Simon Barker

Stop the bus, he said, his voice low and threatening.

He kept the knife hidden behind his back for now.

Not happening, pal.

She responded without taking her eyes off the road.

Fury rose within him, hot and powerful.

How dare she not even look at him?

In one smooth motion, he had the knife to her throat, pressing firmly against her skin.

She finally turned to him, but her face had transformed into the devilish figure again.

Black liquid oozed from her mouth as she smiled.

He wasn't sure if he meant to do it, or if he was so startled by the reemergence of the monster.

But the next thing he knew, Simon slit the knife across her throat, spilling hot, fresh blood all over his arms.

He stumbled back in shock, falling halfway down the stairs.

When he looked up, the driver had returned to normal, but her head was awkwardly tilted to the side, and her arms were motionless in her lap.

Simon yagged and hauled himself to his feet.

He had just enough time to look through the windshield at the bright red light shining through the fog before a loud horn blared and everything went black.

He was cold down to his bones, his head ached, and when he raised his fingers to his eyes, they were long and pale.

He stumbled to his feet, slipping on a puddle of blood.

The bus was still moving, trucking steadily onward like always, but the driver's seat was empty.

The entire bus was empty.

Fog obscured the windows, making the interior dark and dreary.