Associate Bradbury looks at Casey with a look I read as incredulous, “I can’t quite believe what you’re saying – not least because she’s your friend,” she says this with an angry, disparaging tone in her voice. She paces round the basement, then shoots more words at Casey, “You know, Dr Shaheed rates her as the most intelligent, insightful and loyal Responsive The Association has ever had, ‘an absolute asset’ to us all was how she described her to me.” Her pacing quickens; it is like she is using her steps to contain her anger, to stop her from lashing out, “And you’re saying THIS about her – how dare you have such little respect for Responsive Jess!”

Casey is sad, I read big burden on her face. When she speaks, her words are soft and unsure, “Then why did she phone me during assembly to tell me Dr Shaheed had been murdered; that info was even put out on The Association app, it freaked Toby out? And it nearly got us into big trouble with The officer,” says Casey, with questions crossing her face.

“HUMAN ERROR! Grade one Responsives aren’t infallible, they feel things without necessarily having all the facts,” shouts Associate Bradbury.

I read pain on Casey’s face, “I feel like such a bitch.”

“Yes, feel it Casey,” spits Associate Bradbury.

“Hey, don’t be so nasty, I only had a thought, an opinion, don’t shoot me for it.”

Associate Bradbury softens, “Lets draw a line under your theory Casey. I do agree that we need Toby down here. I suggest you and Kirk seek him out upstairs – I’ll look for Jenna. How does that sound?”

Casey shakes her head, “Yes, I want Toby back with us.”

“OK, let’s discuss the logistics, you mustn’t mess this up” says Associate Bradbury, with an iron like authority.

……

“Kirk, wait – I’m kinda, well, not kind of – I’m real scared,” says Casey as we near the top of the stairs. I turn; she’s just a shape in the darkness; for the first time since my reanimation I try hard to choose my words carefully, “Casey, I can lessen your fear. I will do everything I can to protect you up there. Remember, reanimates can disable other reanimates. I know Associate Bradbury says I mustn’t attempt to do this. But, if I have to, if he comes any where near you, then – I’ll eat him, bones and all.”

I hear a soft chuckle, “Kirk, that’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me – let’s go,” she says.

I feel good; my words helped Casey, more progress.

……

We stand in the alcove that adjoins the storeroom. I peek into the space and scan the room from my limited viewpoint.

I see nothing, nobody. I take Casey’s hand and lead her into the empty room.

We walk with tentative steps toward the door that will lead us back into the corridors of Arlington High.

“SHOOT! Eurgh – Kirk, look,” says Casey, pointing to the floor. It’s a considerable blood splat. I swipe my finger through the jammy pool, and lick it, “Mmmm, it is the blood of a man in his thirties, he smokes far too much,” I say.

“You can taste that in the blood,” asks Casey, surprised.

“Yes I can,” I say, moving forward and swiping more from another splat. I lick and swallow – same guy.

I follow the trail until it reaches the door, where I take a considerable swipe, “Mmm, I’m loving smokers blood – it tastes like something from my life – barbecue sauce. This is an Officer,” I say to Casey, to reassure her it's not Toby or one of our peers.

“You don’t think it’s ‘The Officer’ do you? He seems to be on our side,” asks Casey, with concern in her voice. “No,” I say, with certainty, “The Officer doesn’t smoke.”

……

“You ready?” I ask Casey, with my hand resting on the handle.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she says, taking a big ‘in’ breath, holding it in for a count of about five, before letting it out with a big sigh.

……

The corridor is seeped in silence.

Until Casey sees the wall – and the silence is pierced with her short, sharp, involuntary scream. I quickly place my hand on her mouth to stop any further sound.  

Her eyes bulge and widen at the sight: REANIMATE’S RULE.

The words are scrawled large across the wall – in blood.

The statement doesn’t rule too long on the wall; I launch my tongue at it and lick it off within seconds.

I wipe my mouth,“Yuk. That’s definitely the Doctors blood; I can taste cheap tanning pills and potions. That guy really was dying for a tan,” I say.

“Who do you think wrote it?” asks Casey.

“The reanimated Doctor,” I answer.

“How?”

“With his hand, dipped in his blood.”

“I know that Kirk. But, wouldn’t he have to think, have some human insight to write that?”

“He has double soul return – some insight comes with the big H.”

“Exactly, maybe the Hellix returned to him carried that statement from the person it came from,” says Casey.

I see Casey’s face fall into deep thought. I read her thinking turn to confusion, and then back to realisation – “JESS – that’s just the kind of thing she’d say!”

……

We walk toward the Hall. Standing outside the double doors, Casey stands with her ear toward the door, her face carries a concentrated look, she whispers, “Why’s everyone so quiet?” I lift my shoulders and nod my head, the way Toby does when he wants to say ‘I don’t know’ without saying the words – I’m learning human ways.

Then, I become aware of the absence of one of my strongest reanimate senses – smell.

I drop to my knees and plunge my nose tight into the tiny space where the door does not quite meet the floor. I inhale deeply. I pause and process the odour that infiltrates my head; it is not the warm, stinging, stink of masses of stale teenagers. No, it is something else: a familiar, sweet, dying scent.

“What is it Kirk,” asks Casey. I stand up, inhale again, process the scent, and say, “The students have gone, left the building. There is just one person in there – I can smell the last remnants of their cologne.”

“Whose cologne Kirk?”

I inhale again, to be sure, then I answer, “It’s…”

CNN NEWS

We’d now like to take you back to Arlington High where events have taken a significant turn. What can you tell us Jonathon?

Well, we’ve witnessed some chaotic scenes here in the last few hours Julia. What we can tell you is that four Police Officers and three students have been taken to Hospital suffering from significant bite wounds. The majority of the students have been released and are currently in the Local Court House here, where they will be receiving short-term treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The situation is far from over however, as we are being told that four students are still un-accounted for and may still remain within Arlington High.

What can you tell us of the alleged perpetrator of this crime?

Well, we managed to talk to several students as they were released, and I have to say all were incredibly distressed. One student had this to say:

‘…it was unreal in there; the guy was like superhuman – jumping on people – biting chunks off em. The cops were shooting him – but he just kept on jumping. Then he slowed down. Most of us were trapped in the Hall with him – blood everywhere – the freakiest thing happened – the man suddenly stopped – half his head was blown off, he was full of holes – dripping in blood, guts hanging out and stuff! But – he walked like he wasn’t injured or even hurting, he spoke real normal – said he was sorry for what he’d done, asked us all to forgive him – he kept saying other stuff, but I was too freaked out to listen. Then after about a minute – he dropped and died…’

As you can gather from that account, this is a significant event, and one that is likely to have a lasting impact on the students here at Arlington High.

……

 “…It’s The Officer,” I say with authority. I read an unsure look on Casey’s face, “Let’s go back to Associate Bradbury, we need to let her know the students have gone – and check out if she’s found Jenna,” she says.

I place my hand on the door, “NO, please don’t Kirk, what if…”

The door swings open before I have a chance to push it, “What if what?” asks The Officer.

He looks tired, dishevelled. Drying blood splats scatter his uniform with deep, dark patches; but – he wears a smile. Casey answers with a fake, hesitant tone, “What if, we get into big trouble, for still being here.” The Officer lets out a weary laugh and begins to walk up the corridor. He stops and examines a portion of the wall, his hand swiping across it – “REANIMATE’S RULE,” he says, looking at me. “Thanks for mopping that up Kirk.”

I note Casey becoming agitated, “What you talking about? Kirk mopped nothing up,” she says, with a hint of panic in her tone.

The Officer stands and stares, his questioning eyes penetrate mine. Casey continues to drop diverting words, with a rising desperation in every one, “Guys, we need to get outta here, My Mom’s gonna be so pissed with me…”

I hear the bang of a distant door.

…”Kirk has to get home Officer – for his meds, you know he has several conditions that require medication…”

I hear the click/clunk of another door being opened and closed.

…”Kirk has special dietary requirements, he needs to eat real soon….”

I hear approaching footsteps.

The Officer addresses Casey, “What will happen if Kirk doesn’t get to eat his special diet?” he asks.

Tears begin to collect in Casey’s eyes, “He will faint and fit…please…we need to go…” she says, trying hard to fight the tears.

Casey is so consumed with emotion that she is oblivious to the footsteps and unaware of any other presence.

The footsteps round the corner,  stop, and talk...

“...Casey, it’s OK.”

Her tears halt, her head shoots up, a hopeful smile cracks across her beautiful face.

“It’s OK. The Officer triple discovered the Doctor – he saved us all. I told him about Kirk – Kirk’s still safe,” says Toby.