The Rift

Chapter Nine: Evil Amongst Us

What Went Down-Foals

"What the hell is taking so long?", Eli asks impatiently with his hands in the pocket of his hoodie, referring to Lauren being late for an emergency meeting at town hall.

The five of us are gathered around a wooden roundtable, including me, Eli, Emma, Anna, and DJ just a half hour after the incident.
"Don't rush my sister. She's doing the best she could right now", Emma angrily tells Eli, her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail.
"Well forgive me for being the impatient one", Eli shoots back.

"How the hell did this even happen?", DJ asks with a soft yet sorrowful tone, crossing his arms.
"That's why we're all here, baby, to find out how and why", Anna calmly tells her boyfriend.

The door to the room opens, and Lauren steps inside.

"What took you so damn long?", Eli asks her.
"Comforting Fiona's parents", she snaps at Eli.

"So where the hell do we even start?", I ask the group.
"Well, let's go over it", Lauren says, resting her hands on the table, "Henry and Fiona were seen yesterday at dinner, then today we find them dead. Almost everyone was in the cafeteria this morning, besides some of you guys out on the street, but there are a few people unaccounted for."
"Like who?", DJ asks.

"If I remember correctly, it was Lisbeth, Russ, Cody, Theo, and Evan. I already talked to Theo, he said he was at his apartment. Ben was there with him so we know whoever did this is not Theo."

"What about Russ?", I ask Lauren, "He was an asshole yesterday, plus he didn't go to dinner or this morning's breakfast."

"True, but we don't have many facts to work with right now", Lauren says.

"If you want facts Lauren, then here they are", Eli starts, balling his fists on the table, "Two people were murdered inside these walls. Murdered. And whoever the killer is had enough time to plant the bodies near David's house. This doesn't just happen once, I know because of my time with Nathaniel. This could and will happen again, so we need to find whoever did this before they fucking kill someone else."

"I couldn't agree more", Anna tells us, "Lauren, what's your plan?"

The rest of us turn to look at Lauren, who has her hands on the sides of her light blue, long sleeved shirt.

She sighs and says, "I'll gather everyone in the cafeteria in a while, as for our...suspects we can each talk to one of them."
"I'll talk to Evan and Cody", I tell the group, "after all they're good friends of mine."
"And Lisbeth?", DJ asks me.
"What about her?"
He crosses his arms and shrugs, "We're just gonna ignore that she's the daughter of Nathaniel?"

An eerie silence falls into the room, suddenly.
I squint at DJ and ask angrily, "What the hell does that mean? That just because she's the daughter of a psychopath she suddenly falls into this murderous state? I find that hard to believe. What I'm really concerned about right now is Russ. Jackson was accounted for so it couldn't have been him. We should bring him here and make him talk.
"Sounds good to me", Eli says.

"One more thing, David", Anna tells me, "There was something painted on your door, as if you're targeted. If I were you, I'd watch my back."
I nod and lower my head, resting my hands on the table.

Whoever did this is going to pay.

                           ----------

A loud commotion embodies itself in the huge crowd of people in the cafeteria as I look inside while holding open the entrance door. I close it and sigh.
It's later in the day, a few hours until sunset. A cold, autumn breeze flows through the community, sending chills down my spine. Footsteps are heard from behind and I hear Evan call out, "Hey, David."