Dog Days: Book One

11

Josie.

Brief memories of Arryn's former lab partner flashed in her mind. From dissection day to group projects, Josie had been an excellent classmate. Unlike other fellow students, she had always put in the extra time and effort, making her a perfect match for Arryn. Regardless of how close they were outside of the classroom, Arryn always considered Josie a good friend.

And now, her friend was trying to dissect her.

In the dim lighting, Arryn could make out a large hole exposing the bones of Josie's rib cage. The blackened flesh around the open wound dangled loosely with every step she took forward. A rotten odor followed, filling the small, stuffy room. The smell clung to every breath she inhaled.

Josie rushed toward the shelves, clawing desperately at Arryn's feet. The snarls escaping her lips sounded nothing like the Josie Arryn knew. Just like Lincoln, she was gone. And unless a miracle lurked around the corner, there was no way to bring her back.

Turning her attention to the crawl space, Arryn clenched her teeth in an attempt to hold back the booming of her heart. Now or never.

The shelf wobbled, almost making her fall backward. Thankfully, her grip helped her find her balance. She climbed into the cluttered area. Dust and cobwebs wrapped around her hands and face, while the insulation brushed against her har. The urge to scratch invaded her thoughts as phantom itches ran down her scalp and onto her arms, but she placed them on a back burner.

With a kick, she managed to get the rest of her body weight onto the thin ceiling tile. A loud clatter, followed by softer thuds sounded from underneath. Craning her neck to get a partial look, Josie lay pinned underneath. That, however, did not stop her from reaching her arms upward toward Arryn.

Arryn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She couldn't linger here. Josie wasn't Josie anymore. Somehow, she had to get that through her brain. The pieces sat side by side, but just wouldn't connect. Deep down, denial still controlled everything.

"I'm sorry, Josie," Arryn whispered.

The tile creaked under her weight as she eased forward. She gulped. The last thing she needed was to fall and break something.

Inch-by-inch she crawled forward. Strands of spiderwebs stuck to her skin and hair, with particles of dust irritating her nose. Stopping often to sneeze slowed her down.

She had placed a measurable distance from where she started before a feeling of weightlessness overcame her. Blurred light moved upward as she fell down. Hard, solid ground broke her fall. The impact felt like a slap to the face, leaving behind a sting that burned her left side. The pain came in pulses, fading momentarily only to return with a stronger intensity.

She tried to move but sucked in a sharp breath as the continuous loop of discomfort shifted into a thousand daggers stabbing her flesh.

A whimper passed her lips as she tried again. And that's when she felt it. The slick, warm liquid underneath her fingers. Clotted droplets fell off the sleeves of her shirt and landed on her skin and the ground. Trembling, she mustered enough courage to take in what she had landed on.