Outbreak
12. The Right Thing to Do?
I think it was more than good luck that allowed me to find Gabriella in that frenzied maze of terror. I think it was the sort of instinct that only the best of friends could share. Because, the chances of locating one person in an auditorium this size and full of this many people, were less than slim. Yet, there we were together, hiding under the same table.
I'd been there before her. I'd given up screaming Chad's name and had long since dived into the nearest covered area. I lay, curled up in a ball, under the refreshment table on the polished wooden floor. Through the small gap where the tablecloth didn't quite reach the ground, I watched the thousands of feet that sprinted and stumbled all over the place and I hoped with all my might that none would wander too close to me. I let myself get lost in cover of the cloth that draped all around. It was like a tent. The only problem was that I couldn't lock it. And, although the material slightly dampened the sounds of my surroundings, it didn't block it out.
I heard every scream. Every cry for help. Sometimes, I recognised the voices. Most of the time, I didn't.
I was waiting, though I'm not sure what for. For it to die down maybe. Or to be found. To be killed. I wanted to shut my eyes and then reopen them to find myself back in Chad's arms. I wanted to rewind the day and stay at home tonight instead of walking into this death-trap of a prom. But those sorts of dreams were unrealistic. I knew that I was probably going to die under here. As much as I wanted to shut the world out, it would find me eventually.
When Gabriella arrived, sliding in from out of nowhere, I thought my time had come. I thought I'd been discovered and my life was about to end. She was just as surprised as me to find that we were face to face with one another.
We held each other, both of us shaking and snivelling. She kept asking questions to which I had no answer. What's happening? Where's Troy? I kept telling her promises I wasn't sure I could keep. We'll find them. It's gonna be okay.
I don't know how long we were under there. Long enough for us to let our guard down, I suppose. Long enough to forget about the danger and to neglect our strict seating positions. Long enough for Gabriella to feel the need to stretch her legs and unknowingly poke her feet out from within the tablecloth.
She jumped. I noticed that. And then, she was gone. Within a second. Kicking and screaming. Dragged away by her ankle. Out of our tent. Our fort. Gone.
I hesitated for only a moment as I considered whether or not to go after her. Then I tore away the cover of the silk cloth, crawled out from beneath the table and got to my feet. I'd forgotten how chaotic it had been out there. The damage to the schools auditorium was far worse now, and more evident due to the fact that there were a lot less people. They must have all died, I thought. Though the large room was still teeming with life.
To my surprise, Gabriella was standing right beside me. Her back was to me and I could see she was struggling. Peeking over her shoulder, I didn't quite believe what I saw.
Ryan Evans.
But this wasn't our Ryan Evans. No, he was different. He was crazy. Possessed. He had both of Gabriella's wrists in his hands and was trying to bite her fingers, the strangest thing I'd ever seen.
I took one large step past Gabriella so I stood nearly between the two and gave Ryan a hard shove on the shoulder. "Ryan!" I yelled but he didn't even seem to notice me. He squeezed harder on Gabriella's wrists and continued to gnash at her. "Stop!" I pushed him harder this time and he let go of her, staggering backwards onto the refreshment table we'd hidden under.
I noticed his eyes then for the first time. Ryan had been voted 'Nicest Eyes' in the yearbook polls. They were gorgeous. Unique. They were, but not now. Now they were glazed over, as if someone had painted the entire eyeball grey. He blinked blindly and peered at nothing.
He only stayed down for a moment. My actions seemed to anger him. He let out a growl and Gabriella and I whimpered simultaneously. I didn't know what was going on, what had happened to him or what was going to happen to us. All I knew was that I was terrified for my life and I was frightened that Ryan might take it from me. I would never have thought him capable of hurting anyone. But something in him tonight made me reconsider.
I took a slow step away from him but my movement seemed to trigger something in his head and he leapt up, his fingers brandishing long claws. He pointed them straight at Gabriella. She flashed me a look of plea before running around the table in an attempt to escape from him.
With her trying to flee from him, Ryan was distracted enough to leave me to do as I pleased. I was given the options of abandoning my friend or using this opportunity to take Ryan by surprise and beat him. I, of course, chose the latter.
I'm not sure what my intentions had been though I must have been out to hurt him. Why else would I have picked up that shard of broken punchbowl glass? It was large and disgustingly sharp and would undoubtedly do damage. I wasn't thinking. I didn't consider what I was doing before I did it.
Ryan had been chasing Gabriella round and round the table like something out of a cartoon. When the time was right, I stepped right into his tracks with the shard of glass held out in both hands in front of me. He didn't see it coming.
It pierced into his chest and stopped him dead in his tracks. I felt the warm liquid of his blood gushing over my hands and dripping down my wrists. He clutched my arms, sending the blades of his nails into my skin.
I don't know what came over me then. It was like I lost control over myself for just a second. And, in an act of pure sadism, I twisted the glass.
It must have torn him apart from the inside out. The cavity I had created in his chest split open. A torrent of red mess erupted from within. He released his hold on me and collapsed onto the ground. I looked down at him as he lay motionless, sleeping.
The Ryan I remember.
He was no longer the predator that was after my best friend. He was the funny, underappreciated drama guy that turned out to be a great companion. He was a good person with a hole in his chest and a suit covered in blood. A talented dancer and singer, he was destined to be something great; friendly and caring. And dead.
Because of me.
"T-Tay… Taylor?" Although she stood beside me, Gabriella's voice sounded miles away. I let the glass fall from my hands. Her hand was on my shoulder. Ryan was at my feet. And eyes were burning holes in my back.
I turned around, ignoring Gabriella's reassurances, and gazed at the open auditorium door. The madness of the world outside didn't interest me. Only the pink-clad, blonde girl that stood within the threshold. Staring right back at me.
Sharpay was all the way on the other side of the room but I could see that her eyes were focused solely on me. She just stood there, piercing me with her dead gaze, blinking and breathing heavily. Then, she did something that shocked me. She turned away. She turned her back on me and began to walk slow and shuffling steps out the door. She trudged as if in a sleepwalking daze and she didn't stop until the dark of the night had swallowed her.
I wondered if this was all a dream. It didn't make sense. But it felt so real. I could still feel Gabriella's hand on my shoulder. Could still distantly hear her telling me that I did what I had to do. That we did what we had to do. I could see my own blood-drenched hands and smell the metallic tang that the liquid emitted. But I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe any of it.
Sinking slowly to my hands and knees, I crawled back into my tent, put my bloody hands over my ears and shut my eyes. I prayed then. I don't know how long for. The same unanswered prayer, over and over.
Let me wake up now. Please let me wake from this nightmare.
A/N: Once again, apologies for yet another late update! Really sorry!! I don't even have an excuse. Also, sorry this chapter is short and, in my opinion, pretty rubbish. AND as my internet is acting up (as usual) I won't be able to name my reviewers this time. Sorry for that too. I'm such a pleb today. :( I promise I'll up the standard! Please don't abandon ship.
Next Time;
Karma. That's what this was. Taylor had taken the life of who Sharpay loved most. And now, the tables had turned. That's just the way things are. It's just justice.
xX M Xx
