The Living Dead Boy (The Living Dead Boy #1)(13)

Josh suppressed a yawn behind his hand.

Troy leaned his elbow on the seat and peered over it at Josh. “I’m so hungry I could eat a super-burrito at Beto’s all by myself.”

Josh’s stomach rumbled at the thought of the food at the only Mexican restaurant in their small town. “Me too. With a large side of guacamole and chips.”

“Even worse, I gotta pee like a horse.” Troy winced.

“Tell me about it.” Josh’s bladder felt like it would burst soon.

“Are we there yet?” Yessica asked from under her seat.

“I don’t think so,” Josh answered, tilting his head to see her small grimy face peering up at him.

“I need to poop.”

“It already smells like fart in here. You could poop and no one would notice,” Troy said.

Yessica scrunched up her face. “Yuck.”

The bus did smell bad from all the sweaty, dirty people.

Up front, Jamie and Derrick were talking in lowered voices. Bonnie sat next to Rachel, who was still asleep, watching the two men with curiosity. The dog was really well behaved. Josh was certain she was hungry and needed a bathroom break, too. They hadn’t had one since last evening.

The bus finally stopped, and the jolt woke more passengers.

Corina stirred at Josh’s side and raised her head. Lifting her glasses from her lap to her face, she looked around in confusion. Josh spotted the moment when she remembered where she was by the drooping of her chin. With a sigh, she adjusted her glasses on her nose.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“Stopped, and not driving in circles,” Troy answered. “Which we did most of last night.”

“Seriously?” Josh tried to peer through the mist, but could only make out a few trees and a barbed-wire fence.

“Yeah. I saw the same town like four times last night before I fell asleep. They don’t know where they are going.”

“That can’t be good,” Corina muttered.

“Remember what my dad said. All the people who’d be planning the evacuations are dead or missing, so it’s going to be harder to organize.” Josh regarded the rest of the passengers. “I just hope people stay calm.”

“Fat chance of that,” Troy grumbled glaring at Ron.

Ron was blearily staring out the window with his lips pressed into a flat line. Standing abruptly, his angry gaze swept over the other passengers before he spun about and said in a loud booming voice, “What’s going on?”

“See,” Troy said, shaking his head with disgust.

Across the aisle, Drake woke with a start, looked around, and burst out crying.

“Not again,” a man’s voice said in despair.

Savannah tried to shush Drake, but he slipped out of her arms. Darting across the aisle, he crawled over Josh to Corina. With a sigh, Corina snuggled him onto her lap and gave Josh a tired look. Drake kicked at Josh, clearly wanting to stretch out his small body. Surrendering to his little brother’s wishes, Josh joined Troy.

“Please make him stop crying,” Clare, the woman with the slowly deflating blonde hairdo, whined. “Please! I can’t take it.”

Jamie shot a glare at Clare. “My son is scared just like the rest of you. Wanting his mother to comfort him isn’t some sort of crime. She’s... gone. Is it too much to ask for you to have some understanding?”

Beaux, the janitor, said, “Sorry, Jamie. It just gets on our nerves when he won’t stop crying.”

“He’s just a little boy,” Savannah retorted. “He lost his mother. Have a heart.”

“Enough about the kid,” Ron bellowed. “Shut up about him! He’s gonna keep crying. The more important question is why have we stopped?”

“We’re about to find out,” Derrick answered. “Jamie, we’ve got company.”

Three soldiers in full battle gear were walking toward the bus. The one in the middle signaled for Derrick to open the door.

“Finally! Some answers!” Clare exclaimed.

The passengers quieted, eyes glued to the entrance.

Derrick opened the door and Jamie peered down at the soldiers on the roadside.

The soldier didn’t step into the bus, but instead said from outside, “Sergeant Rondell, could you please come with us?”

Jamie’s eyes darted toward his sons.

Josh wasn’t certain, but he thought he saw panic in his father’s eyes.

“Sir?” The soldier seemed surprised by Jamie’s hesitation.

“Yes, of course, I’ll come with you. Give me a second, please.”

“What about the rest of us?” Ron asked the soldier.

“Please stay on the bus,” was the answer.

More voices chimed in:

“But what is going on?”

“What’s happening?”

“Why’d we stop?”

“We’re hungry!”

“Just remain in your seats,” the soldier ordered.

Jamie hurried over to Josh and Troy. He started to hug Josh, but then slung his arm around Troy, too. “Boys, I need you to watch out for each other and Drake. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Dad, why are they calling you away?” Josh asked.

“I’m reactivated, Josh. I’m about to get a new assignment. Yours is to stay here with your brother... brothers.” Jamie gave Troy’s shoulder a gentle squeeze.