When AJ first woke up, three thoughts occurred to him....one, he had to pee. Two, the bus was awfully dark. AJ had no idea how he ended up in Howie's bunk, but he woke up startled to see that the bus had flipped over onto its side. There were suitcases and bags all over, broken glass and the smell of gasoline was still present. When he moved to get up, the bus shifted angrily and he almost fell.
"Holy shit." he whispered, coughing. Nobody else was really making a sound but he hoisted himself up slowly. The creaking noises that followed made him uneasy.
"D.....D where are you?" AJ called for Howie but got no reply...he smelled blood, but he didn't know where it was coming from. It was then that a third thought struck him....the last words he spoke to his friends was him telling them to drop dead. It caused him to panic because the bus was still quiet aside from the creaking sounds.
"Fellas? What the fuck is going on?"
AJ was worried he was the only one alive until he nearly tripped over a body. It was Howie all right, his arm bent at an odd angle and blood on his face. AJ blinked at him and hesitantly moved closer.
"Howie talk to me.....we need to get out of here...please? Answer me. " he gently shook him but he didn't move, but the slow rise and fall from his chest signified that he was alive. AJ didn't want to leave him but he walked towards the front of the bus...afraid what he would find up there.
Brian felt a lot of pain when he woke up on the wet grass. He looked around, blinking in the light misty rain that fell around him. He wondered for a moment how he'd ended up outside and looked back at the bus, his eyes wide. It was wrapped around a tree and on its side, the windows broken and smoke coming from the front. He could smell gas leaking and he knew he had to hurry.
"Kevin?" he called, then called the other names in turn. There was no reply so Brian tried to stand, although he was wobbly and sore. The rain grew heavier as it fell against his face, trickling down his chin and washing away dried blood. He was scraped up from being flung from the bus, and he felt pain in his wrist but it wasn't broken that he could tell.
"Kevin? Nick? Howie? AJ? Anybody hear me?" he called again as he approached the overturned bus. He didn't even see the bus driver, which he was grateful for. Everything had happened so quick and he worried, wondering if Kevin had been hit by the gunfire. He wondered if anyone else got flung out a window too. Hobbling over towards the bus, he winced in pain as any cut or scrape he had began to hurt at the same time.
"Brian?" AJ answered, coughing again.
"Thank God. Are you okay?" Brian said. AJ poked his head out the broken window and saw that it would be hard to get down from that angle. Brian seemed to be all right, but his face was pretty banged up because he was bleeding. He didn't seem to care.
"I think so, but Howie isn't. Where is everyone else?"
"I don't know, but I don't like that gas smell. Can you get Howie out? Is he injured badly?" Brian asked. He felt a chill and moved to the other side of the bus, but he didn't think that angle would help either. It was really worrying that he and AJ were the only ones talking right now.
AJ went back inside to see if he could pick up Howie when he suddenly tripped, catching himself on the bathroom door. He cursed and realized he tripped over something that felt like a limb.
"Nicky is that you?"
When AJ looked closer he wished he was right. He had found Brian's dog Tyke crushed to death under some suitcases. AJ wretched, feeling sick to his stomach.
“AJ what was that? Did you find anything? I don't see my dog either.” he heard Brian ask.
AJ didn't answer him, he just kept going.
"I will never complain about a dog again...Jesus Christ." he whispered. Howie lay just a few feet away, still in the same spot. He wasn't too heavy but AJ still had trouble lifting him, struggling a bit as he put him over his shoulder. He knew this was a bad idea as his arm was probably broken, but AJ took the chance. The gasoline smell was making him queasy and dizzy.
"Rok, you still down there? Help me get Howie down."
After about ten minutes they safely moved Howie to the grass, Brian feeling more pain from lifting his bandmate.
"Damn, what the fuck happened?" AJ asked, finally realizing how bad the situation was.
"I...uh, we have to find Nick and Kevin. Did you see Tyke anywhere?" Brian said, but AJ didn't answer. He'd gone back to find Nick but it seemed hopeless. There was so much debris and other objects scattered about in the dark it was hard to see, not to mention he worried about the bus flipping because it kept moving if he moved too fast.
"Nick? Kev?"
He coughed again and found himself wishing for a cigarette. He could use his lighter for light, but with the gas smell they'd be blown to bits. He wasn't that stupid. Not this time, anyway.
"Guys.. ..you all right? Someone fucking answer for Christ's sake."
He stood up on the bus, feeling so frustrated and helpless that he punched the broken bathroom door and growled. The bus shifted again and he nearly fell, he lost track of how many times he's almost fallen by now.
"AJ?"
A small voice called out in the dark and he hurried towards it, with his heart pointing and hoping whoever it was would be okay.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Back with another chapter. I am about to be on vacation so if I don't update again until next week, that's why. Hope you all enjoy this.
