Page 73 of We’re All Going to Die Tonight!

Mr. McCullough nods. “Oh, yeah. I mean, the main road was easy. Straight shot. Like I said, just took a while—”

“Wrong,” Kaitlyn says. “The main road was not easy. Which tells me something very important, Coach.”

She tut-tuts, shaking her head. “You’re lying about where you were. Now, why would you want to do that?”

Chapter 41

Kaitlyn

October 17

3:15 a.m.

Everyone looks at Mr. McCullough as he freezes, eyes flaring impossibly wide in the light of his flashlight. I’ve seen McCullough look like he’s been caught before, like when he’s forgotten the answers to one of his own questions or when he pulls up the wrong presentation during class. But this goes further. This look…It’s fear; it’s shame; it’s…guilt.

“Now, hang on,” Mr. McCullough says, shaking his head as he looks between all of us. “Kaitlyn, what are you saying? You can’t possibly think—”

“I don’t think,” Marlene says, her usually shaky voice stronger than I’ve ever heard it before. “You were out there. I saw you. You were nowhere near the Death Van.”

I stare at Mr. McCullough, watching as he continues to pale in the sliver of moonlight sneaking through the window. He holds open his hands as if he’s selling wares or offering a hug—but no one in the room seems receptive. He looks at me, trying to pull off his usual amiable bullshit, but when I cross my arms and glare back at him, his jaw begins to twitch.

“Where’s Ms. Dorman?” Mr. McCullough asks, looking past us. “I need to talk to her.”

Marlene scoffs. “You need to talk to her? You’re probably the one who concussed her!”

“She’s concussed?” Mr. McCullough asks, looking over Marlene’s shoulder. He must spot Ms. Dorman on the couch, because he rushes to her side and drops to his knees next to her.

“What happened to her?” Mr. McCullough asks, touching Ms. Dorman’s wrist and giving her shoulder a soft shake. “Christine, can you hear me?”

“You should know,” Marlene says. “You attacked her. You—”

“When was she attacked?” Caulder asks, making Avery jump. She hadn’t realized that he’s inched his way closer to her and is now right at her shoulder. He’s radiating that protective energy…which he never gave to me. But Javi did. Javi would’ve done anything to protect me. And now he’s gone.

“Oh, five minutes ago? Maybe a little more?” Avery answers, worrying her cuticles again. “No more than ten minutes.”

Caulder shakes his head. “Then he didn’t attack Ms. Dorman. He was with me.”

I glance at Marlene, who still looks uncertain.

“I’m not saying he didn’t lie about where he was earlier,” Caulder says quickly. “Just that he didn’t get Dorman.”

“Well, depending on when and where he was, he might’ve tried to get me,” Marlene says. “Someone attacked me outside. I couldn’t make out their face, but if he’s lying, that might be why.”

“Excuse me?” Mr. McCullough says. “Marlene, that’s a serious accusation. I would never—”

“Then prove it,” she says. There’s practically steam rolling off of her as she glowers at McCullough.

“Marlene, what’re you talking about?” Avery asks, her voice gentle but firm. “Walk us through it.”

“It was dark and raining, so I could barely see,” Marlene says, never once taking her eyes off Mr. McCullough. “I was terrified. Everyone ran in different directions, and I…I got lost almost immediately.”

She casts a glance in my direction, and I don’t miss the implication. I was supposed to be the leader. I was supposed to follow the plan. Well, too bad. But we all made our choices, didn’t we?

“I heard screaming,” Marlene continues.

She shivers, and Avery pulls one of the blankets off a nearby chair and hands it to her. Marlene wraps it around her shoulders, hands tightening on it as she rubs the fabric with her thumbs. The kind of fidgeting Mom would never allow me to do.

“I didn’t know who it was,” Marlene continues. “I couldn’t tell because it was so dark. But I tried to go in the direction of it, even though I was terrified. I just knew…I knew I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t try to help.”