Ava's lungs were burning.
She had been running for what felt like hours but was probably only twenty minutes since those things broke into the cafeteria. Her backpack bounced against her spine with each step, and she could hear one of those dog creatures getting closer behind her.
She turned the corner near the science wing and almost tripped over a pile of debris. The whole school looked like a war zone. Windows were shattered everywhere, lockers were bent and twisted, and there were dark stains on the walls that she really didn't want to think about.
The growling behind her got louder.
She risked a look back and saw the thing gaining on her. It was one of those horrible dog-like monsters, but bigger than any dog she had ever seen. Its teeth were way too long and it had this patchy, gross fur that looked wet with something dark.
"Shit, shit, shit," she whispered, pushing herself to run faster even though her legs felt like jelly.
She rounded another corner and saw the main hallway ahead. Maybe if she could get to the front doors, she could make it outside. Maybe those things couldn't follow her out there. Maybe someone would help her.
The creature behind her let out this awful howl that made her skin crawl. She could practically feel its breath on her neck now.
Just as 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 the wall and hit it so hard that 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 in places.
He had kicked the creature. Actually kicked it 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. He grabbed the thing by the head with both hands and twisted. There was this sick snapping sound and then the creature went limp.
Ava stared at him.
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 9A. The one everyone picked on. What was his name again?
"Wait," she said, still breathing hard. "You're that kid from 9A, right? Noah? No, that's not it. Nox?"
He looked at her then, and she noticed something different about his eyes. They weren't as dead as usual. There was something alive in them now, something that made her feel uncomfortable.
"Yeah, that's me," he said. His voice was flat but there was this edge to it that hadn't been there before. "The freak from 9A."
He had this weird smile on his face. Not a happy smile, but the kind of smile 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 from her, 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. That smile was still on his face, and it was getting wider.
"I'm going hunting," he said. "This is the most fun I've had in years."
Fun? He thought this was fun? People were dying and he was 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 didn't know what to say to that. She had always thought of him as that quiet, pathetic kid who got bullied all the time. She had never really paid attention to him, but she had never been mean to him either. She just ignored him like everyone else did.
"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 I was getting the shit kicked out of me every day? Did you ever say anything when Mark and his friends were making my life hell?"
She opened her mouth to argue but then closed it. Because he was right. She hadn't helped him. She had just watched like everyone else.
"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 toward them, its claws clicking on the floor.
Ava felt her heart start 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 and said, "Better start running."
Then he walked into one of the classrooms and disappeared, leaving her 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 left her there.
The monster was getting closer. She had maybe ten seconds before it reached her.
"Son of a bitch," she muttered, and started running again.
Behind her, she could hear Nox laughing. Actually laughing. Like this was all some big joke to him.
Maybe he really was insane. Or maybe this was just what happened when someone finally snapped after years of being treated like garbage.
Either way, she was on her own now. And that terrified her more than the monsters did.