The survivors slowly regained consciousness and looked around, trying to figure out what happened. The bus was tipped upside down, but thankfully the Tank that had knocked it over was nowhere to be heard or seen.
"Is everyone okay?" Zoey asked, rubbing the back of her head.
"I'm fine," Nick said. "Shit, what the fuck happened?"
"Tank knocked the bus over," Bill said. "My bad leg hurts like hell, but otherwise I'm fine."
"Fuck, my shoulder popped out of its socket," Francis said. "It got caught on the steering wheel. Hurts like hell."
"Let me take a look," Zoey said, doing her best to crawl over to the front of the bus. When she reached Francis, she saw that his right arm was dislocated. "That looks bad."
"This isn't the first time," Francis said. "Maybe Coach and Nick can pop it back into place."
Coach howled in pain.
"Coach, what's wrong?" Zoey said.
"My fucking leg," Coach said.
Zoey crawled back over to where Coach was, and she could see that a bone was protruding from the back of his leg. Zoey became woozy and had to look away, gagging at the sight.
"What happened to me?" Coach asked her.
"You have a compound fracture," Zoey said. "It's really bad. You're not going to be able to walk."
"Fuck!" Coach yelled, still screaming in agony. "What the fuck am I going to do about this?"
"I don't know, I don't know," Zoey said. "Hey! Is everyone else okay?"
"I'm fine," Rochelle said. "Somehow."
Ellis screamed out in pain. "My arm!"
"Shit, hang on," Zoey said. She crawled over to Ellis to take a look.
"It's broken," Zoey said. "We'll need to make a makeshift splint for you."
"Um...I think I'm okay," Louis said, "but I have a splitting headache and I feel nauseous."
"Dammit," Zoey said.
"I'm also dizzy as hell," Louis said, "and I think I'm seeing double."
"Shit, you might have a concussion," Zoey said.
"How do you know that?" Louis asked.
"I was going to be pre-med before the apocalypse."
Coach was still crying in pain in the background and Ellis was biting back a scream as well.
"Fuck, what are we going to do?" Zoey asked.
"Hold on, let me think," Bill said. "First of all, we need to get the hell out of this bus. Can you pop open one of the side emergency exits? Should be marked."
"Hang on, I'm right next to one," Rochelle said. She fiddled with the bar on the window and managed to kick it open. "We've got an exit," she shouted.
"Not so loud," Louis said. "My head hurts."
"Okay," Bill said. Everyone who's able-bodied needs to help those who are more injured."
"I can get Ellis out," Zoey said.
"I'll take Francis," Rochelle said.
"Bill, you might need to help me with the big man," Nick said, indicating Coach, who was still crying out in pain.
"Louis," Bill said, "you think you can manage on your own, or should we send someone back for you?"
"I can try," Louis muttered, "but no guarantees."
"Let's move," Bill said.
Ellis was the easiest to move, so Zoey helped him up. With his arm around her, she walked him gingerly over to the exit.
"Ow ow ow," Ellis said, his broken arm in a precarious position.
"I know," Zoey said. "We'll get it in a splint soon, I promise. We have to get off this bus first, it's not safe."
"Okay, I get it," Ellis said.
Carefully, Zoey eased Ellis out of the bus exit, following him out the open window.
"We're out!" Zoey called. "Let's get Francis next!"
"Easy, big guy," Rochelle said, helping to brace Francis as they headed for the open window.
Francis's arm hung awkwardly, but he gritted his teeth and made no cry of pain. Rochelle helped him over to the window, and the two of them made their way out.
"Should we try to get Coach out next?" Rochelle called.
"Let's move Louis first," Bill said. "Son, can you walk?"
"When I get up, my head starts spinning," Louis said.
"Shit," Bill said. "Okay, Nick, you're gonna have to help Louis out and then come back for Coach."
"Got it. Come on, Louis, I'll get you out of here."
Nick was able to help steady Louis and moved him through the bus window. Zoey helped him off the bus, while Nick returned to try to help Bill with Coach.
"Good lord, this hurts so much," Coach said with a whimper. "What the hell are we gonna do?"
Bill took a closer look at the fracture. "That looks bad. Even if we're able to get you off this bus, you're not going to be able to walk."
"What the fuck are we gonna do?" Nick asked. "We can't leave Coach behind."
"I understand," Bill said. "We never left a man behind in Vietnam, but we have no way to get him treatment. He needs hospital care, surgery, and there's no one around to do it."
"We can't leave Coach behind," Nick said, almost in a panic. "I know I joke around and give you guys shit, but this guy's one of the reasons my sorry ass has survived this long. I can't abandon him now."
"Shit, Nick," Coach said through his pain. "I appreciate the loyalty, but there's no way in hell you can keep me with you. I'm gonna slow you guys down. I'm either gonna die in here, or die out there. You have to leave me here."
"No! There has to be another way," Nick said.
"What's happening in there?" Zoey yelled from outside the bus.
"We can't move Coach," Bill said, a wave of sorrow falling upon him. "We have to leave him."
"What? No!" Zoey yelled. "We're not abandoning anybody else. I won't go through that again!"
"Zoey, for Christ sake, even if we could get him out of here, he can't even walk. There's nothing else we can do."
"Bullshit!" Zoey yelled. "There has to be something we can do."
"Unless you've got a wheelchair or something, there's nothing for it." Bill said. "Even then, we need to keep him sedated so his cries of pain don't alert the Infected.
"How many of us have pain pills?" Zoey asked.
"I've got some," Rochelle said, "and Louis does, too."
"It doesn't matter," Bill said. "I've got pills, too, but the man needs surgery, and there's no one to give it to him."
"Fuck!" Zoey said. "Is there nothing else we can do?"
"There isn't," Bill said. "We have to leave him behind. I don't want to do it any more than you do, but there's nothing for it."
Zoey was in tears at this point, but finally she had to agree. "Fine, I understand. At least let us say goodbye first, please."
"Are there any signs of Infected nearby?" Bill asked.
"No," Rochelle said. "Nothing out here."
"Fine, I'll go first," Bill said before turning back to Coach. "Coach, I've only known you for a few weeks, but I always appreciated your optimism. I don't mention it often, but I'm a devout Christian, so while these kids can roll their eyes, your faith is a big part of the reason that we're still alive. I...I hope that the pearly gates are waiting for you on the other side. If I was making the decisions up there, letting you into heaven would be one of the easy ones."
Coach was still in intense pain, but he managed to mouth the words "thank you" to Bill.
"Nick, you can go next," Bill said.
"Got it," Nick turned to Coach. "Hey, if there is something waiting for us on the other side, you know I'd be heading in the other direction, so it's likely I'll never see you again. I give you guys shit, I know, but deep down, you guys are the closest thing I've ever had to friends. I'm gonna miss hiding behind you when the zombies attacked, because you were a pretty big target."
"Fuck you, Nick," Coach said, but through his pain he managed to crack a smile.
"You, too, big guy," Nick said. "Hey, how about you guys outside? Who's going next?"
"I'll do it," Louis said. Zoey helped him back to the open window. "Hey, man, before we ran into you guys, I was the only black guy in my group of survivors. I know things have changed a lot because of...the apoc...the Infection, but it was nice to have a brother to talk to when things got tough. Rochelle's still with us here, but damn, it's not gonna be the same without you. If...if heaven's got a football team up there, I hope you're coaching it."
"Thank you," Coach said.
"Francis, get over here," Zoey said. "We can fix your shoulder after."
"Ok," Francis said, making his way to the window. "Coach, man, I gotta be honest. Before the world went to hell, there's no way I would've given guys like you the time of day. That was my mistake. You're one of the toughest sons of bitches I ever met, and I was part of a gang where I was the small one. It's been an honor riding with you."
"Thanks," Coach said.
"Ellis, you're up," Zoey said.
"I don't know, babe, I don't know if I can do it. Can you go to someone else?"
"Fine. Rochelle, are you ready to go?"
"Yes," Rochelle said. "Coach, when the two of us met, I was lost. Not just geographically, either, but spiritually. The world was falling apart around me, and I didn't know what to do. I found you randomly wandering on the side of the road, and I didn't know what else to do. I introduced myself, and you treated me like a member of your family. I was gonna ride or die with you to the end. I just...fuck, I just didn't think the end would come this soon."
"Me...neither," Coach said. "Roch, you're gonna have to keep 'em honest now."
"Of course," Rochelle said, and despite laughing, a tear fell down her eye.
"I'll go," Zoey said. "Coach...fuck." She started sobbing. "I promise I don't mean this in a bad way, but you remind me of my father. He...he was a fighting spirit like you. You got a raw deal. You should have had more time. I don't want this to be goodbye." Zoey continued to sob. Rochelle walked over to her and offered her a hug, which she accepted.
"I'm sorry," Coach said. "I'm sorry...that I couldn't keep going with you."
"Ellis, you're last up," Rochelle said, still comforting Zoey.
"Shit, I don't know. I don't think I can do it."
"Hey!" Bill yelled from the bus. "Ellis, you better say some parting words now, or you're going to regret it later."
"Okay, okay," Ellis said. "Fuck, Coach, Zoey's right. You remind me of my old man, too. We're gonna be lost without you. I remember when you and Rochelle found me as the world was going to hell. I was panicking, and I didn't know who else to turn to, but you two took me in and gave me a chance when most people would've left me in the dust. I'm gonna miss you."
"Thank you...Ellis," Coach said. "Thanks to all of you. Now go, get the hell outta here. But first...Bill, take my shotgun and my first aid kit."
Bill did as Coach asked, taking the shotgun for himself and giving Nick the first aid kit. The two of them left the bus. The seven survivors waved Coach goodbye and turned away.
"Hang on, Ellis, give me a second." Zoey tore a part of his shirt off of him. "I'm gonna make you a splint." Zoey fashioned the splint quickly, getting Ellis's broken arm in proper position. "Roch, give him your pain pills," she said. She helped Ellis take a few.
"Okay, big guy," Rochelle said to Francis. "Nick, you and I are gonna have to pop his arm back in."
"The fuck?" Nick asked.
"Normally I'd ask Francis to help, but given the circumstances…"
"Alright, fine," Nick said. "Hang tough, Francis."
"Fuck me, does anyone know how to do this?" Rochelle asked.
"Not really, to be honest," Zoey asked, "but I do know it's gonna hurt like hell."
"Just do it," Francis said. "This is starting to feel uncomfortable."
"Hey!" Coach yelled, before crying out in pain. "Are you trying to fix Francis's arm?"
"Yeah!" Zoey called back.
"Get your asses back over here. I had to learn how to do that when I was coaching high school."
"Okay. Guys, get over here."
Nick, Rochelle, and Francis headed back to the bus.
"It's called the Kocher method," Coach said. "It's gonna be uncomfortable as hell, but it's the best way to do it."
"Walk us through it, Coach," Rochelle said.
"Have Francis hold his arm out to the right."
"Like this?" Nick asked.
"Yeah, that's good. That's the external rotation."
"What next?" Rochelle asked.
"Next is adduction," Coach said. "Rochelle, hold the arm steady. Nick, you need to rotate his arm."
"Like this?"
"No, the other way."
Nick rotated Francis's arm.
"Shit, this feels weird," Francis said.
"I know, almost done." Coach said. "Now, rotate the arm back and rest his hand on the opposite shoulder."
Rochelle and Nick did so, and Francis felt his shoulder pop back in.
"Fuck!" Francis yelled. "Hey...I think this is better."
"You need to make a splint for him as well," Coach said, "but now at least your shoulder ain't outta your socket."
"Thanks, Coach," Francis said.
"Here," Bill said. "Take my pills. You need them more than I do."
"Coach, I owe you big time," Francis said.
"You can pay me back by staying the hell alive out there," Coach said. "Don't let me...don't let me die for nothing."
"We love you, Coach," Rochelle said. "Thank you for everything."
"I'll be keeping an eye on you from upstairs," Coach said. "Be good."
"We will," Bill said. "We gotta go, the next city's a hike from here."
The survivors waved goodbye to Coach one last time and walked away, using the nearby highway as a guide.
"I can't believe this is happening," Ellis said. "Fuck, a few hours ago, we were driving down the highway like we were kings of the road. Now Coach is gone? What the hell did we do to deserve this?"
"Nothing," Nick said. "Look, I know Coach was a man of God, but there ain't no God I know that would put the world through this kinda hell."
"Are you sure about that?" Bill asked. "Guess you don't know much about the Old Testament."
"All I know is that man was the most worthy of us, and he was the one that got fucked," Nick said. "If I had been sitting where he was, it would've been me you were leaving behind back there. How the fuck is that fair?"
"Survivor's guilt is a hell of a thing," Rochelle said.
"Did I say I was feeling guilty?" Nick asked.
"You implied it," Rochelle responded. "I was stationed in New Orleans when Katrina hit three years ago. You want to know what I heard from families who lost loved ones? They felt guilty about surviving. They said they wished it could've been them instead. I never thought I was gonna cover a disaster like that for the rest of my career. Then...well, you see what's happened."
"Fuck," Nick said. "I can't believe I would ever feel like that. Before this shit started happening, I didn't give a damn about anyone besides myself."
"What a surprise," Zoey said.
"Yeah, you laugh, but believe it or not, I was ten times the asshole back then that I am now. Being with you guys is turning me soft."
"I'm sure you must hate that," Bill said.
"Yeah, you would think. A couple years ago, that's exactly how I would've reacted. Now? I give at least ten percent of a shit. That's, like, twenty percent more of a shit more than I used to give."
"I'm not so good at math," Ellis said, "but that sounds like an improvement."
"Don't hurt yourself more than you already have," Nick said.
The seven survivors continued walking down the road. It was nightfall at this point, but nobody wanted to take a rest. Although they didn't say it aloud, everyone was feeling the kind of survivor's guilt Rochelle had alluded to. No one had imagined that when they met that they would have to leave somebody behind. Zoey in particular was distraught, the thought of abandoning the military base still fresh on her mind.
"Hang on, can we stop?" Zoey asked. "I feel like crap, and it's pitch black out."
"Yes," Bill said, taking Zoey aback. "We're still recovering from the crash. Two of you have their arms in splints. Let's stop."
Gratefully, the survivors sat where they were. Just off of the highway, the grass was long enough to make for more comfortable ground than the forest they had traversed a few weeks ago. Comfort, however, was not on the survivors' minds at the moment. Their thoughts were still at the site of the bus crash, where they had left Coach to die.
"I need to say something," Zoey said. "I still feel like shit for leaving Coach back there. Could we not have done more for him?"
"What could we have done?" Nick asked.
"We had pain pills with us," Zoey said. "We could have at least made him more comfortable."
"Comfort is a luxury we can't afford," Bill said. "Not anymore. Besides, I think we all know Coach would have refused."
"We should have asked him, at least," Zoey said.
"Honey, the Coach I know would have refused," Rochelle said. "Bill's right."
"We left him there writhing in pain," Zoey said, her voice rising. "We should have helped him."
"Zoey," Ellis said, putting his good hand on her shoulder. "I get what you're saying, but the best way to honor the memory of Coach is to do what he told us to do. His...damn, his dying wish was for us to survive."
"Until when?" Nick asked. "How the fuck is it that since this apocalypse we're the only survivors we've encountered? Has anyone met any other survivors out there?"
"We did," Zoey said, "once."
"You did?" Nick asked. "How is this the first we're hearing about it?"
"It was a bone of contention among the four of us," Bill said, indicating himself, Zoey, Francis, and Louis. "We chose not to burden you with the details."
"I think you ought to tell us what happened," Rochelle said. "We need to know who else might be out there."
"Nobody now," Zoey said. "Bill made sure of that."
"For fuck's sake, Zoey," Bill said, pinching his nose out of frustration.
"Wait a minute," Rochelle said. "In the news industry, I was always told there's two sides to every story. You and Zoey clearly have differences of opinion here. I would expect Louis to be the most neutral party, but he's still dealing with a concussion. Francis, maybe you should tell the story."
"Fine," Francis said.
"And try to keep the color commentary to a minimum," Rochelle said. "I know you like to embellish."
"Sure," Francis said. "We stumbled upon a military base up North in Pennsylvania. We'd been on the run from zombies for a while. Had a few crazy standoffs before that, but no signs of any other large group of survivors, until we found that base. Millhaven, it was called. That's where we found out that we were carriers, but that we were also immune to the disease.
"One of the lieutenants—Mora—we told him about the Special Infected. You know, Hunters, Smokers, that kinda shit. He wanted to evacuate the base. His superior, Everly, refuses to do it.
"Mora, and this is the stupid part, sounds an evacuation alarm, which was supposed to save everyone on the base. All it does is attract zombies from all over the fucking place. We met up with a couple soldiers and a doctor, all immune, but things went to hell when we found a train to escape on. The soldiers died trying to hold back the Infected, and Bill decided to leave the doctor behind to save us."
"So," Rochelle said, "if I'm correct, it seems like the difference of opinion is whether you should have waited for that doctor before taking off."
"If we had waited any longer, we would have all died," Bill said. "I'm the last person who wanted to leave that doctor behind, but if we didn't do that, we wouldn't be here."
"If we did do that, we might have had a chance to save Coach back there," Zoey said.
"Zoey," Bill said, "so much has happened since we boarded that train. Do you honestly think that things would have panned out so similarly?"
"You're talking about the Butterfly Effect," Zoey said, "and I don't appreciate it."
"Okay," Rochelle said, "clearly this is a sore subject for both of you. However, what this tells me is that we should be seeking out military bases. If you were able to find one up North, there might be some down here that have survivors as well."
"Roch, there's one problem with that," Nick said. "We're in the middle of fucking nowhere, with no idea where we are. There could be a base within walking distance, and we wouldn't have a fucking clue how to get there."
"I'm guessing no one has a working phone at this point," Ellis said. "Can't remember the last time I even had power to charge a phone."
"Then what the hell are we gonna do next?" Nick asked. "Follow the highway and hope we find signs of civilization?"
"That's exactly what we have to do," Bill said. "It's not much of a lead, but this highway leads somewhere. Maybe when we reach the next town, we can figure out what to do."
"Whatever we do next," Rochelle said, "we need to survive, or Coach will have died for nothing. On that, I think we can all agree."
"We should sleep now," Bill said, "and head out at dawn."
None of the survivors argued with that idea. Bill decided to take the first watch alone that night. Just before Zoey went to sleep, she wondered if Bill was perhaps feeling guilty after all about the choice he made at Millhaven. She supposed she would have to wait until the morning to find out.