The distant cries of the thwarted undead were the soundtrack of their victory drive, Creed shuddered at the searching howl of the Woolcat and whined out "Fuck, I hope that thing forgets about us." he said as Charlene settled at his side. Looking over him and out of the window, into the streets.

  "It doesn't have a brain, it won't remember anything." Phil snapped, curling his arms across his chest as his son Bill climbed into his p.

  "It seemed to remember Sani." Creed remarked, just off hand snark, he thought he muttered it quiet enough but Phil scoffed in response.

  "It doesn't think." Sani deadpanned. He gripped the wheel, keeping any emotion off his face he kept his voice loud but monotone, a stern authoritative, tone, almost scolding but cking fervor. "There must be more than one of them." he said "There's nothing special about an over bloated undead zoo animal." he added with finality.

  Charlene then looked at Creed, sharing a look of bewilderment, Creed then looked towards Sani, he was about to speak when Sani smmed his hand against the wheel in anger, the foam padding muffled the noise but an air of awkwardness began to fill the bus.

  Creed spun around at Dern's sudden shout, he twisted back, flinching away from the window and into Bernadina's side when he was startled by the sudden knock at the window. Ember was waving, bancing on the back of the motorcycle.

  Creed quickly rexed. Leaning into Charlene.

  Bernadina huffed. Looking sternly at her as she crawled over Dern, he helped when her knee dug into his thigh but he helped her along, she pried open the sliding window and the smell of ash hit her nostrils.She huffed, eyes narrowing in agitation "What are you doing!" she excimed, gesturing towards the wand Ember kept away from her.

  "Turn it off!" Bernadina excimed. Waving her hand in frustration.

  "How!" Ember said with a slight chuckle.

  "Trysmor!" Bernadina huffed through grit teeth.

  Bernadina was satisfied when the fire stopped burning and she shut the window with a huff, Dern leaned back letting her move as she pleased but in the end she sort of just sat there, staring out of the window while sitting on his p.

  Ember tucked the wand back into her inside pocket and closed her leather jacket and spun back around to wrap her arms around Jake in one smooth motion. The bike began to break away from the bus, taking routes the shuttle couldn't, easing around colpsed bodies and jagged debris, Bernadina's puffy cheeked expression fell back to neutrality watching them drive smoothly.

  “You okay?” Dern asked softly but it still startled her, she was so deep in her thoughts she didn't really notice her surroundings.

  “Yes.” she rexed slightly, she shook her head and mumbled before bringing her pack to her front, then she rummaged through it without another word.She pulled out the plump silk bag and held it thoughtfully, she ran her thumb over the stitching, mulling over her choices.

  “Babe?” Dern called as he ran a hand up and down her back, trying to comfort her, but by her expression Dern could tell she was so far in her own head she probably didn't even feel him touching her. Dern sighed, leaning back to rest his head against the shuttle's uncomfortable headrest, allowing Bernadina to remain perched on his legs. So Dern zily looked around, trying not to put too much focus on the destroyed world outside the window.

  The crying howls of undead began to fall into the background as the shuttle lit up with chatter, everyone pleased, relieved, to have survived, most paired with loved ones as Dern expected, he didn't know any of them expect his dear Bernadina, but, Dern usually had a good sense for people and he doesn't feel like he got a bad deal out of these new friends.

  At the front of the bus, behind the driver's seat, Charlene was practically ying on Creed with how much she was fretting over him, checking every bit of him for further injury, she spared a gnce to his leg and winced, hurting for him, then she looked back up to his face and smiled, he grinned back but there was pain in his eyes that he couldn't hide no matter how hard he tried to put on a strong face, Monet was sat beside her, hollowly staring forward, a bloody nightstick was between her feet and the shuttle floor was dusty.

  A few rows back was the Day family, Bill buried his face in Phil's shirt while Debra attempted to coax any sort of conversation from Steve, he had closed into himself, physically and mentally, he curled into himself and let his knees press into his chest, hiding his face completely. Debra gently rubbed his back and held him close.

  The row across from them was Ewell, the only person on the right line of seats, he couldn't bare looking outside anymore and had id on his side, he was in the fetal position holding himself close, aside from the minute trembling of his shoulders and the heavy breaths he took in he didn't move a muscle, he stayed ft and still. Hoodie attempting to cover his face, pulled and wrinkled over him.

  On the left row towards the back was the couple of Bernadina and Dern, of course Dern doesn't put too much attention on himself but he can't help but stare at Bernadina's contempting expression much longer than he needed to.

  Dern noticed the bike again in the background of his picturesque view of her, Ember resting her head against Jake's shoulder as they easily kept up with the shuttle. Dern did a final sweep, up towards the windshield.

  Then, at the very front, was their driver. Sani still seemed tense in his sitting position, body stiff, arms locked and his fingers clenched the wheel with intensity.

  “We're spending the night in some apartments you picked out, right?” Dern shouted, looking towards Sani but really speaking to anyone listening. Mostly just asking as an excuse to talk.

  “Yes.” Sani replied before anyone else had the chance.

  “Okay,” Dern nodded. “My cousins used to live downtown by those apartments, not too far from where the big evac spot was, but, uh, you know they moved like six years ago so-” “Is this relevant?” Sani interrupted.

  Dern huffed, he would cross his arms if he had the room, but instead he just turned and looked away, back out of the window with a frown.The buildings fshing by his sight were broken down and heavily damaged, most doors were broken, bent open and coated in thick bck stains. Bricks broken and littering the street amongst shatter gss and gore, rge dripping suns were painting all over, as if groups came in all together to sther the buildings in as many tags in various sizes as they could, he tried not to focus on what remained of corpses, torn scraps of clothing, hats, even limbs were abandoned to rot in sun.

  He watched as Jake served the bike and startled at a sudden impact on the side of the bus, Bernadina snapped her head up and saw the ending seconds of a hooded figure throwing what seemed like a chunk of brick towards the motorcycle.

  Ember screamed out a curse, throwing a middle finger up.

  As Jake swerved back into a straight line, the engine of the bike strained from his sudden move but the two took good care of the vehicle, and it was returning to favor. Keeping them fast moving and semi safe. Dern was watching them intently and eventually met Ember's eye, who once she noticed him looking waved at him in annoyed disbelief, gesturing as if to say "Can you believe that?" and Dern shrugged, shaking his head with a concerned expression.

  "Was that one of the gang members you mentioned?" Debra ghosted, holding Steve protectively despite his weak protests.

  "Must be." Dern murmured. Then he looked over the passengers again. "They moved deeper in I guess, I wonder if they're trying to copy Ysyvanor?" he added without thinking.

  Phill scoffed at him. He didn't even look back at him as he spoke "Why? Some shitty knock off paintings means they're in our country now? Those tree worshipers don't own the fucking sun." he suddenly exploded, angry and snapping.

  He ignored the call of his wife as she angrily replied with "Don't curse in front of the boys!" as she stared at him.

  "I told you they'd fuck us over somehow, this is some shitty retribution-" "Shut up!" Charlene screamed, interrupting Phil's rant.

  "Ysyvanor has it worse than anyone, and I doubt the whole country would doom the world over a failed war, fuck Phil," she huffed and shook her head "I don't think this is they're fault-" "It is!" Sani in turn interrupted her.

  "They had plenty of time to warn the public but they were so enthralled by that fucking tree and those fucking flowers that they didn't do anything useful!" Sani shouted, words pouring from his mouth with venom but he couldn't stop himself "Deity or not they should have culled it the second people got sick." He added with anger.

  "What are you talking about?" Bernadina asked as she finally returned to her own seat, sliding off of Dern's p she moved to stand.

  "I think he worked with the tree or something." Monet replied, hardly audible.

  "It doesn't matter. Nothing can fix this now." Sani deadpanned.

  "Irresponsible or not, the feud between Edgeridge and Ysyvanor isn't helping anyone." Charlene spoke, still gently rubbing Creed's leg, who had seemed to have conked out from the stress. "Let's focus on surviving, okay?" she added.

  The shuttle fell into a tense silence. No one wanted to add fuel to the fire but Phil and Sani were quietly filming, Debra whispering to Phil inaudibly was loud from the otherwise silent bus.

  Around them tall buildings loomed, marred with damage and gore, crude reinforcements were mostly destroyed but there were a few doorways that still remained retively guarded.

  Then, as if it was waiting for a lull, the undead Woolcat howled again. The echo was hard to pinpoint the distance but it still didn't seem overly far away.

  "Fuck off!" Sani screamed. Voice cracking from rage.

  Then silence bnketed them again.