Blood Moon by Gwendolyn Harper (books for students to read .TXT) 📕

handing out more weapons. “Nathaniel, which one of these is the bunkhouse?”

Scanning the area, he frowned. “Probably those over there,” he said, jerking his chin at the two-story brick structures on the opposite side of the courtyard.

“Cae, y’got the list?”

She tapped her front pocket. “Yep.”

Several sets of footsteps coming up from behind had both Booker and Caitlin reaching for their guns.

A short whistle set them at ease.

“It’s us,” Nicole whispered, coming around the corner. “Max is already at the buses.”

Nodding, Booker eyed the area once more.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Sticking close, eyes sharp and heads on a swivel, they jogged to the first dormitory.

Just before Caitlin reached the door, Booker whistled high like a bird.

Catch.

Turning, she snatched the pouch of lock picking tools out of the air.

Putting herself eye-to-deadbolt, she got to work.

As soon as the tumblers began clicking, she smiled. Just like riding a bike.

The door opened with a soft creak, leading them to a dark hallway. No guards that she could see, but all the doors had been removed from each room.

Silently, they crept along, searching for names or indications of who occupied each space.

Nothing. No names on bedposts or beside the doors.

They’d have to wake everyone up individually to ask who they were.

Thirty-one minutes.

Movement at the end of the hall brought everyone to a stop.

A middle-aged woman exited her room, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

They had nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.

Looking up, the woman froze mid-step.

“Are… are you here to kill us?” She asked with a shaky voice.

Caitlin lowered her weapon, extending her other hand in a placating gesture.

“We’re here to help,” she said. “We’re from the outside. We’ve come to get you out, if you want to leave.”

Staring at all of them, the woman gaped. “You’re… from out there?”

Nicole nodded. “Yes.”

“Oh, thank God,” the woman breathed. “C’mon, this way.”

Urgently, she waved them over, and the group all shot each other confused glances before following.

“They’ll be coming to wake people up for work duty soon,” she explained. “You’ll have to hurry.”

Turning a corner, she flicked several switches, and all the lights came on.

Groans and confused mutterings filled the halls.

“Everyone,” she called. “Everyone, listen. The day we hoped for is here. We have our chance to escape.”

Rushing down the corridor, she knocked on the doorframes, making sure everyone was awake.

“Get your things, and go,” she told them. “Don’t look back.”

Baffled, Caitlin glanced at Booker before approaching the woman.

“You mean… you all want to leave?”

Adjusting her glasses, the woman nodded. “You have no idea what it’s like in here. What they’re doing. And they took our families…”

Squinting over Caitlin’s shoulder, she gestured to Nathaniel.

“I recognize you. Weren’t you with us before?”

“I was one of the Rejects. I got bused out before you moved up here.”

Pressing her lips into a line, she said, “It’s gotten worse since you left. Much, much worse.”

Dread filled Caitlin’s gut, but they didn’t have time to ask more questions about the atrocities being committed.

“Can you help us get people out?” She asked. “We have someone waiting with a bus at the south side of the camp. He’ll be the one driving you all out.”

Agreeing, the woman got to work organizing the people filing out of their rooms.

“Scott?” Nicole called, running down one hallway. “Scott?”

No answer.

“Does anyone know a Scott Stevens?”

“Doctor Stevens?” A man asked.

Spinning on her heel, Nicole ran back to the one who spoke. “Yes, that’s him. Do you know where he is?”

“His bunk is in the other dorm. But he might not be there.”

Nicole scowled. “What do you mean?”

“He’s on the medical team,” he said. “They’ve been working around the clock lately. He’s probably in the lab.”

Nathaniel jerked his thumb towards the door. “I saw the sciences building on the way in.”

“Go,” Booker told him. “Take Nicole.”

Without another word, the two bolted down the hall and out of sight.

“Edward, I need you to help guide these people out to the bus,” Booker said. Looking to the woman who’d first spotted them, he asked, “Ma’am, we need you with us. A friendly face to bring the news.”

“You got it,” she said, spine straightening with purpose.

As streams of people exited their rooms, meager belongings in their arms, Edward began directing them.

“Here,” Caitlin called to him, handing over the slip of paper. “If any of those people are in the group, tell them their families are waiting on the other side.”

Scanning the crowded hall, Booker asked, “Which way does the patrol guard come from?”

The woman turned. “Uh, that way most mornings.”

“Alright, we’ll dodge him,” Booker said. “C’mon.”

Taking off, they exited the building and darted quickly across the small lawn to the other brick dorm.

Twenty-eight minutes.

The second lock was a little sticky, but Caitlin managed to get it open just as a guard in military green came around the corner.

“Hey!”

Booker put two bullets in him—the first through his neck, the other clean through his skull.

Rushing inside, the woman found the lights and turned them on, calling out for everyone to wake up and grab their things.

“Donna, what are you doing?” Another woman exclaimed, hurrying over. “Do you know how dangerous this is? What’s out there waiting? We can’t survive on our own! We have to stay here, where we’re protected!”

“Oh, shut up Stephanie!” Donna yelled. “I’d rather get chewed on by a zombie than listen to you praise our new overlords and lick their boots for one more day.”

With a shrill gasp, Stephanie took a step back. “Donna!”

“Get on board or get out of our way,” she snapped. “Your choice.”

Pushing Stephanie to the side, Donna continued down the hall, waking everyone up and explaining