[h2][center][color=007236]Stella Herabalem[/color], Tobias Rivenridge, [color=daa520]Zaylin Devonshire[/color], Alcina and Franky Carter

The Bus[/center][/h2]

Stella walked over to Tobias as he waved her and Zaylin over and offered a small smile. [color=007236]“You got us some seats I presume?”[/color] She looked  up at him. She noticed a few other students had started filling onto the bus, filling up the seats. 

[color=662d91]”Of course,”[/color] he replied as he gestured toward the door, [color=662d91]”Just there in the front, where my bag is.”[/color]

[color=007236]“Thank you Tobias.”[/color] Stella got onto the bus and sat on the seat where Tobias had thrown his bag. She gently picked up the bag and put it in her own lap to let Tobias sit down. She noticed the seats across the aisle from them were open and waved over Zaylin. [color=007236]“Why don’t you sit near us?”[/color] She smiled over at the older girl and looked around at the bus. She did notice that there were a few people behind where Tobias had put his bag, including a pair of… siblings? Maybe? She shrugged and looked forward, waiting for the bus to leave the school far, far behind.

Zaylin quickly glanced at the mostly crowded bus, and nodded a thanks before taking a seat opposite Stella and Tobias. Her attention turned to Tobias.

[color=daa520]“I’m Zaylin, by the way.”[/color] She offered him a hand to shake. [color=daa520]“Friends call me Zay,”[/color] she added, glancing to Stella with a smile.

[color=662d91]”Tobias,”[/color] he replied as he shook hands with her, [color=662d91]”Some people call me Tobi, I don’t mind either way.”[/color] 

[color=662d91]”So…”[/color] he continued as the bus started to roll away, [color=662d91]”Guess we’re leaving that place behind, finally.”[/color]

The blond girl behind Stella was drawing small doodles of the school in the frost she created on the window, paying no mind to the newcomers seated in front of her. But the bespectacled boy across the aisle from her sure was. 

From behind them, [color=fdc68a][i][b]“It’s a shame really, leaving behind something that beautiful, even under the unfortunate circumstances.”[/b][/i][/color]His face had a slightly apologetic smile upon it.

Stella turned to look at the unnamed male behind her and raised an eyebrow. [color=007236]“Why is it a shame? Other students are dying here. Who knows who could be next?”[/color] She scooted a bit closer to Tobias and frowned. Yes, Northwood could be considered ‘beautiful’ but all the bodies that seemed to be piling up around them was not. 

[color=daa520]“The architecture [i]is[/i] beautiful,”[/color] Zaylin added, looking to the boy as she placed her bag on the seat beside her, [color=daa520]“but she’s,”[/color] she nodded to Stella, [color=daa520]“got a point, you know.”[/color]

The boy nodded, [color=fdc68a][i][b]“Just running isn’t so much solving a problem, whatever it may be. Just leaving behind a waste. But maybe I just don’t know what I’m talking about.” [/b][/i][/color]He then stuck his hand over the seat, a nervous smile on his face, [color=fdc68a][i][b]“Franky by the way, and that’s my sister Alcina,” [/b][/i][/color]nodding at the blonde girl across the way.

Stella held out her hand. [color=007236]”I’m Stella. This is…”[/color] She paused for a moment. Was it presumptuous to call Tobias her boyfriend? Probably was. [color=007236]“Tobias. And sitting across from us is my friend Zaylin. Nice to meet you, even if we are leaving today.”[/color] She looked over at Alcina, and offered a small wave.

Alcina turned at the mention of her name, smiling very briefly at the wave, before turning back. Franky continued, [color=fdc68a][i][b]“Where are we off to? I seem to have missed that in the chaos.”[/b][/i][/color]

[color=662d91]”Into town from the sounds of it,”[/color] Tobias said, [color=662d91]”Though it seems the sentiment is that anywhere is fine, so long as it’s away from the school and someplace we can get an explanation. ‘Specially with how it seemed to get all dark and creepy there a bit ago. Sends me the shivers thinkin’ about it.”[/color]

Zaylin snorted as she reached into her bag. [color=daa520]“[i]If[/i] we get an explanation at all,”[/color] she grumbled. 

[color=007236]“I’m just glad to be leaving. The plants aren’t happy and honestly it’s making me worried. Like what just happened today is the tip of the iceberg. The further we get away, the happier I’ll be.”[/color] Stella said. She did realize something though. The bus was moving for sure, but the screaming of the plants didn’t seem to be getting any further away at that moment. [color=007236]”Um… is it just me or is something not right?”[/color] She turned to look out the window.

[color=daa520]“What part of today doesn’t fit under that description?”[/color] Zaylin looked to Stella as she pulled a notebook from the bag. Worry crossed her face for a moment as she glanced to the damp cover.

[color=007236]”What is wrong Zay?”[/color] Stella asked, quickly picking up on the worry on her friends face.

[color=662d91]”Wait… what the hell?”[/color] Tobias asked as he sat bolt upright. 

[color=007236]“What is it?”[/color] Stella asked, turning back to Tobias.

[color=662d91]”My ability… one of the side-effects of it is I get these tingles that run up and down my spine. Nothing dangerous, but the thing is, they’re never the same. Ever. Except they have been. They’ve repeated three or four times in the past 10 minutes. Repeating [i]exactly.[/i]”[/color]

[color=007236]”That is weird. Wait, are we, passing the school again?”[/color] Stella turned to look out the window, noticing Northwood pass them by again. [color=007236]”He must have taken a wrong turn or something.”[/color] Stella shrugged and looked back over at Zaylin. [color=007236]”So, what’s wrong Zay?”[/color]

[color=daa520]“Just... “[/color] Zaylin put the notebook back in her bag. [color=daa520]“A bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.”[/color]

Alcina spoke lightly, not really looking at them, [color=6ecff6][i][b]“We keep passing the same trees.” [/b][/i][/color]

Franky looked over at her, [color=fdc68a][i][b]“What do you mean, Al? We’ve been driving too long to keep passing the same things.”[/b][/i][/color]

The girl shrugged, [color=6ecff6][i][b]“They’re just the same.”[/b][/i][/color]

Franky looked to the others, pushing his glasses up his nose a bit, [color=fdc68a][i][b]“Anyone else notice that?”[/b][/i][/color]

As Stella looked out the window, they passed the school again. [color=007236]”Okay,  that is the second time now! We are going in a loop!”[/color]

[color=daa520]“Maybe the driver’s lost,”[/color] Zaylin offered doubtfully as she stood, placing a hand on the seat in front of her. [color=daa520]“I’ll check.”[/color]

[color=007236]”Thank you, Zay.”[/color]

Zaylin nodded and hurried to the driver’s seat. After a moment, she returned, a frown on her face and concern in her eyes as she sat hard.

[color=daa520]“The guy’s as confused as we are,”[/color] she scowled. [color=daa520]“And went on a rant about driving these roads for ten years.”[/color]

[color=007236]”Is he going to turn around and take us back to the school? I mean, it is the only option that makes sense given that we’re passing it, again!”[/color] Stella looked out the window and them go by the school for a third time. 

Zaylin nodded. [color=daa520]“Sounded like that was the plan.”[/color]

Stella nodded, noticing that the bus was slowing as it started to turn back on the road back to the school. It was soon parked back in the bus spot where they had started about ten minutes ago. Some of the other students muttered to themselves as the bus doors opened, and Dr. Mann stood up from his seat.

“Students, go back to the gym. No questions at this time.” Of course there was a deluge of questions, and Dr. Mann sighed. “NO QUESTIONS! Back to the GYM!” Suddenly the questions stopped and the students started filing out of the bus. Stella grabbed Tobias’ hand a looked at him.

[color=007236]”Stay with me, please?”[/color] She looked up at him, her eyes a bit wide in fright. They were still at the school, they had not gone anywhere. The thought was terrifying. 

He nodded, squeezed her hand gently, and let her lean on him. [color=662d91]”As long as you need.”[/color]

Franky started to get up, looking over at his sister, who was visibly shaking. A small sigh escaped his lips, as he extended a hand toward her, [color=fdc68a][i][b]“We won’t go back there, I promise Al.”[/b][/i][/color] She nodded, taking his hand, and following out, staying closer to her brother. Franky looked toward Stella, [color=fdc68a][i][b]“You’re not really going back there, are you? I can’t take Al there.”[/b][/i][/color]

Stella leaned up against Tobias and looked at Franky. [color=007236]”Where else are we supposed to go? It is obvious that we can’t leave. We’re stuck here. I’d rather be with my friends right now than alone, and if that means going back to that place, then that’s where we’re going to have to go.”[/color] She went to head off the bus with Tobias and Zaylin, keeping her hand in Tobias’.