I opened the door and looked down the hall toward the classroom where I’d locked Misty, and I saw an arm flailing around, having broken through the glass.
“How in the fuck did she break through that?” I mumbled to myself in disbelief.
Someone yelled from the hallway.
“Mr. Rowen!”
Lila skidded to a stop a few feet away, ponytail half out, cheer bag slung over one shoulder. She looked like she’d been crying—or close to it. Her eyes were too bright, and her breath was coming a little too fast.
“What are you doing here?” My voice was sharp.
Fuck, I didn’t need more students to worry about.
“Coach asked us to come in for extra conditioning,” she said, glancing around frantically. “And the football players came in to watch film. We were in the gym when—” She swallowed hard. “We heard screaming. I came alone to check it out because a bunch of the people who came today are sick.”
A thump came from down the hall. It sounded like Misty was trying to break down the door.
“Oh my God,” Lila whispered. “Whatisthat?”
“Go back to the gym,” I said, heading back to the other students. ‘Get the others and lock the doors. Do not open them for anyone.”
Her face drained of color. “Is this some kind of drill?”
“No.”
Despite my orders, she quietly moved closer to get a better look at the classroom where I’d directed the other students. Her hand flew to her mouth in shock when she saw Jerry and the hunk of flesh missing from his arm.
“That’s—” Her voice broke. “That’s my brother.”
He looked up at the sound of her voice.
“Lila?” he croaked.
She dropped to her knees beside him before I could stop her.
“Don’t touch him,” I said sharply.
I was already covered in blood and who knows what else.
She froze, hands hovering inches from his shoulder, panic flashing across her face.
“What happened to him?” she whimpered. “Why are there teeth marks?”
Jerry whimpered and curled up, “It burns, and I feel sick.”
The banging on the door resumed from the hallway.
Harder this time.
Change of plans.
“Take my students with you to the gym. Barricade it if you can. If anyone tries to get in, and I meananyone, don’t open the door. If anyone looks ill, isolate them in the locker room and have Coach lock the door.”
“What about my brother?” she sobbed.
I gripped her arm and hauled her to her feet. “You can help him by doing what I said. Do you understand me?”
Tears streamed down her face as she nodded.
