Chapter 1: UnDead Girl by Stephen Simpson
She did not care where humans fit in the pyramid, and she
believed it was right at the top. She did not know humans barely ranked in the
second tier from the bottom, together with pigs and anchovies. Carnivores like
tigers, lions and crocodiles were at the top and little did she know that soon
she would be a top-level predator, who only consumed meat.
After dragging herself from her bed, getting dressed and
walking the mile to school, Genesis thought her day could not get any worse
when she saw Natalie walking toward her.
She felt bone tired and thought she was probably coming down
with something. She had also noticed one or two other kids hacking their lungs
out when she walked onto the school grounds, a little more than ten minutes
ago, so there had to be something doing the rounds.
When Natalie reached her, she started talking fast, “Megan
told me Vanessa told her that you broke up with Brandon via text last night.”
“Yeah,”
Genesis said without looking at her.
“But,
Genny, Brandon says he didn’t hook up with Vanessa at the party last night.
Every story has two sides and maybe you shouldn’t be so hard on him. Let him
explain.”
“Sure,”
Genesis replied with a shrug and then coughed. Again.
“Genny.
Are you even listening to me? People are only making up stories because you
were home feeling crap, and you know how jealous everyone is of your and
Brandon’s relationship.”
Genesis looked at Natalie with an amused look on her face.
“Plus,
he was drinking quite a bit.” Natalie turned Genesis to face her. “Your
boyfriend lov...”
“Ex-boyfriend,”
Genesis corrected her, trying hard not to cough in her face now that she was
facing her directly. “Whatever,” Genesis said as she shrugged her shoulders and
turned back to her locker.
“Not
whatever. The point is, he was drunk. I really think the two of you should
talk.”
“The
point is he cheated and it’s not the first time. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to
go out with someone who makes me feel insecure.” Genesis stopped talking and
started coughing. It was as if there was something stuck in her throat and no
amount of coughing and hacking could dislodge it. “I believed his lies the last
time, and I’m not going to again. He’s already had his second chance.”
“But
he really loves you, Genny,” she said with a whine in her voice.
Genesis rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide her annoyance
with Natalie.
“You’re
really grumpy when you’re sick, you know? Also, Brandon looked really
heartbroken when I saw him this morning. He didn’t even smile.”
Genesis felt the earth tremble beneath her feet as
everything around her swirled together as if someone had taken a paintbrush and
dragged it through wet paint.
“Genny,
are you okay?”
As the pain in her forehead exploded, Genesis opened her
mouth to scream, but no sound could get past her sore throat. She hung onto her
locker door as if it was an olive branch and she was drowning in an endless
ocean.
“Genny!”
Natalie screamed.
Genesis hacked another cough and felt the strange tickling
feeling in her throat fade away until it was gone. She noticed a strange
silence in her body. She had stopped breathing.
“Genny?
Talk to me,” Natalie begged as she looked at Genesis with concern.
Genesis felt her first sliver of hunger. She could hear
every heartbeat in the building, and strangely, it sounded like a synchronized
marching band, with only here and there a beat out of sync. She could smell
Natalie’s blood and for a crazed moment all she wanted to do was rip Natalie
apart and eat her flesh until she burst at the seams.
Had she turned into a monster?
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