Lila’s voice trembled, “He was really set on going, and I didn’t want him to lose his sisters like I lost Jerry.” She put her face in her hands and started sobbing.
My shoulders drooped. “I understand that, but it’s way too dangerous out there for him to chance it alone.”
Ethan looked away.
I took the fire extinguisher from the wall, wishing desperately that I had a gun.
“Where are you going?” Lila asked frantically.
“I have to see if Lane made it out.” I set the paper aside and looked out the window but saw no movement.
“I’ll go with you.” Ethan grabbed a steak knife from the utensil drawer in the lounge’s kitchen.
“Hell no! I don’t need to worry about more than one of you at a time,” I growled, still pissed that he’d let Lane go.
“I can help.” He stood tall and puffed out his chest.
I rolled my eyes. He was a big guy, but mentally probably only about twelve.
“Please don’t go, Ethan! I don’t want to be here alone,” Lila begged, her eyes glassy with tears.
“You’re not alone.” He argued.
She glanced at the two students still asleep amid the chaos. “They’re freshmen. What can they do?”
“You could feed them to the monsters while you get away,” Ethan smirked.
“This is pointless. I’m going alone,” I told the little shit. “Lock the door until I get back but keep an eye out for me. I might be coming in hot.”
“Fine, but if you’re not back in ten minutes, I'll come looking for you," he huffed.
I was done arguing. If the boy was eaten, it would probably save me a lot of aggravation.
After double-checking that the coast was clear, I cracked the door and stepped out cautiously.
I headed toward the office, assuming Lane would likely have gone toward the front doors. Most of the lights were off, leaving only a few that cast eerie shadows on the walls. I moved slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible.
I found him a few minutes later, pressed against a row of lockers.
He looked beyond grateful to see me. “She came out of nowhere,” he whispered. “I didn’t hear her.”
I turned quickly and gasped when I saw Brooke Aldridge, Taryn’s minion, standing several feet down the hall, blocking the exit.
She was barely recognizable. Her torn cheerleading top revealed mottled skin on one shoulder, and one arm hung limply as she moved toward us. Her mouth opened and closed silently, and her cloudy gaze flickered between Lane and me.
“Fuck,” Lane mumbled voice filled with fear.
As she got closer, she sped up, her movements jerky and wrong. She raised her head as if sniffing the air and made the clicking sound I was becoming familiar with.
I stepped forward as she moved into range. The fire extinguisher struck her head, the impact dull and final, caving in her skull. She went down hard, her body jerking once before going still.
I gazed at her for a moment, overwhelmed and in shock. It was hard to believe that a student I saw every day could be gone because of me. The only solace I found was remembering that whatever she was, it wasn’t human.
Lane slid down the lockers, hands shaking.
“I’ve known her since kindergarten,” His voice shook. “This whole situation is fucked.”
“I know,” there was nothing else to say.
