Just a Number

Chapter Three - Unexpected Socializing

Chapter Three - Unexpected Socializing

"Alright. Thank you, officers." I began to leave the office but decided to pop back in and ask for a pass. They obliged.

I absently glanced at the map to the main office that Jerry had given me. My mind was on other things. Other... disturbing things.

Officer Jansen had explained everything.

There had been a murder - I didn't ask who. A student had been brutally attacked, their mangled body found ditched on the side of the highway. Thankfully, I wasn't told any of the coronary details.

I physically shuddered.

At first, the case had been dismissed as an animal attack, later specifically a wolf attack. But they had found a poisonous substance in his digestive and blood system. The case veered towards a possible suicide case.

Then, another twist was discovered. The wounds that covered his body didn't match the normal tracks of wolf teeth. Nor the claws. The gashes were too deep.

At that point, Jerry had interrupted. He must have thought Jansen was giving too much information. I'd almost verbally agreed, but held my tongue.

Jerry had gone on to say that the case had basically shifted into a homicide because they'd found that a knife had been involved. That must have explained why the teeth marks didn't match up.

Then, he'd looked over at his partner. I knew that look.

They were keeping something important from me. But I honestly didn't care. Cases were kept secret for a reason.

That was when they'd let me go.

Now, everything was beginning to click. The security check, the nervous atmosphere of the students, the awful stares...

I walked away from the registration office with a locker arrangement and class schedule. I found my locker easily in the main hall and decided to check out the inside. I slung my backpack off of my shoulder and pulled out my locker shelves, ready to put them in when I saw something small at the bottom of my locker. It was a piece of paper folded multiple times, obviously a note.

It couldn't be for me, could it? No, it wasn't possible. I had just gotten my locker assignment five minutes ago. There was no way someone knew that this was my locker, right?

What the hell.

I sat down and decided to open it anyway.

It read:

"Tom,

We need to talk -."

I put the note down immediately. It wasn't for me. Should I read on?

Mt guilty conscience said 'Yes'.

"I can't stand this distance between us. Its killing me. What aren't you telling me? You know you can trust me with anything. I wouldn't tell a soul. Please. Just let me know. I know you have other obligations, but I was really hoping that you could be rid of them soon.

Love,

Your L.S."

Hmm... Who is this Tom? What does L.S. stand for? It must be a girl's name, probably his girlfriend's. I stored the note in my backpack and decided to worry about it later.

I glanced at the clock wandering when first period was over. Checking my schedule, I realized there was still twenty minutes left of first period. I might as well go to class and at least meet my teacher. It was math, so I didn't need to really hurry at all.