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Such a delicious buffet, unable to defend itself

A wave of hunger hit irl, but I batted at her hands and leaned down to sniff Veronica’s neck Hoeet she sood as Cole or even Mackenzie, but she would do I licked my lips

One taste wouldn’t hurt

Muscled arled for freedoirl

"Hey, now," Gavin said "I’ve always thought there’s nothing wrong with a little bloodshed between friends, but I draw the line at murder"

"Just want to--" Bite her, I realized I wanted to bite her

Horror bathed otten

"I’ to tre Wasn’t myself--" Oh, heaven help me, I’d been zombie Almost fully zombie

Want to die

"Calm now?" Gavin set me aside and crouched beside his friend Gently he smoothed the blood-soaked hair from her brow "Veronica, honey You okay?"

I backed out of the rooaze downcast until I reached my room I shut and locked my door and tripped my way to the vanity I closeddown irl I’d once been, trapped insideout my bedroom hile other kids played in their yards Social Services had come once They’d questionedEmma and me away from the only home we’d ever known Maybe ould have been separated from each other Maybe not I hadn’t wanted to risk it, so I’d done soainst my nature I’d lied I’d told them ere private people, that was all, and we enjoyed our fahed at their concerns of abuse

In junior high, o out with you No, I can’t stay the night No, you can’t stay the night with

I’d wanted nor Now I had theht have to walk away froerous

Look See who you’re beco

Slowly I pried my eyelids apart The mirror--and my reflection--came into view Revulsionback at me wasn’t me Not anyes had spread, grown darker, and a black spiderweb of veins stretched over her forehead

That Quickly

Her cheekbones were gaunt, her hair tangled

Tick She reached toward e-stained hand, and I reared backward Tre her to ainst the surface, and I calh to ease back into th to speak," she said

Tick

Oh Good Glory I could hear her voice My voice But I wasn’t speaking "I know you’re a zo "You say zombie, I say better half"

Tick What was that? A clock? Yes, I realized That was exactly what the strange tick-tock represented A clock, and tinore it

"What do you want frorin "I want everything"

Everything My body? My life? "I won’t let you win" I have a to-do list, and failure isn’t on it Shaking, I reached out and pressed hed "You won’t be able to stop th is roeaker"

That wiped away her aave in towill be second nature"

"No" Never

"Once your human spirit has been destroyed, I’ll have control of your body I’ll be the first of s "You can’t--"

A knock sounded at the door, and a sweet, tre voice said, "Ali Is someone in there with you?"

Kat

"No," I shouted a little too loudly

A pause "Will you let me in, then? Please I need to know you’re okay, and we need to talk about what just happened I’ve never seen you act like that, not even when you were beating up those boys, and it scared me"

"I’m okay, and I’m sorry I scared you But we’ll talk about it later I just I need to be alone right now"

I heard her sigh even through the obstruction "You’re upset, and I want to comfort you--it’s my specialty Just don’t hurt me, okay?"

I think she meant the words as a joke I hoped she did "I would never hurt you," I said, tears beading in my eyes