Page 45 of Before I Fall

“Ok, first up. There are other guns on you right now so any funny business and they’ll take you out. Second, stay off the fences. They’re alarmed so you have no chance of sneaking anywhere. Third, I’m going to need to see that injury to prove it’s not a bite. If it is, you all go right now and take your chances out there. If it’s not, then you’re welcome to stay here for the night to give your friend a chance to rest and recover. You will be perfectly safe as long as you stay off the fences and someone will come to talk to you in the morning.”

Four of them turn their heads and have one of those silent conversations only long-time friends or family can have without saying a single word out loud. Tara and I could do that. We could pack an entire bitch session into one loaded look. I get a hard suspicious look from Dev but the other three nod at me and two of them help the injured guy pull his shirt up enough that when I shine my light on it I can see a long angry-looking slash in his side that’s still bleeding a little bit.

I make a pained face. “That needs to be cleaned out and stitched up or it’ll get infected.”

Dev rolls his eyes at me. He. Rolls. His. Eyes. At. Me!

“No shit. Kinda been busy running for our lives to play doctor but hey, so sorry to have disrupted your party, Princess.” He shoots at me bitterly.

I huff out an excuse-me-laugh and push to my feet. “Right, then. Have a nice night!”

I turn with a swish of my skirt, toss my hair, and start walking back the way we came when leader guy calls out softly.

“Wait!”

I stop but don’t turn around, waiting.

“What’s your name?”

I actually have to think about that for a few seconds. Do I want to tell them? I haven’t heard my name on another’s lips since Tara left me. I close my eyes, my voice barely more than a whisper on the wind but it's loud enough for him to hear. I tense up as I wait for another snarky comment.

“Thank you, Kelsey. Thank you for letting us stay here tonight.”