“I didn’t know what they were planning to do!” Jake insists.

“So that goat was not your idea?” Ollie asks.

“Of course not. That goat was idiotic. I told him so,” Jake says, defending himself. “I also told him he wasn’t going to my soccer practice for me, but he didn’t listen. And then he went and locked me in here!”

“Do you know where the teachers are?” Ollie presses.

“The teachers? No, why?” Jake looks genuinely perplexed.

“They’re all gone,” I explain. “Which is why there’s a giant, raucous party happening down by the lake. And why Tessa—or whoever she is—announced that, as the oldest person on campus, she’d be taking over.”

“Where did they come from?” Ollie asks, folding one leg up and leaning his elbow on it. “Did they say? What else did they tell you?”

“Not much,” Jake admits.

“And you didn’t ask them?” I pound on the door in frustration, then turn back to Jake. “You didn’t question why they were here, or who created them?”

“Does it matter?” Jake answers.

“Of course it matters! We’d know what they want.”

“Isn’t it obvious? They want to mess with us. With our lives.”

I kick at the door, and Ollie grabs me by the arm. “You’re gonna break your foot. That door’s solid steel. Pru and the others will find us. We have to sit tight.”

I let him pull me back down to the floor, where we spend the next couple of hours speculating about where the clones came from. Predictably, Jake’s not helpful and repeatedly expresses his annoyance that he’s missing out on the one night at Darkwood with no teachers—and a rager on the shore of Dark Lake. Eventually, I fall asleep with my head on Ollie’s shoulder.

• • •

I wake up to the sound of the dead bolt on the other side of the door being slipped off. I have no idea what time it is and am momentarily flummoxed to find that I’ve been asleep this whole time, leaning on Ollie. Light filters in, and I rub my eyes, seeing Pru, Maude, Theodora, and Pippa standing framed in the doorway.

“What time is it?” I ask.

“Eight o’clock. Sunday morning,” Pippa explains, holding out a hand and leading me from the janitor’s closet. My legs are aching, I have to pee like crazy, and all I want to do is brush my teeth.

Ollie follows quickly behind me, as does Jake, looking ready to murder someone. He doesn’t even thank Pru and the others.

“Where are they?” he growls.

“We aren’t sure,” Pru answers honestly, shooting a look at me and Ollie. “The whole campus was up till four in the morning.”