Austin smiled down at Lana, showing straight, white teeth that his parents very likely paid a pretty penny for. His wavy brown hair curled just over the tops of his ears in a messy, yet, somehow perfect way.

Despite his many perfections, everything inside Lana was screaming at her to get away; her brain throbbed like a blaring fire alarm inside her skull.

Worst timing, ever.

“Yeah, hey, thanks for the… invite,” she managed feebly.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, frowning, and she felt his arms grasp her slender shoulders. She tried to focus on his blue eyes, but they seemed to have multiplied. “You don’t look so good.”

“I—” The sentence was never finished because, at that very moment, she proceeded to vomit all over his shoes—very new and expensive looking Nike sneakers. 

“Shit!” he cried in surprise, backing up a little, thought his hands remained on her shoulders. “Hey, I think you might’ve had a little too much to drink, there.” There was definitely a tinge of annoyance in his tone, but his voice was still remarkably patient, all considering. 

Relief over that quickly turned to further panic, however, because she was suddenly being steered back towards the stairs. Which was back towards the room jam-packed full of people she had just managed to escape.

“No!” she yelled, and he appeared both startled and perplexed by her sudden outburst. She wiggled free of his grip, room still spinning, breath coming in quick gasps. “I… I’m okay, I just need to go lay down.”

“I’m afraid all of the rooms are probably already…uh, occupied, right about now,” he said, sounding apologetic. “If you get my drift. Just let me help you downstairs. There are a few guest bathrooms… and maybe we can get someone to take you home.” He offered her a hand.

Lana had tried to picture how tonight was going to go about a hundred times prior to arriving at the house party; how she would hopefully run into Austin and have some witty, flirtatious conversation. How maybe he would suddenly realize just how cute he thought she was and how much he’d like to ask her out. THIS… this was not how any of her fantasies had played out. This was an absolute nightmare. 

She swatted his hand away. “No! Just leave me alone!” The words were practically a shriek.

A bewildered Austin stood watching with his mouth open and hands dangling helplessly at his sides as she turned and went stumbling down the hallway. It was long and dark, just like the hallway that horrible morning six years ago when this hell had first began. 

First one door, then a second, then a third—all locked. She was trapped, frantic, and the fear and sickness were making her want to simply drop into a ball on the floor and let whatever was going to happen, happen. Visions of steel teeth clamped hard around limbs, and coyotes biting off their own legs out of desperation ran through her mind. 

There was one last door at the end of the hall, and she grasped the knob in her sweaty, trembling hands. It opened.

A cry of relief escaped her lips and she lurched her way in, scanning for the bed. She found it alright, along with a tangle of sheets and two half-naked bodies entwined in the darkness. One of them shouted in surprise and pulled the sheets up to their waist.

“Uh, in case you hadn’t noticed, we’re a little busy here,” said the other. “And I’d ask if you want to join but… you aren’t exactly my ty—.”

“Get out!” Lana shouted, cutting him off. 

“Whoa, hey! We were here first, sweetheart. Don’t worry, we’ll be done soon and then—”

“NOW!” she snarled, actually terrifying herself at the ferocity of the command. Even to her own ears, she sounded like a maniac. But there was no time to care, because whatever was about to happen was coming with the speed and intensity of a tsunami tidal wave, and there was nothing in her power she could do to stop it.

“Jesus, fine!” Both teenagers tumbled from the bed, scrambling to retrieve their clothes from the floor with only a dim nightlight to help them see what they were doing. They hastily pulled them on and hurried out, one glaring at her as he disappeared through the door. “Get on some meds or something!” he called over his shoulder. 

Lana slammed the door shut and locked it, sliding to the floor in a heap of exhaustion and pain. Every joint in her body hurt and her skin felt like it was on fire. Deep inside, it felt like someone was grasping every one of her organs and squeezing them.

With her remaining strength, she crawled over to the bed and heaved herself up onto it. Her tight clothes felt like hot iron on her skin, and she frantically pulled them off. Naked, she curled up into a ball and screamed into the nearest pillow. Between the blaring of the music and the noise from her neighboring rooms, she was sure no one would hear or notice. Not that she cared much right at the moment. This was, by far, the worst episode she had ever experienced. 

I might really die this time. 

The thought looped through her mind, though, oddly, it really didn’t scare her. It was a much more horrific thought that she might go insane from the pain if she didn’t die. She had never before remained conscious this long, and now she understood why. What she wouldn’t give to slip into darkness right about now. 

Sounding as if from far, far away, there was a knocking at the door, but it didn’t matter. Just when she thought that it couldn’t possibly get any worse, it felt as though every bone in her body was breaking. Then, as the splintering, crunching sounds filled her ears, she realized that this was exactly what was happening. Her forearm snapped and bent at an unnatural angle, and hot bile bubbled up in her throat and she vomited for the second time.

The panic was suffocating her—or was that because something was wrong with her lungs? And her spleen, stomach… all of it. Things were shifting inside of her, rearranging themselves into some new configuration. 

Eventually, it all stopped. Lana couldn’t be sure if minutes or hours had passed, but it had finally stopped. Her thoughts felt jumbled, though at least the excruciating pain was gone, along with the dizziness and nausea. Only a mild aching remained in their wake. Her eyes were squeezed shut, as if by blocking out the sensory input, she could turn off reality. Her body was still curled in a ball, and she could feel her angry muscles twitching and spasming underneath her skin. 

One shuddering breath after another passed the time as she worked up the courage to open her eyes. It was impossible to know exactly what had taken place, but the one thing she knew without a doubt, was that she was no longer herself.