Brendon observes the group and decided to pipe up, “Well if we are in this together, we might as well know each other's names?” His voices cracked with his last words, he was not not used to being a person who initiates conversation.  Amy spoke up first, “I’m Amy, and this grumpy sour-puss behind me is Roxxy.” She barked back at her, “I can introduce myself. Name’s Roxxy, but I don’t anticipate to be with you guys that long, so don’t bother remembering it.” The boy in the letterman jacket was up next “I’m Mason”. Brendon noticed the boy looked very skinny for a quarterback, as if it training meant nothing to him.  “I’m Aaron” piped the boy behind him. The raven-haired girl never supplied her name, but on the book she was carrying the name “Robin” was inscribed in black ink, so that’s all they were going to get.  Mason pulled his phone out of his pocket, and turned on to the news. Unsurprisingly, they were broadcasting footage from the disaster unfolding upon all of them.

    Terror is unfolding across our great nation. These strange human-like creatures seen here have been attacking and mauling anyone near them. The president has issued a warning to stay inside and- OH god what is that? No, nonono. PLEASE NO-”

The feed goes dead. Mason switches off his phone. “Jesus, how widespread is this? There could be thousands of them!” Roxxy shakes her head. “You said it yourself, we were the smart ones for hiding. These people are dying because they were weak.” Amy is taken aback by this “Are you serious? These people are being torn apart by monsters, and you’re blaming it on them? You’re heartless. “ Robin cuts in, “No. She’s right in a way. Those innocent people were turned into monsters because of the Exos. They were betrayed by their inability to handle their own pain.” She then turns back to her notebook in silence. Aaron looks at both her  disapprovingly.

“Why do you think the Exos did this?”

“Isn’t it obvious? The Exos were with them. Why would they be hanging around those creatures if they had no link to them.”

“I see your point, and I’d love to get to the bottom of this, but we need to just focus on the plan here. Amy said we just wait out here for a day until this gets sorted out, Now! Who here has a plan on how to do that?”  

Robin responds, “Well, we need food and shelter. We can swipe some food from the cafeteria, then make our base or whatever in the nurse’s office. It’s better to sleep on those shitty cots than on a wooden chair.” Aaron smiles at her, “See? Now that’s the spirit! But how are we going to get there without being eaten alive?” Roxxy scoffs, “Isn’t it obvious? Those Reapers are attracted to sound. So, we just lay low and stay quiet, and if anything comes up...” She pulls a swiss army knife out of her black combat boot, “I’ll slit their neck open.”

Brendon looks at the knife, full of fear, but the urge to question its existence overrided it. “How were you able to get that in here? Isn’t that against school policy.” She holds back her laughter,  and waves the knife dangerously close to his neck. “I have my ways, and I wouldn’t tell if I were you.” He gulps. Sensing the awkward tension, Amy claps her hands and brings their attention back to her. “So it’s settled then, and, Roxxy, did you call those things Reapers?”

“Yeah I did. Like ‘grim reaper’ since they are creepy and bring death, clever huh? Just came up with it” Mason gives her a look. “Right.”

    The group moves from their tables to  the glass front doors; Amy leads them. “Okay, it’s not that long of a walk to the cafeteria. Stay as quiet as possible, and stay down. “ They creep achingly slowly across the hall. The school is deserted it seems. Everyone had ran outside, and the Reapers followed in pursuit of their prey. Despite their belief, they weren’t taking any chances. As they reached the end of the hallway, only one corner separated them from safety. If only safety were that much closer. A reaper leaps out and grabs hold of Amy’s neck. She holds in her desperate screams. Roxxy brandishes  her knife and lunges forward, puncturing the Reaper’s neck. It steps back in agony, clutching at its neck. She kicked the Reaper in the gut, and it collapsed on the floor. She curbstomped it’s face, smashing it’s fragile skull. Blood and brain matter flowed out of its decaying ears like a gory river. Roxxy turned away from the corpse and stared at the group. “What the hell are you just standing there for? Go!” The petrified group became unstuck and rushed for the cafeteria. When they are  inside, They close the doors, and stack tables in front of them.  Amy was sitting at a table near the lunch line, clutching her neck, with a look of fear plastered on her face.  Mason spoke up, “Hey, where is Roxxy, didn’t she come with us.?” Aaron responded, “No, maybe she went somewhere else first. Probably has something up her sleeve.”

“Her cockiness better not get the best of her.”

Amy gets up from her seat, still holding on to her neck. “I think she’ll be fine.”