Love & Carnage✗Noah Foster [2]

Chapter Eighteen// Lockdown

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"Yeah? Well, you're forgetting one thing about Billy Loomis. I fucking killed him."

--Sidney Prescott

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Audrey and I were ushered into the library, where everyone else was. "Oh, my God. Look at her." Haley snorted to her friends, looking past me and Audrey. I turned my head, just as Brooke rounded the corner in her cheer outfit in the hallway. "Haley Meyers." Deputy Newsome called. Haley shook her head, but looked at the deputy. "What? Me? I'm Haley Meyers." She answered. The deputy turned around to look at her. "The sheriff needs to talk to you." Newsome told her. "What did the sheriff ask you?" Haley looked pointedly at Audrey. "She hasn't been interviewed yet." I hissed at her. "Seriously? Why me? Why would he--?" Haley cut herself off, as she turned around and followed after the deputy. Audrey turned to me. "What was that about?" I whispered. She shrugged. I turned my head to look at the rest of the library. I noticed Stavo, Noah, and Eli sitting at a table. And behind a bookcase was Kieran. He waved me over. I frowned, but grabbed Audrey and led her towards him. Behind the bookcase was Emma, crouched down. "Hey..." I whispered. "How is Brooke?" Emma looked up at me. "Wrecked. Her dad's on his way, but in the meantime, they're putting her in solitary, out of gen-pop, for obvious reasons." I answered. "Okay, what is going on?" Audrey blurted. "God." Emma sighed, standing up. She handed Audrey a phone. I frowned at it, until she flipped it over. Property of Jake, was written on the back. "How did you...?" Audrey started. "I don't know. Someone planted it in my backpack. Now, I have to figure out how to explain that to the cops." Emma explained. Audrey turned the phone on, and I saw the text... the text Audrey had sent from Brooke's phone. Emma went to walk by us, when Audrey grabbed her. "No, no! Don't go to the cops!"

"What?!" Emma said, shocked. "It might not be Jake's phone." Audrey said softly. "I just need to give this to the sheriff, and let him do his job."

"All we know is someone planted it on you." I whispered. "They wanted you to find it. Do you remember the last time we got played? We almost got killed. Jake is already dead!"

"I'm sorry, but we know what's going on now." Audrey told. "Whoever did this is trying to control us. And it may be a game to them, but, to us, it's life or death."

Emma began to cry. "Oh, my God." Audrey grabbed her shoulder and brought her close. Kieran and I looked at each other in fear. It was happening again...

There was suddenly energetic chatter in the library. We came out from behind the bookcase. "What's with all the brouhaha?" Audrey asked Eli, who was coming towards us. "People are freaking because someone said they're searching lockers." He answered. "Oh, no." Kieran said. "What?" Emma asked. "Nothing." He said, as he moved past her. "What is going on?" I asked. "I--I have something in my locker I'd rather the cops didn't find." Kieran told the group. "Uh, you know how suspicious that sounds?" Noah said. "Yeah, I gotta get to my locker." Kieran replied. "How are you gonna do that?" Eli asked. "I--I need help." Kieran looked pointedly at his cousin. "Don't look at me." Eli said. Kieran rolled his eyes, and turned away from him. "Hey, what do you have in your locker?" Emma asked her boyfriend in a soft voice. "Don't worry about it. I'll be right back." Kieran told her, rushing away. "Ugh, I can't believe he just said that." Noah rolled his eyes. "Um, okay, yeah. I'll go with him, keep a lookout." Noah raised his hand a little, following after him. "Ar--are you sure about that?" Zoe asked, following after him. "Noah!" I followed, too. As did Audrey. "What? Why?"

Audrey and I went first. "Whoa! Wait a minute!" The gaurd outside said to us as soon as we opened the door. "My friend is about to vomit!" I told her, holding Audrey. "Can you please take us to the ladies' room?"

"No, I can't--"

Audrey pretended like she was about to puke, and the gaurd let up. "Okay, okay. Come on." She led Audrey and I down the hallway. I looked back at Kieran and Noah, who were just opening the library door, as we rounded the corner.

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When Audrey and I got back to the library, Kieran was back... "Kieran made it back... but not happily." Audrey told me. My phone rang suddenly. I turned away from Audrey to answer it. "Hello?"

"We failed. They took Kieran away and now they're taking Emma, and I ended up trapped out in the halls." Noah spoke. "Kieran's back, but he doesn't look like he wants to chat, so who knows? Oh, this is so screwed up!" I nearly whined. "Someone planted Jake's phone in Emma's bag." I told him. "Wait, what? That's why they're taking her?" Noah asked. "I don't know." I whispered. My phone was snatched out of my hand, when I went to protest, I realized that it was just Audrey. She put the phone to her ear. "Hey, I'm starting to the that the person they should be questioning is right here." Audrey said, looking pointedly at Stavo, as she grabbed my arm and pulled me with her. Oh, here we go... The door to the library opened, and in came Emma. Everybody stared. "I gotta go." Audrey told Noah, hanging up and handing me back my phone. She went straight for Kieran. They were whispering heatedly almost immediately. Audrey looked at me as if I were gonna do something. Eli only made it worse. From where I was, I couldn't hear him, but Kieran was real angry about it, and pushed back Eli, going behind the bookcase, putting his earphones in. "Alright, why don't we all just take it easy." I walked towards my friends, my hands out in front of me. Emma looked past me, and I followed her gaze. Everyone in the library were watching. Not to mention, Haley. "Why are they all staring?" Emma tried to walk towards them, but Audrey held her back. "Ignore it." Eli told her. "I wanna know what they have to say." Emma said, walking towards Haley. "She's not worth it. Emma, just--"

"Stop it!" Emma hissed at Audrey. Audrey looked at me and Eli with wide eyes, but there was nothing we could have done. "Hey." Emma said, stopping right in front of Haley. "Do you have something you want to say to me?"

Haley didn't answer her, she turned her cheek, trying not to look at Emma. "Look, I know you're scared. We're all scared. But we should not be scared of each other. Okay? And please... do not be scared of me."

This time, Haley turned to look at Emma. "But I am scared of you. Everyone who comes around you dies. And you're friends should be scared, because they're all going to die." Haley told Emma, but she looked pointedly at me when she said the word "die".

"You have no idea what I went through." Emma said in a whisper. "You went through? Piper butchered eight people, but magically didn't touch a hair on your head." Haley shot back at Emma. "That is not true--"

"Then you shot her in the face, so we only got your side of the story." Haley cut her off. I stepped forward, walking towards Emma. I grabbed her, and pulled her back. "That's enough, Haley, leave her alone." I told her. "What are you going to do, Arielle? You gonna punch me in the face, like you did Alexis?" Haley challenged. I glared at her. "Keep bothering my friend, I just might." I hissed. "Her whole family is crazy, aren't they?!" Haley shouted at everyone behind her, pointing at Emma. She turned back to us, a grin on her face. "I mean, everytime there is a killer loose, somehow, there's always a crazy Duval left standing!" Haley shouted. Emma pulled out of my grip and walked closer to Haley, swinging her arm back, before slapping Haley straight across the face. The students in the room gasped, and I tried my best not to snicker. Haley held her cheek, as she looked back to Emma. "You dumb bitch!" She flew at Emma, tackling her to the ground. All the students yelled. Audrey tried to help, but nobody wanted her to. The library doors burst open, and in came Ms. Lang and an officer. "Hey, get off her!" The lady cop grabbed Haley off of Emma, who lay defenseless on the ground, covering her face. Eli helped her up. "Hey, are you okay?" Emma didn't answer him. Ms. Lang grabbed her quickly. "Come on, let's get you out of here. Come on. Move. OUT OF THE WAY!" Ms. Lang shouted at some of the students, who crowded. "Okay, back it up!" The officer told us. Ms. Lang ushered Emma out of the room. I looked at Audrey in fear.