Prologue #2
When they got close to the door, they ducked down.
There was a long rectangle of glass just above the handle so they could see into the hall, but it gave a very narrow view.
Cam cursed under his breath before unlocking the door.
Another shot rang out, this one sounding muffled still, but did it sound closer?
Kenna felt sweat drip down the back of her neck as paranoia took over.
Cam twisted the door handle and Kenna grabbed his arm. “Wait, Cam. No. I can’t do this.”
Her voice came out louder than she meant, causing Cam to let go of the doorknob, startled. “Damnit, Kenna, cut it out. Stop it!”
He ignored her crying and grabbed the doorknob again. She noticed sweat stains on the back of his light pink shirt, and she stared at them, feeling the burn in her calves and thighs from crouching.
Slowly, he pried open the door and peeked his head out. She heard him gasp, which caused her heart to stutter. She gripped onto his waist in terror, too afraid to ask him what he saw.
She didn’t have to wait long to find out. He reached behind him to grab her hand, then flung the door open wide, pulling them out of the room. Kenna took care to close the door behind her, but she cringed when it slammed shut because of how hard Cam pulled on her.
The first thing she noticed was the smoke.
The second thing that registered was the smell—like smoky rotten eggs.
The third thing she saw were other brave students sneaking out of their classrooms and darting toward the front entrance of the school.
The final thing she noted, something that seemed so odd for the place she spent most of her time over the past four years, were the bodies.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Six bodies. Six classmates. So much blood.
Kenna stopped suddenly as her mind caught up with the sight before her. The sound of a kid gagging as they ran toward the exit registered, but Cam’s harsh tone somehow didn’t. Not for several long, precious seconds.
“Kenna, move your fucking feet. Let’s go,” he hissed, tugging on her arm so hard this time she thought it might come off and go with him toward freedom while the rest of her stayed there to die.
But it didn’t come off. Her body stayed in one complete piece as they ran past the bodies, all six of them. Cam let go of her hand so he could run faster, confident now that Kenna would keep up.
They were almost around the corner and at the exit when Kenna’s Dunks slid, causing her feet to come out from under her. She smacked her head on the ground and blinked in a daze as ringing sounded in her ears.
Another shot pierced through the ringing, and this time it was most definitely closer, only a hallway over, if she had to guess. Screams filled the air, while a few more kids made a run for the exit.
But once again, Kenna was stuck. This time, she knew she wouldn’t be able to get back up. It wasn’t because of her head. It wasn’t even because she saw stars or some shit like the cartoons she used to watch with her brother might suggest.
Her brother.
He was the reason she couldn’t move. She wouldn’t move.
They had their mother’s eyes. Pale green, almost like the ocean when there was too much algae on the shore.
Their dad always joked that the half white in her blessed their children with pretty eyes.
It wasn’t until that moment that Kenna realized just how gorgeous they were.
She pressed her cheek into the floor, blinking rapidly to clear the tears so she could look at them. She wanted to look into them forever.
Slowly, she reached out and cupped her brother’s cheek, smiling at him. She wasn’t sure why. It felt like the wrong thing to do at that moment, but she couldn’t stop herself. There she lay, holding her brother’s bloody cheek… smiling, crying, and looking into his pretty, unblinking eyes.
“Don’t worry, Shad. I’m here,” she whispered, still smiling. Still crying.
Two strong hands grabbed her by her green, fitted shirt, now stained with blood, and she was wrenched up into a standing position.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” It was Cam, and he was no longer whispering. She realized tears of panic streamed down his face as he looked at her, still smiling. Still crying. “You can’t go losing it now, Kenna?—”
She saw the moment his eyes found Rashad. He glanced down for just a second and then did a double take, a gasp leaving his lips.
Another shot rang out. Closer.
Warning bells went off inside her, but she couldn’t be bothered. She smiled down at her brother and moved to lie back down beside him, but Cam gripped her waist, throwing her over his shoulder this time, leaving no room for her to stay behind.
“No!” The cry that erupted from her disrupted the souls that were transitioning in that very hallway.
She felt everything still around her, aside from Cam.
He didn’t stop. He didn’t care about her beating on his back or kicking at his front.
He didn’t care that she kept screaming at the top of her lungs for her brother, calling attention to them.
Kenna thrashed around and tried to wiggle free, but Cam pulled strength from God Himself and held her in place while he kept running.
When they reached the entrance, Kenna let out one last wounded cry, but it was cut off by a loud explosion.