Darkness consumes the light, swallowing the fluorescent lights. It tremors. Alive. Creeping up to the ceiling and dripping like melting paint in a house fire.
The Bleeder moves closer to the shadows. “God?”
The darkness dripping from the ceiling splits and trembles. They move, cleaving into clawlike fingers to hover on either side of the Bleeder’s head. The slowness of the movement keeps my heart in the pit of my stomach.
That thing isnogod.
Shadows pool across most of the room, marking the line between the light where the Bleeder stands and the darkness that swallows everything in sight.
I creep back, when suddenly, the oozing inky hands snatch at the Bleeder and pull him into the night.
My stomach tightens, and my arms stiffen. As desperately as I want to flee, I can’t tear my eyes from the moving shadows. Gargled coughs echo from its depths, then a splash of crimson splatters across the tiles.
The darkness trembles, rippling like tar bubbling over an unfinished road. And when the choking sounds subside, there is a thump, and a head rolls into the light.
The shadows move again, swallowing everything in their path. They glide across steel tables, chairs, and papers until they coalesce in a corner.
I back up, only to hit the fucking light,again! Losing sight of the room below, I curse under my breath as I grab the light and position it back above the vent. Once it stabilises, I scan the area, but the…thing…has vanished.
The rest of the Bleeder’s body lies in a pool of blood, with fleshy splatters congealing everywhere. In the centre, there is a neat, clean note resting on the mess.
Fuck this.
I dash back the way I came, up to the first floor, and make it to my room unscathed. Yet my body still responds to what I saw. My fingers tremble as I grip the vent, making more noise than usual as I slide it to the side.
Shaky breaths splutter from me as I recall how the shadow moved.How it killed.
I kick my feet down through the opening, and as I shuffle to the edge, there’s a bite of ice on my exposed skin. With it, a chill sweeps along my neck as I drop down onto my bed.
Manni lets out a choked cry.
“Shit,” I exhale, stepping off her chest. “Sorry!”
Emily is wide awake, eagerly waiting for an update asManni returns to her own bed. But before I speak, I close the vent.
“So?” Emily bounces up and down, making me believe she has actual working springs in her mattress. “Did you see anything?”
I nod, grab the edge of the mattress, and peer into the bottom bunk. Cole is still asleep. I sit up and shuffle until I find a comfortable spot. “They took her to Padbury.”
“Padbury?” Manni furrows her brow. “That’s near where I lived after I left Sydal with my family.”
“Where are you from again?” Emily asks.
“Raynel. On the edge of Pyra’s border.” Manni turns her focus back on me. “Why are they taking her across the state?”
“They said it was a settlement that would take her in…like Summer.” I gesture to the back of my neck. “They gave her a barcode here.”
They exchange bewildered glances, just as confused as I am.
Manni looks back over at me. “Why take them across the state? And why a barcode?”
“Maybe they’re protecting pregnant women?” Emily shrugs.
“To secure the future of their food source,” I murmur. Emily and Manni look as if they are starting to grasp what is happening. “Maybe that’s why they don’t mind if we fuck around.”
With a yawn, Emily says, “Well, I guess I am going to fuck Dan again and hope for the best.”
Manni glares at Emily. “You’d really risk it? Andremember, it would just be you. Dan couldn’t come along!”
