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From the sincerity in his voice, I realized he was telling the truth. He was sorry, but, in his mind, there was no other alternative. It was me or them, and he had obviously made his choice.

I couldn’t say I blamed him. From his perspective, I was nothing more than some rich, bitchy girl. I had everything while he had nothing. It was the same story, the same cliché, and there was nothing I could do to change his mentality. He was the hero in his story and I, the villain.

It never really struck me how easily death could occur. It was just a word. How many times had I wished death would claim me? How many times had I wished that I would survive?

I supposed that I had an unhealthy relationship with good old death. It was my constant companion. I had gotten close to meeting him too many times to count.

I could admit that I was scared when the light was snatched away, leaving nothing but the familiar darkness. My heart thumped erratically in my chest, threatening to break free from my ribcage.

Somewhere in the darkness, I heard a growl.

Well shit.

The growl was immediately followed by a voice.

“Come out, come out wherever you are.”

Okay, let me just give you all a word of advice. If a creepy zombie-like creature asks you to come out, you stay fucking put. Or you curl up in a ball and cry - any of those are acceptable responses.

I didn’t dare to breathe. Hell, I didn’t even dare think, afraid that my idiotic mind would speak the thought aloud. It always happened when I was panicking.

And I was most definitely panicking.

Stay calm, Addie. Stay calm.

I wondered if I would feel pain when I died. I wondered if I would scream in agony or if death would be a merciful escape. I hoped for the latter but not for the most obvious reasons.

I was afraid that if I screamed, the boys would come running. If I was going to be sacrificed, those boys were going to reap the benefits.

They were my first friends, and they would be my last.

Depressing, even by my standards.

Something moved ahead of me. It sounded like fingernails dragging against the wall.

Okay, so that was slightly terrifying.

I squeezed my eyes shut and waited. That was all I could do. Wait for death.

Exactly how I wanted to spend myFriday night.

My eyes were still closed when Shannon jumped on me. They remained closed as her teeth gnawed on my neck, ripping apart skin and tendons. They remained closed when somebody began to shout, and then gunshots fired.

I barely processed Shannon’s dead body overtop of mine.

People rushed to and fro. I heard a voice that sounded like Calax’s, but it was weak at best. Two men hoisted me onto a stretcher, and I was carted up what seemed like a staircase.

A staircase?

Did help finally come?

I dared to open my eyes then.

The moon was the first thing I saw, followed by the red and blue flashing lights of numerous fire trucks and ambulances. It was the ambulance that I was led into, my weak body and even weaker mind trying to hold onto consciousness.

A woman touched my neck.

My leg.

My arm.

Voices.

So many voices.

Tired.

And then I slept.