If Tomorrow Never Comes

Chapter 24

   The shops and cabins that decorated the wooded area looked looted, and gave off a ghastly aura. The bus's breaks screeched as it came to a halt infront of a large building in the center of the small town. The windows were boarded up and there wasn't a body Insite even of the undead variety. I took in every detail of our surroundings just incase we needed to ditch these people or this place quick. I watched as all the people exited the bus in a uniform line.

   My eyes darted between Landon and Axel who had their eyes trained on the driver. He was a large man dressed in a dirty green jumpsuit. His hair was in tight blonde curls that clung to his sweaty red face. I watched as he rose from his seat and turned towards our small group. His eyes danced around between all of us as if he was calculating something.
Suddenly Axel stood up. "Thanks for saving us. We won't take up any of your supplies we'll leave now," he said as Landon slowly rose to join him. "Not so fast," the bus driver said as Axel began walking down the aisle towards Baylor and I. "We saved you. As far as we're concerned you people are now properly of the POI." He said with a grossly contorted smile. "Hey we're not property asshole," Baylor said angrily while rising to her feet. Axel gave her a stern look and I reached out to grab her arm and pull her back down. "What the hell is a POI," she whispered to me to which I shrugged. "I'd advise you not to give us any problems," he said as two men entered the bus with long rods in their hands. "You're coming with us." One of the men said as he pressed a button that lit up his electric baton. " Please," Landon said as he reached for Asher who was sleeping soundly in my arms. "My son is very sick," I furrowed my brows and looked up at him and then to Axel who had taken a seat and currently was reaching slowly for the gun on his waist band. They had a plan. "Has he been bitten?" One of the men asked in alarm. "He's severely dehydrated," I interrupted standing up quickly knowing they wouldn't hesitate to kill him if they even thought he was infected. The men started to advance upon us. "And my wife is pregnant," he said quickly throwing his arm around me. "What in the hell?" Baylor muttered to which I shot her a "just go with it" kind of look".

   "Stop your blubbering and get in line!" One of the men yelled as he reached for my arm. "We're leaving," Axel exclaimed as he pushed himself between us and the cattle prod wielders. The sickly smirk on the round face of our bus driving savior let me know he wasn't in the least intimidated. "We pose no threat." Landon said as he urged Baylor to get up and follow as he pulled me with him backing up towards the emergency exit. "Fine," the burly driver huffed. "We just want the nurse." He said as he quickly pulled out a gun that was a much bigger than Axel's pistol. "Hand her over and the rest of you can go." I swallowed hard as I looked up at Landon who's arm was still wrapped around me.

Axel never took his eyes off his opponents but I watched as his body stiffened as those words sounded out in the otherwise quiet bus. "You son of a bitch," Baylor growled as she moved in front of Landon and I to block the man's view of me. The man cackled as he cocked his gun. "Or I can kill you all," he said as he took a step forward. "The POI will want them all alive," one of the men scolded the bus driver. "What they don't know won't kill 'em Jet" the blonde man muttered. Moments of silence perused "Will someone just pull the trigger already," Baylor huffed. "Baylor," I snapped in a whisper. "Alright," Axel started. "Take her," he said lowering his gun. "What?" Baylor and I exclaimed. "The rest of us will leave." I looked up at the driver who had lowered his gun as well. "That's more like it," suddenly a gunshot rang out and the driver was on the ground.

Axel was so fast to raise his gun and pull the trigger I almost missed it.  "Go Run!" Axel yelled as the cattle prod men ran at Axel. Landon quickly handed me Asher who was now awake and crying loudly. He ran to the back of the bus and started yanking on the handle of the emergency exit. Baylor and I ran to join him as more gun shots and sounds of struggle sounded off from the other end of the bus. "Are you even pushing!" Baylor yelled at Landon as she pushed forward to help unhinge the door. "Not so easy is it!" He shouted at her. Just then the sound of a even loud commotion led my attention to the half a dozen people that exited the building with guns. "We need to go now!" I shouted to the arguing duo that were still trying to push open the door. "It's jammed! There's no way out!" Landon yelled. Suddenly the engine of the bus roared to life and I turned to see Axel in the drivers seat. "Get down!" he yelled as the windows of the bus shattered as bullets collided with them. I fell to the ground with my screaming baby shielding him from the falling glass. I heard shouts and anger from the people as they beat upon bus. Axel put the bus in gear and stomped on the gas probably taking off way faster then the bus is meant to. We all tumbled onto the floor as we took off. "Holy shit," Baylor breathed hard as she rolled over on the floor next to me narrowly avoiding the body of one of the men who had accosted us. "Is everyone okay?"Axel shouted. "Looks like it!" Landon yelled as he ran over to Baylor and I. "Baylor you're bleeding," Landon said in a shaky voice. I looked up from Asher and looked at Baylor who's arm was covered in blood. "Dammit," I whispered as I looked from her arm to meet her scared eyes. "Take Asher," I said to Landon. "Exora," Baylor hissed as I gently pulled her flannel shirt away from her body leaving her in her tank top. "Is it bad?" Baylor asked worriedly as I examined her wound. She had a deep slash caused from falling glass. "It's going to need stitches," I said pulling off her flannel shirt completely to examine it better. "Landon look around for anything I can use to clean this wound. I saw some boxes in the back," I told him. "You're gonna be fine." I said to Baylor. "Guys we hit the jack pot," Landon said suddenly with a victorious laugh. I turned to see him pull two large guns from one of the duffle bags. "These guys were loaded! They must've just come back from a supply run!" He exclaimed as he gleefully sprung between the boxes looking for loot. "Hey Axel this one is full of food!" I stood up and walked over to him. "Hello Landon we still have a girl bleeding profusely on the ground," I said in annoyance. "Dick" Cane Baylor's comment to Landon. "Sorry, sorry medical supplies." He said as he pointed towards a black bag on the ground of bus. "We have trouble," Axel said just as I thought we were finally in the clear.