Damn, that wasa lot. This didn’t seem normal.
I instinctively stepped between her and the other students, knowing she’d appreciate the slight privacy I could offer.
“Everyone, stay put,” I yelled. “Give her some space.”
Suddenly, her head snapped up.
The sound she made wasn’t a sob or even a cough. It was a low, raw noise that made the hair on my arms stand on end.
I jumped when, out of nowhere, she lunged at the boy behind her, the one whose desk she’d hit.
Her teeth closed on his forearm with a fierce growl, tearing out a hunk of flesh.
He screamed.
I didn’t think, just grabbed her shoulders and hauled her back with everything I had. She fought like a rabid dog—twisting, and snapping, trying to get her mouth back on him.
“Get out!” I shouted. “Everyone get the hell out, now!”
They all bolted.
The boy who had been bitten collapsed against the wall, clutching his arm in disbelief. Blood welling from the wound.
The girl—I believe her name was Misty—thrashed in my grip, eyes unfocused, saliva and vomit streaking her chin. She smelled so strongly of rotting meat that I began to feel nauseous myself.
I shoved her backward into a desk and pinned her there with my weight, heart hammering so hard it hurt.
“What in the hell is wrong with you?” I dodged back as she bit at the air.
I looked at the boy, Jerry, “Head toward the door.”
He had snot and tears streaming down his face, but he nodded and headed in that direction. As he got close, I pushed Misty aside and ran, forcing Jerry out of the door, then slammed and locked the classroom. My hand trembled as I struggled to turn the key in the lock.
I gathered the remaining students into the neighboring classroom, locked the door, then took a roll of paper towels from the supply closet and wrapped Jerry’s arm as best I could.
What the hell was wrong with her?
I grabbed my phone to call Adrian, but it took several tries for the call to go through.
“What the fuck is going on?” I growled into the phone.
We spoke for several minutes until I heard glass breaking from the hallway.
“I have to let you go!” I hung up and rushed to the door.
There was no way I was leaving these students just to save myself. Adrian was a cold bastard, but I wasn’t built that way.
I glanced over at Jerry, who had slumped to the floor, with blood streaming from his arm, soaking his shirt and jeans.
He looked ill, with sweat breaking out on his brow and a green hue to his skin.
“Fuck.” I muttered under my breath.
Adrian was right. The bastard usually was.
I needed to move the remaining students to another room to isolate Jerry so no one else would get bitten.
“Everyone, get ready to move. I’m going to see where that noise came from.” I started to leave, then turned back. “Stay away from Jerry. Give him room to breathe.”
