The Z Factor

Chapter One:

I guess things would be simpler if I knew what had started it all. When it first started the scientists did everything they could to find out how it all happened. They believed that if they could find where it started, they could potentially find a cure. I'm not sure that's possible anymore. I guess you might be wondering what "it" is. Well to figure that out we'll have to start at the beginning.

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It was a normal day and Molly James sat on a bench next to her brother at the bus stop. They didn't say a word to each but stared down at their phones and scrolled down. Aden, her brother she assumed was texting his girlfriend whose name was Jamie. She was the head cheerleader for the High School and Molly didn't like her one bit. Molly's brother was a senior who played in the school baseball team. Molly was sixteen and a junior. She and her brother weren't close. Sometimes Molly wished they were but she knew it was best that way. It fit the rest off their family. Their Mother and Father were separated and her dad was trying to get custody of them. Their mother was a drunk, who lived on healthcare and government aid. Molly wanted her dad to win the trail which would take place next week to see if he could have custody of them. She hoped that she would never have to see her mother again.

Molly looked up as the bus parked near them her brother stood and she followed him on to the bus which would take them home. They showed the driver their bus passes without saying a word and they went to the back and sat down. 

Molly look around at the people in the bus as she usually did. In front of them was a man who was asleep. He was larger and had a beard and wore a hat that almost looked like a cowboy hat but still didn't fit the picture. Behind them was a older women with a chihuahua in her lap who barked loudly as it looked toward a man who sat to the left of them.  Molly found it strange as the chihuahua stood there seemingly screaming at the men who looked as though he was mentally ill. He sat with his knees in his arms ranting quietly to himself. He was dripping sweat and almost seemed to be crying at times. Not the tears of pain though. More like confusion. As Molly stared toward him she found it stranger and stranger. It wasn't a strange thing to find people who were high or whatever. But this man seemed different. 

Molly looked away and rubbed her eyes then looked back toward the man. Suddenly the man seemed to freeze. As he froze so did the dog. The dog was silent for a moment then began to whimper and then jumped off the lap of his owner and raced toward the door at the front of the bus and began to scratch and paw at it. 

"Dallas," the own called as she stood. 

The bus then stopped and the door opened. Molly stood and watch as the dog bolted out and began to run as fast it could away from the bus and then turned down into an ally. Molly turned as the bus was suddenly silent. But not just any silence it was an eerie silence like that which is in a movie when something bad is about to take place. She turned and looked toward the man, who was now standing. The first thing she noticed were his eyes. They seemed lifeless and pale. His skin was the same way. The man just stood there looking forward. The people in the bus just stood there staring at him. Then one said, "Sir, are you alright?"

There was a moment of silence then the man slowly turned his head toward the person then let out a blood curdling screech and and bounced toward them. Screams rang out around the bus as people ducked as the man who seemed to have gone mad attacked the person. 

Aden shoved Molly to the ground then said, "Hurry get out of the bus."

Aden stood Molly to her feet and lead her out as quickly as possible. But as they headed for the doors and crazed man bounced at the driver who was then standing and as he jumped on top of the driver he shut the door suddenly. Then fell to the ground and somehow landed on the gas. The bus suddenly took off at lightening speed. Molly and the rest of the passengers fell backwards. They all began to stand and the creature (for that was all that could be said of the man now) just stood there for a moment, blood covered his face which was undoubtedly the blood of those he had attacked. He seemed to smile then turned and jumped out the window onto the road and raced away into the city. 

Everyone looked around as the bus began to go out of control. It sped through the road then suddenly the traffic was stopped in front of them. The bus suddenly hit the cars and Molly and her brother went flying forward. Molly hit her head hard and was knocked unconscious. She awoke as he brother shook her and said, "Molly, Molly are you okay?"

Molly opened her eyes to see the face of her brother and said, "Aden what was that?"

Aden looked around then said, "I have no idea."