Chapter V

That morning, the students of West Wilham High were once again hit with tragic news. The chief of the Wilham police had officially released a statement revealing what happened at the hospital on the first night of the festival. The bodies of two nurses who had been working at the time had been discovered only fifteen minutes after they had last been seen by one of their coworkers. Similarly to the attack at the diner, they weren’t sure who was responsible for killing them, and according to the chief, surveillance in the hospital had been acting strange, so they didn’t have any visuals on what might have transpired in the moments leading up to their deaths. And in addition to the loss of the nurses, there was one other tragic event of the night: one of the patients completely vanished from his bed and there was no sign of where he might have gone or what may have happened to him. The hospital was thoroughly searched but nothing was found, and nobody could remember seeing the boy leave through any of the entrances. The missing patient’s name was Jay Brooks.

When she read all of that, Liz felt as if she could throw up at any given moment. In one of the most peaceful towns in the country, there had been two random attacks in one night and between those two incidents, both Alice Mendez and Jay Brooks had gone missing.

That can’t be a coincidence, Liz thought with utter dread. It’s just too strange! How could both Alice and Jay just vanish at once?! Not to mention Jay was in a coma! How could he have possibly up and vanished?! It’s not like he could walk out by himself! She clenched her teeth, glancing across the clubroom to where Damien was sitting at the back table, his head in his hands and his foot constantly tapping against the linoleum floor. And throughout all of this, Eric starts acting crazy, rambling on about some club member that never existed and losing his mind when we don’t know what he’s talking about. It’s all just…

Liz exhaled softly, feeling her earlier sickness quickly returning, and so she continued to take deep breaths until the feeling passed. The final day of the festival was set to begin in twenty minutes, but the sense of fun and excitement of the first day was nowhere near as strong as it used to be. After all, these two incidents combined with Jay going missing had set a certain tension over the school, and she could tell that there were students who were afraid. Nobody knew what had actually gone down at the diner and the hospital, and so there was no stopping whoever did it from attacking somewhere else. In fact, even the principal and teachers seemed on edge. An email was sent out to the student body that morning, urging them to be careful going home and to make sure they didn’t walk alone. Traditionally, the final evening of the festival was celebrated with a students-only bonfire out on the football field, and Liz was half expecting them to cancel it. They hadn’t done so yet, but even if they didn’t, she wouldn't have been surprised if very few people showed up.

As she sat there, tormented by her thoughts, the clubroom door opened and Lilly walked in, her head down and her eyes red, as if she’d just recently been crying. Liz didn’t even have to ask what was wrong as she quickly got to her feet and rushed toward her friend to give her a hug.

“I’m sorry,” Liz immediately whispered. “I’m so sorry, Lilly.”

The girl embraced her back and rested her head against her shoulder. Her body was shaking, but she hadn’t gone back to crying just yet.

“So you’ve heard about Jay then?” she uttered.

Liz nodded. “We have.”

“Why? Why did this happen? Why did Jay have to disappear? After everything we’ve been through… I just don’t understand. I don’t want to lose him, Liz. I don’t…” She sniffled and Liz gave her a moment to think, just rubbing her back and ensuring that she was there for her friend. “And I still can’t get a hold of Alice. What’s going on?”

So I was right… Alice still hasn’t been accounted for. I wonder how long until she’s considered missing, too?

Liz glanced over Lilly’s shoulder to see Damien looking back at them, a pained expression on his face. He’d been hoping that Lilly might have spoken to Alice, but at this point, if the girl hadn’t called back, it probably meant that something had actually happened to her.

Alice and Jay in one night… This isn’t right. Something really bad is going on… And…

For a moment, her thoughts flashed back to their conversation the night before. Lilly and Damien had been worried that whatever went down at the diner may have been supernatural. Now, that theory was seeming more and more likely, and it terrified her. A coma patient just straight-up vanished from his bed without any clue as to where he could have gone. It didn’t make any sense and when that theory was considered, the use of magic might explain what happened to Jay.

But if Alice and Jay, and maybe even this Vinny guy, were attacked by magic, then why were they? Why would magic-users target them specifically?

After a moment, Lilly broke off the hug, wiped her eyes with her sleeve, then glanced around the room. “So? Eric isn’t here yet?”

Liz shook her head. “No. Though, for all we know, he’s just wandering around school like he did yesterday. I’m sure he’ll be here in a little while.”

With that, the two girls moved to take their seats and wait for the boy to arrive. Similarly to the previous day, nobody was talking. They were all just sitting with their thoughts, each of them trying desperately to process everything they were faced with. And as the time ticked by and the bell rang to signal the festival’s final day, Eric Reiner never showed up. Instead, a few minutes after, he sent a text to Lilly, assuring her that he was okay but that he wouldn’t be attending the festival that day. She tried calling him after that but he wouldn’t pick up and finally, she collapsed into her chair and gave up.

“God damn him,” Damien growled. “I get that he’s confused, but this isn’t the time to be skipping school! Doesn’t he realize we’re all worried sick about him?”

Lilly shrugged. “I mean, he probably does. It’s just…after seeing him at the Mickelson’s yesterday, I think this is eating at him even more than we realize. Maybe I’ll stop by his house after the festival and check on him. Do either of you know his address cause I’ve never been there?”

Liz shook her head. Despite having known Eric for a few years, she had never actually been to his house. Whenever they met outside of school, they either went to her place, to Damien’s, or to…

Wait… She frowned. Where else did we go? Why is my…?

Her head started to throb just as Damien answered Lilly’s question.

“Yeah, I know where he lives,” he said. “Although…he isn’t the biggest fan of people visiting so, as nice as the thought is, it might be better for him to just give him some time to himself.”

Lilly straightened up and fixed the boy with a confused look. “He's not? How come?”

“Uh, well…” Damien awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “It’s not really my place to tell you. If you want to know, ask him when the time’s right.”

Liz noticed the other girl’s expression stiffen and she looked like she wanted to press the matter, but after a moment, she just sighed and sat down. Liz understood how she felt. Even she didn’t know much about Eric’s home life. She knew he liked to keep it all private and that he didn’t like talking about it, so she chose to respect that and never push him for details. All she knew was that his mother left when he was pretty young and he lived with his father, but she’d never met the man so she had no idea what type of person he was.

“So what should we do for him?” Lilly asked.

Damien gave a defeated shrug. “Honestly, I say we just man the booth today and get to the end of the festival. Then we can take this weekend to think and hopefully by Monday, something will have happened to give us a better idea of what to do next.”

Lilly scowled to show her displeasure of the idea of just waiting, but she didn’t argue. This time, when the room went silent, the conversation didn’t pick back up again. Instead, Lilly went to take her spot at the fortune telling booth while Liz and Damien sat together at the back table. The day slowly passed by and like the previous few days, only a few people wandered in every now and then. Lilly did an admirable job of putting on a smile and giving them a show, but every time the customer left, she collapsed back down and went back to looking on the verge of crying. Liz noticed her attempting to call Alice a few times, and she even gave Eric a call, but neither picked up.

Liz considered exploring the festival a bit, but every time she thought about it, she found herself not wanting to leave the clubroom. She wanted to stay with Damien and Lilly, and didn’t want to have to go out in public where everybody else was. So she didn’t leave once. Damien had brought leftovers from the previous night for lunch, which they heated it up in Mr. Lowe’s microwave that he kept in the back of the room. Then, before they knew it, the end of the day had arrived and with it, the sun was beginning to set. The crowds were thinning in the hallway outside and, finally, the announcement came over the speakers.

“Thanks for attending the annual West Wilham High Spring Festival! We thank you all for coming. For the students, the end-of-festival bonfire will be starting out on the football field in a half hour and we would love it if you would attend! Thank you!”

Liz apathetically glanced up as the principal’s voice went silent.

“So, you guys going to that?” Lilly asked softly. “Or are you just going to go home?”

Damien grimaced. “If I go home I’m just gonna wind up sitting around by myself, so I think I’ll stick around, at least for a little while.”

“If you’re staying, I will, too,” Liz muttered. With all that was going on, she really just wanted to be with Damien. His presence was comforting to her, and she knew that being with him was calming to him as well. “How about you, Lil’?” she added. “You staying or going home, cause we could walk with you if you wanted?”

“I…” Lilly leaned back in her chair and shook her head. “I think I’m just gonna go home. It’s been a long day and I’m totally exhausted. But don’t worry about me. I can get home by myself. You guys go enjoy the bonfire.”

“Lilly,” Damien immediately went to protest. “I know it’s being a little paranoid, but I’d really rather you have somebody with you. It’s not an issue for us. You don’t live that far away.”

But the girl quickly shook her head again. “It’s fine, Damien. If it makes you feel better, I’ll send Alexa a text and I’ll walk home with her. But really, don’t worry about me. And I’ll clean everything up here so you guys don’t have to deal with it. Go enjoy yourselves at the bonfire.”

Both Damien and Liz went to protest a second time, but were interpreted by the sound of someone knocking at the door. They all turned to stare at it, and Liz wondered who would be visiting now that the festival was over. Damien called out a quick “come in” and when the door opened, they were surprised to find the familiar balding and bespectacled features of their club supervisor, Mr. Lowe. Normally, he only bothered to visit on occasion, and it was usually to chew them out for doing something wrong. However, this time, Liz couldn’t think of anything that would warrant a lecture. In addition, Lowe looked almost uncomfortable, as if worried about something.

“Good evening,” he greeted in his typically soft and tired voice. “How are you four…er, three? Where’s Mr. Reiner? Did he go home early?”

Damien shook his head. “Uh, no. He actually never came to school today. It’s just been the three of us.”

Lowe looked at the boy in surprise. “Mr. Reiner missed the last day of the festival? Was he sick or…?”

“I think so,” Lilly lied. “He just came down with a fever and couldn’t make it.”

“Oh, well, I hope he feels better,” Lowe murmured. “But anyway, I was just stopping by to check on you guys. I know I usually just let you do as you please, but after recent…events, I felt it was my job as the supervisor of this club to make sure you were all doing well.”

Liz smiled. As cold as Lowe could be at times, she could tell that he was actually a bit worried about them, and it was comforting to see a warmer side of the man after rarely ever interacting with him.

“We’re doing okay enough,” she answered. “We’re worried, of course, but we’re not letting it get in the way of our festival. Damien and I were actually about to head down to the bonfire.”

The man narrowed his eyes, causing her to fear that he was seeing through her lie, but eventually he just nodded. “Well, that’s good. In that case, just know that if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask me.”

“Thanks, Mr. Lowe,” Damien replied. “That means a lot.”

“Of course,” he muttered. “In that case, I’ll be off. Take care and make sure to walk home with a partner. It’s probably best not to wander the streets alone after dark.”

With that brief word of caution, the supervisor bid them goodbye and departed the room, leaving them once again alone in the clubroom. Liz watched him go, then turned back toward Lilly, seeing the girl staring down at the ground with a conflicted expression, almost certainly thinking of Eric, Alice, and Jay.

“You’re sure you’ll be safe?” Damien pressed.

She quickly nodded. “Yeah, really. I’ll give Alexa a call in a little and have her walk with me. Okay?”

Damien’s lips tensed in a clear desire to protest once more, but this time, he seemed to decide to let Lilly do as she wanted. As for Liz, she didn’t argue any further either. Lilly was stubborn and she had made her decision. So, bidding her goodbye, the two of them departed the clubroom and made their way out into the corridors of West Wilham High. The sun’s light had turned a warm orange and it was clear they probably only had an hour left of daylight at best. There were only a smattering of students around them and, when Liz looked down into the courtyard through the window to her right, she saw only a small portion left there as well, taking down the booths. Even though she knew it was unlikely, she couldn’t help but look to the front gates, hoping to see Eric striding into the school with his dopey grin and confident walk.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

But of course, that didn’t happen.

***

Once Damien and Liz had left the clubroom, Lilly found herself suddenly wanting to just sit at her desk and do nothing. It was such a powerful wave of apathy that she wound up just staring up at the ceiling for nearly twenty minutes, her thoughts going through the same questions she’d been asking herself since the day before. She continuously went over every possibility in her mind, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t figure out what the answer was. She was missing a very crucial piece and without it, she knew there would be no getting to the bottom of Eric’s memories of the fifth club member. As time passed, the amount of sunlight streaming through the crack between the closed curtains began to diminish and, when nearly an hour had gone by, it was almost completely dark outside. She knew she was being stupid not going home while there was still light out, but she just didn’t want to leave the clubroom. Part of her still hoped that Eric might show up at any moment, as silly as she found that to be.

And then I went and lied to Damien and Liz, she thought sadly. I should have called Alexa like I promised to, but I just…didn’t want to leave yet. She sighed. Maybe I should just go down to the bonfire and walk home with them afterwards. That might be the best thing to do now.

Finally, Lilly pushed herself to her feet and glanced around the clubroom. On the first day of the festival, when she’d come in, the room had been decked out with electric candles and Eric had been wearing a witch costume that she found to be both ridiculous and awesome at the same time. Despite knowing that they weren’t going to get that many customers, he still put in the effort to make everything really fun, and she knew he had done it more for the enjoyment of his friends than anything else. But on that day, they hadn’t bothered setting up the candles, Eric’s costume was laying discarded in the back of the room on one of the desks, and there was no sign of the boy.

Lilly turned and walked to the back of the room where the costume was placed, folded nicely by Liz on the desk in the right corner. She slowly reached down and grabbed the wide-brimmed and pointy hat and just stared at it.

“One cannot simply see into the future unless they wear the hat of foresight! It is a requirement to access that which has not passed!”

Eric’s declaration from the day before came back to her, and she couldn’t help but feel tears welling up in her eyes. She so desperately wished he would show up, rambling on in his stilted and unique fashion. She wanted him to act like nothing had changed and to comfort her like he had so many times before. She knew it was selfish, but she couldn’t help it. Taking a deep breath, she placed the hat on her head then moved back toward the front of the room where the covered table with the crystal ball was placed. She then sat down in the chair and pulled the ball toward her so that she could gaze into its clear surface.

Please…just show me the future. Show me that everything's going to be okay. That’s all I want. I want to see everybody—the club, Jay, and Alice—having fun like we used to. I want them to be safe!

But of course, it was nothing more than a pretty object. It couldn’t show her the future nor could the hat upon her head enable her to use it. Magic may exist, but there wasn’t any of it in that room that could ease her fears. Not even the orange gemstone that Eric always kept on him could help them this time. Switching bodies couldn’t find Jay and Alice, nor could it answer the mysteries of Vinny Mickelson.

Lilly frowned. Although, maybe it’s worth a try. Eric did say a while back that being in my body gave him the ability to find my house. There’s clearly some residual memory that stays with us so…maybe, if we switch, I’ll remember Mickelson.

It was unlikely, but at that point, she was willing to try almost anything if it meant getting to the bottom of it all. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone to give Eric another call. She didn’t expect him to pick up since he’d been ignoring them all day, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to try. She listened to the phone ring, a sound she was growing far too used to, and just as she was about to give up, the call was answered.

“Lilly?” came Eric’s voice.

She exhaled sharply, stunned that he actually responded. “Eric? Hey, what’s up? Are you okay?”

“I suppose so,” he muttered. “Sorry I haven’t picked up all day. I’ve been busy going through old journal entries of mine and looking through my photos, hoping to find some evidence of Vinny’s existence. But I’ve found nothing. Photos that used to have him no longer do, entries where I wrote about him make no mention, and if it was just a photo of him, it doesn’t exist anymore. It’s like the universe has altered itself to make it so that there was never a Vinny Mickelson in this town.”

Lilly listened to him for a moment, processing his new information. “I’m sorry. I wish I could remember him, but I just can’t.”

“Nor do I expect you to,” he replied. “Not anymore, at least. It’s clear to me that something supernatural has happened and I’m going to find out what. No matter what, I will bring Vinny back. I promise that.”

She could still hear pain in his voice, but there was now a determination that hadn’t been there the day before. He seemed to be done moping and was ready to do something about it.

“Then I’ll help,” she replied firmly. “I know you aren’t lying to me, Eric. Something has happened and I want to know what it is, too. If Vinny Mickelson was as good a friend as you said, then I want him back, too. Just tell me what you need and I’ll do it.”

He laughed softly. “Yes, thank you, Lilly. I will.” He then cleared his throat and asked, “where are you, by the way? It’s quiet so it doesn’t sound like you’re at the bonfire. Did you go home?”

“No, I’m still in the clubroom,” she answered. “Damien and Liz went down to the field, but I just wanted some alone time. I’m heading home in just a bit.”

“You are?” he asked. “Alone?”

Lilly smiled, hearing the concern in his voice. She knew they were all on edge and she appreciated the fact that they all worried about her safety.

“Yeah, but I live close by so it’ll be—”

Without warning, all the lights in the room suddenly turned off, leaving her sitting in pitch darkness. For a moment, she was so surprised that she just stood there, rapidly blinking as she glanced around the dark clubroom.

“Lilly?” There was a touch of fear in Eric’s voice as he called her name. “What’s wrong? Why’d you go quiet?”

“Oh, sorry,” she apologized. “It’s just…all the lights suddenly went off. Uh, give me a second.”

Ignoring his protest, Lilly got to her feet and felt her way around the table and toward the clubroom’s door. When she pulled it open and poked her head outside, she found that even the hallway’s lights were off, the only illumination coming from the moonlight through the windows and she didn’t see any other students or teachers that she could call out to. She was all alone.

“Lilly?!” came Eric’s now more urgent cry.

“Sorry,” she repeated. “Looks like the power’s out. Though I’m not sure what would have caused it to go out. But…”

“Lilly…Harper?”

She jumped at the sudden voice and spun around on her heel to stare down the hall behind her. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she looked ahead to see a figure standing in the shadows that she hadn’t noticed before. She couldn’t make out their features in the darkness, and their voice sounded raspy and cold, but whoever it was knew her.

“Damn it, Lilly!” Eric shouted. “What’s happening?! I don’t—!”

The call cut off mid-sentence and all Lilly was left with was the silence of the corridor. She gaped at her phone in surprise, knowing she hadn’t hung up, but before she could even process what had happened, the figure spoke a second time.

“Harper?” they said. “You are…Lilly Harper?”

Still thrown off by the sudden end to their call but knowing that she could deal with it later, she slowly pocketed her phone and turned to face the person.

“Uh, yeah?” she called back. “I’m Lilly Harper. Who are you? Can I help you?”

For a moment, the person didn’t respond. But then, after a few seconds, a sudden hissing sound began to come from their direction. She thought the person might have been coughing, but she quickly realized that wasn’t what they were doing. The sound she was hearing was laughter. She swallowed, getting the sudden urge to turn around and flee. She had a terrible feeling that she shouldn’t be there and that the person before her was dangerous. Yet, she couldn’t get her feet to move and, before she could call out to the figure, they took a few steps forward and into the moonlight.

It was then that she saw his face.

Lilly exhaled sharply, her eyes going wide in shock as she stared at the boy before her.

“Jay?!” she exclaimed. “What are you—?”

—doing here?

But she couldn’t get the rest of the sentence out as she truly took the sight before her. He looked like he was in a horrible state. His hair was completely shaved off and his face and body were so skinny that she felt she could have seen his bones had it been brighter. He was still wearing a hospital gown, but his feet were completely bare. However, as stunning as it all was, what stood out to her the most were his eyes. They were directed at her, but she couldn’t see them. All she could see was pure blackness within those orbs and it was then that she instinctively knew that magic really was at play.

What’s wrong with his eyes?! How is he here?! Not only did he vanish from the hospital, but he’s supposed to be in a coma! How’d he wake up and…how the hell did he get to the school?!

Her mind was spinning with questions, but only one of them reached her lips.

“Jay…? Are you okay?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, an almost inhuman smile twisted his lips as his head tilted to the side.

“Where…is Reiner?” he rasped, the words sending a shiver down her spine as a cold sweat broke out across her body.

I need to run! Every bone in my body is telling me to run, but…it’s Jay! I can’t just leave him! Something has clearly happened to him and if he needs my help then I have to do something!

“E-Eric’s not here,” she replied with a trembling voice. “But Jay, we really need to get you some help! I don’t know where you’ve been but—!”

“If you don’t know where Reiner is?” he interrupted, talking over her as if not even hearing her. “Then I don’t need you. So… DIE!”

He shrieked that last word, startling her so much that she involuntarily stumbled backwards. Then, right before her eyes, she witnessed one of the most horrific sights she’d ever seen. Jay’s body began to twist and contort, his gown tearing as his body grew bigger. His limbs started to grow, stretching out in a spindly, almost spider-like fashion. She watched stunned, unable to move, as his skin started to turn gray, almost as if it was decaying, while dark black hair grew across his body. The nails on his fingers sharpened into claws almost the size of a knife and when he opened his mouth, his teeth were jagged with black ooze dripping from them. For a moment, he breathed his raspy and strained breaths, and then he let out a shrill scream that matched the monster before her.

“DIE!”

It was as if that single word allowed her legs to move once again, breaking past the fear that had left her stuck in place. Lilly turned and frantically sprinted in the other direction desperate to put distance between herself and the monster at the other end of the hall.

What the fuck!? What the fuck just happened?! What did I just watch?!

Her mind was spinning and she felt as if she might pass out, but she pressed on running despite that. She had just witnessed one of her closest friends transform into a monster the likes of which belonged in nightmares.

She couldn’t understand it.

She couldn’t accept it!

How could it possibly be real? How could what she just witnessed have possibly been real?

She wanted to think that she had hallucinated it, but she knew that wasn’t the case. She was conscious and what she had seen was real, no matter how desperately she wished it wasn’t.

What happened to Jay?! What could have done that to him?! Why did he…?

Another shriek reverberated through the hallway and when she looked over her shoulder, she saw the creature coming after her. But it wasn’t running like she was. Instead, it was on all fours, its spindly limbs latching onto the walls as it crawled after her, its dark eyes fixated on her and its teeth bared. When she stared at it, she couldn’t see any sign of Jay. Her friend wasn't there. Instead, it was a monster taking on his appearance. She didn’t know what it wanted with Eric, but she knew that if it caught her, she was going to die…and it was catching up fast.

I…could actually die here, she thought, the reality of the situation dawning on her. My life could end.

She was terrified and she wanted to scream as her legs propelled her forward. She put every spark of energy in her body into running. She needed to run faster than she ever had before because if she wasn’t then that creature would kill her.

Please! Help me! she internally begged. Somebody! Please let there be somebody in these halls! Don’t let me die! Not here! Not now! Not alone!

But even when she rounded the corner and saw the staircase leading down to the second floor up ahead, there wasn’t a single person in sight.

“HARPER!”

The scream of her name sounded guttural and monstrous, and was far closer to her than she would have liked. She could hear a quick clacking of its claws against the linoleum floor as it gave chase. She thought it was merely a scream of fury, but in the seconds following it, something even more terrifying happened. The shadows all around her began to move and contort, seeming to separate from the walls as if trying to engulf her.

Shit! What the hell is happening?!

The darkness sharpened into spears of shadow and began to lunge at her. She moved on instinct, fearing what would happen if they touched her, before having those very fears answered. One of them grazed her left cheek and a sharp pain shot through her body as she jumped over another one. The shadow had touched her and it had hurt her. She didn’t even have the time to process what that meant as she darted into the stairwell, realizing that the darkness was attacking less out of precision and seemingly more like a random rampage. She didn’t bother taking the stairs and instead desperately jumped down onto the platform below, then grabbed the railing and spun around the corner to reach the second floor. She felt the impact shoot through her legs but she pushed it aside for the time being.

I need to get outside! Maybe if I can get to the bonfire, I’ll get help!

She turned left in the direction of the staircase to the first floor, increasing her speed even more and feeling her heart beating so hard that her ribs felt like they were shaking. Her cheek felt wet and she could taste blood dripping into her mouth.

Did that shadow…actually draw blood?!

Pushing aside the seeming impossibility of the idea, she spared a brief glance over her shoulder before quickly regretting doing so. The monster emerged from the stairwell and shot after her, gaining ground quicker than she could run.

I’m not going to make it, she thought in pure terror. It’s going too fast. It’s going to catch me!

She didn’t have a choice. If she wanted to escape the creature, she needed to do something insane. And so, reacting before she could think better of it, she rushed left, toward the windows overlooking the courtyard below. With movements so swift she surprised even herself, Lilly unlatched the lock and shoved it open then, just as she heard the creature barely ten yards away, she grabbed the top windowsill and pulled herself up, immediately hurling herself over the side and down toward the lawn below. She braced for impact, turning her shoulder to take the brunt of it, but she still wasn’t prepared for the crack she heard or the flood of pain that enveloped her body. She let out a cry of agony, praying that somebody was out there to help her, but when she weakly raised her head, she saw the courtyard devoid of people.

No! Please no!

She knew she needed to get to her feet or else she was done for, so she pushed past the pain and rose to her feet…just in time to hear a loud crash above her. She looked up in terror as the window shattered from it’s hinges and the creature jumped out, soaring over her head and landing on one of the tables in front of her. The window fell to the ground with a spray of shattered glass, just barely missing her, as the monster screeched once again. Lilly gripped her left arm and she felt as if it might be dislocated.

What do I do now?! How am I going to get away?! I should have gone with Damien and Liz! I shouldn’t have stayed behind! I don’t want to die!

As time seemed to slow, images of those she loved flashed through her mind. For that brief moment, she thought of their time in the clubroom. Eric, Damien, Liz, Alice, Jay—she cared about them all. She didn’t want anything to happen to them. She wanted to be with them. She refused to accept that the monster crouched before her was Jay. It was a monster that had no right to exist, wearing his skin and posing as him.

Jay’s face contorted into a primal glare as it stared at her like it was staring at prey.

Please… Somebody…

“Help me!” she called out, a last, desperate lunge for survival.

“Perkari!”

The sudden shout reverberated through her ears and, right before her eyes, she watched the creature suddenly fly off the table and to the right, as if hit by an invisible force. She turned in the direction of the voice, trying to figure out what was going on, when somebody suddenly landed from above, hitting the ground with grace and stopping a few feet from her, leaving her gaping with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry, Lilly,” the boy said. “You’re safe now. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She looked up at the smiling face of Eric Reiner, who was staring back at her. The smile was clearly forced for her comfort, and she could see terror in his eyes, but he was there nonetheless. She wasn’t alone anymore.

She wasn’t going to die.

***

As he made his declaration, Eric Reiner turned his head in the direction of the creature wearing Jay Brooks’s face as it screeched, clawing its way back to his feet. He had no idea what he was looking at or what had happened in his absence, but for the time being, he didn’t care. All that mattered was protecting Lilly. He refused to let anything happen to her. Once she was safe, then he could try to understand what was happening.

“I don’t know what you are,” he growled, raising his fists before him. “But I swear it on my life…”

He muttered a quick incantation and wind magic began to swirl around his arms, ready for him to release it in their defense. The creature finally rose to its feet and a monstrous grin twisted its face, as if sensing his challenge and preparing itself to accept.

“... I won’t let you hurt her!”