School Spirits | I Don't Do Friends

32- Message of a Merciful Death

One of the best things about being cool with her friends again was sleepovers. It took Caroline the better part of an hour to convince Charley and Rhonda that Dawn wouldn't stare at them while they slept. Now the creative writing room, which was the only classroom with carpet and a fold out couch was home to a intricate blanket fort.

It have rooms big and small, pillows for the floors, and a heading system. (Caroline stole the space heater from the principals office).
Of course, Caroline had to create it all alone but Charley did draw up the floor plan.

"Where's blondie? I thought you dragged her into this." Rhonda was sprawled out with a deck of cards on the floor. Charley but down a pair of 3 of hearts.

"Go fish!"

"We're playing Black Jack. And that's not even know you play go fish!"

"Maddie said she'd come, but she might've gotten caught up with something." Caroline knew it was around this time of day she talked to Simon. But she wasn't about to say that.

"Ohh juicy! What's she doing? You know, I know you know." Charley pointed at her.

"I'm not a narc." She shrugged. "Is that my bracelet?"

Charley slapped his hand over his wrist. "No."

On que, Maddie walked in followed by Wally. Charley gave Caroline a look. She knew what it meant.

If he was wondering if she was jealous he was wrong. She had no plans to get back together with him, or get with anyone for that matter. She honestly hoped they got along because the afterlife was too lonely for someone like Wally.

"Charley if you want a bracelet so bad Dawn is like so good at making them." She pointed Dawn curled up to the side as she used that Loom thing to tie rubber bands together.

Caroline gave it to her for her birthday and always makes an effort to get more bands whenever she sees them.

"Fine." He shot the bracelet at her. It hit her right in the temple.

"Ow! Charley!"

"Now imagine that but with a screw." Wally sat down on the floor next to Rhonda. "Are we playing Go Fish?"

"Sure..." Rhonda sighed and dealt him a hand.

Caroline smiled at the sight. Rhonda was dealing out hands to Maddie and Wally. Charley was learning how to make bracelets from Dawn. She had friends again.
Now she wanted to cry.

"I uh... I'm gonna grab the leftover cookies from the cafeteria." Called out and backed up to the door.

"Oh! Can you get me an apple juice?" Dawn asked.

"Sure."

She walked out the door as Steven was coming in.

"Oh hey, I got the dvd player!" He held the dvd player from the music room up proudly.

"Cool, I'm just getting some snacks." She avoided his gaze.

"Oh do you need help-?"

"No! Bye!"

Caroline left quickly as a tear rolled down her cheek. She began to think of the years spent in her grudge to be a mistake. She'd lost sight of everything important.

She turned into the cafeteria and saw Mr. Martin with a cup of coffee. There was no steam, this late after hours it the coffee sucked. But how could someone so annoying have good taste anyway? She ignored him and went for the cookies.

"Caroline, I wanted to talk to you." He stood up. It seemed like she was unlucky enough to run into him since the interaction has surprised them both.

"You have until I take all these cookies and find the apple juice." She said plainly.

"Look, I'm not here to bother you about coming to group. You're past that, and that's fine. I just noticed some changes in your abilities." He put his hands up like he was surrendering.

"So?" She didn't look at him as she loaded a dozen and and half cookies into her bag.

"As a scientist I'm simply curious as to any abnormalities."

"Are you talking about the flickering lights?" She sighed dismissively.

"Yes, is that all?"

"I can throw shit."

"What?"

A pot that was across the room from her went flying at his head. She giggled to herself as she found the apple juice.

He looked shocked. He looked between the place the pot used to be, her, and the place the pot landed with a clatter.

"Times up." She went to leave.

"Wait wait wait wait!" He called from where he stood. His glasses were crooked and to Caroline, he looked like a idiot. But she kept it to herself. No need to add insult to injury.

"Oh my god! If I knew you were gonna be annoying about it I would've said anything!" She turned around with a groan. When she looked over his shoulder she saw a brown mass out the window, with a patch of red.

He started word vomiting some sciencey shit, as far as she was concerned he was talking to himself because was trying to focus on the shape outside.

"Shut up." She held up her free hand to stop him.

"Caroline there's no need to be rude-"

"No seriously, shut up." She dropped everything and ran out the cafeteria door to the side of the parking lot. It was a a coyote. Some skinny thing, and it's back leg was dripping blood.

It didn't see her. It couldn't. But it seemed like it had walked long past it's time and laid down in the grass. It's eyes looked defeated. Someone shot it, probably to keep it out of animal pens.

"No, no no no."  She got down on her knees next to it.

She knew this was how things went. It was a wild animal. Her dad shot at them every time he saw them since he read a story in the paper about a toddler being dragged off by one. But she couldn't help but feel bad for it.

"I don't know if there's an "after" for something like you. But whatever's next, it has to be better than this." She whispered as the band of crows landed in a fuddled circle around the scene.

She swore it looked at her as she spoke. And finally, the pain from its eyes had disappeared.

Simon stood across the street and saw the coyote die from a distance. He couldn't really look away. It's strange, that a whole animal chose there of any place to die. The crows were stranger. It finally occurred to him that they were a symbol of death, messengers from beyond the grave. And he knew Maddie's death wasn't the only strange thing happening at his school.