Scream

Reyna Copulas

The nurse dropped me off at the school drop-off line, where reporters surrounded me like moths to a fire. With their cameramen and bulky microphones, they throw out crazy questions and snap pictures with the flash on. 

 When I stop moving, they stop moving. 

 "Reyna, what dirty little secret have you been hiding from this damaged world?" This woman's camera has a blinking LED light on me and her grin is like a shark: too many teeth that show for the wrong reasons.

 I look around me, where similar reporters await a response. 

 Clearing my voice, I look back to this reporter. "Look, lady. I got forcibly sedated but climbed out of bed to make myself vomit. Along the way, I ripped some stitches and almost pissed my pants when I escaped my room and ran into the woman who put the needle to my neck. I really don't feel like answering your questions or fueling your podcasts or whatever. So...bye."

 I weave through reporters who rub elbows with me and poke sensitive spots to try to get me to talk. They ask questions relating to Allister and Della and Hanzo. These people are sick. "Move away, come on. Out of the way. Out!" a bold voice orders, parting the crowd like a modern Moses. A familiar face finds mine and grabs my arm, pulling me through the needy people. "Hey, kiddo."

"Mr D," I acknowledge with a sigh of relief. The sheriff leads me under a roped-off section of the car loop. 

 "You're crazy, Reyna. You were in the hospital thirty minutes ago and now you're here?

 I see why you're my daughter's best friend. But we aren't here to discuss social politics."

 "Right," I assure. "I need to get in the school. Do I just...walk in?" 

 Mister Desario shakes his head. "Not so simple. We have someone neutralizing the situation and scoping out the gymnasium. Also, there are no cameras around here, so how does the killer know if you're here or not?"

 Frustrated, I sigh. "No idea. And the entire school has a sort of intense firewall?"

 "Yes, but a call was able to go through to the school from Enzo King." I heard that on the news. It doesn't settle well for me. It sounds like the firewall is a selective one that only patches people through when it wants to. If Enzo is still working for Type... 

 Let's just hope I don't have to go down that road. It won't end well for either of us or anyone within a mile radius. 

 "So if the firewall has some weaknesses," and Enzo isn't working with Type again, "then someone can be a mole on the inside and report to the killer." 

 "You think a student is working for the killer?" Desario doubts. 

 "They already are," I answer, reflecting on Freddie. "I mean, at the carnival when you arrested the cloaked people. They were all students, weren't they?"

Grudgingly, he nods. "Yes. It's possible but it just seems too insane. What motivates  these kids?" 

Now, I reflect on Enzo. "Drugs and money." 

 Sheriff Desario shifts his weight between his feet with unease. "Well...do you know what you're supposed to do in there, kid?"

 I use a lot of my energy to sigh and swallow my nerves. "I believe so."

 "Reyna, I'm not supposed to do this, but..." Desario looks around before handing me a pistol. "There's a serial killer in there with a special request for you. I wouldn't go without protection." Instantly, a part of me thinks that Enzo is in there and that's enough protection for me; I'm safe with him. But then the sceptic in me goes, yeah, Enzo is in there and the red flags are arising.