Spike

"Why the hell are we going so damn slow?" Whispered Andrew, but loud enough for us to hear.

We didn't comment because we knew these were some moody assholes and could just turn around and shoot all of us. Our best bet was to keep our mouthes shut and see where we are going.

"Radio the front bus now will ya? These bloody idiots are slower than snails. Christ above!." The driver told the security guard in anger.

"Calm down mate. I will see what's wrong." The guard said as we stopped.

I glanced over the head of the person sitting in front of me. All the other visible buses had stopped too. It was worrying because I started to overthink the matter.

'What if the order to relocate us never really came from the government and these people are just taking us somewhere to kill us and get rid of the corpses quickly?' I kept thinking.

"Alright lads don't worry I will see whats wrong out there." Said the guard loudly with a smirk.

He picked up his rifle and climbed down the steps and jumped out.

"Round two of the slaughter?" Asked Sergei.

"I know just as much as you know Sergei. Whatever it is they want from us, I don't know what it is. But we have to listen to whatever they tell us to do." I stressed out.

"Calm down mate. It's going to be alright." Said Andrew. Surprisingly calm.

I nodded. That's all I could do. I remembered the key and suddenly I had an urge to uncuff everyone around me. Then I thought maybe it isn't the right time.

We heard a very loud roar coming from outside and people screaming at the top of their lungs almost as if they are being torn apart.

'Maybe another slaughter but then what was the roar?' I thought to myself.

"Aye who is the dumbass who is screaming like a lady out there?" Shouted the driver.

A loud metal crashing sound followed shortly by more crashing sounds came from outside.

The driver climbed down and started walking towards them with confidence.

I saw one of the gurads bolting past the bus through the window. His face was pale, eyes were wide. Almost as if he had seen a ghost.

"What the fu..." The driver said before letting out a scream that made the hair on the back of my neck stand.

'Screw it I'm getting us out of here.' I made a split second decision.

I slipped my hand into my shoe and got the key out. I uncuffed my hands and feet, that was the way they had cuffed us, wrists and ankles. Then I uncuffed Sergei and Andrew too.

"Aye brotha." Someone said in the frontmost seat.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Whatever is happening out there I can help you in dealing with it." He said confidently.

"No I'm sorry Emmanuel, we can't take the risk." Andrew said.

"I can help." He said as he grabbed my arm.

I thought about it for a couple of seconds then uncuffed him as well. The others started shouting at us because we didn't uncuff them. I needed to know what was out there as soon as possible.

We got off the bus to a haunting scene. I froze in place. Five of the eight buses were turned over and there were bodies scattered on the street. Bodies of fellow inmates and of guards. There also was a huge creature just tearing into our driver's guts with its claws. It was doing it with a scary amount of ease. Then it took one gigantic bite into his body and tore it in half. It also had a long tail which had some spikes at its tip.

I realised that Sergei was to my right and on my left were Andrew and Emmanuel.

I saw Emmanuel run and pick up one of the rifles. Before I could say anything he starting onloading on the beast.

It turned around and showed us its bloody face. Big red eyes, giant teeth, and to top it off a red glow hovering within its skin.

"Lord have mercy." Said Andrew.

"What are you waiting for, pick up and start shooting." Shouted Emmanuel.

As much as I hated what he said, it was the only thing that could possibly save our lives.

I picked up a shotgun, a SPAS 12. Andrew got a revolver and Sergei picked up a knife.

Then the beast roared so loudly I thought my ear drums would pop out of their place. Then it started slowly making its way towards us.

"SHOOT THE BASTARD." Shouted Sergei.

We started shooting just before it used its long tail to knock Andrew and Emmanuel off their feet. Then it leapt and planted me on the ground and stood on top of me. It looked at me for a couple of seconds before roaring into my face. I was shitting myself. I tried to get myself out of its grip but to no avail. Then it suddenly flopped onto my body. It was so heavy that I couldn't breath.

The other three dragged it away from me but not without a lot of struggling and panting. I could finally breath.

All four of us were breathing heavily. I took a look at the beast again and saw a big knife sticking out of its neck. The beast was still alive and breathing but softly. I guessed that Sergei planted the knife in its neck.

"What in the world is this thing?" Questioned Emmanuel.

"Whatever it is, it's not cool with humans." Answered Andrew.

"It is bigger than most thing..." I jammed.

I saw Spike's collar around the beast's neck. It was Spike.

"What's wrong Daniel?" Asked Sergei.

"The collar." Was all I could say.

They took a closer look at it and Sergei gasped. Andrew froze in his place.

"What?" Asked Emmanuel in confusion.

"That's Spike, Daniel's dog." Explained Sergei.

"No way look at the size of that thing." Emmanuel refused to believe.

I heard some static coming from one of the other buses and I went to it.

"Pvt (Private)' Fredricks?" Asked the voice in the radio. "Pvt. Fredricks where are you?"

I reached to grab the radio but Sergei grabbed my arm.

"What?" I asked.

"What if this is a trap?" Asked Sergei.

"He's right. Just uncuff everyone and let's go." Said Andrew.

"They will come after us eventually." I said as I raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever, just don't tell him what happened here no matter who he is." Said Emmanuel.

I grabbed the radio.

"This is Daniel Hughes. Who am I talking to?" I asked.

"Daniel! What the hell are you doing here. Get back to your seat." I could tell it was the warden.

"Sir our buses were attacked by a giant creature and all the security left us behind." I said

"Well Daniel, I trust you to infrom every inmate there that their charges have been dropped by an order from the government. You are free to go home." He said quickly. "Break their cuffs or do whatever you want with them. Just send them home. Please." He continued.

"Alright sir. Thank you." I said as I didn't know what else I could say.

"Take care Daniel. Goodbye."

"Goodbye sir."

"The hell was that about?" Asked Andrew.

"Why do we care? He said we are free to go home." I said as I bolted towards our bus.

I entered the bus and started uncuffing everyone as they freely went outside. It was nice to see people happy for the first time in a long time, years for some of them.

"Warden Richard said we are free to go home. I recommend you lot go in that bus. Get to the closest place to home." I suggested.

"What about you Daniel?" Asked Emmanuel.

"I have something important to do alongside these two." I said as I pointed to Sergei and Andrew.

"Where to?" He asked.

"I don't know for now, but I will know soon enough." I said confidently.

They got back on the bus after retrieving the key from the driver. We waved at them as Emmanuel drove them away from us.

"What now?" Asked Andrew.

"Where now?" Asked Sergei.

"We walk." I said, walking westwards.