Known Stranger

Chapter 1

 AN : The hall, but imagine it with more skylights.

Percival was in the same place as he was ten years ago. He stood staring at the stage in the huge hall as he recalled all the time he spent in the buildings. How many times had he reached the assembly with an improper attire and an even more improper attitude? He had managed to surprise everyone, including his father when he passed year eleven and made all the teachers groan when they learned he would be with them for another two years.

Ah! Sixth form, where it all started, when the uncouth Perry slowly turned to the respectful Percy. All because of a person who gave him no mind. Whenever he did something that made the school demanded he be transferred somewhere else, she just gave him a look of indifference. That bothered him. Everyone was wary of him, scared of the way he would retaliate if they were to incur his wrath, but she just ignored him and went on her merry way. For a scholarship student who didn't have a single penny to her name, she wasn't very concerned about the bigwigs that surrounded her; including him.

Percy's walk down memory lane was interrupted by a loud commanding voice, " Don't just stand there staring off into space, do your job for once! ". He huffed, " I am." His senior, Detective Inspector Ken Symons looked up from blackened remains, " Really? And what have the heavens told you, boy? ", mentioning his prolonged gaze on the numerous skylights the ceiling was adorned with.

He paid no attention to the barb, even though it brought forth unpleasant memories and instead pointed toward the largest skylight in the centre of the room. Symons looked at it and again at Percy, " What about it, Mayer? "

" That's the only one large enough to allow admittance into the hall. Whoever it was, was really good at balancing, maybe a gymnast? Got in, lit the fireworks and left. " Percy explained.

The DI looked at the ceiling again and frowned. " So the person got in that way." he said, pointing to the high skylight, " But how did he or she get out? Dropping to the floor is not that tough if what you say is correct, however escaping from the same route is not possible. There is nothing that would help a person, no matter how tall or lithe, reach that high spot."

Percy considered Ken's thoughts and looked around. From what he remembered, there were doors on either side of the stage. The door which lead to the storage and changing rooms were always locked but the one pointing to the waiting area for performers was not. He walked towards the door to see if it was still the same, things could have changed in a decade.

The teacher who was with them called out, " Detective! There's nothing near the stage, everything is accounted for." Without turning around he answered, " I am sure it is. But I have to check something else." Percy went through the waiting area to the door which opened to a corner of The Academy's huge courtyard. As suspected that door was slightly ajar, allowing a little bit of the rain to enter the darkened room.

" If you're done touring the place, we need to get back to file a proper report." Ken spoke from behind him. "We can figure out how they escaped later. Let's go now, I haven't slept in eighteen hours and need food to function properly."