Nell and the Number Eight Bus

A reassuring story about staying calm and asking the right person for help.

Nell was seven, and today she was going to the museum on the number eight bus with her cousin Kiri. Her mother had walked them to the stop and given Nell one very important rule. “If you ever get lost, stay where you are and find a helper,” she said.

The bus was crowded and warm. Nell held the rail and watched the shops roll by. She counted the stops on her fingers. Kiri was reading a map and humming. It was an exciting morning.

At the stop by the library, many people got off. Nell hopped down the steps behind Kiri. But when she turned around, a big crowd had come between them, and Kiri was nowhere to be seen. The bus doors closed with a hiss.

Nell’s heart began to pound, and her tummy went wobbly. She wanted to run after the bus. But then she remembered her mother’s rule. She took three slow breaths, the way her teacher had shown her, and stayed right where she was.

She looked around for a helper. A woman in an orange vest stood by the crossing with a bright sign. She worked for the council, and she wore a name badge that said Joan. Nell walked up and said, “Excuse me, I have lost my cousin.”

Joan crouched down and smiled. “Thank you for telling me,” she said. “What is your name? What is your cousin’s name?” Nell told her. Joan took out a small radio and made a call to the bus company.

A few minutes later, the bus pulled back into the stop. Kiri jumped off and ran over, looking pale. “Nell! I thought I had lost you!” she said. She gave her a big, tight hug. Nell hugged her back.

“I stayed where I was,” said Nell. “And I found a helper.” Joan nodded. “That is exactly right,” she said. Kiri promised to hold Nell’s hand at every stop from now on.

At the museum, they saw a skeleton of a giant bird. But the best part of the day, Nell thought, was the part where she had been brave.

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