THE MURDER NEXTDOOR

chapter 19

It was no secret that Willowdon was a literal town of horrors. Yet nobody tried to leave. Strange things happened here. One of them being the Willowdon Crisis.

Children slaughtered their parents. Scarlet lollipops that were so addictive you could have done anything just for one more lick. These kids were reduced to mindless animals.

It was as if Willy Wonka had come to town, only because he was chased out from hell itself.

These kids in nineteen ninety two, well those who survived the rehabilitation program, were now teachers and doctors and parents. Living like their brains weren't scrambled and rebooted.

Charles was gone but the game was far from over.

Bexie didn't know what to do with herself. Calling someone on the phone shouldn't have been that hard. Her phone just laid there on her palm as she rehearsed what she would say.

Ashley came out of nowhere and bounced on Bexie's bed. "So, who are we calling?" she asked as she stretched her head to see the name on the screen. "Is it a boy?" But of course Ashley would know everything there is to know about boys and would be too glad to pass on her ancient wisdom.

"No," Bexie answered as she tried to get her phone away from Ashley's nosey eyes.

"Is it a girl?" Her tone wasn't disappointed by the sentence had a worrying falling intonation. Would she be okay with it if it was? Bexie let her read the name on the screen. She went crimson with embarrassment when Ashley said," Ah, Sophie," as if it was that obvious.

"It's not what you think," Bexie said quickly "I just want to invite her over, for a sleepover. "

"Is she the only one who's coming?"

"Of course not," Bexie lied. She hadn't thought about any of her other friends, just Sophie. " Am inviting Danny and Ka..." She froze. Kale. Kale was missing. Gone, and this time it was real. " ...and June. I meant June. " There was literally no one else, and she was loosing people to rely on, fast.

"This must be so hard for, " Ashley rapped her arms around her. Ever since she got over herself and started hugging Bexie, she had been doing it way too often," first mom and dad, now this. I think the sleepover is a nice idea," she paused " and I think you should call her first. " She sneaked her finger and pressed the button.

Bexie could have sworn she died right there. "What have you done? I wasn't ready," she quickly hang up but only moments laters her phone rang and Sophie was calling.

"Ready or not, you're doing this," Ashley commanded.

"I want to die," she whined. She answered the call.

"You got this. Just invite her over. "

"Hi Soph," she blurted out nervously. What the hell was that. Soph? She wanted to abort the phone call and move to edge of the world, but then she heard...

"Bex?" Sophie said with a weak giggle, " you called?"

She had called Sophie. She felt like she could explode. Her heart started rasing and her rehearsed script evaporated from her mind. She looked at Ashley for help.

"You're doing great," she assured with two of her thumbs up.

"Would you want to come over later?" she shut off her mind and the nonsense wasn't stopping. She was too far gone to stop.

"Are you inviting me over for a sleepover?" Sophie asked.

"Y...ye_ yes...?"

" Will it be just the two of us," Bexie's throat tightened at the idea. What would they even do?  They had nothing in common.