Chapter 9- Fingernails

"There's something wrong with Lucas." Jeff's head popped over my wall. When I looked up I didn't recognize the normal conspiracy-theorist-eager-to-be-popular-desperate-to-be-loved Jeff, but a serious man with genuine concern. I slid my chair back and immediately looked around. "Where is he?" I asked Jeff, who stood there as though waiting for orders. He just pointed at the door of the maintenance closet across the office.

"That room wasn't much bigger than the cart Lucas pushed around the office, so it seemed odd that he'd be in it. I looked back at Jeff as though to say 'Is this a prank?' but the uncertainty and fear in his eyes told me he was serious."

That room wasn't much bigger than the cart Lucas pushed around the office, so it seemed odd that he'd be in it. I looked back at Jeff as though to say "Is this a prank?" but the uncertainty and fear in his eyes told me he was serious. As I walked toward the door I heard banging and a sudden crash. The door seemed to vibrate as though under attack. Just as I was about to reach for the handle the door burst open and Lucas crashed into my arms. His weight pushed me to the floor and my head hit the wall behind me. Girls screamed and guys gasped as they surrounded the scene. I looked at Lucas laying there. No blood, no visible injuries. He wasn't moving. A couple of the guys in the office helped me roll him off my legs and as his face turned upward toward the ceiling one of the girls screamed. It was scratched as though he'd dug his own fingernails into his skin, and his eyes were open, lifeless, and yellow.