The Cycle

CHAPTER 6: MOMENT

CHAPTER 6

MOMENT

I jolt awake in my bed, sitting upright as if I've been electrocuted. My eyes blink frantically until I can clearly see around my room. My breathing slows, my heart rate calms, and I glance at the ancient clock on the nightstand; it's seven in the morning, the start of another awful day. I rip the drawer from the nightstand and scribble the nightmare in minor detail, clearly trying to forget the whole incident before getting ready for school.

Once dressed in a flannel and clean jeans, I hop down the staircase, not even attempting to conceal my distaste this morning. Lorraine sits at the table, her usual bowl of oatmeal in front of her on a striped placemat, and she doesn't look up as I scramble through the cabinets in search of my cereal. I waste five minutes trying to assemble my breakfast when I finally take a seat across from Lorraine, scarfing the food by the mouthful.

It's painfully quiet on the ride to school, the streets unusually packed with unwanted traffic. I don't let my mind wander to the real reason the highway is so crowded, not wanting to bear the consequences of that carelessness. We gradually pull into the lot of the school, where mounds of cop cars block any vehicles from going any farther than the welcoming sign of ARROWLEAF HIGH SCHOOL.

"You'll have to get out here, Elaina. There's no way to get farther in," Lorraine says as she stops on the curve. It's raining today and the raindrops leave tears on the windows.

I blankly nod and reluctantly gather my things before getting out of the car. A woman in a police uniform trudges to my side and clings an arm behind my lower back, leading me into the premises.

"You're next class?" she asks sternly.

"Mr. Knap, Anatomy," I reply quietly. The woman is very tall and I have to tilt my hood upward just to look her in the eye.

She sighs impatiently.

"Which building?"

"Three."

She leads me into the building and down the vacant hallway. The police woman roughly nudges me inside without another word. I numbly make my way to my seat, wishing than nothing more than for this day to end.

Every class was depressing, constantly reminding me of the horrors that took place not twenty-four hours ago. I didn't want to think about it, although that was nearly impossible. The way all my teachers told the same numbing speeches about Kayden and how she will be greatly missed made my chest ache. Mrs. Gore even released a few tears as she described how the death affected her personally. Loads of security guards lined every building, keeping a watchful eye on the students and looking out for any suspicious characters. Throughout the entire day, random kids were picked to be interrogated by the sheriff of Moon Bay, but thankfully, my name was never called.

When I entered my fifth period that day, the only acknowledgement I received from Nayland was a quiet hello and that was the end of the conversation.

The first few weeks after Kayden's death were hard to process and difficult to handle. Everyday was a struggle, a complete fight to get up and go to school, rather than just curl up in my bed and grieve for the girl I once knew. Her death hit me on a level I never thought I could experience. There's a hole in my stomach that stirs relentlessly at the thought of Kayden or her family, as if I've known them my entire life. I had this awfully uncomfortable encounter with Mrs. Larson at the supermarket among the first few days of Kayden's absence. I was sending her my condolences when she placed a hand on my shoulder and gaped at me with apologetic eyes, like I was the one who needed her sympathy.