The Campus Killings {#LGBTQ #HORROR}

Chapter Six

Jake awoke to being violently shaken the next day, his eyes flickering open to meet Willa's concerned blue ones.

"What is it?" he groaned, rubbing at his eyes in frustration as his vision attempted to brighten.

Willa's voice trembled, "We've got a problem. Get up."

***

"Who the fuck would send this?" Brody asked, "Are they trying to get themselves killed?"

Everyone was sitting around the fountain, the email loaded up each of their phones — police and faculty were covering the grounds, the Dean looking extremely concerned as she talked with the Chief and Petrović.

Jake couldn't help but feel uncomfortable, the description of the killer feeling all-too-familiar to the feeling he had when he had returned to his dorm the previous night.

Willa shook her head, her gaze never leaving the teacher as she shrugged, "I don't know, but it was pretty selfish of them."

"To let the campus know that a secret is being held from them?" Mali asked.

Raleigh shot her a look, "It wasn't you, was it? I mean, you do know your way around a computer."

"Any old idiot can send an email, Ral." she leaned back into the curve of Amrit's arm, "Besides, why the hell would I wanna incriminate myself like that?"

Eilidh puffed at her vape, speaking up, "Perhaps this isn't the best place to discuss this."

"Where else can we, huh?" Amrit asked, "We're not allowed to leave campus because of whoever sent it."

Manuela mournfully complained, "I was going to buy new paints for the set today. Auditions are very soon, I don't wanna run behind."

"I still have to practise." Willa sighed, "All this is exactly what I don't need."

Manuela encouraged, "You'll kill it, Will. I know you will."

"Interesting choice of words." mused Mali, earning a glare from Willa.

Raleigh shook his head, "I'm not sticking around, trapped here all day."

"But we're not allowed to leave." Jake looked at him confused.

Raleigh nodded, "Sure, but that's just because they say so."

"Got a plan?" Brody asked, interested.

Raleigh replied, "Split up, meet me at the mini market. I'll get my car."

"I don't know." Jake twiddled his thumbs nervously, "I don't wanna get in trouble."

His gaze dropped, avoiding the judging glares of his peers, though thankfully, he felt Raleigh encouragingly brush against him.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to." His voice was gentle, soothing, "But I'd certainly like it if you did."

Jake looked up at him, getting a little lost in those beautiful dark eyes — they held onto his own soulfully and tried as he might to resist, he felt weak under them.

"I'll come," he acquiesced.

Raleigh's eyes seemed to glitter with happiness, a wide, infectious smile coming onto his face, "That's my guy." he playfully squeezed his shoulder.

"Now that you two are done flirting," Mali began, looking at them with an incredulous amount of boredom, "We should get going, otherwise we might attract suspicion."

Raleigh nodded, exchanging one final look with Jake before heading off. Willa and Manuela both came with him as Amrit and Mali and the twins departed in different directions.