Lone Ranger | Jake Fitzgerald

5| Hanging On

"All right, guys, phone's down." Mr. Branson states as everyone has their phones in their hands, including Sarah. Just as she entered class, she had received a text message that was of a gif. The gif was creepy and was a murder selfie of the killer with Nina Patterson's dead body. Payback's A Bitch, was the caption. Sarah felt uncomfortable by the photo. But, the photo reminded her of the note she had found, which reminded her that she had a sort-of hit on who the killer might be. Or, more like she would have if she actually had a name for who wrote the note.

"The Brandon James gif put us on the map, Mr. B." Jake said turning his phone for everyone to see (those who didn't get the memo). Jake turned to Sarah and quickly turned his phone back to himself. He shook his head and returned his vision to Mr. Branson. "I mean, we have got like seven of the top ten trending hashtags worldwide, right now." 

"You know, maybe you should focus more on your studies and less on Lakewood's web-buzz." Mr. Brandon continued.

"Who can resist a good murder selfie?" Jake smirked, intrigued by the topic of conversation. While everyone was having a conversation about it all, Sarah had the note in her hand. She kept re-reading it, trying to find something in it that might've given a clue. The type of paper, the pen colour, the pen used, the way they wrote the A's. It was all a factor in Sarah's little investigation.

"Which is what the killer is counting on." Noah chuckled.

"All right, Will Graham. What is the killer's design?" Branson questioned towards Noah. Sarah still had her head down. She tried to hide the note for no one to think she had written it. She noticed Jake glancing back at her every few moments since she was sitting at the back of the class beside Audrey since Maureen Lopes had stolen her seat near the front. Audrey was disinterested with Sarah's lack of attention to the discussion, but Jake couldn't be more interested.

"Murder is a lonely game, y'know." Noah began his spiel, but this time Sarah didn't watch or listen. She kept more to herself, which was new considering every time Noah spoke was when she interrupted and helped his argument. "I mean, say you're the killer, okay? You sneak into Nina's house, you skulk around and scare her...and then you kill her. Boom! But then what? You take a victory lap around the pool? You just stand there, watching the blood spread out in the water, thinking your crazy thoughts?"

"Creepy monologue alert." Brooke said aloud which broke Sarah from her own thoughts from overhearing Noah's monologue. The killer must be lonely, she thought. Someone who has no one to share things with. Someone who is alone in the town with no one to lean back on. She noticed her eyes widen without her control, and so did Jake. 

"You okay?" He mouthed towards Sarah, a look of confusion and some concern on his face. 

Sarah nodded, and she returned to her books. She began to, in point form, list the theories and ideas and thoughts she had on her investigation so far. Jake turned away and looked to Riley, his pupil narrowing to Sarah every few seconds.

"So maybe it's no good if he's the only one who's watching." Riley added.

"Exactly, yeah! It's the age of Instagram and Youtube and Tumblr. We need to share the things we do...or it's like it never happened." Noah completed his little lecture and monologue. A few phones chimed in the classroom, which again made Sarah lift her head from being ducked down to know what was going on.

"Riley, phones off." Branson said, monotony.

"Sorry, Mr. B. My friend from St. Mary's texted. A girl that goes there died." Riley looked shocked, and so did everyone as they looked at one another. The killer, Sarah wondered. But then she looked to Audrey who no longer sat still in her seat.