The Dead Girls Dance Page 0,77

the happy chaos of a dance. Knots of screaming, pushing people, desperately jamming up the exits from the big open room, all in black clothes, white faces, some splashes of red here and there

Blood. There was blood.

Sam grabbed both her and Eve by the shoulders, swung them around, and pushed them back inside the room. He looked at Ian, who was still cowering against the wall. You. O Positive. How many exits?

What?Oh shit, did you just call me by my blood type?

How many exits?

The stairs! You have to take the stairs!

Sam cursed under his breath, went to the closet, and yanked it open. It was a walk-in, pretty large, filled with junk. He shoved Claire and Eve inside and held the door open. You, he said to the four boys. If you want to live, get in. Touch these girls and Ill kill you myself. You know Im serious, yeah?

Yeah, Ian said faintly. Not a finger on em. Whats happening? Is it, like, one of those shooting things?

Yes, Sam said. Its like that. Get in.

The boys piled into the closet. Eve dragged Claire to the farthest corner, shoving piles of rank-smelling athletic shoes out of the way, and sat her down. Eve crouched next to her, ready for action, and glared at the guys. They kept their distance.

Sam slammed the door.

Darkness.

What the hell is going on? Coffee Bar Jerk demanded. His voice was shaking.

People are getting hurt, Eve said tightly. Could be you if you dont shut up.

Just shut the hell up!

Silence. The music was still pounding downstairs, but over it Claire could hear the screaming. She started to go into that funny gray place, but jerked herself back with an effort and squeezed Eves tense hand. Its okay, Eve whispered to her. Youre okay. Im so sorry.

I was doing okay, Claire said. Surprised, actually, that it was true. Thanks for saving me.

I didnt do anything but find Sam. He found you. Eve stopped. All right, whos touching me?

A high-pitched male voice out of the darkness. Oh shit! Sorry!

Better be.

There was a tense silence in the dark.

And then Claire heard heavy footsteps coming down the hallway.

Quiet, Eve whispered. She didnt need to say it. Claire felt it, and she knew everybody else did, too. There was something bad out there, something worse than four horny, stupid, cruel boys.

She felt something brush against her. A hand. One of the boys, she didnt know which onewas it Ian whod slumped against the wall nearest to her?

She took it and squeezed. He squeezed back, silently.

And Claire waited to see if they were going to die.

Chapter Twenty-seven

The screaming stopped, and the music cut off in mid-rave. That was worse, somehow. The silence feltcold. Claire held on grimly to consciousness. The effects seemed to be coming and going. Maybe she was going to be okay.

A floorboard creaked right outside the closet door.

Claire felt a tremor go through the boy whose hand she held, and she pressed herself harder against the wall and stared at the closet door. It was a big black rectangle outlined in warm yellow.

There was a flicker of shadow, and a snarl, and a mans full-throated yell, and the sound of a body hitting the floor.

Then the boom of a gun going off. Claire jumped, and felt Eve and the boy jump, too. Oh God, he whispered. He was shaking all over. Claire supposed that was one thing that being roofied was good forit kept your heart rate down in an emergency. She felt pretty calm, all things considered. Or maybe she was just getting used to being scared out of her mind.

Running footsteps. The banister in the hall creaked. More shouts from downstairs, feet pounding on the stairs, heading down

And then the distant, shrill sound of sirens.

Cops, somebody whispered, maybe Coffee Bar Jerk. He sounded a whole lot less arrogant. Well be okay. Were going to be okay.

Yeah, until these two turn us in, muttered another boy. For, you know. The thing.

You mean for attempted rape? Eve whispered fiercely. Jesus,listen to you. The thing. Call it what it is, you asshole.

Look, it was justIm sorry, okay? We didnt want to hurt her. We just

Shes sixteen, man.

What?

Sixteen. So you can thank me now for saving you serious jail time, because attempted rape is a hell of a lot better than actual rape. The statutory kind. Did Monica put you up to it?

Iuhyeah. She saidshe said Claire was good to go, that she just needed it rough. She wanted