Naomi Grim: The Final Breath Chronicles Book One

by V. B. Marlowe

  It didn't matter. According to the glows in the room, at least five of them would be gone soon, and after the massacre, I'd be back in Nowhere.

  * * *

  After PE my head was still sore, so I stopped to get a drink from the water fountain. The halls were virtually empty, as most students were in their usual lunch spots. A few stray kids strolled down the hallway. I leaned against someone's locker and rubbed the back of my head.

  Two boys dressed in dark green and camouflage opened a door with a key and then disappeared behind it. A minute later, another boy dressed the same way approached. He knocked on the door with a peculiar rhythm. Someone opened the door and let him in.

  Their actions made me suspicious so I moved over to the door. A sign on it read Do Not Enter. Custodial Staff Only. I tried the handle. The door was locked. This was no problem for me. I looked both ways. The hallway was empty. I closed my eyes and walked through the door.

  A staircase led to a lower level filled with boxes, old desks, and broken bookshelves. I didn’t see or hear the boys. I tiptoed down the stairs. A scraping sound come from the left. I followed it, silent despite the dust and gravel on the floor.

  A small room was set off to the side. Seven boys sat at a table—a table covered with maps and pages filled with hurried writing. I recognized a map of the school, the same one Mrs. Clark had given me on my first day. I didn't remember seeing any of the boys before.

  One kid with dark bangs that hung in his eyes addressed the group. “Wednesday morning. The custodian opens the school at six o'clock. That's when we need to be here to set up. Jannigan is the only one here that early, and that's when he goes around the outside of the school with the leaf blower. We'll have the inside to ourselves for about an hour. Principal Sharpe doesn’t usually come in until seven.”

  “Does everybody know their station?” asked a boy with a shaved head. The others nodded. “There's no turning back now. We're all in. Wednesday is Doomsday.”

  I'd heard enough. Keira was right. The kids she had been hanging out with weren't the culprits. I had to find Bram and tell him right away.

  I left the storage room, slipped into the girl's restroom, and dialed his cell. It seemed to take him forever to answer. “Where are you?”

  “In the vehicle,” he answered.

  “Stay there.” I raced to him and told him everything I had heard.

  Bram nodded. “Nice. We'll go back after school and check it out just to be sure. Nice work, Nay.”

  I couldn't help but smile. I hoped this would make up for how I had messed up before.

  Chapter 21

  After school, we went back to the room. It was empty. Of course, the papers and maps they'd had spread out on the table were gone.

  “It was all here earlier,” I told Bram.

  He walked around the room, kicking at the trash and broken pieces of things that littered the floor. He stopped and pointed at a small rusted file cabinet. “There.”

  Bram tugged the bottom drawer open. A stack of old papers were nestled there—old tests and study guides—not what we were looking for. Bram took them out and underneath was a black metal file box. He set it on the table.

  I lifted the lid from the box. The papers were inside. Maps of every wing of the school, with red x's marked in each corner.

  “What do you think that means?” I asked.

  “Hmm, maybe that's where they're placing the bombs. Or have placed the bombs. For all we know, they could be there already.”

  I flipped through the other pages. There were schedules. Lists of students' names. A list of places like the gym and cafeteria, and the times they'd be the most populated.

  That was all we needed to see. Bram put the papers back in the box. “Are you sure they said Wednesday?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. The day after tomorrow, then we can do our job and go home.”

  * * *

  Dorian was already waiting when we got in the SUV.

  Bram turned the key in the ignition and checked the rearview mirror. “What the hell happened to you?” he asked, turning around to Dorian.

  I looked behind me. Dorian had a black eye, much like the one he'd received after our visit to Litropolis, except it was his other eye this time.

  Dorian pulled his hood over his head. “Don't worry about it.”

  “Who did that?” Bram demanded.

  “Doesn’t matter. Just some kid.”

  “Why didn't you tell me someone's been bothering you?”

  “Are you kidding me?” I asked Bram. “He's been miserable since we've been here, but you've been too busy playing heartbreaker to notice.”

  Bram glared at me. “Shut up!” Then he turned back to Dorian. “Look, it's my job to take care of you. You should have told me. Whoever did that—point them out to me tomorrow.”

  “What about me? Ashley hit me in the head with a volleyball.”

  Bram put his hands up. “Oh, no, no, no. One thing I do know is not to get involved with girl drama. Now if a dude's giving you problems, I'm your man.”

  I sighed and sank into my seat. I had more important things than Ashley to worry about. We finally had a time frame. Two more days, and then it would all be over.

  * * *

  I spent Monday night tossing and turning. Keira told me to be still or get out of the bed, so I went to the kitchen and fixed myself a cup of hot chocolate. The others were happy now that we knew who was responsible and when the incident would happen, but something wasn't sitting right with me.

  I thought mostly about Roxy and Hunter. Sure, they'd been ignoring me, but who could blame them? If I'd seen what Hunter had, I would have freaked out too.

  I tried to think like a Grim. I should have been able to know this terrible thing was about to happen and not lose any sleep over it. The others slept soundly in their beds. Why couldn't I do that? How was I supposed to walk the halls the next day, knowing so many people were going to be murdered, and not do anything about it?

  I could stop it, keep it from happening. I could warn Principal Sharpe. Show her the plans and the maps. They would shut the school down and find the bombs. Everyone would be safe. I sat at the kitchen table, thinking until the sun came up.

  Everyone was in a good mood the next morning.

  Bram was determined to pummel whoever had given Dorian a black eye. “What are they gonna do? Suspend me?”

  But for some reason Dorian wouldn't identify his assailant, so I wasn't too worried about Bram getting into a fight.

  The school day went by in a blur. I discovered many more students glowing, as well as five teachers. The girls and Hunter were still ignoring me, but that was probably for the best. After tomorrow, I'd never see them again anyway.

  After school, I stood in front of the office, contemplating whether or not I should go in. Should I warn Principal Sharpe of what would happen the next day or should I do my job—not intervene and just collect the lives?

  I thought about Hunter. I could never be with him, but he was a great guy. All he wanted to do was make a better life for his mother. He didn't deserve what was coming—none of them did.

  I thought about Roxy. Young, beautiful, and full of life. Who knew what she'd turn out to be?

  I remembered the Forager's threat in the bathroom. Then I thought about my family, Keira, Dunningham, the Grim Covenant, and my brother telling me I never had the heart of a Grim.

  My hand clutched the cool metal handle of the door. I took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked inside.

  Part 3

  Grim Repercussions

  Chapter 22

  I stepped inside Kennedy High’s office. Mrs. Clark, the same woman with the red-rimmed glasses who had helped us the first day, just two short weeks ago, was behind the counter, yelling at a boy. “The copier is not for student use. Now get!”

  The boy mumbled something and left.

  I leaned against the counter and took a deep breath. “Excuse me.”

  �
��Yes?” Mrs. Clark asked, flipping through a stack of yellow papers. After a few seconds, she looked up at me. “Oh, hello. How are you adjusting, dear?”

  “Great. Can I speak to Principal Sharpe, please? It's very important.”

  “She's meeting with a parent right now. She should be done in a few minutes. You can see her then. Is everything okay?”

  No. “Yes. Everything's fine.”

  Mrs. Clarke smiled. “Have a seat. I'll let you know when she's free.”

  I took a seat on the row of chairs against the wall. Having to wait would give me the opportunity to change my mind. I tapped my foot, hoping this wouldn't take long. If it did, Bram would come looking for me. If he found me in the office, he'd know what I was up to.

  A security guard came in, dragging a small wiry boy by his arm. The boy was glowing. Seeing another Fated made me realize that I was doing the right thing

  “Sit right there and wait for Principal Sharpe!” the security guard ordered.

  The boy yanked away from the man. “Get your hands off me!” He plopped down in a chair five seats away from me.

  Great. I was sure this would take precedence over me. The security guard left. I grabbed my backpack and followed him before I chickened out.

  He walked briskly and turned a corner. School had been out for over ten minutes, and the hallways were slowly emptying.

  “Excuse me,” I called. He kept walking. “Wait!”

  He looked over his shoulder and did a double-take. “Are you talking to me?”

  “Yes. I have to tell you something.”

  “Are you all right?”

  I nodded. I looked into the man's eyes. They were blue and concerned. “I—something . . .”

  He frowned. “What is it, honey?”

  I took a step back. What was I thinking? They were only Humans. How could I put them before my family and friends? Before my home? I thought about my father, who was waiting so eagerly for this. For his home in the Upper Estates and the status he'd worked so hard to earn. I was about to betray them all, and for what?

  “Nothing,” I said, still backing away. “Sorry I bothered you.” I turned and sprinted down the hall way.

  “Hey!” he called after me, but I didn't look back.

  I got to the car, where my brothers were waiting.

  “Where were you?” Dorian asked.

  “Bathroom,” I lied.

  Bram backed out of the parking spot. “Well, guys, this will be our last time doing this. Tomorrow we go home.”

  As we pulled out of the parking lot, I looked back at the school, imagining the war zone it would be the next day.

  * * *

  Bram said we needed to celebrate our last night on this assignment, so the five of us went to a restaurant. It was a nice place and the food smelled great, but I didn't have much of an appetite. I ordered a side salad. Keira looked at me strangely because I never ate so little, but she didn't say anything.

  After the waitress left with our orders, Bram leaned in. “Okay, so tomorrow, no one's going to class. We need to get to the school bright and early. I want us to spread out—one person in each hallway. Don't forget the bags Doyle gave us to collect the lifestones. We have to move fast. There's going to be a lot of lifestones to grab quickly. When we're done, meet at the vehicle.”

  It sounded so simple. I told myself I was doing the right thing. I was doing my job.

  “I can't wait to get back home and sleep in my own bed,” Keira said. “Not that I haven't enjoyed sharing a room with you, Naomi.”

  I nodded. Maybe when we got back to Nowhere, our friendship wouldn't be so tense. That was what I was most looking forward to.

  ”I can't wait to get back to my lab,” Dorian said. “I have lots of new things I want to experiment with.”

  “I miss my parents,” Josh said.

  “What about you, Bram?” Keira asked.

  “I can't wait for us to collect our money and move to the Upper Estates. At least there Father can find a better girl for me than Rosaleen.”

  Keira stirred lemon in her water. “It's about time.”

  ”What does that mean?” Bram asked.

  “Most boys already know who they're going to be engaged to before they turn eighteen. Once they do, they get Confirmed and married right away.”

  That was true. Bram was in a weird place, between being a kid and a man. He wanted the privileges that came with being an adult, but he wasn't yet Confirmed, so he couldn't have them.

  “Well, I'm not going to marry just anybody. When you're as hot as me, you get to be picky.”

  Keira and I both rolled our eyes. I wondered what would happen once we moved to the Upper Estates. My parents would surely fix me up with some snooty boy I wouldn't be able to stand. But like Mother always said, I'd learn to love him, I guessed.

  I couldn't help but think about Hunter and how I longed to have more time with him.

  The waitress brought our food, and we had a perfectly civil dinner discussing the future. As I ate my salad, I knew I had made the right decision by not telling Principal Sharpe or the security guard. I loved everyone sitting around that table, and I didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize their futures.

  * * *

  Surprisingly, I slept well that night, until Bram woke us up at four in the morning. We needed to get to the school while the boys set up and planned so we could position ourselves in areas that would have the most carnage. We all wore our usual Grim attire: black jeans, black shirts under black hoodies, and black boots. Even though wearing hoods was against the rules, it didn't matter that day.

  Keira and Josh rode with us to school. The sky was still black like it was nighttime. There were no cars in the parking lot at a quarter to five. Finally, a long maroon car pulled up and parked in one of the spaces closest to the school. Mr. Jannigan, the custodian, got out and went inside the building.

  Five o'clock rolled around, and there was still no sign of anyone else.

  “You'd think someone planning something so important would be punctual,” Josh said.

  “Maybe they chickened out,” Dorian suggested.

  I hoped so.

  “Don't say that!” Bram snapped. He turned around and glowered at Dorian. “Sorry, they're just running a little late, that's all. There could be a variety of reasons.”

  At 5:16, a beat-up black pickup truck pulled into the parking lot. They parked as far away from the building as possible. Six boys dressed in camouflage sat in the bed of the truck. Bram grabbed the door handle as the boys unloaded and walked toward the school.

  Each of them wore a black backpack that bulged. Who knew what was in there? Three of the boys also carried large duffel bags. They walked right through the front entrance of the school. I guessed there was no danger in that. It was still dark out, and no one was around but us and a custodian. The only lighting was provided by two bulbs that hung over the front entrance and the light posts in the parking lot.

  My heart sank. This was going to happen.

  “Let's go!” Bram ordered. Obediently, we exited the car. We each pulled our hoods over our heads and walked briskly toward the entrance.

  Without a word, the five of us split up and went to our pre-assigned stations. I had been assigned to the 500 wing, which was the school's middle building. When I got there, the hallway was empty and quiet. It was close to collection time now, so soon our visibility to Humans would wear off. Only the Fated would be able to see us. Until then, we had to be careful not to be seen.

  The hallway was dim. The security lights that always stayed on gave off a small glow. I situated myself in a gap between two sets of lockers. The heavy doors at the end of the hallway opened and closed.

  A male voice spoke. “Yeah. I'm set. I'll be waiting in the bathroom until it's time.”

  There was static. “Okay. We're securing the cafeteria and then the library. Over.”

  He was speaking to someone over a walkie-talkie. I heard some movement, and I wanted to k
now what he was doing. I peeked from where I stood. He had a locker opened and was doing something inside. He slammed the locker shut and opened another one about ten lockers down. He knew the combinations for both. I wondered if they had placed bombs in various lockers.

  Suddenly the hallway filled with light. Either the school's lights were set on a timer, or Jannigan had turned them on. The boy quickly rounded the corner. A door opened and closed. He had probably gone into the bathroom, like he'd said.

  The hallway remained empty for what seemed like an eternity. I stood there, impatiently twisting my life-collecting bag in my hands. I wondered what the other boys were doing around the school.

  Not wanting to stand there any longer, I headed for the cafeteria to see what was going on there. I peeked through the windows of the double doors. Three boys milled around inside.

  I thought about being invisible, which was all I had to do to become unseen when on assignment, and walked through the doors. One boy looked at his phone while another sat casually on one of the tables, as if planning a massacre was something that happened every day. I noticed none of the boys were glowing. They were about to take the lives of others while keeping their own.

  I looked around, trying to figure out what they could possibly have done in there.

  Then I saw it. Underneath several tables I spotted backpacks. They weren't the black backpacks the boys had carried in. Each was different. Pink with zebra stripes, bright orange, leopard print, and an assortment of others. I imagined they were full of explosives. Once the cafeteria was filled with students, it would be impossible to tell those backpacks didn't belong.

  A noise came from the kitchen. The boy who sat on the table jumped up. “Come on. They come in early to start making breakfast.” The boys grabbed their backpacks and walkie-talkies and hurried right past me.

  When I got back to my assigned hallway, Bram was standing there. “What are you doing, Nay? You're supposed to be in your place.”