    When he
arrived at the bus station, he checked the schedule. As luck would
have it, there happened to be an overnight bus to Calgary that was
leaving at 10:00 p.m. Ben laid out his cash on the counter and
bought a one-way ticket. Next stop — Calgary, Alberta.

Chapter
Eleven
    Ben sat low in
his seat and stared out the window as the bus left the station.
While the bus navigated toward the highway, Ben gave one final look
at his godforsaken town and vowed never to return. As far as the
people in the town were concerned, Ben Owen was a ghost. He had no
contact information, no fixed address, and no living relatives. Ben
reclined his seat, made some adjustments to get comfortable, and
then dozed off.
    It was early
in the morning when the bus slowed to a stop. The change in
momentum was enough to wake Ben from his slumber. He opened his
eyes and noticed people standing in the aisle and reaching overhead
for their carry-on luggage. Ben did likewise, first rising from his
chair and stretching. The long bus ride in the uncomfortable seat
had put a kink in his back and he was trying his best to massage it
out. It did not help that he was out of shape and soft. Getting fit
was one idea he was considering — a part of Ben 2.0.
    He looked out
the window and was happy to see the weather was nice. When the line
started to move, Ben exited the bus with his fellow passengers. The
cool air hit Ben’s face and he inhaled a deep breath. It felt great
after having breathed in the same stale recirculated air from the
bus all night. He looked around to take in the sights and was a bit
overwhelmed by the large city. Unsure what to do next, Ben watched
what everyone else was doing. Nearly all the passengers from the
bus headed inside the station, so that was what he did as well.
    The station
was noisy as it was bustling with people. It was such a drastic
difference from the small town in which he had grown up in. He
wheeled his luggage through the station and looked at all the
fast-food chains, some of which he had never seen in Cold Lake. The
glorious smell of pancakes, bacon, and fresh breads wafted in the
air and found its way into Ben’s nostrils. Immediately, his stomach
growled and he decided to stop for breakfast and collect his
thoughts.
    Ben ordered a
combo meal and when his order came up, he took his tray of food to
a vacant table. He sat down and parked his luggage by his side. For
the first time in a long while, he had a smile on his face. He was
delighted to get out of Cold Lake and have a new experience.
Although he had never been on a vacation before, he had a feeling
this was what it would be like. It was as if he were living someone
else’s life.
    As he chowed
down on his food, he looked around at all the new faces. None of
them had any idea who he was. Arriving in Calgary was a new
beginning for him — a chance to start fresh. He could reinvent
himself and become whoever he wanted to be. He had no idea what
possibilities lay ahead for him in the future, but he was eager to
find out.
    After his
meal, Ben continued to walk through the station until he found an
exit. When he went outside, he entered into an awaiting taxi.
Everything seemed to be coming together for him so nicely, he just
hoped his luck would continue and that the title transfer would go
just as smoothly — in and out.
    The window in
the back of the taxi only rolled down halfway, otherwise Ben would
have stuck his entire head out of it. The cab made its way through
the busy downtown streets, providing Ben an opportunity to take in
the sights. The tall sky-scrapers, packed sidewalks, and congested
traffic were all new to