The silence dragged on longer than it should have.
Long enough for doubt to settle into the room.
Long enough for people to start thinking.
I watched Annie carefully, not blinking, not moving. I caught it when her lip quivered for just a second before she forced her face back into place. It was small, but it was there.
That was all I needed.
A smirk pulled at my mouth.
Too late.
"…So is it true, then…?" someone asked from behind her, their voice uncertain.
"Of course not, you idiot!" Annie snapped.
She yanked up her sleeve, exposing the bite mark again like it was proof carved into her skin.
"Would someone who is not infected have this?"
"She did that herself," I said.
The words cut through clean.
Heads turned.
Annie looked at me. The person behind her looked at me. A few others did too, their attention shifting like a tide that had finally found somewhere else to go.
I leaned forward slightly in the chair, the restraints tightening around my wrists.
