The Midnight Tapes

CHAPTER TWO

✽~Lacy~✽

I looked under, on and even in the couch but the remote seemed to be gone. Until I found it in the dumbest place my family could've decided to put it. On top of the couch cushion half covered by a blanket. Who puts a remote there? I grabbed it and switched on the news channel. I put it back on the coffee table where it was visible and slumped into the couch with my bowl of lucky charms cereal. I had school in a few hours, with my first three periods off. So I'd go to school around 9:30 to 9:45.

I enjoyed having my first two hours off. It was a chance to relax and watch my favourite: mysteries and crimes. Usually the news was filled with that stuff.

I pulled my legs to the couch and got comfy as I prepared to watch and listen. A blonde news reporter who our town knew as Patricia Brookbanks spoke in an extremely serious tone as usual:

"Someone in our lovely small town of Smiths Falls, Ontario has placed twelve mysterious mixtapes into several residents homes for a specific person in said household. When played the mixtapes say the persons name and a specific date. Last night around 12:00PM about five of the residents who were awake at the time said they heard a clicking noise outside and when they looked the red handle on their mailbox was flipped down", she paused for a moment like she was having trouble speaking. "Last night a young girl at the age of 17 went missing mysteriously and police found out this girl had a mixtape. When they played it, it said her name and today's date. If you see this girl anywhere please let us know".

They showed a picture of...Kelsey Rose? She went missing. Oh my gosh. I couldn't believe it. Someone from out very own school went missing. Maybe because of whoever was sending out the mixtapes? Who would do such a thing? She must've been so scared.

"It is believed", Patricia continued. "That the mixtapes may have some relation to the disappearence of young Kelsey Rose. But police have not come to a conclusion on the matter yet. We will have to wait a bit and see what is to come of the situation".

With that, the news channel switched to some other irrelevant matter.

I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. We could possibly have a murderer in our town? Who sends mixtapes as a warning?

My parents were at work this morning but if anyone in this house had gotten a mixtape, they would've woken me up to tell me.

I got up to wash my bowl as I thought about all the possibilties of this murder, who could be behind it. The post office man perhaps?  But it's the post office, it could be anyone.

Literally anyone.

✽~~~~~~✽✧✽~~~~~~✽

I walked into the school doors to be greeted by kids whispering and chatting and showing things on their phones. No one was smiling or laughing. Everyone was serious. Some even looked scared. I guessed I wasn't the only one who listened to the morning news. The word of the "Mixtape Murderer" as everyone started calling it had spread like wild fire.

I even saw Maggie and some of her friends sulking around with bloodshot eyes. Crying a little over their lost friend, Kelsey Rose. There was a chance she could be alive, but I wasn't so sure. The evidence was quite clear. She got a mixtape and the next day she disappeared. She could've been murdered or maybe kidnapped. It was impossibe to say. The police were searching for her left and right according to what I'd heard but there was no sign of her at all.

Just then Ruby marched up to me and grabbed me by both shoulders. "We need to talk, janitors closet straight after our classes, don't be late". Then she walked away and went into the room where she took Home Economics class with Mrs. Beaumont.