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it, but Brynna did. Obviously the tenacious vine must have invaded Brynna’s yard and taken it over.
“What’s kudzu?” Casey asked.
Tad ignored her. “What the …”
Nick looked out the window to see a boatload of police cars at the school as they slowed down. There were two ambulances and even a fire truck. “What’s going on?” Tad shook his head. “Not sure …”
Casey’s face lit up. “Does this mean no school? Oh thank God, I didn’t finish my social studies homework.” The police wouldn’t let them park in the school lot. Instead, they waved them down the street and away from the crowd.
Tad went over to Royal and parked outside of Fifi Mahoney’s.
“I’ve got to know what’s going on.”
Nick concurred. Leaving his backpack in the SUV, he walked over to the school with Tad and the girls.
Many of the students were mil ing around in groups while reporters asked a few of them questions. Brynna and Casey broke off to join their friends.
Nick fol owed Tad as he headed over to Ms. Pantal , who was standing with three other teachers.
“Hey, Ms. P,” Tad cal ed, “what’s going on?” She let out a slow breath before she answered. “You won’t believe this … Brian Murrey tried to eat Scott Morgan.” Nick’s eyes widened at the unexpected explanation. Had he heard that right?
Tad gaped. “What?”
She nodded as she gestured toward the school’s entrance.
“They were in the cafeteria before the bel , acting completely normal, when al of a sudden Brian attacked him for no reason. He started chewing on his arm and tearing at his skin like a rabid dog with a steak. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. It was so gross.”
Tad passed a wide-eyed stare to Nick. “Is Scott al right?” In perfect timing to the question, Scott came out of the school on a stretcher with two EMTs watching over him.
Nick drifted away from them so that he could listen in on a few other conversations, including that of a female reporter who was talking on her cel phone. There had to be more to this story than what Pantal was saying to Tad.
“I’m tel ing you, Bob, something’s going on. What with the attacks last night and now this … How many cities have six cannibal attacks in twelve hours?”
Wel , it was the Big Easy where they had a slack attitude over most things. But even the stoutest New Orleanian usual y drew the line at eating human flesh.
Most days, anyway.
Then again, Hal oween was just around the corner. If not for the cops, he might think it a prank.
“They’re questioning the kid now. He seems out of it. Like his brains are rattled or something. But you should have seen the vic’s arm. He tore it down to the bone and his classmates said he ate al the flesh like he was starving for it. You think it could be something voodoo related?”
Yeah, any time something freaky happened, blame the Goth or the voudoun communities—’cause normal people could never be insane. Maybe he should remind the reporter that the infamous serial kil er and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer hadn’t been a voodoo worshiper either and Brian, until this, had been a normal jock like the rest of the team. A little dumber than most, but he was a poster child for normality.
Until he tried to eat Scott …
Nick moved away from her, closer to the ambulance where they were loading Scott. There was a white bandage over his arm that was red as more blood seeped through it.
Scott was sobbing. “Al I did was reach for his milk. He could have just said no. He didn’t have to eat my arm. … God, I’l never be able to throw a bal again. I’m gonna lose my scholarship, I know it. We’l never make the state championship now. Terry can’t throw for squat. Man, the season’s over. Why? Why did he do this?” That seemed to be the question. …
“Hey, kid! Get back behind the barricade.” Nick nodded to the officer before he obeyed.
“Hey, Nick!” Frank McDaniel ran up to him. “Hear what happened? Brian
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