"Something's wrong," I whispered to Nico as I swept up the mess of chewed cookies.

Nico glanced warily over at his rowdy friends dancing around Jessica as he wiped down the table. "What?"

I flinched as Buzzcut, I mean, Mark kicked the coffee table violently. "Their eyes."

Eli dragged over the garbage can and crouched, waiting for me to fill the dustpan. A tiny smile touched his lips when I caught him watching me.

"I know. It's crazy. I've never seen anything like it." Nico's gaze flicked to mine with unease.

"Like I told you before, Bro. They remind me of Delia." Eli added. "And what's with the fucking cookies? They beg for them and hate the taste."

"Exactly. It's not normal." I swept my pile into the dustpan. "Has anyone talked to Rick?"

Eli dumped the dustpan before his eyes wandered back to his friends. "He's not answering."

Nico's phone vibrated for the millionth time, but this time his eyes filled with surprise and anger as he read the text.

"What?" Eli asked.

"You're right." Nico's nostrils flared as he handed the phone to Eli.

I glanced between them. "What's going on?"

Nico scrubbed a shaky hand over his mouth. "Mark's supplier is telling me not to sell any more Hype. He said the people who take it change when they come down."

"Change?" I asked.

"Look familiar?" Eli handed me the phone with a shocking photo on the screen.

Whoever took the photo was inside a car. A guy with solid black eyes appeared to be clawing at the windshield. The look on his face was straight up horrifying with his lips pulled back bearing his teeth, reminding me of a jackal.

My stomach clenched as I handed the phone back to Nico.

Nico grabbed his yellow backpack and waved us into his room.

Eli cupped my elbow as we followed, locking the door.

Nico ripped open his backpack, pulling out two gigantic Ziplocs full of pills. He went to his bathroom, and started dumping them in the toilet. "Mark's supplier said when his friends came down from Hype, they crashed hard and started attacking people. The drugs supposedly come from New York, but that photo was taken in Alabama. I'm just one dealer. Who knows how many others are selling this shit across the country."

My hands covered my mouth as I began to pace. "So, what you're telling me is that Jess, Mark, and his friends are going to attack us?"

Eli nodded as he put his phone to his ear. "We need to bounce. Now."

How could this be happening? Jessica was just high on drugs. She was happy and having a good time. How could she turn into something scary like a jackal?

"Are we sure about this?" I couldn't believe I was questioning leaving Jessica with a bunch of strangers, but I didn't want to turn out like Delia.

No one answered me as Nico threw open his walk-in closet and returned with two handguns and a small duffle bag.

"Guns? You've got guns?" My palms pressed against my forehead. "I knew coming here was a bad idea."

Eli glanced at me as he let out an irritated breath. "Gramma? It's me. I know it's late. I'm sorry to wake you up, but something's happened. I need you to listen to me. Remember what you told me?" Eli raked a hand through his hair. "You were right. It's happening. I need you to pack a bag. I'll be there in an hour."

Eli continued to talk while Nico tossed clothes and cash into the bag. Envy coursed through me. I'd never seen so much money in my life. My paychecks went straight to bills, so I never had more than twenty dollars on me.

"I gotta make a call." Nico disappeared into his closet.

I had no one to call. I could try to call my shithead of a father, but screw that. He wouldn't answer and besides, he could eat shit and die for all I cared.

I wanted to run back to my dorm room and lock myself inside, but really, what good would that do? If what Eli and Nico were claiming was actually true, then campus was about to be overrun with killers.

Locking myself in my dorm would be idiotic. I had no choice but to stay with Eli. At least they had guns. That was a lot better than my measly pepper spray.

Nico returned with a cold look in his eyes to grab a gun and his bag from the bed. "You ready?"

I threw my hands up in the air. "I've been ready. I just don't want to go back out there alone."

Eli ended his call, turning to us with his jaw tense. He grabbed the other handgun and stuffed it into the back of his jeans. "We make this fast. Nico, you stay next to Lil. We go to my room, I grab my stuff, and we split. Got it?"

Nico and I nodded.

Eli silently opened the door, sticking his head out. After making sure the coast was clear, Eli stepped out. I tried to follow, but Nico grabbed my arm.

"Stay behind me," Nico whispered.

I nodded. "I need to grab my bag."

We inched out of the room to see Jessica and Mark jumping on the couch. The other guys were raiding the kitchen like rabid hyenas. It was a fricking pigsty! Soda and more chewed up chips and sweets covered the kitchen floor.

"Lilly!" Jessica screamed at the top of her lungs. "I love you so much, and you smell so good. I wish I smelled like you."

"They do smell good, don't they?" Mark laughed, shoving Jessica down playfully to the couch.

Jessica burst out laughing.

I was about to leave Jessica alone with them. Damn it. I was the worst friend ever.

Acting as nonchalant as possible, I grabbed my bag and followed Nico down the hall into Eli's room.

Eli swiftly packed his belongings.

"I don't know if I can just leave Jess," I said. "What if we're wrong?"

Eli reached around me to grab a small wooden box off his dresser. His eyes found mine and softened. "I hope we're wrong, and if we are, she won't remember how she got here. She's pretty out of it. They all are. But we need to be smart about this."

I couldn't argue with that logic, so I relented. "Okay."

Getting out of the apartment was a cinch. Actually, getting off campus and out of Orlando was just as easy.

"I need to use the restroom." I hated having to say it.

"Can it wait? We're only fifteen minutes away." Eli asked from the driver's seat.

"No. I'm about to explode." I shifted in the back seat.

"I'll go in with her." Nico glanced back at me and winked.

Eli grunted in response. Did that mean he was stopping?

I released a loud "thank you" when he finally pulled into a gas station.

"Fill it up. I got her." Eli instructed just as headlights illuminated the interior of the Charger.

Getting out, I walked toward the store. I didn't care who was going in with me. I had to empty my bladder. Now.

Nico laughed as he slammed his door. "How long have you been holding it?"

"Since we left," I admitted.

"I said I'll get you some damn cookies and donuts. Just stay here." A teen girl yelled before she slammed her door and ran inside the store.

The word cookies hit me hard, forcing me to stop dead in my tracks. Eli was instantly next to me.

Two young guys glared back at us from the small Toyota. They weren't giddy like Jessica. The one in the front was wearing a beanie, and the one in the back had a crazy mohawk. Both had eyes as black as night. They appeared to be full of rage and eager to fight.

Nico filled the gas tank without taking his eyes off the Toyota.

Eli grasped my elbow. "Lilly, can it wait?"

I shook my head. "Not unless you want me to pee in the car."

"Make it quick. Come on." Eli tugged on my arm, practically dragging me inside.

"Restroom?" Eli announced as soon as we entered the convenient store.

The attendant sitting behind the thick plastic barrier jutted a thumb toward the bathroom.

I jogged to the restroom, passing up Toyota girl. She was carrying an array of donuts, chips, and cookies.

Yeah, good luck with that, Honey.

I moved as fast as I possibly could in the germ infested bathroom. By the time I came out, Eli was missing. Confused at why he would leave me, I made my way to the front and noticed the attendant was hunched behind the wall peering out the window, talking on the phone.

Without thinking, I rushed outside. I gasped when I found Eli and Nico with their guns drawn.

What I saw next would haunt me for the rest of my life.

The girl lay face down on the concrete. Both of her companions were on top of her, holding her down. They'd pounced on her before she'd gotten to the car. Packages of unopened junk food lay untouched on the oil-stained concrete.

Beanie's face was buried in the side of her neck as her body convulsed under him. Thick red blood slid down the girl's exposed skin, pooling on the concrete.

Mohawk's mouth was latched to her arm, wiggling his head back and forth with vigor. When Mohawk's head came up, there was a massive chunk of the girl's flesh in his mouth.

Mohawk's face eased in relief as he chewed her flesh eagerly. His mouth and chin were covered in blood, and more thick red liquid streamed out of his mouth, dripping down his throat onto his Nirvana tee shirt.

"Lil, let's go," Eli whispered as he wrapped his arm around my waist, herding me toward the Charger.

Tears ran down my cheeks. The girl had to be dying, and the boys didn't care at all.

Eli opened my door, and that's when Mohawk's black eyes honed in on me.

"Don't even think about it," Nico took a step forward.

Mohawk stood, sauntering forward, focused on me.

"Get her in the fucking car!" Nico yelled.

Eli shoved me inside, slamming the door.

I spun in my seat.

Mohawk zeroed in on Nico.

Eli aimed his gun at Mohawk. "Back the fuck up!"

My heart sped up when Mohawk's black eyes focused on Eli. Instead of backing up, Mohawk took a step toward Eli.

Nico held his gun firm. "I'm not fucking around, Dude. I will shoot you!"

Mohawk opened his mouth and released an ear piercing screech, making me flinch back. When he stopped making that awful sound, Mohawk's focus remained on Eli as he appeared to assess his plan of attack.

I tensed as Mohawk ran at full speed toward Eli.

The loud pop of a gun went off. Nico's gun.

Mohawk hit the ground, unmoving. Nico shot the boy in the head.

My whole body was frozen on high alert as the guys jumped in the Charger. I couldn't stop staring at Beanie still attached to the girl, eating the girl.

Eli started the engine and peeled out.

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