Ava's lungs were on fire.
She had been running for what felt like hours, but it was probably only twenty minutes since those things had busted into the cafeteria. Her backpack bounced against her spine with every step, and she could hear one of those dog creatures getting closer behind her.
She rounded the corner near the science wing and almost tripped over a pile of rubble. The whole school was a war zone. Shattered windows, bent lockers, and dark stains on the walls she really didn't want to think about.
The growling behind her got louder.
She risked a look back and saw it gaining on her. It was one of those horrible dog-like monsters, bigger than any dog she'd ever seen, with patchy, gross fur that looked wet with something dark.
"Shit, shit, shit," she whispered, pushing herself to run even faster, though her legs felt like jelly.
She rounded another corner and saw the main hallway. Maybe if she could get to the front doors, she could make it outside. Maybe someone would help her.
The creature let out this awful howl that made her skin crawl. She could practically feel its hot, stinking breath on her neck now.
Right when she was sure she was done for, something flew past her and slammed into the monster with a loud crash. The thing went flying into a wall so hard the drywall cracked.
Ava stumbled to a stop, gasping for air. She turned around and saw a guy standing where the monster had been. He was tall and skinny, wearing the same blue school uniform as everyone else, but his was completely trashed, stained and faded and torn.
He had kicked it. He had actually kicked the monster hard enough to send it flying. That was impossible. Nobody was that strong.
The monster was trying to get back up, shaking its head like it was dazed. The guy walked over to it casually, like he was just taking a stroll, grabbed the thing by the head with both hands, and twisted.
There was a sick snap, and the creature went limp.
Ava just stared.
She knew that face. Messy dark hair, pale skin, and those dead-looking eyes that never seemed to care about anything. It was that weird kid from her grade. The one everyone picked on. What was his name again?
"Wait," she said, still breathing hard. "You're that kid, right? From 9A? Noah? No, that's not it. Nox?"
He looked at her then, and she saw something different in his eyes. They weren't dead anymore. There was something alive in them now, something that made her really uncomfortable.
"Yeah, that's me," he said, his voice flat but with a new edge to it. "The freak from 9A."
He had this weird little smile on his face, the kind that made you want to back away slowly.
"I saw what happened in the cafeteria," she said, trying to catch her breath. "Those things just came out of nowhere and started attacking everyone. I've been running ever since. Thank god you showed up when you did. That thing was about to—"
"Fuck off," he said, cutting her off.
She blinked. "What?"
"I said fuck off. Go find someone else to save you." He turned away from her like she wasn't even worth looking at.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Are you serious right now? There are monsters everywhere and you're telling me to fuck off?"
"Pretty much, yeah." He started walking away, heading deeper into the school instead of toward the exits.
"Where are you even going?" she called after him. "The exit is the other way!"
He stopped and looked back at her over his shoulder. That creepy smile was still there, and it was getting wider.
"I'm going hunting," he said. "This is the most fun I've had in years."
'Fun? He thinks this is fun? People are dying and he's having fun?'
"You're insane," she said.
"Maybe." He shrugged. "But I'm alive for the first time in forever. You know what that feels like? To actually feel something instead of just existing?"
Ava had no idea what to say to that. She'd always just seen him as that quiet, pathetic kid who got bullied all the time. She'd never been mean to him, but she'd never helped him either. She just ignored him, like everyone else.
"Look, I get that school sucked for you," she said, trying to reason with him. "But that doesn't mean you should just leave me here to die."
"Why not?" His voice was completely calm, like they were talking about the weather. "Did you ever help me when Mark and his friends were making my life hell? Did you ever say anything?"
She opened her mouth to argue, but then she closed it. Because he was right. She hadn't done a damn thing. She had just watched.
"I thought so," he said. "So why should I help you now?"
He turned around again and started walking away.
"Wait!" she called out. "I'm sorry, okay? I should have done something back then. I know that now. But please don't just leave me here."
He paused but didn't turn around.
"You're sorry now," he said. "Now that your life is on the line. How convenient."
Another one of those dog things appeared at the far end of the hallway. It saw them and started running, its claws clicking on the ruined floor.
Ava's heart started racing again. "Nox, please. There's another one coming."
He looked over his shoulder at the approaching monster, then back at her. For a second, she thought he might actually help her again.
Instead, he just smiled that creepy smile. "Better start running."
Then he walked into one of the classrooms and disappeared, leaving her all alone in the hallway with a monster charging straight at her.
She looked at the creature, then at the empty doorway where Nox had vanished. She couldn't believe he had actually just left her there.
The monster was getting closer. Ten seconds, maybe less.
"Son of a bitch," she muttered, and started running again.
And behind her, she could hear Nox laughing. Actually laughing. Like this was all some big, hilarious joke.
Maybe he really was insane. Or maybe this was just what happened when you finally broke someone. Either way, she was on her own. And that terrified her more than any monster ever could.