Page 116 of I Accidentally Summoned A Demon
“Kat, I wasn’t sure you’d make it with how sick you’ve been,” a woman with curly, black hair said.
“I’m doing better,” Kat said, embracing the woman. Kat hated lying, but she couldn’t say she’d been hiding from angels and demons. “This is Nex. Nex, this is Myra. She’s married to Allen.”
“Oh, it’s nice to meet you.” Myra smiled and hugged Nex. Only used to Katherine’s hugs, he stiffened. “I hear about you all the time.” Myra pulled back, and her eyes widened at something behind him.
He tensed and glanced back, finding a child getting into the food sacks.
“Hope, don’t do that,” Myra scolded. She dashed past Kat and Nex with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I’ll catch up with you in a little bit.”
“I wasn’t sure you two would be here.” Bernice was next in line to hug Kat. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better.”
“Uh-huh.” Bernice dropped her voice to a whisper. “It’s not astomach bug, is it?”
Nex spluttered, and Kat blushed, hiding behind her hands. “No, Bernice. Oh my God.”
“Just checking.” Bernice pinched Kat’s cheek and hugged Nex. “You better marry her before you get her pregnant, or we’ll have a problem,” Bernice whispered, patting his back.
Nex choked on nothing, and Bernice smiled, then wandered away.
“What did she say to you?” Kat asked Nex.
“Nothing.” Nex grabbed her hand. “Let’s get this over with. What are we supposed to do?”
Kat pouted but let it go and led them to where Allen was assigning tasks. Nex did his best to remain polite as he stayed by Kat’s side. He carried the bags Katherine told him to and headed into the school, sticking close to her at each classroom they dropped the bags in. The school asked the volunteers to come during an assembly, so the classrooms were empty.
Some teachers hung back to let them in, locking the rooms after they were done. They got most classrooms stocked before it was time to take the lunches into the cafeteria, which connected to the gym where the assembly was happening.
Nex and Kat took the last set of lunches into the cafeteria, then moved to the gymnasium during the end of the assembly. They waited near the doors leading to the cafeteria as the teachers finished their announcements. Kat couldn’t help but grin at the kids who fidgeted in their seats with wide smiles and endless chattering.
The heaters were running, and with all the extra people, the air turned stuffy. Kat removed her scarf and tossed it around Nex’s neck. “Will you hold this for me?” She rested her chin against his chest and looked up at him with a smile they both knew full well he couldn’t resist.
Nex narrowed his eyes. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know the answer to that.”
Kat beamed, wrapped her arms around him, and watched the assembly. The principal announced the special lunch in the cafeteria, and the kids cheered and jumped from their seats, smiles plastering their faces. They bounced up and down while teachers reminded them to wait their turn.
Lines were formed, and the teachers led the kids past the volunteers so they could thank them as they made their way into the cafeteria. There were only a couple of classrooms’ worth of kids left when a gunshot rang through the hallway opposite where people were headed. Everyone screamed and ducked. The gym was still for a moment, then another shot went off.
“Get those doors locked.” Allen rushed past the kids for the hallway where the shots came from. “Get the kids out of here. Get them in the cafeteria and lock the doors. Someone call the police!” He sprinted toward the doors with the principal and several others on his heels. They barricaded the entry while everyone else ran to the cafeteria and barricaded those doors and windows with plastic chairs and folding tables.
Kat moved to help get the kids inside, but Nex hauled her back against the wall. “I told you we weren’t safe outside the house. We have to get out of here.”
“I’m not leaving without helping.” Kat broke away and ran to the back of the line of kids. An alarm blared and more shots cracked through the air. Nex muttered a curse and raced toward Allen. He was better off helping with barricading than calming down children.
He moved as fast as he could and watched Katherine usher out the last of the children. She hurried in his direction after almost everyone made it to the cafeteria. Nex abandoned the barricade and strode toward her.
“Is there any other way into this building that we haven’t secured?” Allen asked the principal.
The principal’s face paled as he stared at the barricaded door. “No, we should have it covered as long as the cafeteria doors are locked.”
“Wait, there’s the side entrance they recently added after we got the playground set up.” The janitor pointed at the door, hand shaking. Before he could move, the door opened.
Thecreakof the door contrasted with the deafening shots that followed.
“Get inside, and keep those doors locked!” Allen yelled to the janitor, who stood closest to the cafeteria.
He nodded and ran, closing the doors as quietly as he could.
