Leaving L.A.

I had a fantastic vacation in LA, as usual, but instead of staying at a hotel as I had on previous trips, I stayed in a house up in the Hollywood Hills. And what a view! From the Master Bedroom, this is what I could see:

It was worth $2,500. I wanted to stay longer, but I had to get back home and return to my life there. And I had a long drive ahead of me, but I figured since I had time, why not make the most of it. I headed out of LA and hit I-40 and got 20 miles out of the city when I came upon a traffic jam.
I thought, "Oh, great! I thought I'd just left this behind."
I edged my way off the highway on the shoulder until I came to the first exit which took me onto old Route 66. I felt relaxed again and put on some good "Road Music". I scored with "Call Me The Breeze".
I was headed out on I-40 just west of Daggett when I saw a Chartered bus heading the opposite way, veering all over the highway! What the hell was....then it jumped the median and headed straight for me!
Instinct and survival, not to mention training took over and I swerved hard to the left until I was almost on the median myself. In my rear view mirror, I gasped as I saw the bus hit the guardrail and plunge off the highway bridge to crash upon the street below.
I swerved back into the right lane and then onto the shoulder, then headed down the hill to a two lane blacktop, then drove as close to the wreckage as possible.
I could hear screams and moans. Then I saw the bodies. A few people lay on the tarmac in various stages of traumatic injury...or death.
A woman in her late 30's crawled towards the grass, bleeding badly from several wounds and one compound fracture. I went over to her.
"Easy. Take it easy, lady. Try not to move. I'll call a Doctor."
She stopped crawling and looked up at me, a look of disbelief and horror on her face.
"You've got to help us..."
"Shhhhhhh. Lie still. Help's coming."
I got out my cell phone and called 911.
"He....he just ...got up and ......attacked the driver..."
"What? Who attacked the driver? What happened here?"
"The sick guy. I could tell he had the Campion...."
"Campion?"
She coughed up blood and I felt sick. She was dying and I knew there was nothing I could do except try to make her as comfortable as possible.
"You've got to ....warn people.....it's....."
I took off my jacket and put it under her head, after turning her over on her back.
"Please....get help...."
"Help is coming."
She smiled at me....and then she died.
I sat there with her as I listened to the sound of the distant approaching sirens. Help was on the way, but for this nameless woman, it was too late.
There was the sound of movement behind me. I got up turned around and saw one of the survivors stumbling towards me. It was a gruesome sight. He was bleeding from a head wound and several other wounds and blood ran from his mouth.
"Hey, you better sit down..."
That's when I noticed his eyes. They were clouded over. Then I looked down at one of his hands. The other one had been torn off in the wreck. The other one looked like it was carrying a.......a.....oh my God!
I ran for my car in a panic, got in, slammed the door shut, locked it and turned the key in the ignition. The engine sputtered and hitched and died. I tried again. Better but still no spark.
I looked up and saw to my horror that the .....thing was walking towards my car.
This isn't real! This isn't possible! Come on, START!
Third try at starting. The creature....I couldn't call it a zombie.....my mind rebelled at such an idea....was level with my back bumper. In a few seconds it would have it's hand on the door.
Fourth try. I closed my eyes and prayed.
PAYDIRT!
But now I heard it at the passenger door, trying to open it. I waved at it and hit the gas, swerved, straightened and got onto the Highway Entrance Ramp. Once back on the highway, I opened her up and headed for the openness....and relative safety of the Mojave Desert.

To be continued.....