Rion Turner transfers from her fifth school this year to Kent High only to be sent to detention on her first day. Although, I'd say that's probably the least of her worries ..
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••Rion••
"Um, my battery is almost out, so I'm making this message for Mom and Papa and— and Nona. It's been two days. We're still trapped in the school. There's no sign of help. We don't know who's out there." I say over my phones recorder. "We haven't made contact with anyone yet. We're doing our best, but I don't know how long we can last. Papa and Nona I wish we spent more time together. Some of that was on me. And Mom what can I say? I guess I'm just a disappointment. I realized that all those times you were frustrated with me. But despite everything I've done know that that doesn't define who I really am and that I love you. I just thought you should know."
"Rion! Rion!" I stop recording and quickly stuff my phone into my pocket as Zoe appears "Mary turned but she's not where we left her." I follow her out into the hall where Diesel was passing out weapons from a box.
"Everyone grab a weapon." Barrett says as Diesel gives me a knife.
"You said the north stairs?" Grover says.
"North?" Natalie frowns.
"Yeah." Barrett nods.
"Those go one flight up, two flights down." Natalie explains.
"Shit." Diesel says.
"She could be anywhere." Natalie says.
"Here." Diesel passes Grover a spear kind of stick. "All right, well, that's eight. We're missing one."
"Noodle." Lashaen says. "Yo, he's in the gym. He doesn't know." He starts to take off.
"Yeah, go." Barrett says. "Zoey, you--never mind." He says just as Zoe follows after him. "Okay, Diesel, Rion, Natalie, second floor."
"Come on." Diesel says, leading the way down the hall.
Natalie shakes her head, "I can't do this."
"Cause of the baby?" I say.
"Jesus, Diesel, you told her??" She panics.
"No, I knew." I say.
She sighs, "Well, yes I have a baby in here. I'm like a walking goddamn Happy Meal."
"So why was it a mistake?" Diesel asks her.
"What?" Natalie says.
"Having a baby, you said it was a mistake, right?" He asks her.
"Making a baby was the mistake." She says.
"Who's the guy?" I ask.
"Does it matter?" She says.
"You even know?" Diesel asks.
"Why do I feel like you guys are interrogating me right now?" She frowns. "And yes, of course I know. I'm not a slut. It was Model UN in Philly. I was Denmark. He was Greece."
