The groups converged back at the bus from all directions, panting and wild-eyed as they sprinted toward the vehicle. The deafening wail of the car alarm from the center of town still echoed through the streets, and the massive horde of zombies drawn by the noise was gaining ground fast, flooding the empty road behind them.
Trev, standing guard near the bus, blinked in confusion as the scattered groups emerged from the shadows, all running as if their lives depended on it—which, he quickly realized, they did.
"Uh, guys?" he called, raising a hand as he looked back and forth between them and the growing horde. "What the hell is going on?"
Evan sprinted past him, nearly out of breath. "No time, bro! Get in the bus before we're freakin' zombie chow!"
Jean, with Akira close by, stumbled to the bus, wide-eyed. "It's a horde, Trev! Massive horde coming straight at us! No time for questions, just move!"
Trev's eyes widened as he finally looked past them, his face going pale when he saw the swarm of zombies stumbling and clawing their way down the street, dead eyes fixed on the bus and the scent of fresh prey.
"Oh, shit," he muttered, scrambling onto the bus after them.
Morgan skidded to a stop outside, throwing a glance over her shoulder at the horde. "Get on board! Everyone, move!"
She turned to Ms. Heather, who was catching her breath at the edge of the group. "Ms. Collins, get in the driver's seat and get this thing moving—now."
Ms. Heather, eyes wide with fear but filled with determination, nodded and quickly climbed into the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel as her fingers fumbled over the ignition. "Alright, everyone, buckle up! We're getting out of here!"
Just as the last few teens piled into the bus, Morgan turned and headed toward her motorcycle parked just a few feet away. She swung a leg over it, her eyes steely and focused. "I'll keep to the side and lead you out of town. Don't stop for anything. I'll catch up once we're clear."
Blake, still catching his breath, looked at her, panicked. "Morgan, are you serious? The horde's massive! You can't just—"
Morgan gave him a hard look. "I know what I'm doing. Just stick to the plan."
Blake swallowed, nodding as he got into the bus, though he still looked uneasy.
The horde was almost upon them, the groans and shrieks of the undead growing louder as they staggered closer. Ms. Heather's fingers finally found the ignition key, and with a turn, the engine roared to life. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, glancing back at the group with a shaky smile. "Alright, everyone, hang on!"
"Let's go!" Jean shouted, his voice laced with panic as he looked back at the advancing zombies.
Ms. Heather hit the gas, and the bus lurched forward, tires kicking up dust as they sped away from the edge of town. The horde began to fan out, some zombies clawing toward the bus, while others staggered after Morgan as she revved her motorcycle and took off down the side street, drawing part of the crowd away.
Evan peered out the window, watching Morgan weave through the streets on her bike, leading the undead away from the bus. "Damn, she's got some guts. Hope she doesn't get wrecked out there."
Luca nudged him, eyes wide. "You're worried about her? Dude, we're the ones in a freakin' bus with a zombie horde right on our ass!"
Ms. Heather's face was a mask of concentration as she gripped the wheel, steering the bus around debris in the road. She glanced in the rearview mirror, her eyes widening as she saw the horde still trailing them. "Everyone, stay seated! I'm going to try to lose them on these back streets."
Jordan, looking out one of the side windows, cringed. "Yeah, good luck with that, Ms. Collins. There's, like, a hundred of those freaks back there!"
Ms. Heather clenched her jaw, her voice determined despite the fear in her eyes. "We're getting out of here. No one's getting left behind. Not today."
Brad leaned forward, gripping the seat in front of him. "Just keep us moving. We need to put as much distance between us and those things as possible."
Outside, Morgan led the other half of the horde away, her motorcycle weaving around abandoned cars and shattered glass as she maneuvered through the empty streets. She glanced over her shoulder, the undead stumbling in a chaotic line behind her, drawn by the noise of her engine. She gritted her teeth, pushing the throttle harder as she aimed to loop back toward the bus once they'd gained some distance.
Meanwhile, inside the bus, Brittney clutched the edge of her seat, her face pale as she looked at the undead horde still pursuing them. "This is, like, the worst freakin' nightmare ever."
Chloe rolled her eyes, though her face was pale as well. "Welcome to the apocalypse, princess. Better get used to it."
"Both of you shut up," Brad snapped, glaring at them. "Now's not the time for your drama."
Up front, Ms. Heather swerved the bus around a corner, her knuckles white on the wheel as she tried to keep control. The zombies were still close, but she'd managed to put a little distance between them. She took a shaky breath, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.
"Alright," she murmured to herself, trying to stay calm. "Just keep it together, Heather. You can do this."
A loud thud echoed from the back of the bus, and everyone's heads snapped around to see a lone zombie clinging to the rear bumper, its rotting face pressed against the back window as it snarled, clawing at the glass.
"Holy shit!" Jean shouted, his voice high with panic. "It's on the freakin' bus!"
Luca reached for his Glock, his hands shaking. "What the hell do we do? Shoot it?"
Jordan snorted, though his face was pale. "What, you're gonna shoot through the glass? We need to get rid of it, not blow out the damn windows!"
Brad, looking out the back, clenched his jaw. "Leave it to me."
He stood, gripping his Desert Eagle as he made his way to the emergency exit at the back of the bus. The others watched, wide-eyed, as he flung open the door, holding onto the railing as he aimed the gun at the snarling creature.
"Say goodbye, freak," Brad muttered before pulling the trigger. The gunshot echoed through the bus, and the zombie's head exploded in a spray of dark blood. Its body went limp, slipping off the bumper and tumbling onto the road, disappearing in the distance as the bus sped forward.
"Damn," Evan muttered, his face a mix of awe and relief. "Guess he actually did something useful for once."
Brad ignored him, slamming the emergency door shut as he retook his seat, breathing heavily.
Ms. Heather kept her focus on the road, glancing occasionally at the rearview mirror to check for the horde. The zombies had fallen behind, but she knew they weren't out of the woods yet. She looked over at the group, giving them a small, tense smile. "Alright, everyone. Just… stay calm. We'll be out of here soon."
Out on her motorcycle, Morgan was weaving back around, closing in on the bus from a side street. She glanced back at the stragglers of the horde she'd drawn away, and with one last burst of speed, she aimed to intercept the bus further down the road, guiding them safely out of town and toward the empty desert beyond.
As the bus barreled forward, the tension in the air was thick, but there was a glimmer of hope as they put more and more distance between themselves and the horde. They weren't out of danger yet, but they were alive, and for now, that was all that mattered.
Q: What do you think will happen next?