When The Storm Hits

Chapter 14: Murder

I sat in the dusty basement of the school, with a blank screen in front of me. I mulled over what Mr. Butler had said in class. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, for the first time I was speechless. James tapped a pencil rapidly on his desk while he poured over pictures for the next edit of the paper. In the hour that I had been here, he hadn't stopped tapping and I was getting restless. Clearing my throat loudly, I looked over my shoulder at him to see if he would stop. James didn't.

"For the love of God please stop," I groaned pushing away from my desk. I rubbed my eyes as I walked towards the door. Grabbing my backpack off of one of the hooks, I slung it over my shoulders.

"Are you leaving Lilly? You haven't written anything." James said with concern.

"Yeah, Landon has to leave now, and he's my ride." I sighed stopping in my tracks.

"Landon? Do tell." James said looking up from his computer.

"I kind of got kicked out of my house, and now I live with Landon." I felt my cheeks get hot.

"No way!" James said with a hint of jealousy.

"Yes way. And his house is HUGE." I felt enthusiasm fill my voice.

"Text me?" James asked before I left.

"Sure thing." I walked out of the room with conviction, ready to face the handsome Landon head on. No matter what happened at his house, I couldn't help but feel intimidated by him. The stairs up to the ground floor were my only option since I had an intense fear of elevators. There were cracks in the stone steps, which I had never noticed until now. This school was old, and very neglected.

Landon stood at the top of the stairs, wearing a cocky grin. His hands were shoved in his pockets as he rocked back on his heels. I felt my face break into a large smile as well, he was as contagious as a cold. I ran a hand nervously through my hair and slid my phone out of my back pocket.

"You ready to go?" Landon asked me. He put an arm around my shoulder and lead me to the front doors of the school. I didn't even bother to answer him, since he knew that I was. Landon let go of me long enough to open the door to his car so that I could slide in the passenger seat. There were still remnants of the blood, which made my stomach uneasy. Was it possible that what Mr. Butler said was true?

"What's going on inside that pretty little head of yours?" Landon asked me as we drove.

"Nothing, just struggling with what I should write for the next edition of the paper." I partially lied.

"Well I don't doubt that you will come up with something great. You always do Lilly." Landon smiled at me.

"You actually read the papers?" I was really embarrassed.

"I have read every edition you have put out since I came to this town." Landon chuckled, his laugh as sexy as his looks.

"I didn't think anyone ever read them..." I trailed off looking out the window. My eyes swept over the fall landscape, wishing that summer would come back. The days were beginning to turn cold, and I didn't like that. Before I knew it we were at Landon's.

I hopped out of the car and made my way up the stairs to the house. Landon unlocked the door and held it open for me. I slipped my shoes off once inside and made my way towards the spiral staircase in the center of the house. I wanted to be in my room, and away from people so that I could think.

The room that I was sleeping in was huge, almost like a suite in a hotel that takes up a whole floor. There was a large bed off to the left of the room with silver silk sheets and a feather duvet. On the same side of the room there was a large closet which now contained the few clothing items that I brought. On the right side of the room there was a couch, a large flat screen T.v. and a large desk made out of white wood. It was beautiful, and very plain.

"Do you like the room?" Landon asked suddenly at the door.

"Oh, yeah. It's great." I said tripping over my words.

"You're lying," Landon laughed. He walked into the room and laid down on the couch.

"I just think it could use some more color." I said tapping my chin.

"Thank you! I've been trying to tell my Dad the same thing, but he seems to think the pale theme is cool." Landon sighed.

"Maybe if the house was in a magazine, but people actually live here." I laughed nervously.

"What color do you think it should be?" Landon asked me.

"Hm, let me think." I sprawled out on the bed and closed my eyes. I was trying to image different color schemes. "Maybe a lilac shade and pale orange, with some black?"

"I definitely like that a lot better." Landon said laughing.

"Hey Landon?" I asked hesitantly.

"What's up Lilly?"

"Have you ever heard of the Dullahan?" I inquired.

"No, should I know what that is?" He asked me.

"Look it up, we learned about it in class today." I mumbled.

"Hold on, I'm getting a call from my Dad," Landon held his hand up in the air. He listened intently, and a look of disgust covered his face. I was half tempted to ask him what was wrong, but I decided to just wait until he was off the phone. "Sure Dad, I'll lock the house up as tight as a prison."

"Oh no," I said aloud. I knew what had happened. There was another murder, and by the looks of Landon's face, it wasn't very pretty.

Landon took the phone away from his face and turned off the screen. "A couple of kids were just found dead, their heads were gone. They were only third graders...."

I felt tears well up in my eyes. Who the hell could do such a thing?