In the End.

Chapter one: End of the line.(John's eyes)

As he sat on the bus and looked at the window John was wondering what he'd do next. He was going to his home town where there was nothing for him. His mom and dad past away a few years back when he was overseas for the marines, his little brother died 2 weeks ago and that's why he is here now to bury him and move on. Anthony died 2 weeks before John finished his time in the military for something stupid he did 4 years ago. When given the options of jail or military service John chose what he thought was freedom only to find himself in another form of jail. He planned to come out and spend time with his little brother since that was all the family he had but his life was taken by some fool with a gun, taking Anthony away at the young age of 19. The thought of his brother dead made John grit his teeth and bear anger in his face and put a disgusting taste in his mouth. "Where you getting off at young man?" John turned to see an elderly gentleman looking at him with curiosity on his face. "Names John Saint-James sir. I will be getting off at the borrow-mill exit sir." John said with a fake smile as he reached out offering a hand shake to the old man. "You don't happen to be the son of Teddy Saint John do you from Milton?" The old man shook John's hand and smiled warmly. "The older one yes sir that is me. Coming home for some family matters then I will be going my way." The two had a conversation that felt like hours had past when the bus swerved and all John saw was black. His vision blurry and his head throbbing he prompted his head up and then heard the murmurs and conversations of the passengers and bus driver. "She came out of no where what was I suppose to do!" "You killed that girl and need to own up to it when the police get here." "911 isn't answering right now what's going on here." All the voices were overlapping each other and he couldn't make out who was who. Groggy and head thumping John finally sat up and rubbed his eyes. Then like nothing he felt cold on his head and when his vision cleared it was the old man holding an ice pack to his head. "Glad you can join us John, bus driver hit a girl wander on the road. Everyone is in a panic right now so best keep to yourself." John stood up and looked around to see the panic the old man was talking about. People arguing and on there phones walking around and pushing into one another. "Someone needs to go check on that girl and see if she is ok!" John staggered to the front of the bus to look out the front window. "I am so sorry sir are you ok? Looks like a bad head injury." The bus driver reached out in concern. John put his hands up and pulled out his pack of cigarettes and headed for the bus door. He said as he opened the door; "I'm fine I'm just gonna step out and smoke need some air right now." Outside he leaned on the bus and pulled out his lighter and lit his cigarette then looked at his lighter, his marine platoon made multiple lighters like this for all the marines in his platoon. He looked up to see the night sky and noticed that it was a cloudy day. He directed his attention to the surrounding area. The middle of no where trees on one side and an open field on the other. Looking down the road there was a small gas station about 2-3 miles. John pulled out pain killers he had in his jacket and he took two. Just then a woman got off the bus and looked at John. "Are you ok sir, that's a nasty head injury. If you'd like I don't mind taking a look at it I'm a nurse." She said offering aid in a warm and loving manner. "I'll be fine appreciate it though. How is everyone in there?" John asked to be polite in the conversation. "You a tough guy? Few of them have bumps and scraps but nothing as bad as you." She said as John noticed her eyes wandering up and down his body. "Are you alright seems that your shaking a little and have a shaken tone." He said looking at her then he saw it over her shoulder. The body laying in the road of the girl that the driver hit. The red dress was being illuminated by the bus head lights. The nurse tracked his eyes and responded; "I'm fine just first accident and I'm a little shaken. I came out here to check on her but saw you and asked just to be on the safe side. Excuse me though." She said as she walked towards the girl on the ground. Out of no where he got a phone call as he pulled his phone out his vision steadied and saw it was his former Captain in the marines. "Go for John." He answered. "Saint-James thank god I was able to get a hold of you. Where are you and are you in a populated area?" "Hey cap I'm on some back end highway on the way home to bury my brother. As for population there is only 10-15 on the bus. Driver hit some girl who stumbled into the road. So we are trying to raise the local law but busy for some reason." John said thinking back on all that just happened. "Saint-James there was a viral leak and there is a deadly virus out. Does the girl look rotten? Does she have black skin around her eyes or mouth and does she have a bite mark?" The captain had sense of fear in his voice. Instinctively John snapped into survival mode and turned to the nurse who was right next to the girl's body. "Step away from that body right now!" He snapped as he walked towards the girl and nurse. "She is moving I think she is alive I need to prep her and make sure I can help." The nurse said turning her back to the girl as she answered. "ADAM Saint-James ADAM do you have a gun or knife!?!?" The captain yelled on the phone. John remembered the day he learned that acronym. A=Analyze, D=Determine, A=Action, M=Minimize. Analyze the situation, Determine the course of action, Act on the determination, Minimize asset and civilian damage. "I'll call you back." John said as he hung up. After he hung up he put his Bluetooth ear piece and hit a button calling the captain back. John was only a foot away when the girl jumped up and swung at the nurse connecting the hit to her face and knocking her down. John stepped up and grabbed the girls arm and threw her away from them sending the girl rolling on the pavement a few feet. "Get back on the bus now!" John yelled as he drew his combat knife. The nurse turned and ran for the bus. "Saint-James what's going on." The captain asked on the ear piece. "The girl jumped up and attacked the nurse. Tango appears to have no bite marks but does have black around eyes and mouth." John said as the girl stood up and ran full speed at him. She moved so fast he couldn't react and with one good shoulder she sent him rolling back. He regained composure fast and stood up vision blurring in and out. As he stood there the girl now more viable in the head lights stood there staring back. Bloodied, battered, and her skin pale white followed by a rotten stench. She let out a blood curling screech like nothing John has ever heard. "Whatever is wrong with her she has strength on her sir." John said spitting out a little blood. She charged him again but this time John was ready he moved to the side and drove his knife into her chest. Within seconds John was tossed to the side with a hit from her and he stood up with a realization that she wasn't going to die with out a fight. That was obvious from the sight of the knife in her still and with no pain or struggle on her face at all. "Captain my blade is in her chest and she is acting like it isn't there. Any ideas?" He said revealing his gun in the back of his pants under his leather jacket. "We have no intel on these this call was a curtesy call from friend to friend good luck out there John anyone infected is a threat." With that the call ended and John was left there to his realization he was alone abandon by the only other life he knew. The military is not going to help but only make excuses. She charged at John and he pulled and shot her knee. No effect as if she didn't even get shot. He rolled to the side set up again and shot her in the shoulder with no effect before she could set to charge he shot another round this one hit her in the head and she dropped. He stood up gun still aimed at her and walk slowly to her, he kicked her to roll her over. He was looking at her and started to notice she didn't even look like she was alive before this, she was to pale and her blood looked coagulated and she had a stench of death all around her. While he was looking at her, her eyes opened and she tried to lunge at him only to be met by a bullet. After a few moments he walked to the bus and leaned on the door and lit a cigarette. His mind racing with questions theories and what to do next. The nurse bolted out the bus and started bombarding him with questions. To which he raised his hand to stop her and then motioned to the bus as he put out his cigarette and calmly entered the bus. "What the hell was that!" "She was alive and you shot her!" "What do we do now?" All the questions from the passengers hit him at once. "That's enough!" He yelled as he lit another cigarette. "Whatever that thing was it was not living. The blood was coagulated it is darker then normal." "What does that mean!" A man cut off John questioning him with fear in his voice. "That means she was already dead before I shot her. Whatever she was she was fast and strong with zero to no pain understanding. I stabbed her in the chest and it didn't even faze her at all." He said looking down at his blade which he pulled from her chest after killing her. "I shot her knee mid run and she didn't even fall she kept the same pace. I hit her in the shoulder and nothing, what did drop her was a headshot and what killed her was a follow up of another headshot." John said coming to realization that whatever that thing was it was not human. "My advise is we go to that gas station up ahead call authorities and see what can be made of this." With that everyone styled a little and the driver drove down to the gas station and John got off to go make the call. He opened the door and enter while saying; "Hello apologies for the bother but there was an accident and something weird going on down the road I was wondering if I could use your phone to call the authorities." John stepped in to a dimly light store, no one was there, but the neon sign was lit up outside like a Christmas tree. He went to the front and rang a bell that was on the desk. To his surprise no one came, he saw a phone on the counter and picked it u. Dialing 911 he sat as it rang looking into the dark store then transitioned to the dark shadow covered outside. "911 what's your emergency." The operator came on with a slight overwhelmed voice and tone. As John explained he noticed movement in the trees outside just as his eyes focused the nurse and old man walked in to check on him. The operator then began to talk. "Sir I need you and the others to remain on the bus or find a building and....." the phone cut off and John put his eyes back on the tree line only to see more movement then last time. "The operator hung up but it sounds like it was cut off, you two stay here I need to get something off that bus now." He said as he rushed towards the bus and knew exactly what he was going for. When he got on the bus he ran to his seat and got his two bags a long olive colored duffel bag with his marines logo on it and then a smaller black backpack after he made his way back to the nurse and old man. "I suggest we look for a map before the bus departs so we know where to go. This seems to be something that is probably serious." As they looked around John felt that they were not alone. He went around the gas station closing the windows and clearing the rooms, eventually he cleared it and nothing. "John I got a map." The old man said as he put it on the counter. "Good job...." John realized he didn't even know the old mans name or even the nurses name. "What's your name sir?" John ask the old man as he studied the map. "The name is Jim Matthew, been retired for 2 years, was a CEO of a big wig company and had enough of that so finally retired at the age of 50 and just focused on my health." Jim said and was surprised how he was able to be so open with a stranger. "Nice to meet you Jim, where you from good sir?" "Milton just like your father and your family." "And your name darling, you seem to be nice and caring so might as well tie a name to the voice and face." John said as he pointed to the map. "Seems like there is a town about 5 miles to the north then from there it is another 10 miles to Milton. So we can be there in the next 30 minutes if the bus drivers willing." John said as he looked at the nurse for her name. "My name is Nata...." Within seconds the movement John had seen earlier became clear it looked like at least 6 of those things came rushing out at the sound of the passengers on the bus getting loud as they were arguing what to do. Within seconds they ran at the bus, and the passengers closed the door and the bus started and rushed down the road with the freaks running after them. John, Jim, and Natalie left behind with no effort to help, this truly was the end of the line.