Haunted by Screams (Jeff the Killer)

Chapter 22. Friend or Foe

Oh how sweet the sound tickles me,

Gently as a friend's warm touch,

Outside it is dark and cold but in here it is as a summer day

The melody is playing its sweet tune to my beloved friends,

Clowns and dolls grinning with pointy teeth and deadly lips,

But they sleep now and there's no need to be afraid,

As long as the music box still plays

 - Anilexa 

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It felt like time slowed down and so did the noises from all the people opening and closing lockers and walking to their lessons: all that existed was that look Jim now was giving her.

She was looking right at him and he was looking right at her, and wether that was a good or a bad thing Nora couldn't possibly tell.

However, she decided to stick with it as bad - after all if her worries for Jim knowing about her and Jeff was to be true, what could she possible do? He could have already told the police and said everything he knew, and if that was the case it'd be all over. Although, Nora could comfort herself a bit with that there at least had been several days in between from when she met Jim at the store and now - and so far no police had been knocking on her front-door. There might be the possibility that he hadn't told anyone, after all.

If I want to be sure - I need to talk to him...

With hesitation Nora took focus on Jim in the crowded corridor and began with steady steps walk towards him.

"Nora, where the heck are you goi-"

"I'll catch up with you later Jess" was all Nora said as she walked away from Jessica who loudly sighed.

"I need to know if he knows - and I need to know if there is the slightest possibility that he might not tell anyone about me and- Jeff... There have to be"

As she was confidentially approaching him and zigzagged between students, Jim suddenly turned around and quickly walked away from her.

What the hell?

Without thinking she began running after him despite almost knocking students and teachers over.

"Jim, wait!"

He quickly slipped past them before Nora finally managed to reach him and pull him in his jacket to prevent him from going further away from her.

"Jim, please stop - I need to talk with you"

She quickly walked infront of him to block his way further and was greeted with a sight of what could be described as a person who hadn't had enough sleep for a few days. Dark circles were underneath his eyes and his skin locked paler than usually. His hair was a mess and probably hadn't been washed for some days, which began to become almost a bit greasy. He looked anything but well.

"Oh my gosh - what has happened to you Jim?"

"Really, I could ask you the same Nora..." Jim answered her with a thin voice. Although she could tell he looked exhausted his eyes were sparkling a tiny bit as they usually did.

But why was he looking so - worn out? And why the expression of lack of sleep?

Was it - because a someone had been threatening his life too now and that someone would be?...

Jeff...

"Jim, about the - the store and you know, I-I, wanted to ask you if-" Nora didn't know how she would put it since everything she tried in her head sounded so stupid and bad that it made her cringe badly on the inside.

"I just wanted to ask you if-"

"I know"

"Eh, what?"

Jim was looking directly in Nora's eyes and she didn't need an spoken answer - she could tell exactly what he knew.

"You know-"

"Yes, I do"

The entire situation became weird but on the same time filled with anxiety as his words ever so slowly began sinking in. Everything she'd so desperately tried to keep away from him had now began running between her fingers. It was all falling apart and slipping - and so was her life, his, Jessica's and her father's.

It would be all over, if not...

"You can't tell anyone Jim, please" was all she managed to say as a group of girls walked by them while giggling loudly.

"What if I already have?"

"I-" she had no idea of what to counterattack him with.

Yes, what 'if' you already have really?

Then what?

"Then we'll both be dead Jim. And if you've already told the police then I'm screwed - and so are you. He won't even hesitate to kill us on the spot or the people we care for because he doesn't give a shit about human life."

"Should that monster even be considered as a 'he'?" Jim suddenly snarled at her before he forced her hand holding his jacket away from him.

Surprised by his drastic turn Nora let go off it before Jim moved closer to her and pushed her back into some lockers, causing her to gasp at the sudden impact of cool metal. The closeness made Nora's heart flutter a bit.

"If you're trying to tell me that you're protecting his fucking back because you want to keep me safe - then you're not even better than that freaking monster you call 'Jeff' yourself!"

A teacher walked by them and gave them a bit of a suspicious glance before she continued her stroll down the corridor. He backed away from Nora and took a good look at her. His eyes shone with sadness but above all, betrayal. He then lowered his eyes to the floor and so did Nora. She'd lost every word she'd planned to say and to be honest - she didn't know if they would even help her or not. So she chose to stand there silently, as Jim spoke a line that would have her question every decision she'd made since she met Jeff.

And its impact made her fearful.

"If my life only is because someone else has lost its - then I rather die than making more people lose theirs"

With that spoken he turned around, not even looking at her, before he began to disappear in the amount of students in the crowded corridor.

Nora was left behind, fighting the tears back as students continued their daily routine at the school.