Night Plague: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller by Rowan Rook Read Free Book Online Page B

give into his paranoia.
    …He was just imagining things, right? They hadn’t actually been spying on him in the bathroom. They weren’t actually following him. They weren’t actually staring into the back of his head. Were they?
    He glanced back one last time, unable to resist. They were still there. Something twitched, but he brushed it off. Perhaps they were simply going to the same place he was. He stopped by a window, feigning interest in something outside and waiting to see if they’d walk passed.
    They didn’t. They paused a few moments later, sparing each other glances. They stood close and mumbled, as if they’d stopped to chat, but they didn’t seem to be saying much.
    A chill sent new swiftness to his legs and hurried him through the cafeteria doors. Two sets of footsteps followed him as soon as he started moving.
     
    ****
     
    A shopping bag dangled from Mason’s fingers while he and Merril made their way home. As planned, they’d stopped at the general store for an umbrella and a few miscellaneous odds and ends. Merril had finally picked up her apples and milk along with some of her favorite goodies, but he’d decided to pass on the Cheetos and soda this time.
    Merril plopped a few Skittles into her mouth and eyed him curiously. “What are you gonna use all that bleach for?”
    He tensed. “I, umm, spilled some root beer on the carpet last night. Need to clean it before Martin finds out.”
    She laughed. “If that’s all, I think you might be over-killing it just a bit.”
    He chuckled weakly. “Well, so long as it works.”
    “As lazy as ever, I see.” She shook her head and sighed. “Good thing your carpet’s already white.”
    He smiled, before scratching the back of his hand and sparing a nervous glance around.
    Those two boys had not only followed him into the cafeteria, but to a table close to theirs. Merril hadn’t noticed, and he hadn’t seen them after returning to class. He hoped he was simply being paranoid. After all, there was no way anyone could know, was there? How could anyone know? He swallowed a few deep breaths when he realized he’d stopped breathing again.
    Merril looked at him. “Something is wrong, isn’t it? You’ve been on edge all day.”
    “I guess I’m not feeling too well…” He admitted, hoping to leave it at that.
    “You do look pretty darn pale.”
    He just nodded, his hand itching again. It stung when he gave it an absent scratch and he looked it over for the first time.
    A red welt marred the skin and burned beneath his nails. Now that he thought about it, his cheeks stung a bit, too. Where had that come from? It looked like a rash, but he hadn’t noticed it earlier. Was it because of his…condition?
    His pallid skin looked even whiter beneath the blue sky. Sky. Sun. His eyes widened at the sudden thought and squinted up at the glowing orb.
    It couldn’t be…could it?
    “Oh!” Merril frowned. “What happened to your hand?”
    He stiffened. “I’m not sure.” Not entirely a lie. “Maybe it’s an allergic reaction of some sort.”
    “Maybe…” She took the hand and cuffed it between hers before he could pull away, raising her eyes to his. Fog birthed from her lips with each exhale and reminded him to keep breathing. He could only hope she wouldn’t notice his absent pulse. She smiled, but there was something sad there, too. “You’re so cold.”
    For a moment, they just stared, green eyes meeting brown.
    Then he felt it. Something hot welled up, boiling in his stomach and winding its way through his ribs. It started small but struck fast – a warm hand grabbing the back of his neck. He quivered, skin crawling and nerves pulsing.
    It was terrible. Wonderful. Horrible with the promise of ecstasy.
    He was suddenly aware of every vein in Merril’s limbs. The blue streak bulging at the side of her throat. The lines painting webs under her thin arms. They danced beneath her skin and throbbed with every heartbeat – something he no longer