bad things start happening

Who: Tad, Harper, Roxie, Gabe, Jess, and Ryan
Where: The school, then the hospital
When: late afternoon

Harper took off running down the hallway, sneakers sliding against the slick linoleum. Her nose was bleeding and making it difficult to breathe but she was somehow managing too anyway. She was getting soaked from the sprinkler system, the damn fire alarms ringing. It was making her head positively pound. Whatever those things were, Ryan had told her to run and she did, even as his screams had her wanting to go back. The fact that she could no longer hear them made her blood run cold.

She didn’t get too far before she crashed into Tad who was running away from the direction she was moving towards. He reacted quickly, grabbing her to keep her from falling and pulling her in a different direction. “This way,” he said, lights flickering again. He was bleeding as well, cut on his arm and above his eye, but for the most part he was still functioning. He’d been on his own, headed to find Jess or Roxie, not expecting to find Harper. Especially without Ryan. Still, he drug them down a different hallway, knife drawn in his free hand.

“Have you seen those things?” She asked as he pulled her in a different direction and she was having trouble staying balanced, as she tended to after extreme use of her abilities. It was hard to tell if she was crying or not but her voice was thick with panic and the inability to breathe through her nose.

“Yes. Ugly as fuck and my arm is killing me.” Something had scratched him, and given how it felt? He was guessing they got it right in the books that their talons were poisoned. Thankfully he could manage still and his arm was throbbing but he still had control of it. “I think I took down two. Which is a start.” His shirt sleeves, the white shirt under the black tshirt was stained dark with blood, but this wasn’t his, just what had spilled out when he pulled his knife out of one of the demons.

“Who are it?” she asked, in her panic getting the words mixed up and not realizing it. They were running for their lives. She didn’t have time to focus on saying the right things.

Things were cleaning out and while he didn’t see shadows following or hear anything he slowed, shoes slipping on the wet floor slightly. “Who are...What are they. Um. Demons. I can’t...can’t remember the name. Read about them and recognized the pictures because face it. They’re ugly.”

An understatement for sure. They came to the maintenance door, the steel doors locked when they tried the handle and Harper too the opportunity to wipe the blood and water from her face. “Ryan’s still back there,” she said hollowly as she put her hand over the lock, trying to visualize the mechanism so she could move it back. Breaking the handle would be useless.

Tad had let go of her, trying to flex is his hand, fighting the fact that he was losing feeling in it. “Yeah I have no idea where Jess or Roxie are. I have never wished that Rox cut class with Gabe as much as right now.” Which was possible. They’d gone on that camping trip and were total lovebirds now. Tad had a guess about what happened, but now was hardly the place for speculation. Checking the hall again he looked at the door, frowning. “Locked?” he asked as he tried the handle and swore. “Who locks doors from the inside?”

“It’s locked from the outside but I’m trying not to break the lock.” It didn’t occur to her that Tad wouldn’t know what she was doing and a thin stream of blood trailed from her nose with the effort. It unlocked with a silent snick and she pulled it open with effort. “Come on!”

“Break the,” Tad started looking back at her as her nose started to bleed. He tugged at his sleeve, finding a some what unstained part and held it against her face. It wasn’t any lighter outside, not with having been there that late. At least they weren’t still getting wet. “How’d you do that?”

Harper pushed his hand away with a shake of her head. She was shivering a bit and dabbed at the blood on her face.She was scared still, especially because there was an echo of screams coming from places that weren’t the school. “I just can,” she said, somehow managing to find her voice. Her eyes ticked to his arm and she glanced up at him. “That doesn’t look so good.”

Tad frowned when she pushed his hand away but didn’t fight it. He looked at his arm, the blood starting to clot but not looking the right color. He needed to do something about it, but the screams had him on edge as well. “Yeah it doesn’t feel good either. Hand’s going numb.” He flexed his fingers again, but the feeling his like hand was asleep wasn’t going away.

Swallowing harshly, Harper looked at his injured arm and felt panic rising up inside her. She didn’t know what to do. This wasn’t her thing. “I... hospital. Trek hospital.” Grimacing she shook her head. “We should get to the hospital.”

“It’s not that deep,” Tad said as something howled towards the left, near where the gym was. “No, but we should go, somewhere. Come on.” He had her hand pulling her away from the noise.

Harper let him lead her, something she was used to with Ryan and she fell into the role pretty easily. “We can’t just leave all of them,” she protested but knew that there wasn’t much either of them could do to rescue anyone. “Where are we going to go?”

“Leave them...” Tad frowned, slowing as something else yelled. Well fuck. That made things harder. “Right come on, around back this way. Let’s at least get away from where it’s all coming from.”

Jess had contemplated turning into a cat and going to hide somewhere, but it had all just been such a blur that she’d only managed to get away and hide herself in her human form. From the slice on her arm and the small gash on her head, she wasn’t willing to risk the change now. But she was starting to feel lightheaded and strangely unable to walk in a straight line so she was leaning against the wall, eyes shut as she focused on her breathing. She thought she was hearing voices and when she opened her eyes, she saw Tad and some girl there, maybe Harper but she wasn’t sure. “....hey guys...”

Tad was watching behind them, listening to the noises and turning to stumble a step before spotting Jess and lunging towards her. “Jess,” he said reaching for her and wrapping an arm around her. “You okay?”

Harper look startled at the sudden appearance of the new girl and she looked over her shoulder, face pinched with worry as she looked around for Ryan.

Jess leaned into Tad instantly, smiling when he was there. "Yeah, yeah...Just fine. I mean, you know, despite the bit ol' cuts on my arm and head." She grinned a little at Tad even if the pain was starting to escalate.

She didn't hear the stumbling footsteps of someone trying to run but really not quite being able to. Ryan hit the corner hard, grabbing onto it until he stabilized himself and then rushed down the hallways and right out of the building. He could feel her, he knew exactly where Harper was in the area, and he was getting there even though there was blood clouding his left eye from the gash on his brow. "Harp, let's roll!"

The arm that was holding her was starting to go numb and Tad was still stupidly smiling at Jess. It was a little ridiculous, but he couldn’t help it. “No big deal right?” He heard something else crash, surprised that Ryan had found them so easily. Looking around again he started moving, pulling Jess with them. “Come on, my place is only a few blocks away.”

Harper grabbed onto Ryan, looking at the gash on his head but the sound of something bigger approaching. “Come on, we’re going to Tad’s house.”

He wrapped an arm around Harper, keeping her close. "Tad's house, gotcha." Whatever. He could handle going to Tad's house for now. He had to. He wasn't going to like it but he was going to go because Harper's safety was more important.

As the group advanced, Jess glanced down, drops of blood on the sidewalk. Looking up, she narrowed her eyes, unsure if she was seeing things but up ahead there was a girl there, leaning against a stop sign, breathing heavily. "...who..?"

“Roxie,” Tad was answering before Jess could finish the comment. He sped them up as best he could, not wanting to let go of Jess, though he was only half sure he actually had her given that the feeling was going out of that arm. “Which should mean, yes.” There was the truck, not far from where Roxie was and a sleeping figure in the front cab. “She’s trying to get to Gabe, or...fuck.” Too many hurt people. “Ryan, you got this,” he said, leaning Jess towards him and starting past them to bang on the window of the truck, watching the older boy in there jolt awake.

Harper’s head was still pounding and she was confused by what was going on. She didn’t recognize the girl that Tad had passed over to Ryan but she saw Roxie crying and surmised that it must’ve been Gabe there. Trembling lightly, Harper moved towards Roxie. “Are you okay?”

Ryan balanced Harper on one arm and let Jess lean into him, trying to push himself past the fact that he was hurting too. It didn't matter as long as Harper was all right and she was getting most of his attention while Jess just was happy to have someone to lean against, or at least he was giving Harper attention until she went to Roxie. Roxie, who sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "Harper? It's...its not...it's not a dream. It's...it's real and...god my leg hurts and Gabe is right there but I can't see if he's hurt. This is insane..."

“Get up you lazy ass,” Tad was yelling as Gabe shook himself awake. “Open the door and get your girlfriend.” Gabe stared at Tad for a moment then looked up to see Roxie. “Shit.” Gabe stumbled out of the truck, rushing to Roxie as Tad went back for Jess. “We need to get people in the truck. It’s not far, but with us bleeding it’s the best way.” Plus although he might be stoned, Gabe wasn’t hurt.

Roxie wiped at her eyes as soon as Gabe got to her, leaning into him and giving light to the ripped section in her jeans, blood peaking out through the claw marks. She didn't know if she could do this again, after all the dreams she'd gotten hurt in, but he had a plan and she clung to it as she turned to reach out for the others. "Everyone, in the truck!"

Ryan pulled the girls with him, passing Jess over to Tad when he got close enough. "Harper must ride in the front. I don't care who else does but Harper has to, you hear me?" He asked, eying Gabe seriously.

Jess leaned into Tad, giving him a little smile despite the fact that her body was starting to feel really weird. "Wanna ride in the back with me?"

Gabe had Roxie, already starting to lift her up so she wouldn’t have to use her leg. “I was waiting for you,” he tried to explain, but it sounded even weaker out loud than in his head. Looking over at Ryan he just sort of stared. “Right, cool.” Whatever worked. He helped Roxie into the cab, going around to the other side.

Tad had his arm around Jess, smiling back at her. “Of course. Nowhere else to be.” It was strange, that he was managing to flirt with her when she was bleeding. “I’ll get you patched up when we get there.” He jumped up into the truck bed then offered her a hand to pull her up.

Harper eyed Gabe with hesitance and looked back at Ryan before climbing in the truck. She’d never spent very much time with Roxie’s boyfriend and she still felt a little uncomfortable around him. “Does anyone know what’s going on with these things? We need to get to the hospital.” The hospital seemed to make a lot more sense to her than just going to Tad’s house and she didn’t understand why they weren’t going there. She wiped the blood still running from her nose on her sleeve, scared she’d done something to herself.

Something that Ryan was internally freaking out about. He wanted to be up there with her, to be helping her, holding her, whatever, but he was positive Gabe wasn't about to kick his girlfriend out into the bed of the truck in favor of some guy he'd never met before. He'd just have to wait. In the meantime, he opened the small window in the glass dividing the cab and the bed, reached through and put a hand on Harper's head gently. "Right here, Harp. I've got ya."

Jess groaned as she climbed into the back with him, but ended up curling up next to Tad's side, pressing her head on his shoulder without really caring that anyone else was around. It never would matter anyway, but right now she wanted his comfort. "You'll be my nurse?" She asked, teasing right back.

See, that, that was crazy awesome. Tad smiled at little and leaned his head against hers with a nod. “Of course. Pretty good nurse too.” Except he’d need some nursing himself with his arm how it was. Not that it mattered, Grams would be around.

Gabe started the truck once he was sure everyone was settled and started the truck moving, not thinking about it before turning to look at Roxie. “Where am I going?”

“Hospital,” Harper ordered, feeling calmed by Ryan’s touch on her head. “We should be safe there and that’s where everyone’s gonna go, right?” She looked over at Roxie for confirmation on the thought, still not quite sure why Gabe needed to be told where to go. He was older than all of them, wasn’t he?

Roxie wasn't sure what the plan had been before but looking at Gabe, she shrugged. "Hospital. It's safe. I know it's safe there. Caleb said it was....especially if we go to the psych ward."

Jess sighed as she closed her eyes, trying to focus on something other than the pain and how she wanted to change and just curl up in his lap right there. "I know you know what you’re doing. I trust you.”

Gabe nodded, started them towards the hospital. “Hospital it is.” Thankfully it wasn’t far, which made everything easier. “You okay Rox?” he asked her, pulling her towards him.

Tad nodded and held her close. “Stick with me okay. Just..stay here.” Awake and conscious. That was what he needed.

Harper gripped the door handle as they drove like bats out of hell to the hospital, watching the receding image of the school in the rearview mirror. If only she were stronger she could save them all. They wouldn’t have to be running away. She was still trembling and soaking wet from the sprinkler system and she clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering. The houses and buildings they passed show that the chaos wasn’t just limited to the high school. People were running in all directions, other buildings on fire, glass blown out in the street.

"I'll be ok. Nothing I haven't gotten before..." But this time it did feel different, since her leg felt really numb. Roxie scooted closer to Gabe, but reached out with her right hand to grab Harper's free one, holding it tightly. "This is some crazy shit..." Roxie said, watching the people scatter with eyes wide. At least they had each other. "...Can I make a vote that we all stick together?"

Jess nodded a little. "Where am I going, Tad? Not like I wanna chance it and run to the hospital on my own. Not like this anyway..." A cat could make it. She definitely could not.

Ryan was itching, wanting so desperately to be in the cab. He stroked Harper's hair, wanting her to be all right but not being able to stop and really check her just yet. It as driving him insane. "...Step on it, Clyde," He said loudly at Gabe.

Tad brushed at Jess’ hair. “Stay awake is what I mean,” he said with a smile, voice close to her ear. Gabe was driving crazier than usual which had him gripping the side of the truck bed. “Functioning. That’s what I mean. Stay with me.”

Gabe wanted to look at Roxie, but focused on driving, what with people running and that lingering high bothering him. “Right well, I don’t know who Clyde is, but this as fast as I’m going. Truck’s as old as you are.”

Harper reached up for Ryan’s hand, holding it with shaking fingers. She was constantly watching to see if any of those things came back. The jerking in the truck had her head spinning with every bump and she felt sick to her stomach. “Take the next left. It’s the ambulance road.”

Ryan was about to reach through the glass and drive them himself. He held tighter onto Harper's hand, eyes watching her and only her despite wanting so bad to keep them on the road in front and behind them. "We're almost there, Harp....Just hang on."

Roxie sighed, shaking her head. "Now's not the time for hostility, guys....Let's just get to the hospital." She closed her eyes, pressing her head into Gabe's shoulder as she sighed, trying to focus on the bumps in the road and not her leg.

Jess nodded a little again. "I'm here...but what about you? You ok? Your arm isn't all peaches and cream, Tad..."

“Lucky for me it’s numb, I can’t feel it,” Tad promised. “I’ll be fine. It’s not too deep, we can clean out the poison and I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah well tell him to shut up and let me drive,” Gabe said with a slight grumble, following the way that Harper pointed out. He went that way, guiding them where they needed to go.

Feeling overwhelmed and suddenly claustrophobic in the car, Harper let out a quiet whine and tried to control her breathing. It was stressing her out and her head was absolutely killing her. “Drive faster,” she gritted out.

Roxie didn't know what to do but Gabe was upset and Harper was hurting. "Everyone needs to be quiet and let him focus." She said, looking back at the bed then over at Harper. "...We'll be there soon, Harper. I'm sorry..."

Gabe was already shaking his head, not wanting to speed up anymore with Ryan not exactly sitting in the back the truck. Still the hospital wasn’t much farther away which was a good sign. “Here,” he said looking up and spotting the hospital. He pulled over, throwing the truck into park behind an ambulance.

Harper was the first one out, stumbling away and managing to make it to some bushes before the little she had in her stomach came rushing up. It was ridiculous what her abilities did to her. Why did she have them if every time she used them they made her feel absolutely awful?

Ryan hopped out of the truck bed, not caring that his head was pounding, not caring that his arm was about to fall off. Harper was more important, Harper was worse off. He reached for her, putting a hand on her back and rubbing circles. "Harp..."

Jess jolted in the truck, looking up as they parked. "So we're here, huh? Let's...get inside."

Roxie, meanwhile, was looking at Gabe, giving him a little smile as she reached for his hand. "You did good, Gabe. Really good. Thanks for hanging on."

Tad was moving, already starting over the edge of the truck and holding out his good arm to Jess to help her down. “Come on, Grams should be inside. I’ll get you all patched up no problem.”

Gabe was still catching up, being high was fucking with him. He tried breathing slowly, looking over at Roxie before shaking out of it. “Come on, you’re hurt. We need to get you inside.” He started getting out of the truck, holding out his hands for her.

Harper was heaving until she couldn’t anymore and she reached into her pockets for some napkins. “You’re hurt,” she grimaced, looking at Ryan over her shoulder. She could see the others clinging to one another and heading inside and she didn’t want to be dragged in like some helpless damsel.

Jess followed Tad, not really paying attention to much except the fact that she couldn't move her arm anymore. It was numb and freaking her out and she was starting to worry about this. "If you think so."

Roxie scooted, wincing as her leg dragged across the seat. She took his arm, frowning as she slipped out of the truck and leaned on him. "...Gabe, what if something happens to your truck out here? It's not...safe."

"Yes, so what? You're more important Harper. If you fight me on this, I'm carrying you in. So let's go," He said seriously, watching her with eyes that were anything but harsh like his tone was. She was scaring the shit out of him and he had to get her inside now.

Tad was helping Jess, glad she could walk even if she was stumbling a little. “She’s fine Grayson,” he told Ryan as he went past them, holding out a numb hand for Harper. “Nothing got her, she’s just got a nosebleed. And you’re head is bleeding. You need something on that before you pass out.”

Gabe pocketed his keys and locked the doors the truck then shut it. “it’s fine for now. I’ll come move it once you’re inside and someone looks at you. Need me to carry you?”

Harper waved off Tad’s hand and shook her head which was a bad idea because it sent her swimming and she sort of swayed for a moment before straightening up more. “Don’t start you too. Nothing is going to happen to any trucks, we’re fine. This is the staff entrance.” She gave Tad a bit of a push forward and grabbed Ryan’s sleeve. “You all are gonna die on me and I can’t have that.”

Ryan was bristling, ready to snap and punch Tad when he said that. "Don't you fucking tell me what she is, Kennedy. I know her better than you ever will! Get out of my sight." He snarled, slipping his arm around Harper to pull her closer, only dying down with his growling when Harper told him to. "Harp, we aren't. We aren't going anywhere."

Jess tugged on Tad's arm. "Forget that douche for now, Tad...C'mon. Let's go inside. I wanna sit down. I...really don't feel good."

Roxie shook her head a little. "Let me just...lean on you. And limp around." She glanced up at the sky, thinking she heard something of a screeching howl, her eyes widening. "...Everyone inside, c'mon!"

“You can fuck off Grayson,” Tad was saying, bristling as well, already stepping towards him, but Jess tugging on his arm had him falling back, looking at her instead. He glanced at her, trying to calm down then made a better effort to lift her with the one arm he had. He heard what Roxie heard though, eyes cutting back towards the noise. “Jess we have to go faster,” he said, this time lifting her up more.

Gabe heard it and ignore what Roxie was saying until she was saying they needed to be inside now. He scooped Roxie up, carrying her through the double doors with the others.

This was getting ridiculous. “We’re being overrun by whatever those things are. Now is not the time,” she snapped but it was somewhat weak with her nausea as she dragged Ryan behind her and into the hospital. It was crowded, people rushing around and the halls were crowded.

“Have any of you been bit?” an orderly asked breathlessly. “If you haven’t, you need to get out of here and stop crowding my hallway.”

“His arm’s numb,” Harper said, indicating Tad. “I think she’s going numb too.”

Roxie wasn't exactly thinking of being carried but she looked at the orderly, narrowing her eyes. "We're going to the psych ward. So please move out of the way and we will get out of your hallway."

Jess didn't care for the orderly and instead of even speaking to him, she drudged by him and started down the hall, Tad with her.

Ryan was going to set this whole place up in flames if they didn't get Harper to where she needed to go. "Move!" He said, moving in front of Harper. "Get on my back, Harp...I'll carry you."

Tad shook off whatever attention he was getting. “Nurse Kennedy. Madeline Kennedy,” he told the orderly who looked pained, but nodded. “Find her and send her to the psych ward. Tell her it’s her grandson.” The orderly stared at him for a moment then nodded again. Tad wasn’t betting that the guy would find her, but Tad had his phone out, punching in the right numbers as he followed Jess.

Gabe let Roxie down, more so she could lead the way than anything else. “You should lock that if you can,” he said, glancing at his truck through the glass doors and wishing that it stayed in once piece.

“I can walk, I’m fine,” she assured Ryan and her fingers dug into his arm that she was holding onto. “You need to calm down. I’m fine, I’m right here, you’re losing it.” Giving him a patient look she tugged him with her as they followed Tad. “Why are we going to the psych ward? You guys need serious help before your limbs start falling off.”

Jess slowly walked down the hallway, leaning into Tad as they went. "I don't care where we go, someone get me somewhere where I can lay down...."

Roxie limped along, holding Gabe's hand. "I'm sorry, Gabe...Sorry we can't stay with your truck." She understood why he didn't want to leave it, wishing she could drive it into the hospital with them to keep it safe. "Psych ward...because it's the safest place here. Trust me." She told Harper.

Ryan didn't want to hear that but he took a deep breath and tried to let himself calm down, since she was here and she was safe. Sighing, he walked down the hallway with her, still holding onto her hand.

Tad was on the phone, having found his grandmother about the same time as the orderly did. “Right psych ward. Cut up, crawled, full collection of first aid.” He nodded even if she couldn’t hear him on the phone. He hung up and helped Jess more. “Limbs won’t fall off Harper. The toxin is mean to paralyze. It’ll wear off. Blood loss is a bigger deal.”

Gabe had his arm around Roxie, helping her move them in the right direction. He trusted her implicitly when it came down to it. They were winding down another hallway though, one he didn’t know, but it ended with a locked door which opened when an older woman with a cart with them, who was steering towards Tad first.

Roxie looked up at the new sound, smiling more. "Grams..." She'd fix it, she'd fix everything. Relaxing a little now that they were nearing the psych ward and they had someone to take care of them, she leaned into Gabe and closed her eyes.

Jess was barely seeing Grams through the strangeness in her body. She leaned on Tad until the woman came up and then found herself leaning on the cart, closing her eyes.

Ryan, meanwhile, was walking them straight by Grams and towards the doors, trying to find Harper and room where she could lie down.

“Tad,” he heard his grandmother say, but he was already starting to shake her off, nodding towards Jess and the others. “We need patching up.” It got him a nod and the gentlest of touches to his head before they were in the pysch ward, and already filtering into rooms.