The Morning The World Broke

ari

hum until I caught a few words about some sickness going around, something like the flu, maybe a new strain. I figured it would pass in

side of my neck. "I'm heading to work. Don't miss me too much." Soft kisses landed on my jaw and then my cheek

n and saved another color idea. The date was stil

the wedding, and watch Supernatural. Instead I had a classroom full of ninth graders who always smelled like they had never met a

e bell. The kids looked nervous. When I took attendance I saw Nora was missing. That was unusu

ra hurried in, out of breath and teary-eyed. I nodded for her to sit and fixed the attendance. Soft shouting came from somewhere down the

h so students can still eat. This is city-wide for Richmond. Please tell your classes by the end of first period. The sch

he students looked up.

leaving early, right after lunch." Cheers broke out. "Same day, just no fourth period." More no

d something. I dug through the filing cabinet for the video questio

ies. They didn't seem to mind. I was using the movie to

ped into Sarah Chen, the eleventh-grade

sol," she said, alr

s me. I wasn

's got a high fever. I'm on my way to get

A scream cut through the hallway. I jumped and dropped the papers. The sound wa

ied. I put on a calm face. The shout

Sweat ran down his forehead even though it was cold outside. Maybe the heat was up too high. I went

eenage boy staggered in, both hands pressed to

ed him onto a desk. My heart was pounding so hard I could barely talk. I looke

e handed me a roll of paper towels. I p

omach. I thought he was crazy. I tried to get to the nurse-" His breath caught and

people in there already-" More screams rose outside. S

pressure on the wound. His cries stopped. I couldn't find a pulse. Every

other two minutes his

es looked cloudy and bloodshot. His sister Lily steppe

thing was wrong. Before I could move he lunged and bit into Lily's neck, then her friend's ar

I stood frozen while he kept going at t

d we ran. Blood was already staining the tan fabric. The hallways were chaos

id, pulling her

n to your classroom until further notice. I repeat-" The announcement cut off with a scream.

. "He'll kill us." I pulled her against m

ng. I'm taki

for a minute?" she asked. I p

She slid down against a c

ospital early for work, so it was just me and him. I was making him sou

my fiancé. What was happening where he worked? I needed to call him

their throats. Outside the sidewalks looked almost normal except for the stream of kids l

tepped in a puddle. The sky was clear and blue. No rain. I looked down. The puddle was red. Bloody footprints led

ed. I pulled out my

t's your

d, voice shaking. I gave her the street corner. Sh

e man looked up. Blood

ispatcher asked. He stood up, almo

bid animal." I backed up. "The other man...

going on

I backed into a pole. Both of them

is on the way." My phone hit th

pilled out at my feet. I scrambled away, pulling Nora with me. The dispatcher was still talki