Sinth Salvation - Pearl Tate Page 0,56

here with a child. It’d be easy for me to phase out by myself, but now …

Dropping the slat, I turn and smile at the fearful face in the doorway. “I didn’t mean to be bad. Principal Donavan was talking to me, but then he left. Why did he call the police? Am I in trouble?”

Lifting the blind again, I see that over half of the police officers are on the ground. In fact, Uncle Gunnar, the man who Lilibeth was talking to when I arrived, is one of them. He’s writhing on the asphalt just to the side of his car. Why haven’t they just left? Clearly, their bullets are ineffective at slowing the sheer numbers still rounding the building.

“It wasn’t you, you know.” Releasing the blind again, I turn and lean over the desk, bracing my hands on the wood surface to look him in his bright blue eyes. “This is something else entirely. What’s your name?”

“Árni.” Shifting his weight from foot to foot, he looks out at the main office door. It sounds like bodies have begun slamming against it. I don’t know how they seem to know we’re in here, but they do.

“Well, Árni,” I turn back around to the window. “We’ll leave here shortly. I’m sure this will slow down …”

I peek out the blinds again, and my voice trails off as I see a dark mass off in the distance. No. It couldn’t be …

I stare in stunned disbelief as Lilibeth’s uncle climbs to his feet. There’s a gaping wound in his neck. The skin is folded down over his collar, exposing tendons and blood congealing on his upper chest. Still holding his gun, he spins in a slow circle, and I get my first look at his eyes. Shit.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, I turn and look at Árni seriously. “Can you come in here, and shut that door? I’d like you to stay here. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“That’s what Principal Donavan said too.” Despite his words, Árni steps inside and shuts the door, hanging his head down as he sits in one of the chairs across from the desk.

“I promise, I’ll be right back.” Rounding the desk, I open the door, turning to admonish him. “Stay in here, and don’t open the door, alright?”

When he nods, I shut the door and phase into the fray outside. Standing in my dimension’s gateway, I let out an exasperated sigh. Uncle Gunnar has definitely transitioned.

I don’t know why or how it’s happening so quickly. Whether it’s because they’re humans? Or because it’s here on Earth … honestly, I just don’t know.

Lilibeth’s uncle has already wandered off, ignoring his partner who’s being consumed on the other side of the car. Considering how they’ve managed to get under his partner’s clothing, Uncle Gunnar’s made out well. Except for his neck, he looks relatively unscathed.

I guess transitioning quickly has its perks. They get eaten less. Sometimes I’ve had to look twice at the Wen-transitioned because I’m not even positive what the species is that I’m looking at! It’s just blood and leftovers, mashed together into some kind of weird, walking bloody pulp.

Phasing farther out into the road, I let out a groan. Just as I thought. The Wen-transitioned from the carriage house—only half a mile away—are now showing up here, probably drawn by the noise. It sounds like a fucking warzone, although the gunshots are tapering off now that there are less police … intact.

Not only is the school surrounded by the transitioned Taxin that couldn’t get through the net barrier, now we have them walking cross-country. To make matters worse, the mass now includes the transitioned Taxin adults as well as Humans that are rapidly joining the ranks.

Thinking about Árni back in the principal’s office, I wonder how long it’ll take to get help. There are so many of them! Phasing back outside the principal’s door, I put on a resigned smile and open the door. “Well, Árni, I do have some bad news for you. I’m afraid you’re stuck here with me for a little while longer.”

Watching me round the desk, Árni doesn’t say anything as I lift the blind. I can see that the front of the infected group has covered about half the distance to the school from when I was outside. They’re moving quickly. I only see one police car left with officers who aren’t transitioned. They climb inside and shut the doors, abandoning their post and giving up on