Page 177 of Meet Me at the Metro

“Nora.”

Her name is devastating on my lips.

I have no time to warn her—no time to explain why Kimberley steps toward us with John held at gunpoint.

“Well, well, well,”Kim croons, a wicked smile growing along her red-stained lips.“You two are just on time.”

43

THE FINAL ACT

E L L I E

“RUN!”

I don’t have time to contemplate Theo’s orders before his hands shove me forward, pushing me back through the doors of the administration building. There’s so much force behind the action it knocks the wind out of me. My feet stumble over each other as his broad hands press into my back, propelling me forward to the cobblestone sidewalk outside. I start to trip the second the chill night air hits my skin, but he catches me. His fingers clutch onto the collar of my jacket while one of his arms wraps around my midsection, and he yanks me upright again.

My phone slips from my coat pocket and clatters onto the pavement, but there’s no time to grab it as Theo pushes me forward.

Fear lances through my chest as we race through the courtyard, advising me not to stop—not dare to look back.

“What is going on?”My words are breathless and trembling.

“Just run!”

Theo seizes my wrist and yanks my body in front of his just as the ground beside us explodes. I scream at the startling bang of the gun as grass and dirt go flying everywhere.

“Kimberley! Don’t fucking shoot at her!”John screams behind us.

“Then, help me catch them! If not, she’s dead!”

I don’t have time to contemplate everything that’s happening. All I know to do is follow Theo’s wordless demands as he forcefully steers me toward a long, narrow outside corridor. Our swift, heavy footsteps ricochet off the concrete as we run past the columns lining the elongated veranda. We search the school grounds, seeking refuge, but turn after turn—corner after corner—we wind up short. We bolt for doors and entryways as they arise, but each one we come across ends up being a disappointment—locked tight for the night.

My lungs are burning for oxygen, begging me to slow down and give them a rest, but I know doing so would be detrimental. Kimberley and John’s footfalls are approaching quickly, promising to seize us if we stop for even a moment, so we don’t.

Theo’s rushing us toward the next door, the veins in his forehead protruding as he vigorously works to wrench it open. I join the effort, grunting with exhaustion as we desperately tug, pull, and heave against it.

Theo relinquishes a frustrated growl. “Come on, dammit! Come on, come on, come on!”

“There’s no use in running!”

Kimberley’s lilting shout is a sickening reminder of our dwindling efforts. Theo’s eyes slice over to mine, and his brows furrow with worry. I’m panting as I try to formulate our options, my head scrambling to figure out where we could go—where we couldhide.

“The theater!The theater, Theo!”

He does not hesitate when he grabs my hand and races for the other side of campus. It was an exhausting effort to keep up with him; his long legs carried him much farther than mine were capable of carrying me. I trip several times as I fight to stay at his side, but every time, he’s right there, catching me before my knees hit the ground.

“We’re almost there, Nora!” His head darts back and forth between me and the two-storied brick auditorium approaching ahead, ensuring I’m still with him every sprinted step of the way. “Almost there, baby! Come on. We’re almost there!”

Theo’s hand only leaves mine for a second as he shoves open the metal doors of the building and forces me inside. We turn to slam them shut.

“We’ve got to hide,” Theo insists, dragging me through the desolate lobby and pulling me toward the auditorium.

We race through the red velvet rows of chairs, weaving in and out of them as we bolt for the stage. My adrenaline is the only thing keeping my body moving. It feels like we’ve been running for miles, and with the expanse of campus, I don’t doubt that we have. We are both utterly exhausted, our lungs gasping for air and our hearts pumping so vigorously that I can feel Theo’s pulse beating in his hand holding mine. Neither of us let our exhaustion slow us, though. We keep moving because we both know that our lives depend on it.

“Why the hell was John with her? What the hell is happening?”

“He’s working with her.”

---