Page 13 of The Corruption of Hollis Brown

“I can’t even begin to imagine what that feels like,” he said. “I’m still focused on wanting to be seen.”

Annie frowned and pulled her hat all the way up.

“Do you know if Yulia . . .” She paused and swallowed hard.

“What about Yulia?”

Annie glanced at him, cheeks pinking, but Hollis just waited. He knew when Annie needed time.

Finally, Annie opened her mouth to start. But blocks up the street, from where they came, there was a scream.

Hollis scrambled to his feet.

Someone yelled again louder, and there was the sound of frantic footsteps on gravel. Hollis’s heart slammed in his chest.

“We can talk about that later. Let’s go.”

Strike

By the time they reached the group, cars were already speeding off and the garbage fire had been put out.

Annie grabbed the sleeve of a sophomore girl running past. “What happened?” she shouted.

“Let go of me!” The girl tore her sleeve out of Annie’s grip and sprinted off into the night.

Hollis burst into the house where most of the noise was coming from and nearly tripped over someone running out into the dark.

“What’s going on!” he yelled.

Stephanie was tugging something down the hall.

“Shit! Hollis! Help me, I’m not strong enough to pick him up!” She dragged a body into the candlelight.

It was Jorge.

“Jesus fucking Christ! What happened?!”

“I don’t know! He just went downstairs and . . . and . . . and . . . ,” Stephanie started hysterically.

Jorge was a mess of red and black, sliced all over, deep gouges on his face, arms, chest, and legs bleeding freely. Unconscious and deadweight. Hollis froze, staring at him in horror, until Stephanie yanked him back to reality with another cry.

“Okay. Get the blanket from upstairs,” Hollis said. “We’ve gotta take him to the hospital. He can ride in the back with us.” He turned to Stephanie. “Where are the rest of the guys? How come they’re not helping you?”

“I . . . I . . .” Stephanie was in shock, her eyes glassy and wide. She tugged Jorge again, but she was clearly losing strength.

Hollis grabbed her arm and shook her a bit. “Go blow out those candles,” he said gently.

She blinked at the order, then rushed across the living room to comply.

Annie flew back down the staircase with their backpacks and sleeping bag.

“Give those to Stephanie; help me with Jorge.”

“What the fuck . . . What the fuck . . . ?!” Annie stammered.

“I don’t know, we’ll ask Stephanie later. Steph, I need you to come with us.”

Jorge was shorter than Hollis, but he was heavy; he was an athlete. Hollis could barely manage him with Annie helping. But adrenaline was enough to get them out of the building, down the stairs, and to Yulia’s car.