No Exit by Taylor Adams 2

“You named your car?”
“I’ll run the engine to keep you warm. And …” Darby
trailed off as they trudged through the smoky darkness, letting
the next thought go unsaid: And while you’re sitting in Blue’s
passenger seat, I’ll go find Ashley and shoot him in the face.
And end it, once and for all.
Jay twisted her neck, watching the roiling flames over her
shoulder as she ran, like she was expecting Ashley to emerge
from the wreckage. “You … you killed his brother.”
“Yeah. I did.” It was still sinking in to Darby — yes, she’d
killed someone today. She’d stabbed another human being in
the neck, broke his finger and cheekbone, and slit his throat.
As worn and chipped as it was, that Swiss Army knife had
slipped right in, like she was cutting meat (and, technically,
she was). Just dirty, grim business. And before tonight ended,
she knew, she’d have to kill one more.
Jay fretted. “He loves his brother.”
“Loved. Past tense.”
“He’s not going to be happy with you—”
“I …” Darby choked on a hoarse laugh. “I think that ship
has sailed, Jay.”
Just one more.
I’ve already killed Beavis. Just Butthead left.
Fifty yards back, the Big Devil building groaned like a
monster turning over in its sleep, blackened ribs creaking and
popping inside the firestorm. Melting snow slid off the roof in
a billow of scalding steam.
Then … then I can finally rest.
They’d reached the Nightmare Children — those dozen or
so half-gnawed kids frozen in apocalyptic playtime, buried to
their waists in snow — when Jay stopped, pointing downhill,
stabbing with her finger: “Look. Look, look!”