“If you say anything to Paxton about your involvement, once we’re both in jail, I'll bash your head in with a chair."

He looks at me with confused eyes.

“This is the best, safest place around,” I continue. “I’m not going to let you screw up your life for me. I don’t even know you. I don’t even like you.” I know the words sting him. He doesn’t say anything, but his eyes leave mine and he looks from one side of the room to the other.

“You care about me enough to make sure I don’t get involved in this,” he says. His voice sounds thick.

“I don’t want you around me,” I say. It’s a lie for the most part. I would welcome his company, but who is to say we would even see each other while imprisoned? “If you say anything to Paxton, I will deny it and tell him you are crazy-in-love with me and would say anything to keep me from punishment."

“He wouldn’t believe you,” Gabe says.

“Just…don’t,” I say. “Let it be.”

“I’m going to figure something out,” Gabe says.

“Don’t.”

He starts to walk out of the room.

“If we both get in trouble, I swear I’ll kill you!”

The door shuts behind him and he locks it.

If I’m going to be locked up, I’d rather it be alone. No one else should have to face this.

Especially Gabe.

Chapter 11 - Waverly

The herd was still roaming about Foley the next day, and by noon, Walter, Barry, and a few others decided it would be a good idea to go out into the city to distract the herd and attempt to move the greyskins out of the city.

“Oh, it’s a very dangerous operation,” Hank whispers as we walk the school halls. “They sneak out into the cars or trucks and drive out of the sensor area and make as much noise as possible. Usually it’s enough for most of the herd to follow it while the rest of us go out and kill the stragglers. The key is to be certain that none of the greyskins are attracted to the school.”

It is interesting to see how this group operates together and I can’t help but envy their sense of unity. With Walter and Barry outside, Hank is left to lead the other members of the community within the school. He sends men and women alike to patrol the halls, check all the exits to guarantee they are secure, and to keep everyone’s noise level down. He also instructs them to keep the volume low on their radios to avoid unwanted echoes through the halls.