5

Putting on the warm terry bathrobe she had always loved, the girl climbed into bed and immediately fell asleep, this time without delusional dreams and frightening images.

***

Waking up was like coming out of a coma. Sammy could not understand what had happened to her - maybe she just dreamed everything? She scrambled out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.

But the dirty clothes in the basket made it clear that everything had happened for real. Suppressing a convulsive spasm in her throat, Samantha brushed her teeth and somehow put herself in order, after which, grabbing her backpack, she headed downstairs.

- Sammy! Are you okay? The mother looked at her worriedly. - You don't have a face!

"I think I've caught a little cold," Samantha replied hoarsely, looking down.

- Can you stay at home? Teresa suggested, but Sammy shook her head.

- No, today is a test... And you... can you give me a lift to school?

- Certainly! the mother exclaimed. - Eat first.

- Don't want. Sammy gulped down half a cup of coffee and headed for the door. - I'll wait for you outside.

The road to school flew by in an instant, and she even managed to recover a little - in her usual surroundings, next to her mother. But, as soon as the mother's car drove off, Samantha was overwhelmed by the realization of what had happened. And it became insanely scary.

Sammy walked across the schoolyard, stammering like a sleepwalker. They looked at her, but the girl did not notice anyone. After what she had experienced the day before, she could hardly stand on her feet, and she could not think about anything at all.

Everything around seemed the same as before - the same teenagers, educational buildings, a dull landscape of late autumn. But for Samantha, something subtly changed, the world ceased to be familiar and no longer belonged to her. Something else took over the surrounding reality. Something terrible.

Someone touched her elbow, and Samantha literally jumped on the spot. Next to her, she saw Jasper, who was looking at her with concern.

"Hey," the guy said carefully. “Sorry, no, I meant to scare you.

- Ah… nothing. Sammy swallowed, her throat dry. - Hi, Jas.

- How are you? Something happened?

Samantha bit her lip. She didn't know whether to tell Jasper about what had happened, because she couldn't explain everything, but she could simply believe in a lot of things. Maybe she got it all wrong.

Sammy, can you hear me? Jasper's voice brought her back to reality. She met the brown eyes she loved so much and felt a little better. A sigh escaped Samantha's chest.

- I hear. I'm sorry, I thought... It's all right, I just didn't sleep well at night, I can't think of anything.

- You're not sick? Jasper frowned.

The concern in his friend's voice brought tears to Sammy's eyes. She desperately wanted to hide her face on his chest and snuggle closer to him, but she hesitated to do so.

"No, it's all right," Sammy said with an effort. She made up her mind not to tell Jasper about yesterday, at least not yet. - And how are you?

"Fine," Jas shrugged his broad shoulders. - I didn't get through to you yesterday, I thought we were going to play WoW.

Sammy smiled wryly.

Sorry, I wasn't at home. Walked with Leah... By the way, have you seen her?

"No," Jasper shook his head. - I just arrived. The car would not start again, I thought I would be late.

- You need to go to Ricky, let him look ... - Samantha muttered, and her interlocutor chuckled:

There's nothing left to fix, Sam. I torture the "old woman", and then to the landfill, and I will buy a new one.

- Well, yes, probably...

"Hey," Jasper patted his friend on the shoulder, and she looked up. - You are somewhere today. Are you sure you don't want to tell me anything?

Samantha hesitated - she didn't want to lie to her friend. But she did not have to answer - the voice of Nate, Jasper's friend, would be heard:

- Dude, let's go! We are going to be late!

Jasper looked around - a friend was waving to him from the porch of the nearest building.

"I'm sorry Sam, I have to go," he apologized, turning back to Samantha. - . We have a test today, don't be late.

"Of course, of course, go," Sammy said readily, feeling relieved that she didn't have to end the conversation. - See you later!

Jas put his hand on her shoulder.

"Promise that if you get in trouble, you'll tell me about it," he asked. - OK?

"Okay," Sammy nodded, feeling a lump in her throat. - Thank you…

The friend smiled at her and left, while Samantha followed his tall figure in dismay. For the first time in her life, she could not share her troubles with him, and this made her very lonely.

However, after talking with Jasper, she felt better, as if a particle of his warmth and participation remained with her. Sammy took a deep breath, straightened her back and resolutely went to class - she had to figure out everything that had happened.

For starters, she would like to talk to Leah, ask her a couple of questions. Mainly why she did not bring help, but left her alone in the forest.

There was an unpleasant sensation in Sammy's pit of the stomach. She understood that her friend had simply abandoned her, and this circumstance would have upset her to tears if something more serious had not happened yesterday.

Samantha didn't want to think about her next step. At the thought of Travis Doyle, she began to pound, and a terrible bestial look floated before her eyes. And that growl...

Sammy was confused again. The irrationality of what she saw at night, did not want to put up with logic, and because Samantha literally the earth was leaving from under her feet. Mechanically moving her legs, the girl reached the entrance to the building, climbed the stairs and went inside, finding herself in a long, dim corridor. And only now it dawned on her that the next lesson in the schedule was biology.

And that means she'll see Doyle.

Sammy involuntarily stepped back. She broke out in a cold sweat, her hands trembled. Of course, it is extremely stupid to be afraid of a classmate in broad daylight, at school, especially since Sammy was not completely sure that she had not dreamed of yesterday's horrors. But for some reason my heart was beating a beat in my chest, and my palms were sweaty.

Samantha tried to dial Leah, but her friend, unfortunately, did not pick up the phone. Probably already sitting in the classroom - what to be afraid of, naked Doyle did not growl in her face.

The absurdity of the latter brought Sammy to her senses a little, she even managed to smile to herself and walked forward. But before she had gone three steps, a familiar low voice with vibrating notes said just above her ear:

- Hey, Wiley.

Sammy jumped half a meter to the side. With wide eyes she looked at Travis, dressed, clean and combed, who stopped in the middle of the corridor, his hands in his pockets, and mockingly smiled at her, sparkling white teeth. Quite human.

“Don’t be afraid, baby, I won’t bite you,” the guy murmured and grinned. Why are you so nervous, huh?

"What...what do you want, Doyle?" - Sammy managed to squeeze out, but instead of a confident tone, it turned out to be some kind of squeak.

Travis shrugged.

- Nothing, I just wanted to say hello. And you didn't even answer me. Didn't your mother teach you politeness?

Sammy suddenly felt uncomfortable being alone with him - the bell was about to ring, and there were no other students left in the corridor. She hurriedly slung her backpack over her shoulder and walked quickly towards the classroom, but Doyle caught up with her in two steps and grabbed her by the sleeve of her jacket, which made Sammy goosebumps with fear.

- Wait for me after the lessons in the parking lot - you need to grind something, - the guy said through his teeth, after which he released her hand and, having overtaken, went ahead. But as he grabbed the doorknob, he turned around.

Sliding a cold glance over the girl, Travis said in an undertone:

- And just try not to come.