Immortal Technique

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 Michael easily outstripped them. They arrived back to find large group of people gathering in a semicircle around something Jo could not see. Some were gagging, other threw up. As soon as most of the people have seen the cause of the commotion, they move away quickly. This gave Jo, Sarah and Michael the chance to move to the front, although as soon as she saw it, Jo regretted it.

  A girl- she could tell from the clothes- dead at the foot of a tree. Her body was bent in half, her neck twisted into an impossible angle. She completely drenched in blood. Savanna was kneeling beside the corpse. She screamed again with wide eyes. Jo realised that she paralyzed with fear. She rushed to her side and pulled her away. People moved to give way. Sarah came and helped Jo with Savanna who began sobbing. 

 "Its okay," Jo crooned repeatedly. This seemed to calm Savanna though she did not stop crying. They walked towards the stump. Michael picked Savanna up easily. She protested at first, hanging on to Sarah tightly. He put her down on the trunk, bent down to her level and asked if she was okay.

 "Yes...no. I'm not okay. Grace..." Savanna sobbed.

 "What happened?" he asked looking Savanna in the eye.

 "Michael, please,"

 "Its okay, Jo," Savanna said suddenly composed. "I can handle it,"

Jo and Sarah exchanged puzzled looks at the abrupt change in demeanour.

 "I was walking back to the party after, you know, throwing up," Savanna continued. "I was just passing the tree when something fell. It was Grace. I don't know how she got like that. She just fell. There wasn't any sound, no bones breaking, nothing but this awful thud,"

 "Did you see anything else?" Sarah asked. Savanna began shaking her head but she stopped. She had a distant look on her face.

 "I think someone was up the tree with her. I looked up when Grace fell and I think... I saw the shape of a man,"

 "Shit," Jo heard Sarah mumbled. Sirens filled the air so suddenly that Jo flinched. She was so caught up with Savanna's story that she forgot about everything else. Michael stood up running a hand through his hair. Immediately, Savanna became hysterical, babbling incoherently with tears streaming down her face. Jo hugged her, rubbing her back softly. Sarah stood apart from them watching with an uncomfortable, confused look on her dark face. Jo could not tell what was happening with Grace body. She did not even want to imagine.

 "I wonder how they'll put the body in the bag?" Sarah asked. No one replied. 

 "This sucks," Sarah muttered. "This really sucks,"

 "Shut up," Savanna spat pushing Jo away from her. "Just shut up,"

Sarah became equally angry. "Don't you realise, Princess?" she snarled. " Don't you get it? If what you said was true, then Grace got murdered. Murdered!" she shouted. She looked frightened.

Jo understood what Sarah was trying to say and from the grim look on Michael's face, so did he. There was a killer on the loose. Their being isolated from everyone else was a mistake she noticed.

 "We have to go back. Now!"

Jo took Savanna arm and they all began running back. Halfway there Jo became aware Michael was not with them. She looked back but there was no sign of him. Her stomach clenched painfully. Without out a word Jo ran back.

 "Jo!"

As scared as she was, she kept going. She passed the tree stump and went into the forest. She slowed down to a light jog looking around for Michael.

 "Michael," she called. He did not reply. Her fear that something happened to him increased. Jo began looking up the trees for any signs of him and someones else. The woods were unusually quiet which made Jo even more nervous. 

 "Jo!"

Her heart nearly stopped in surprise. Michael was jogging to her.

 "What the hell?" Jo exclaimed angrily holding her chest. She sagged against a tree in relief. 

 "What are you doing in here?" Michael asked. Jo resisted the urge to hit him as hard as she could for asking her that. Instead she grabbed his hand when he reached. They got out of the woods quickly. By the time they reached Sarah, the police were questioning Savanna. Cole was standing next to Sarah and was holding Savanna's hand.

 "What else did you see?" one of the officers asked.

 "A man-I think. It was dark and I only saw the shape for a few seconds."

Jo saw Sheriff Barnes with the Medical Examiner over the body. She pointed her out to Sarah who went over to her mother. Savanna evidently got tired of the queries. 

 "I just want to go home," she snapped getting to her feet. "Can't I do this tomorrow?"

 She got what she wanted. As a group, they all went to their cars. They were one of the few the remaining people at the bonfire. Everyone else left as soon as they could. Cole was driving Savanna to her home. Michael was taking Jo back to her place in his sports car. They were sitting for majority of the ride. Usually Jo would be busy comparing his car to hers

Jo finally voiced what was bothering her. "Michael, what were you doing in the woods?"

Michael looked at her for a second. He faced the road without answering her. Jo wanted to keep pushing for an answer but they skidded to a halt. She looked out of her window and saw her house. 

 "Bye," Michael said pointedly. Jo continued sitting stubbornly.

Michael sighed, "I went to see if what Savanna said was true, okay?"

 "Are you saying you don't believe her?"

 "She was in shock. I thought maybe she imagined something,"

 "Did you find anything?"

He took a moment before answering.

 "No. I didn't,"

Jo nodded. She leaned in and kissed him softly.

 "See you tomorrow?"

 He started his car.  Jo got out of the car, perplexed. He sped off leaving her standing feeling alone. Jo dragged her feet to her  house. The door was opened even before she reached it. Murray, her butler, was standing on the other side. Normally, Murray would greet her cheerfully and ask her about her day. Jo would then ramble on about her day as though she was quite happy to spend so many hours in school. Instead, he  calmly stepped aside without saying a word. Jo did not feel like talking much either. She went up the grand staircase to her room on the forth floor. By the time, Jo entered her room, she felt exhausted. All she wanted to do was sleep. Unfortunately Marie, her sister, was sitting on her bed.

 "What happened?" Marie asked excitedly.

 "I'll tell you tomorrow," Jo yawned. 

 "Oh c'mon. Tell me. Who died? Was it gruesome?"

 "Leave me alone, creep,"

 "You'll tell me everything tomorrow then," Marie relented. She left the room, banging the door behind her to show her irritation. Almost immediately, the thin wail of her son was heard. Sighing, Jo got out of her clothes, she put on one of her dad's large shirts and closed her eyes.

Done! Wow, that took like two weeks. Tell me what you think. I'd love to hear your opinions and any criticism will be welcomed.

Adios!