A Deadly Sorority (Book #1 Sorority Horrors)

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Before Mom traveled home to Sedona, she called up Uncle Jay to help me move since he lived about an hour away in Los Angeles. The next day, he arrived outside of my apartment complex in a huge U-Haul truck.

As I stood in the kitchen finishing up the last of the dishes, I spotted him through the gray curtains as he parked along the curb. I quickly wiped my hands with a towel and ran to the window. Unlocking it, I lifted the wooden sill and leaned out. A cool breeze slapped my face, sending a shiver through me.

"Hey, Uncle Jay!" I called out, waving at him with a smile.

Hopping out of the truck, his eyes veered up toward me, and he waved back, "Hi, Kayla!" he greeted.

Uncle Jay was just the person I needed to help me escape from my Crimson Lake Killer-targeted apartment. He was tall and bulky and had a successful high school and college wrestling career. However, now in his 50s with a beer bully, you'd probably never believe it.

Making my way down the stairwell, I stepped out onto the pavement where Uncle Jay was waiting. The winter sun shone brightly, but a cool chill lingered while a slight breeze rustled the leaves, scattering them about.

"Uncle Jay, why'd you get such a big U-haul truck?" I asked, eyeing the massive vehicle. "I'm just moving out of a tiny apartment, not a mansion!" We both laughed.

"It's better to be over-prepared than underprepared," he said with a grin, patting the side of the truck.

We quickly loaded up the U-Haul and headed to the Alpha Sigma Chi sorority house, where I'd spend the rest of my freshman year.

As I climbed into the passenger seat, it felt like scaling Mount Everest. Settling in, I placed the seatbelt over my body and buckled myself in, feeling ready for the big move.

Excitement coursed through me, mingled with a touch of apprehension, fueled by intrusive thoughts nudging me to move back to Sedona. However, I shoved those thoughts aside.

"How's college life treating ya?" Uncle Jay asked as he twisted the key into the ignition and revved the engine.

"Great! Besides the serial-killing lunatic that's been haunting our town."

"You're one brave girl," he stated as he veered the truck onto the road.

While we drove, I stared in the side-view mirror, watching my apartment complex recede along with the many memories I made with Lorena and Sandra. Our friendships blossomed in that apartment, prompting cherished memories to surface as a wave of sorrow washed over me. I knew I would miss our bonding time the most: those cozy nights when we all crowded on the couch in front of the TV with a big bowl of popcorn and indulged in true crime documentaries.

Shifting my focus, I gazed out ahead. Admiring the green-leaved trees and the birds perched on their branches. Surprisingly, the week had been warm, even though we were still technically in the season of winter. I guess that's California weather for you.

When we finally arrived at the sorority house, Uncle Jay backed the U-Haul into the large driveway of the castle-like structure.

Gazing at the house, its Greek letters decorating the rooftop, a surge of pride burst through my veins like a broken water hose, sending goosebumps trickling down my arms.

"The side-view mirror is foggy." Uncle Jay complained while squinting his eyes as he focused his attention on backing up the truck, "They should've cleaned this truck before renting it out to me."

He gripped the steering wheel with his large mechanic hands and carefully maneuvered the vehicle in reverse. Suddenly, we lurched up onto the curb with a big thump, thrusting me forward. I quickly grabbed the dashboard, steadying myself.