Matthew caught a glimpse of the back of Melissa's neck as they lined up to get on the bus. Her neck was covered in black dust, just like her dark kinky hair and her uniform. They were all filthy. She covered her head with her hands to shield her face from the sweltering heat. Matthew moved beside her casting a shadow over her skinny frame. 

"Hey! Get back in line!" Shouted the soldier who was loading the bus. He sported an Ak-47 on his shoulder like the other soldiers that guarded the perimeter as the West Kingston city survivors boarded the bus. 

Matthew sighed heavily and shuffled behind Melissa. The line inched forward. Melissa climbed on first and Matthew followed. The soldier placed his hand on Matthew's shoulder. 

"No more seats, you'll have to go on the next bus." 

Melissa looked back with wide frightened eyes. Matthew stepped up onto the first step of the bus. Her eyes pleaded with his. 

"Hey I said it's full!" the soldier persisted, pulling him back. 

"I can't leave her," Matthew declared. Melissa climbed back down the few steps. The soldier shoved him. he fell backwards landing hard on the scorching asphalt. 

"Hey! you don't have to push him!" Melissa yelled at the soldier. 

"The two of you, off the bus!" The soldier commanded. "Come sir!" He beckoned to the gentleman who had been lined up behind them. The man scurried onto the bus. 

"Wait!" Melissa said blocking the man's path. "When's the next bus?" 

"Can't say. Could be an hour, could be tomorrow," he said without a hint of compassion.

Tears filled her eyes. It's the look she had for the past week after losing her brother and Alison. Matthew's chest tightened. He'd sworn to protect her. Daniel had sacrificed himself for him. 

Matthew sighed and got up, dusting himself off, but it was no use. " You let her go okay, I'll wait for the next bus." The other man stood looked between the two of them, unsure of what to do. Her chest heaved and the tears poured out like a broken dam. 

"Nooo," she cried. The soldier gave the driver a signal. He closed the door. Melissa didn't move. He watched the bus drive off toward the Safe Haven in Portmore. 

Matthew's limbs hung heavily as guilt racked him. She's better off with them. They had guns, they had a better chance at protecting her than a 17-year-old high school footballer. 

"I'll find you," he whispered.

A long whistling sound assaulted his ears. Matthew spun around, unsure of where it came. Everyone else seemed to hear it.

"Take cover!" One of the soldiers yelled as they all ran from the perimeter. Matthew ducked behind a metal container. A loud boom resounded. Soldiers who weren't fast enough went flying from the shock wave. Some of the other survivors flew. Rocks and pieces of asphalt rained down on them. His ears rang.

He got up unsteadily. Through the cloud of dust he could make out a few moving bodies, people were running. Then in the midst of the dust he saw it. The Yellow smoke. It moved crept along the ground. There was no wind to carry it.
Those who were caught in it convulsed and collapsed as they turned. They cried out in pain.
He looked in the direction of the bus. It stopped. If he bolted, he could make it. Maybe.

He took a deep breath and sprinted toward the red bus in the distance. Other's seemed to have the same idea. In the distance, he saw shadows of crazies emerging. The loud bang was enough to attract them.

He caught sight of the black van in the corner of his eye. The one the soldiers travelled in. He veered towards it. Would he make it? Was even open? It was better than running head on into crazies.

Other survivors followed him. When he got to the van, the back doors were open. He clambered in while others followed. He slid into the driver's seat.

"Can you drive?" Asked the man from earlier.
Matthew switched on the ignition using the keys he found in the seat.
He sped off toward the bus. Why wasn't the bus moving?

As he got closer he slowed. Crazies surrounded the van.

"Why are you slowing down?" The man asked.

They banged on the windows and door but didn't open the doors. Matthew locked it to be safe. One pressed its face against the glass, glaring with bloodshot eyes, before banging harder. 

"Yea keep going," said a frantic female voice from behind him. Matthew glanced behind him to see that two women and a wounded soldier was sitting in the back.

"I have to save her," Matthew said.

"Who?" The man asked.

"Her." He said. Through the windscreen, he could see Melissa still standing at the door. Fear etched in those big dark brown eyes. But she smiled faintly when she saw him.

"Ain't no time for heroics kid," the woman said. "Let him go and we take the van.'

 "No, we could save more." The man answered. 

"What's your plan?"

"I don't know." He confessed. Everyone sighed. He'd taken off with one thing in mind. Getting to Mel. Now that he was there, he had no idea how to get to her. 

He looked up to see Mel as pointing toward the back of the bus. The emergency exit. There was a sunroof in the van. He nodded toward her. He steered the van closely toward the back of the bus and turned off the ignition. He took the key out and stuffed it into his pocket.

Everyone stayed quiet. If there was no noise, they would disperse. Maybe. They didn't but instead opted to crowd the bus where everyone was in full view. He took his chance then. He didn't want the yellow smoke to get to them.

"Hey leave the key with me, in case we need to move off quick."

"No,"

"Look you , " the man wrestled Matthew stuffing his hand in his pocket. 
It was the wrong one. He shoved him off with his knee before landing a kick to the face.

He looked at the man wide eyed. Shocked at what he'd done.

"Sorry, I didn't mean,"

Everyone was quiet. The soldier was unconscious. Matthew used the silence to leave.

He slid open the shutter. Melissa was already waiting at the exit with a crowd of people behind her. They had to be quick. She'd have to leap onto the van. He'd be there to catch her if she fell.

She slid the door open slowly. Everyone pushed and she fell out and landed beside the van. Crazies clambered for her but couldn't get to her. Other people leapt on. Matthew lost his footing. He fell between the bus and van too. He boosted her onto the top the van. Instead of climbing in, she offered her hand to help him up. He landed hard on top of her. Their chests pressed together. Her breath was hot on his face. 

He clumsily got up and smiled. "Sorry". He helped her into the packed van of survivors.