"Weirdos"

My heart pounded against my rib cage as my mind went completely blank. But then Pallas caught my eye from the other side of the hallway. One hand hovered over her chest and rose and fell slightly with the rhythm of her breathing. Her deep green gaze seemed to glow in the distance, allowing a better understanding of her message:

"Remember: just breathe..."

I nodded furiously, turning my attention back to the monster slithering before me. It's long, scaly tail waltzed lazily back and forth, completely unbothered by the ignorant teenagers loudly chatting all around. No one had seen the creature since it slithered through the front door; no one had even screamed as it slunk over the tops of their shoes still crowding the hallways before the morning bell...

***

Quinn was relieved when she saw Pallas pull up in the parking lot, her sister practically leaping from the car before it came to rest. She suspected the sisters were bickering (again), but knew that it would have to wait until after this - this thing was taken care of.

Keeping one eye on the creature, Quinn whipped out her phone and typed a frantic message:

911: Monster in front hall!

Then, without waiting for a reply, she quickly and carefully followed the damned thing as it wormed its way to the art room - it wasn't an easy task:

"Excuse you!"

"Oh, sorry...!"

"Watch where you're going!"

"The Hell?!"

Quinn ignored the scornful chorus as sh pushed and slipped her way passed the cluster of bodies. Panic started to set in when she realized the thing was moving faster and faster away from her - How the hell is it so fast?! - when suddenly it took a sharp turn and disappeared behind the auditorium.

"Shit!" Quinn spat breaking into a full run, receiving a fresh barrage of curses for her trouble.

She turned the corner as fast as she could, her heart beating like a caged animal desperate for escape.

Just turn and run... runaway! This isn't your problem...!

But Quinn Harlow knew that she couldn't run from this. Not when that thing had its 'sights' set on a trembling 13 year old boy...

***

I made an excuse to visit the front office, leaving Talia to her friends waiting near the cafeteria. I don't remember what I said but I know that she didn't believe me. She quirked on eyebrow, cocked her head and gave me that look that only she could give. But, to my relief, she didn't press me on the subject and simply turned to join the girls waving her down.

I'd explain it to her later - maybe - but at the moment there was a Deathworm creeping through the halls of my old Alma mater.

Undoubtedly hungry.

I slipped invisibly through the crowds, moving as fast as I could without rousing suspicion. Suddenly I saw Hollywood sprint down the halls before making a sharp turn. My stomach dropped when I realized where it was going, and I circled to the opposite entrance hoping to cut the damned thing off. But as I rounded the corner I realized I was too late:

Only one 8th grade student stood frozen in the middle of the hallway, his back to me and surrounded by carefree classmates. The Deathworm was already slinking its way forward: lazy and unbothered, but its appetite surely aroused.

I saw Quinn on the other end of the hallway, her eyes wide, face pale; the poor kid looked like she was about to pass out! I couldn't be too mad at her for freezing - she wasn't supposed to see these things outside of the menagerie.

When she noticed me, I signaled to her to calm down, then to follow my lead: there was only one way to capture this creature without an anesthetic...

***

"Grab. The. Boy," Pallas mouthed from the end of the hall. I nodded again and started walking slowly down the middle of the hallway. The boy noticed me just then, his eyes wide with panic. I could tell he was about to run and started shaking my head raising one hand to stop him...

"Hey you!" Pallas exclaimed launching herself in front of him, "I haven't see you in forever! Look how big you've gotten!"

In the blink of an eye the thing let out a snake-like hiss and sprang through the air! It latched itself onto the back of Pallas' shoulder. Her body tensed as she bit back a scream and she grabbed the thing by the end of its tail turning her body away from the boy and motioning to me.

"It's been too long!" I chimed in cheerfully, throwing one arm over his shoulder and steering him in the opposite direction. "We're going to have to catch up soon! How's your mom doing?"

A gust of wind blew past and the side door slammed, only startling a few nearby students. The only usual thing to see at that moment in time was me.

I left the boy to his confused friends and promised I was explain later - maybe. The Junior High kids typically kept to themselves, while the high school students preferred to look down on them. But, to be fair, I wasn't a normal Senior. I was a...

"Weirdo!" a 7th grader snickered as I followed Pallas to the back parking lot. She sat slumped against the brickwall of the school, already pale, sweating, and shivering all over. The creature writhed furiously in her grasp, but she refused to let go.

Well... that's not untrue...

With my phone to my ear I immediately called Sage for back-up.

You have to be a little weird to stomach this job...