Chapter 12
Things that go Bump in the Night
Cordelia woke up to a loud clap of thunder. She felt Spike tense beneath her.
"Rain Rain go away come again another day," Fred sang after yawning. She traced rain drops down the window with her finger.
"You sure do like to sing," Xander noted, stretching. "Everybody zonked out. Even Fred."
"What time is it?" Cordelia asked, lifting her head up from Spike. Her hair stuck to the left side of her sweaty face.
"About 4:30 in the AM," Wesley said, checking his watch.
"I'm bored," Fred complained. The bus took a lurch forward as it slammed on its breaks. Wesley gripped Fred before she could smack into the seat in front of her. Cordelia gripped Copper's collar tightly as Spike held onto her. After that the bus rolled a few feet then came to a complete stop.
"What's going on?" Angel asked.
"We hit something," Xander said, leaning over Angel to see outside of the window.
"Big foot," Fred whispered, ducking heard head under the window. She crept up and peeked outside. All that could be seen was rain and a dark roadside. Many of the other men on the bus got up to see what was going on.
"Ladies and Gentleman please take your seats. It appears we have hit something. I will go and investigate but please stay in the bus," the driver said getting up and heading towards the door. Fred whimpered.
"You think we hit a person?" Cordelia whispered to Spike.
"No Cordy. Probably just a wild animal or something. Xander and I should go check it out," he said beginning to get up. A scream was heard outside and everyone in the bus jumped. The first few lines of people on the bus ran outside to see what was going on. Spike and Xander also jumped up and went with the crowd. Wesley, Angel, Cordelia, and Fred sat and waited. Once everybody was off the bus they followed.
"Oh boy Wesley. What if it is big foot," Fred whispered gripping his hand.
"Fred there is no such thing as...," Wesley was quieted by the sight of their bus driver sprawled out on the wet street. Spike, Xander, and a few larger men were knelt around him. Angel and Wesley joined them as Copper led Cordelia and Fred to the front.
"What happened?" Wesley asked, practically having to shout to be heard over the wind, thunder, and commotion that was going on around them.
"Someone busted him up real well," a man with a long overcoat said.
"Or something," Fred murmured gripping Cordelia's arm tightly. Angel felt his neck.
"His pulse is faint. We need to get him to a hospital," Angel replied. He pointed to the man in the overcoat.
"You go and get the emergency contact phone in the side door of the driver's seat. Call 911."
"Alright," the guy ran up into the bus. As some people backed away Cordelia and Fred got a better view of the driver. He was lying unconscious on the ground, water rushing down either side of him, his body acting as a dam. His face was almost unrecognizable; it was slashed up, blood seeping through his hair and into the rushing water. His jacket was badly torn and he had a large gash in his neck. One of his legs looked like it was twisted in a way legs weren't supposed to. He looked like he had been mauled by an animal.
Fred gasped and started to cry quietly. Cordelia held her close and stroked her hair, trying to soothe her. A howl was heard off in the distance.
Copper howled back.