The breeze blew gently through the tall grass as the sunset beamed down majestically on the hill. There was sweet birdsong in the air. Aside from that, and the rhythmic squeaking metal sound, there was peace. Occasionally the silence was broken by the giggling sound of a young child. The innocence of youth on this magical summer morning.

"I wanna fly up over the town!" The excited voice chirped.

Long auburn hair blew as the little girl swung ever higher. The tall oak tree stood alone on the hill in the meadow. The young man behind smiled as he pushed her forth. If there was such a thing as a perfect moment, this would be it.

In the distance, beneath the hill, the village stirred. It was idyllic and tranquil. Such things are not meant to last...

He gently pulled the swing back as the sound of thunder rolled in the distance. So much for perfection.

"No flying today. Maybe next time okay?" He said as the girl pulled a sour face.

Despite her protestations, he picked her up and carried her across the meadow. Glancing back at the storm nervously he picked up the pace. Didn't want to be caught out in this.

The swing blew gently back and forth in the breeze. The squeaking was the only sound that could be heard above the thunder.

Kristoff stood staring in the parking lot. The thunder rocked his very core. There was a murmur in the distance. A hand was placed on his shoulder as he snapped to attention.

Roth looked him in the eyes gently.

"We need to get going." He said with a firm voice.

Kristoff looked up at the stormy sky and gritted his teeth. He felt like death. Not that it mattered anymore. There would be no more perfect moments, he was sure of that.

Roth stood waiting by the door of the bus. Where the hell was that driver? Kristoff was sat at the back, slumped over in despair. He didn't look well. Not that Roth could really blame him. And it was still there...the scene in the basement. He sighed.

His eyes caught the figure approaching in the distance.

"Hurry!" Roth shouted out above the growing storm. It stumbled and dashed nervously.

"Sorry..." it said awkwardly.

Roth climbed on the bus as the driver took his seat. He moved to the back of the bus and sat himself next to his young friend. Kristoff glanced up, cowering and shivering under his coat. He had a whiskey bottle in his hand. Roth sighed. He wasn't going to object, now of all times. Kristoff drank as the bus lurched into life.

Roth clambered to his feet and approached the driver. He pulled out the gun from his pocket thoughtfully. The driver glanced over in terror. Who was this guy anyway?

"Will ya stop waving that thing around?!" The driver snarled angrily.

Roth shrugged.

"I can't use it anyway."

He slid it back into his pocket. The driver glanced at him confused as he turned his attention back to the road. They were moving out now. The skies were getting darker and grimmer.

"What'd you say?!" A voice from the seats called out.

Roth laughed slightly.

"I was a priest. I've never fired a gun in my life. At least not one that a computer didn't power...." his voice faded out as he lost himself in a memory.

The bus driver shook his head. What a nut-job.

"What's your name?" Said Roth gently to the bus driver.

The driver glanced up and smiled awkwardly. "I'm Malion."

"Malion Ma-"

He never finished as his body slumped down on the wheel. His foot was still pressed firmly on the gas pedal. Some high energy force had just blasted right through his abdomen with a horrifying whish sound that left a little shattered hole in the window.

Roth glared at the bus, now veering uncertainly into the road. Traffic was building somewhat. End of the world weather will do that. There was another whish sound as a high energy blast came through a different window. Roth glared in horror as the passengers began jumping from their seats and screaming out in a horrible chorus.

Taking a firm grip of the wheel, Roth span it and veered the bus just past the path of a speeding car, over a nearby grassy verge and into the bushes. It teetered uncomfortably as it rolled down the bank. Two of the passengers leapt up and shook the recumbent body from the seat as Roth pulled firmly on the brake.

With a sickening jolt that sent everybody to the ground, the bus ceased it's chaotic momentum. Roth signalled to the floor as everybody crept low. Except Kristoff who was passed out at the back, in front of the seat where he'd just fallen.

"What the hell is going on?!" One of the passengers demanded.

Roth looked up at the holes in the glass. They weren't stray shots or cross-fires. Something was targeting the driver. Something then tried to take a shot at him.

They knew who he was, and more to the point, they knew where he was. That meant that they were already...

He sighed.

"Alright, we have a bit of a problem." Roth said, standing uncertainly.

"We've been infiltrated. I thought that with the numbers matching the motel registry we'd be safe but...it seems they've taken on human forms..."

He looked at the shaken passengers.

"And are sitting amongst us as I speak."

There was a snarl from the crowd.

"What have, you stupid old bastard?!" The voice yelled.

Roth glanced down angrily.

"Now look here!" He yelled out into the crowd. "That's not proper. I am trying to help us all through this."

He sat down firmly in an empty seat by the body of the recently deceased driver.

"When I say they I mean...the dark ones. The damned." He looked at the puzzled faces and sighed.

"I'm used to people who don't want to believe me. Not too long back I was trying to convince a very stubborn group of people there was a monstrous demon on the loose. They left me to my devices...and well it didn't end so good."

He shut his eyes for a few seconds and opened them.

"But the fact is we're all in very real danger. These things are...monstrous. They aren't mortal, so can't be destroyed by most ordinary means. And they're sat on this bus right now."

He looked at the crowd for the flicker of emotion beyond fear and shock. Nothing.

"And they're hiding well. They can communicate telepathically. They don't need to even talk. They're sat here plotting our demise and instructing the others to come towards us. The others being the force that created that black pillar in the sky."

Somebody else rose to their feet.

"Well whatever. I'll believe it. It's not natural what's happening out there. We need to figure something out and do what this guy says. He knows his stuff right?"

There was some disagreement followed by screaming as another whish sound made a clean hole in the glass, taking off a chunk of another passenger's ear.

Roth stood up firmly and quickly.

"No time to waste. Somebody needs to drive this thing. Somebody else must be able to. I would if I could."

Roth looked down and reached into his pocket. Pulling the gun out he snarled as he held it out to the crowd.

"And somebody more capable than me needs to hold this. I don't know how many of you are real, and how many are these...abominations taking on human form. But when this bus gets back on the road, we're going to face a flurry of them coming from all angles. Somebody is going to have to sit on the roof and pick them off if they come close."

There was a murmur from the crowd.

"This needs to be decided fast. If nobody steps forward, we'll have to take our chances on foot."

Roth looked out of the window at the spreading blackness and back at the fallen driver.

"And I'll be honest, those chances are pretty slim."

Objectives:
- Vote for a new bus driver. You have 24 hours to make the decision. Over half the players must vote for the same person. With 19 players it will take 10 votes to reach a consensus. Vote by posting ##Bus: Player Name

- Vote for a player to hold the gun. That player will gain the gun as an item once the votes reach a majority. You have 24 hours to make the decision. With 19 players it will take 10 votes to reach a consensus. Vote by posting ##Gun: Player Name

- Create a bootlist vote in your votes thread. See the rules for more details on this. All 19 players must be listed, from most suspicious through to least suspicious. You have 48 hours to make this vote.

Phase 1 ends in 48 hours

Will there be any perks to being the bus driver?

I volunteer as either gun holder or bus driver, I dont think they should be the same person. Dont put all the eggs in the same basket ya all

Noooo Mal!

##Bus: Ari

##Gun: Henry

ah heinz the great memories we had when you held a gun in Lab 1

I hope the air conditioning isn't cranked up.

##Cover Mal with a blanket :sad:


##Bus: Ari
Stay safe in the driver's seat my friend.


I think we need to make sure whoever has the gun is someone that will be around in case it needs used. Also, someone we can trust to hold it and use it appropriately.

yeah that's i voted henry. that guy's realiable, like clock work. and he knows how to handle a piece

Henry_42 @ 5/9/2012 18:06

yeah that's i voted henry. that guy's realiable, like clock work. and he knows how to handle a piece

lol good point. You are already holding a gun in your avatar. Destiny?

Vern steal gun? :)

at work: but ill try and read the flavor later maybe... is it important?

Henry_42 @ 5/9/2012 14:48

##Gun: Henry

Yes Henry cause this worked out so well before

##Bus: Ari

oh btw...random thought: let's assume arius one will be the busdriver who's supposed to get the group from a to b. what could happen on that little field trip? of course, the bus will crash and most likely the busdriver will fly through the windshield, down a cliff and into a pit. if you ask me , the busdriver seat comes with only one, namingly the "died just like in the movies"-perk.