-November 20, New York City NY-

Bodies, sweat, heat. Blaring lights reflect off the marble floor causing my eyes to hurt and my head to pound. Thousands of people busy in transit, no one cares about anyone. A man crashes into my shoulder, he's on his phone, he doesn't even say sorry. A lady's voice booms over a loudspeaker, "Last call for overnight to Atlanta, Georgia, Gate 17.

I try to recall the last twelve hours. Nothing comes to mind, only the bodies and the blood, there was so much blood. New York was a mistake; I should have never come here and I have to get out fast before another accident happens.

A mother with her three children walks by; she gives me a nasty glare, pulling her children to the opposite side of the hall. I must look like shit. Ahead is a bathroom, just beyond Gate 17. There are still a few people sitting in the blue plastic chairs, and the bus has a long line of passengers checking tickets. It'll be at least another ten minutes before it leaves.

I opt to dip into the bathroom. I drop my duffle on the counter and set my suitcase under it. My eyes are bloodshot and large bags sit under them. My jacket is filthy and has a tear in the elbow. I notice my backside is wet and there's black gunk in my hair. I must have fallen on the way here. How could I not remember that?

I rip my bag open and being fixing the damage, brushing what appears to be oil out of my hair and hiding the bags under my eyes with foundation. I take the destroyed jacket off and replace it with a long sleeve shirt. I pat down my pants and look once more into the mirror. I still look like shit, but maybe now I can get on the bus.

A heavy wave of pain echoes from my temple, causing shockwaves of shivers to roll down my spine. My hands go to the counter to hold myself up as a second wave hits even harder than the first. I feel my legs grow weak and shaky as a third and even more powerful wave hits, taking my breath and sight with it.

I gasp for air as a memory flashes to the surface, a man. Twenty at least, he's wearing a red shirt with a black apron, across the top of the apron reads "Fresh Foods Inc" with apples as O's. He has short brown hair, tan skin, and soft brown eyes. He's sweating and has his head down looking at a table; between his fingers is a soupy orange rag.

I manage to get air into my lungs; I've never seen this man before. This is not my memory. The vision becomes stronger, a small lady approaches him, he doesn't notice at first. She's at least two heads shorter than him with her black hair in a bun; she has the same red shirt with the same black apron and looks just as miserable as him.

"Neel!" She calls, snapping the guy out from his deep thought. He looks up, surprised, and then she continues, "I'm going to start vacuuming the back. The party of twenty left a few minutes ago."

The man, Neel, replies, "Fine, fine Maria," resuming his work scrubbing the table.

Somewhere behind Neel is the sound of someone pushing on a door. The sound comes two more times before a man shouts, "Excuse me Sir, the exit seems to be stuck."

Neel looks up; he's in a large restaurant of some sort. A tall bald man with tattoos on his arms, and a woman with baseball sized earrings carrying a black leather purse are at the exit. Beyond the glass door and the wall of windows is an unlit parking lot. "It shouldn't be," Neel scoffs setting down his towel.

He wipes the orange soup from his fingers onto his apron while heading back to the customers. "I'm so sorry," Neel comments, "These shouldn't be locked until after everyone leaves, let me just make sure." He pushes against the handle and the door doesn't budge.

The woman gives an awkward smile as Neel shrugs and heads to the second exit on the other side of two tables. He pushes to find the second door is also locked. "You guys just don't want us to leave," the husband grins.

Neel rolls his eyes and replies, "Hold on," he heads towards the buffet part of the restaurant and turns around when he gets to the table he was cleaning, "This has never happened before, and they never lock from the inside. I'm going to go get Jose, the manager, see if he can fix it."

"Sure thing man, no problem," the man says as he links arms with his wife and they take a few steps away from the exit. On his way back to connect with a manager a second couple stands up to leave, they've also observed the commotion at the exit. The woman gives Neel a slight shrug and he returns it with a confused face.

Before he reaches the buffet area the man's voice is heard, "What the hell is that?" Neel turns around. The couple has stepped further away from the window and the husband is pointing at something outside. Through the reflective windows, two white orbs can be seen floating in the distance. Looking harder, the orbs are connected to a muscular dragon-like beast out in the parking lot. The creature is standing on its hind legs with black hair on its chest and a pair of black wings expanding from its shoulder blades.

The monster reaches down and what happens next gets obscured by the reflection of the husband diving to the floor and pulling his wife with him. A deafening roar comes from outside causing the windows to wobble as a red vehicle is finally seen moments before it connects with glass. The man shields his wife on the ground as the vehicle slams into the glass causing every window across the building front to shatter in sync. The pure force of the impact throws Neel off his feet, causing him to slam into a counter behind him.

The car takes a good roll, throwing up tables and chairs, before smashing into one of the building's support beams and wrapping around it like a paper bag blowing in the wind. Screams come from behind him as Neel looks up from under the counter while several people rush by. He sits himself up as employees and the other couple helps the bald man and his wife to their feet, both unharmed.

Neel reaches his arms slowly up to the counter above him pulls himself to his feet. Loud hissing begins pouring out from the car's engine before something inside its corrupted bowels clicks. Silence. Everyone looks at the metal heap for just a second, the air goes still and a couple heartbeats can be heard. Then fire—fire pushing out in all directions, no sound, just fire as the vehicle turns onto an expansive ball of flame. End.

I force as much air into my lungs as I can and see myself in the mirror again, as I breathe out the memory resets. Neel jumps away from his rag this time, causing soup bubbles to fly across the room. The woman, Maria comes up behind him but stops as Neel turns to her, his eyes wild with confusion. "Did you just..." he looks around the restaurant. The man with the bald head and his wife are just now standing up from their booth, his wife collecting her purse from the seat. "What just happened?"

Maria scowls, "You okay? Nothing happened." She pauses to look at Neel as he pats down his chest and arms trying to make sure he's still there, "Well, I'm going to start vacuuming the back. The party of twenty left a few minutes ago," she gives him a crazy look.

"Fine, fine Maria," he replies turning to run to the back of the restaurant to beat the couple to the door, "Wait!" He shouts to the couple causing them to stop before they exit

"Did I forget something?" The husband asks as Neel gets to the door and pushes it. It swings open without issue. The man lets out a single chuckle and waves his hand, "Thanks man, I guess," and walks outside and towards a white car in the front of the near empty lot.

The red car is still there and the monster is nowhere to be seen. Neel steps back inside letting the door close and slides down against it, putting his hands over his head. He sits there breathing heavily as the bathroom comes back to me.

I find myself on the floor, next to my bag; a black woman in a blue miniskirt is poking me with her heel. She yells out of the bathroom, "Marcus, I think you should call someone, she's out cold." I reach my hand up to the counter, she notices, "Oh never mind, she's getting up."

"You okay honey? I need to call someone?"

I stand and rub my face, "No, no, I'm okay. Thanks though."

"You sure? You were lying there on the floor."

"I'm fine, just tired." I quickly shove my things into my bag, pick up my suitcase, and exit, "I'm going to miss my bus."

As I walk out I hear the woman's voice echo after me, "Whatever Lady..."

I look up at Gate 17, the bus door is closing and more people have already filled the plastic seats waiting for the next one. I pull my ticket stub out of my pocket and look at the name printed on top, 'Atlanta'. I crumble the paper between my fingers and look at the next gate over 'Gate 18: Columbus, Ohio." I need to go west.

Welcome back to the world of the living Neel - Hope you guys enjoyed - sorry for the confusing inner-chapter updates.