Paint The Town Red-Chad Meeks-Martin

Chapter 21|Suspect List

Alexa rubbed her eyes tiredly as she sat on the bench waiting for the rest. It was a long night without sleep.

"Lexa, oh my god," Chad said as he hugged the brunette. He was so worried. "Hey, cowboy," Alexa teased him. "Where were you? Is everything okay?" he asked worriedly as he checked her for injuries. "Yeah, I'm okay. Ghostface suddenly attacked us," Alexa told him as he sat down next to her.

"Jeez, again?" asked Chad as he looked at the Carpenter sisters. They nodded.

"Okay, I'm actually kind of glad I get to do this again. Because I was pretty wrong last time," Mindy sighed. Alexa groaned, she could already hear from Mindy's voice that she was overexcited. "The way I see it is that someone wants to make a sequel of a requel."

"What is a requel?" asked Anika as she raised her hand. "Questions will be allowed later, beautiful," Mindy said. Anika smiled proudly.

"Stab 1 took place in Woodsboro and Stab 2 at a university," Sam mentioned. "Do you think the killers are trying to recreate the movies?" asked Tara from beside Alexa. "They could be. The heroes are studying now, check. New suspects, check."

"I don't like this," Ethan muttered. "But this isn't about Stab 2," Mindy said as she stood in front of the group. "Why not?" asked Alexa as she raised an eyebrow. "Then it would just be a sequel and no one just makes sequels," Mindy told them. Everyone looked at each other confused. "We're in a franchise! And there are rules to that."

"I had a feeling," Sam muttered. "Rule one: It has to be bigger. Bigger budget, bigger cast, more victims, beheading," Mindy told him, as if it were all great. "Beheading?" asked Chad confusedly as he pointed to his twin sister with his pencil. "Yeah," nodded Alexa.

"Rule number two: It has to be different from last time. Franchises only survive through surprises. If last time it was a bunch of movie nerds expect the opposite this time," Mindy explained. "And rule number three: No one is safe. Old characters are cannon fodder. They are brought back only to be killed and purely for nostalgia."

"That doesn't sound too good for Kirby and Gale," Alexa spoke up. "Oh and that's not even the worst part," Mindy said as she looked at Alexa. "Oh here she explains the worst part," Chad sighed. Alexa could already guess that he had to hear this from his twin sister very often.

"The worst part is that franchises can go on forever. That means the main characters can now be replaced as well. Laurie Strode, Nancy Thompson, Ellen Ripley, Sally Hardesty, Jigsaw, Tony Stark, James Bond. Even Luke Skywalker dies, as long as the franchise continues," Mindy said dramatically.

"Not just the group of friends, all of us could go at any time," Mindy said as she looked around. "Especially Sam, Tara and Alexa."

"All of us?" spoke up Ethan after a brief silence. "Yeah," Mindy nodded. "Am I part of the group of friends?" he asked nervously. "Yeah," Mindy nodded again. "Am I a target now? Will I die a virgin?" he asked nervously. Alexa had to struggle to hold back her laughter, while Chad and the rest frowned.

"That was an odd overshare, but we'll move on to the suspects," Mindy said quickly to avoid the awkward silence. "Ethan, the shy dork who no one suspects." "Wait, why am I a suspect. Because I quite by chance am Chad's roommate?" asked Ethan as he looked at Chad.

"You could have arranged that to get closer to us," Mindy snorted. Ethan rolled his eyes irritated as Mindy walked toward Quinn, "Quinn. The slutty roommate, a classic."

"Sex positive, but okay," muttered Quinn. "How did you end up with Sam and Tara?" asked Mindy curiously. "I answered their ad online," Quin replied honestly. "Okay, don't say anything more. Very suspicious," Mindy laughed. "Mindy, that ad was anonymous," Alexa defended her friend.

"Her father is also a cop," Tara nodded. "A father in the police force is a good excuse. Don't you remember how these movies work Tara?" shouted Mindy. "Is she always like this?" asked Quinn to Alexa. Alexa nodded with a sigh.

"Anika," Mindy said with a wink. Anika blew her a kiss and Mindy pretended to receive it. "Never trust the love interest." Anika's smile quickly disappeared.

"And then lastly Alexa," Mindy said. "Wow, wow. It can't be me," Alexa said with a nervous laugh. "I was literally at the attack."

"Yes, but there can always be two, Lexa. I mean you were also at Wes' attack," Mindy whispered as she squeezed her eyes together. "You don't have to remind me, thank you," Alexa said with a sarcastic smile.

"She learned from her mistakes, Mindy," Chad defended his girlfriend. Alexa nodded and looked at Mindy again. Mindy nodded slowly but didn't believe it.

"Okay, we have the rules and our suspects," Sam interrupted the tension. "Wait, what about you guys?" asked Ethan. "I mean it can't be us," replied Mindy. "Agreed," said Chad as he pointed to his sister with his pencil.
"Disagree," said Quinn. "What if all that trauma has made you guys crazy."

"Or the attention that you got after the killing made you thirsty for more. I mean Alexa may have an relapse and the gossips about Sam is pretty believable," Ethan muttered. "Don't you dare," snapped Tara.

"Quinn is right, though. If we are suspects, so are you," Anika said as she raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going home. I smell like a hospital," Alexa said as she scrunched her nose. "Yeah, me too," Sam yawned. The group of friends got up and went their separate ways.

"Hey, shall I go with you, Lexa. I mean now that there's a killer and stuff running around," Chad said. "Yeah," Alexa nodded as she started walking beside him to the subway. "You don't believe it's me, do you?"

Chad sighed and shook his head, "I don't know what to believe anymore." "Neither do I," Alexa muttered as they got on the subway.