Chronicles of the Fall- #1- Empty Night

Chapter 7: Bloodied Knuckles

Awkward silence lays stagnant in the air on the bus. DJ eyes are focused on the doors of the mall, into which Hampton and Lucas had disappeared only an hour ago.
"They shoulda been back by now," Jackson speaks up, looking towards Tripp for instructions.

"They'll be back," DJ says, her eyes glaring through the mirror at him.

Everyone falls back into silence. Laken looks out the window, mouthing a prayer that will hopefully bring her small red-headed best friend back to her. Todd ties and unties the strings of his jacket, making a quiet swooshing noise. Cora taps the point of an arrow against the window, adding to the aimless sound echoing through the bus.

Tripp suddenly stands up and begins walking to the front of the bus. DJ involuntarily shifts her feet to block the packs of alcohol beneath her. Once he reaches the front and begins to go past her, she stops him. His shoulders are set back, making him look even taller than already he is, hovering over DJ in the low ceilings of the bus.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asks, standing up and stepping in his way.

"I gotta take a piss. You got a problem with that?" he asks harshly, looking down to make eye contact.

"Whatever, don't go far," she huffs, sitting back down.

"I'll go as damn far as I want," he mutters as he pushes the door to the bus open, not waiting for DJ to pull the lever. DJ rolls her eyes.

The second that she returns her focus to the mall doors, she notices movement and her eyes focus in.

"Laken," she says, drawing out the words as she continues to stare at the doors. Laken looks up and upon seeing her friend's focused stare, jumps up and begins looking out the window.

Sure enough, Hampton and Lucas come shuffling out the doors, carrying a body between them. Laken's breath catches in her throat. DJ is up and off the bus faster than anyone else has time to notice. She heads across the parking lot towards them with Tripp on her heels.

Upon getting closer, she realizes that the body is not Faith's, nor is it female. It is an unconscious, blonde-haired male, who looks to be in his mid to late twenties.

"Who the hell is that?" Tripp yells, already pulling his gun from his belt.

"Whoa dude, put that away," Lucas says, still propping up the stranger on his shoulder.

"You said you were bringing back the girl," Tripp says, lowering his gun.

"Plans changed, we brought you the group's leader," Hampton says, holding up the guy's other limp arm.

"What the hell?!" DJ growls. "You can't just change the plans! If you got him, you could've gotten Faith instead!"

The shouting seems to have captured the attention of a lone infected, which is limping towards them.

"Can we please just get back on the bus and figure out what's going on?" DJ asks rhetorically, eyeing the approaching creature.

"I got it. Get back on the bus," Tripp says, tucking the gun back into his waistband and turning towards the cloudy-eyed monster.

The rest turn their backs and head towards the bus. There are a few groans and throaty screams as the creature is thrown to the ground. A squish echos across the empty parking lot as Tripp's foot plants itself into the infected's head. Laken winces, but the others pretend to ignore it.

Once back on the bus there is an eruption of noise.

"Where's Faith?"

"Who is that guy?"