The Campus Killings {#LGBTQ #HORROR #FRIGHT}

Chapter Four

"Come on, it's this way!" Jake could feel Willa pulling on his hand as she led him across the campus grounds, toward the old gymnasium, which seemed to be lit up from within, students all crowded around it.

He felt a little stupid, dressed in a white checkered flannel shirt and jeans, with his curly hair brushed back away from his face, but Willa's energy was the tiniest bit infectious, even as she noticed the notebook in his hand.

"You sure you need that?" she asked.

He nodded, "If you don't want me forgetting everything, yeah."

"You're such a worrier," she rolled her eyes dramatically, "Relax."

"Isn't there a curfew?" he wondered aloud.

Willa replied, "Nobody really cares to enforce it.  Besides, most of the security here doesn't mind, as long as everyone here is of legal age, which you, my handsome friend, are, yes?"

"Yes." he paused, "It's just weird that after... what happened, you're all just having a party."

Willa shrugged, "We're young, we're rich, we're free.  Might as well party.   Besides, nobody uses this gym anyway, we have the new one.  It'd go to waste if we just left it."

She dragged him into the gym, a large hall with several backrooms where changing rooms, an empty pool room and showers were situated — the derelict hall was packed with people, a table filled with alcohol on the far side as a DJ was set up at the end of the court.

To be honest, it wasn't the best party Jake had ever seen, quite the opposite really, but people seemed to be having fun, so who was he to judge?

Loud, dance music thumped around the room, making Jake wince — though his own tastes were decidedly varied, this was absolutely not his kind of thing, rhythm devoid and irritating.

"Want something to drink?" Willa asked, nudging him.

He stammered, "Oh, I— I don't really—"

"Any particular reason?" she asked.

In the back of his mind, he could remember a bottle shattering, glass sticking into his skin — he hadn't touched a drop since, always too nervous.

He couldn't tell her the reason, however — instead, he shrugged, "No reason."

"Come on, you've got to loosen up." she grabbed two bottles of Stella Artois, handing him one as she opened them, "Live a little, you know?"

Jake looked at the bottle for a second, then decided, "Fuck it." and took a swig, instantly making a face at the bitterness, "Eugh, that is absolutely foul."

"It certainly is." the girl beside him commented, then took a swig herself with a smile.

Despite himself, Jake laughed and took another drink as they came across Willa's friend group, Raleigh dancing with one of the girls, the one who had been distant at the table, now bearing a smile that seemed unfamiliar to her face.   The sight of it sent a little spike of something into Jake's chest, something unpleasant and unfamiliar as the girl twirled under his arm.

"Guys, guys!" Willa chirped, and thankfully, it broke up the dance, "I brought him."

Jake's neighbour from class eyed him with a little disdain and he dropped his gaze uncomfortably whilst Manuela came up to loop her arms around Willa.

"Remember what I told you about—" Willa began.

Jake lifted his head and asked, "They know?"

"I told them yesterday, I think." Willa explained, "Did you not want me to?"