He didn’t know if he was shouting at the immobile person on the grass or at the rest of the house. He didn’t know if he was awake or dreaming. This would be a terrible, terrible dream.

“Somebody!” he shouted again.

There were voices in the hall. Footsteps. Running. Knocking, on his door. Someone else was shouting, “What is it? What’s going on?”

That was when Mateo knew for sure he was awake. He yanked open the door. It was Caitlin, who lived in the room next to his, wearing a long white nightgown and loose, flowing blond hair that made her look like something out of an old, spooky movie.

“Go get a dorm monitor,” Mateo told her. His heart felt like it was going to explode in his chest. Somebody had to do something. Somebody had to fix this. “Now! Go!”

“What is it?” Caitlin’s nightgown sagged off her shoulders. It made Mateo think of the body in the grass. No, the person in the grass.

He closed his eyes. Frustrated tears pricked at them. He couldn’t believe Caitlin was still standing here, waiting. Why did no one else understand what the hell was happening? “Go! Go find a dorm monitor. Tell them there’s someone outside who’s hurt.”

Caitlin nodded, her eyes wide. She turned and ran through the crowd that had gathered by Mateo’s door.

“What is it?” Ryan and some of the other guys came into the room, squeezing past Mateo toward the open window. “What’s going on?”

Mateo just pointed. He couldn’t speak anymore. His throat ached.

Behind him, Sean was on his phone, calling 911. Mateo should’ve thought of that.

He had to get out of this room.

He pushed through the crowd and took off for the steps. People were gathered around the dormer window at the top of the stairs, too, but he didn’t pause to look out. He took the steps two at a time, nearly tripping, but he didn’t care.

By the time he got to the front door there were already a dozen people gathered on the curving staircase that led to the front lawn. A bunch of his friends were outside. He saw Austin and Felicia, and Kei, and Maria, and Emily, and Brandon.

Brandon.

Mateo ran straight over and hugged him. He didn’t know why, but it seemed really important to hug Brandon at that moment.

“What happened? Who is it?” Mateo could hear sirens in the distance.

Brandon shook his head. His face was red, and his eyes were super bright, like he’d been crying. “They’re—it’s—they’re saying it’s Delilah.”

“Delilah?” Mateo’s throat was closing up. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” Brandon pointed out to the grass. For the first time since he’d gotten outside, Mateo turned to look. The sirens were getting closer.