The lady at the bus stop wasn’t a lady at all

I live in Dublin. By extension, I take the bus a lot. I was 9 years old and waiting at a bus stop near my house. This lady was sitting on the cement slab at the bus stop, reading a newspaper. I’m 9, so I couldn’t tell how old she was exactly, but she was definitely an old lady. She was wearing a red rain coat, and a wide brimmed sun hat was covering her face. <br><br>She beckons me over to her, and I hesitantly walk over. There’s no one else at the bus stop apart from us, and I remember I wasn’t so sure I was comfortable with this. She told me to grab a cookie from her bag and eat it. It was a blue plastic bag that sort of looked like one you’d bring your lunch in. I don’t know if it was because I was hungry, or if I wanted to be friendly but I decided to reach into her bag and grab the cookie, hoping to eat it on the bus when it came. <br><br>The bus pulled up, and I was about to walk away but she stopped me. She told me no, I had to eat it in front of her. If I didn’t she’d scream and the people on the bus would throw me under it. I remember being frozen in fear. I had no idea what to do. <br><br>She lifted her head up slightly and I could see her eyes. She didn’t look like a lady at all. She looked like a man in a wig. Her eyes said it all, something was off. Even at nine years old, I knew something wasn’t right.<br><br>I knew for a fact that if I ate the cookie, or got on that bus with her, I was a dead little girl. So I ran. I ran as fast as I could, down the road, towards home. I didn’t stop until I was in my front door, and I never ever told a soul what happened. <br><br>I’m now 22 years old and living in a different part of Dublin. I’ve never forgotten what happened that day. I regularly pass that stop and that cement slab on the way home from work. Everytime I see it I remember that day. <br><br>I hope she never got to a little girl. I hope she rotted and died. <br><br>Ladies, please be careful. Gentlemen teach your daughters how to be cautious. Please. <br><br>Edit: Wow, I didn’t expect this to blow up. Thanks so much for the awards and kind words everyone :) xx