Beautiful Death (Bella Morté Trilogy Book 1) (27 page)

Climbing up off the floor, Tyler looked out and blinked. He could barely read the sign, but it was obvious what had happened. The bus was wedged through the doors of the local department store. “Walmart.”

“I don’t think that was one of our stops.”

“Maybe he thought it was a drive-through,” one of the people said, groaning in the aisle near the back of the bus, as he struggled to stand.

If the people on the bus were surprised, imagine the surprise and horror from the people living in the Walmart. They all looked up shocked, but then again, who expected a bus to crash through the doors? In all their safety measures, no one thought of this as a possibility.

Tables were set up, coolers littered the aisles, grills and tents were scattered along the floor. People claimed what little space he or she could for their own. Clothesline hung in formation, separating partitions like property lines. There were two kids playing with toys in the aisles that also looked up at the bus.

Twenty people looked on in horror at the huge hole in their safe haven. A few rushed towards them, looking for a way to help those stuck inside. The others grabbed things to cover up the gaping hole in the one corner. It was big enough for a body to squeeze through and that was just too big for their comfort.

After a vacation on the beach, Alexander Rush, a second year attendant in the local hospital, was returning home. He had a deep tan, which worked with his light blonde hair. Hearing what they hit, he jumped up and looked out as well. “Holy shit, he’s right! We fucking crashed through the doors like Black Friday customers!”

Nell groaned. “What the fuck are we going to do?”

“I guess there’s something to be said about sitting in the back of the bus after all.”

Jessi nodded, sighing, looking at the mountain of dead in the front. “I don’t think anyone in the front made it. The bottom row of people didn’t seem to be moving when I was under there.”

Tap, tap, tap.

The tapping at the window caused her to scream, which brought Tyler rushing over. She jumped, looking out at the man standing outside.

He offered them a smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten ya. Is everyone okay?”

Tyler nodded. “As far as we can tell. We’ve got a lot of dead people in here.”

“Yeah, I don’t doubt that. Okay, hang on. We’re gonna see about gettin’ ya outta there just as soo--”

A man rushed in from out of nowhere. Grabbing the man, he ripped his head off in three quick snaps. Jessi took a deep breath and Tyler covered her mouth with his hand, not taking his eyes off the scene before them. The man held the head in his hands like it was a candy dish. Tipping it upside down like a cup, he drank the blood that spilled down his chin, further staining his clothes. When his drink was gone, he shoved his hand inside, pulling strings and gobs of raw meat out, sucking it into his mouth.

“Tell me I did not see what I think I just saw,” Nell said, in a hushed whisper, staring out the window at the two men. One, beheaded, lying on the ground trembling in death, while the other ate his brains.

“Oh my God,” Tyler whispered. “I’m going to move my hand. Don’t scream baby, don’t even move while he’s right outside our window.”

Jessi held onto his arm. Her eyes glued to the horror, barely moving enough to breathe. “Baby, I want to go home,” she whispered.

Within minutes, the horde that chased the bus flowed inside attacking everyone. The people standing around in shock didn’t waste any time running. Screaming as they ran for their lives, but there wasn’t anywhere to hide. They were so outnumbered. It was long before the horde ripped them to shreds, eating them. The man standing outside the window dropped the head and raced after the others.

There was one man, sitting alone in one of the aisles, in a lounge chair facing the bus. Empty beer cans sat all around him. Cigarette butts overflowed from his ashtray. He was drunk, but very happy as he watched the events happening around him as if this was a football event.

Laughing, he chugged his beer while cheering for those running for their lives. “Now this is entertainment,” he said, hiccupping. “What more could a guy ask for?” He slurred his words. “Run, they’re gettin’ closer. Ya almost got it!” He winced. “Damn, you was a good man an’ you’ll be missed. Ooh, another one. Run!”

Jessi looked at him, curiously. “What is he doing?”

Tyler shook his head. “I’m thinking he has a death wish.” He tapped on the window gently. “Get up! You’re going to be eaten!” He waved his hands to get his attention.

Jessi waved hers as well. “Run! They’re going to get you!”

Nell looked out, shaking her head. “Crazy ass white folks ain’t got a lick o’ sense.”

The man in the chair noticed all the waving and smiled waving back. “Hey there! Welcome to Walmart! I’m not too sure ‘bout your parkin’ job. Hell, I think I could’ve done a better job o’ parkin’ than y’all did an’ I’ve had a couple o’ beers to--” He stopped talking as the woman behind him ripped off his head. His body squirmed, convulsing in the chair, as if still waving to those in the bus.

A tug of war pulled him from the chair as two fought over the body. One grabbed a leg and the other an arm. Almost as if making a wish on a turkey bone. Two more showed up until they each had a limb. Blood gushed from where his head used to sit. There was a squishing sound and each of them fell backwards as they pulled him in quarters. Each ran off with their treasures as blood sprayed in all directions. The squashed can of beer held clenched in his hand slipped to the floor, spilling out to mingle with the blood.

People climbed up the aisles, trying to escape. However, none was fast enough and soon enough met the same fate as the others. One woman ran into the aisle where the headless and now limbless man sat. She ran, looking behind her, with fear registered on her face. Her foot hit the beer can and surfed across the floor. Turning her head, hands flailing out to the sides, she did her best not to fall. However, her death was imminent as she slammed into a metal prong sticking out of the aisle. The prong went right through her eye. Poking out the back of her head, while shoving pieces of her brain out the hole.

Her body hung, shivering in convulsions, as blood seeped down her back. Those chasing her pulled her body down. Each of them tugged on a limb until it broke free, running off with their goodies. The others left in the aftermath, bathed in the blood. They ate the leftovers: the organs, stripping flesh and tendons, and chewing on the bones. Others got down on their hands and knees, slurping the blood off the floor like a dog.

Tyler swallowed the hard lump of bile in his throat. “I wouldn’t have believed it, if I didn’t see it. What the hell’s going on?”

Nell shook her head. “I had a funny feeling this bus ride was going to deliver us to hell and I don’t believe in God. I think that little girl was the devil.”

Jessi gasped. “That’s horrible!”

“And it was torture with her singing that damn song.”

“You know she died, right?” She pointed to the front of the bus. “Look at the windshield.”

The little girl who sang her little heart out for the bus just a few hours ago, hung with her head smashed through the windshield. Her little body swung like some grotesque window decoration. Her pink dress covered in specks of blood, dripping off her shoe to the puddle on the floor.

Nell sighed. “Well, that’s a shame and I’m sorry for what I said. That poor little angel is now sitting on God’s lap, gracing him with her gift of song. Hopefully, for his sake, it’s not the same one over and over.”

Jessi couldn’t help but smile. “I agree.”

Alexander jumped up and rushed to the front of the bus, looking around in all the compartments overhead. He climbed over the bodies as he raced to the driver’s things and tore everything out in his search. “Where’s the first aid kit? I know there’s one on this fucking bus in case someone gets hurt!” He pointed to his head where he was bleeding. “I really don’t want them to smell this and come after us. I need a bandage.”

Tyler looked at him, motioning for him to be quiet. “Everyone get down and stop screaming. Stop moving the bus. We don’t want to bring attention to ourselves, so don’t make any noise whatsoever!”

“Oh sure, us crashing through the Walmart won’t bring any attention to us at all,” Nell muttered. “It happens all the time.”

Everyone stopped talking and moving, and turned, staring out the windows. There was nothing else to do, but watch the devastation happening.

Jessi gasped. “Oh no.”

A little girl about three years old with long, dark hair stood in the aisle, crying for her mother. She slept through everything and just woke from her nap. She clutched a teddy bear to her side as she called for her mother. “Mama. Mommy. ‘mere.” She held her hand out, pulling her fingers back and forth.

Nell took a deep breath, holding it. “Oh sweet Jesus, what are they going to do to that poor little baby?” For someone who didn’t believe, she called to him enough.

Jessi watched, shaking her head. “They won’t hurt her. Hell, even animals know what a baby is.”

“That’s true. Like the wolves raising humans, and gorillas protecting children.”

It was silent in the store except for the sounds of her crying. The people slowly walked to where she stood and watched her. It was as if they had never seen a little girl before.

Charles looked out and gasped. “Aren’t we going to help her?”

“How do you propose we do that?” Tyler asked, watching out the window.

“I’ll rush out and get her and then we’ll just close the door on them.”

“There’s no guarantee we could get them open and if we do, no guarantee we can close them again. There’s nothing we can do.”

Charles huffed. “We just sit here until they finish the people in the store. When they’re done with them, they’ll come after us next.”

Jessi turned, looking at him and hissed. “If you keep yelling and panicking, they’re sure to find us.”

“Fine, but what do we do when those things come on the bus? Anyone have that answer?”

“Look, we’re all going to have to rely on each other, so just chill and wait till there’s a reason to panic.”

“
Wait
for a reason to panic? I’d say this qualifies for definite panic time,” Alexander muttered.

The people gathered around the little girl and she looked up at them. “Mommy go bye-byes?” She sniffled, turning she ran at the ones behind her who picked her up. “Mooommyyyyyy!” She screamed.

They descended on her like a pack of wolves with raw meat. One person ripped her leg out of the socket while another one ripped off her arm. She stopped screaming when they ripped off her head. One of the women ran through the store holding it by the hair leaving a trail of blood. The look on the little girl’s face showed true pain and terror.

Nell shook her head, covering her mouth with her hand. “My word. They don’t know what a baby is. Animals are smarter than humans in this case?”

“It would seem so,” Jessi said, swallowing hard as she watched, unable to look away. “What the hell would make people do this?”

Tyler felt the tears burning his eyes, exhaling a shaky breath. “It sounds cliché, but does anyone else get this weird zombie-like vibe?”

“More like land sharks. They just eat and eat with no full button on their gauge.”

“Yeah, I noticed that too.”

“How are we going to get out of here? What if they find us too?”

Nell shook her head. “Honey, if they find us before we die on our own, we aren’t going to like the conclusion of this bus ride to hell.”

Jessi nodded. “I hope we can get out of this alive.”

Tyler nodded. “Me too.”

Nell shook her head. “Oh me three.”

Twenty-One

Unfortunately for all concerned, after the bus crashed through Walmart it took time for Vince and Dani to be able to help. Once they were able, they climbed in around the bus. Looking around at all the destruction Dani whistled. “Good Lord, what was in here?”

Vince stopped short, looking around in shock, and a little sad. “They killed them all.”

“What?”

“I had a group of people holed up in this store. It looks like they killed them all.”

“How many?”

He shook his head, looking at all the blood. “I don’t know. There were kids in this group, families, loved ones, and now they’re all gone.”

“Damn.”

“It’s my fault. I should have protected them better.”

Dani looked over at him, arching her brows. It was the first time since she met him that she saw any emotions at all. Even though she was happy he was human, it wasn’t the time for a breakdown. “Are ya serious?”

“Yes! They counted on me, and I let them down.”

“Think about that statement. It looks to me like you had ‘em protected in here perfectly fine. Who could ever guess ‘at a bus would come slammin’ through the store? Not me, an’ I’m sure not any o’ them until it happened.”

“Yeah, but they’re all dead now.”

“Hey, I’m sorry about the people in the store, but we don’t have time to think about that. The sooner we get to kill these things, the sooner we can help the people alive
in
the bus.”