School

Chapter Four: Evidence

I woke up and I jumped because I didn't remember where I was, but then I remembered. The memories all flooded back; the fire, the running away, the blame, the letter, leaving. Everything came back. I sat up slowly and threw my legs over the side of my bed. I walked over to the dresser and put on a pair of jean shorts. I looked at the kitchen on my way to the closet when I see the cooler sitting on the floor. "Oh crap!" I yelled to myself. I quickly opened the cooler. I was glad nothing smelled rotten I taste tested a few things and decided they were edible and put them in the fridge where I had meant to put them last night.

I put on a blue shirt and sit on my bed looking for something to watch when I hear a knock on the door. I walk quickly to see who it is, I look through the small peep hole it was so small I had to squint but I see it was the man at the check-in. I unlock the slide lock and invite him in. "Hello, sorry to bother you this early but just wanted to see how your first night was." He said with a bright smile. "Oh, that's no problem at all I was just uh.. You know just hanging out."

"Oh good, hey did you hear about the high school in North Town, someone burnt it to the ground!" "Um..." I thought about lying saying I heard about it but nothing else, it just doesn't feel right lying to him " Yeah, um actually I was in one of the gym classes that survived." Is said quietly even talking about it made me want to huddle up in a dark room and be alone. "Oh, sorry" he said "I'll leave." He started to walk back outside when I yelled for him. "Wait no it's fine it's not you! I really do need to talk to somebody about this."

"Ok I just thought since..." He trailed of "no no that's fine." We both headed into the small kitchen where there was a small table and two chairs. "My name is Madigan." He said "I'm Charlotte, nice to meet you" it took me a good hour and a half to explain all that happened. From the fire to Camry to running away, all of it. "Well I should be going back to the main desk if you need me feel free to call the number is on the end table." He turned around and shut the door gently as he left my motel room.

The clock read 9:30 and I decided I should go to the police station to see if I could get started helping. I picked up my purse and hopped into my car. As I pulled out I saw Madigan as he walked over to the dumpsters to throw out the contents of a small trash can. I waved as I passed him and he waved back. I stopped at the edge of the parking lot and waited for an opening to get on the road. I finally caught a break and slipped into traffic.

I drove back to North Town and pulled into the small parking lot outside of the police station. As I was grabbing my purse I realized that if I went inside and they catch me for running away... Let's not even talk about how ticked my parents would be. I sat up straight and looked in my rear view mirror. After about two minutes I finally got out of the car. I opened up the glass doors that lead into the building and walked up to Officer Dixon who was sitting at his desk.

"Hey here so soon?" He asked politely "yeah figured I'd have more time then." "Well then, hop in my car I'll be out in a sec just gotta get the keys." He got up out of his chair and walked past me to get the keys. I turned around and headed outside. What am I thinking if my mom comes to the station and I'm in a patrol car they are just going to take me back. I stand by the passenger door staring through the black windows of the patrol car. I hear the front door open so I reach down and gently pull open the door.

The officer sits next to me and starts the car, he looks over at me for a while but then turns and pulls out of the parking lot. It was a silent drive to what looked like a mini war zone. Everything was black, oh how it stunk! We pulled off of the main road and parked on the brown grass. I looked around and I saw at least thirty CSI workers. I slowly walked over to the building and started my own investigation.

I turned to look at Officer Dixon and asked him "excuse me, but where are the matches that we said to have caused the fire?" "Heather! Show Charlotte the evidence please." I watch as a young blonde haired woman ,with a face that is too nice to be a officer's, walks over to me. "Follow me please." She says as she turns and starts walking. She leads me around to the back of the school by the gym. She carefully steps her way through the maze of walls and burnt chairs as well as huge piles of ash.

We get into the bathroom that I right next to the gym. I look around and see what was left of the mirror Sami,Grace and I would redo our makeup after school in, the clothes rack Julia and I put our clothes when we took a shower. Everything was burnt, melted, or ash. She walks over to the handicap stall and pushes the door open. "We found traces of matches here because as you can see there is one in the toilet. The water prevented it from burning and there was enough dry paper, in whatever is left of this trash can, to help the fire grow as fast and as big as it did. Also when we first got to the scene our CSI crew found gas present inside of the school."

I snooped around for a while but I couldn't find anything. "We need to leave soon, the air isn't safe to breathe for very long." She left from the wall she was leaning on and I followed. Once we came out of the back of the building I looked up at the roof. The hole where a huge chunk of it had fallen down. I can't believe that they were right here. They were standing RIGHT HERE! Why didn't you try and help them? I felt tears coming but I quickly wiped them away and started for the car. Officer Dixon and a few of his fellow cops were chatting.

"Excuse me but could we get going? I don't mean to be rude or interrupt but I really need to be somewhere."

"Oh, yeah, 'course wouldn't want you to be late. See you in a few, and hey don't forget to try contacting the remaining people on the list I gave you. It is vital to the case."

We hopped into the car and started off for the station.