Mad Maggie II

The News

Joanne's POV

I'm eating Chinese takeout in my dorm while watching Gossip Girl on Netflix on my laptop. As usual, my idiotic roommate is out, doing something that I don't even bother to know. My roommate is so lame, I know. I don't even understand why I live in a dorm with someone that rarely sleeps in here. But at least I have plenty of me time in my dorm, anyway. I kinda wish I have company, anyway. Someone to talk to, someone to have some connections and maybe someone who'd understand college life and let me vent about it.

I'm stuffing the steamed dumplings into my mouth with my chopsticks when I hear loud, rapid knocks from my door. I chew and swallow the dumpling in my mouth as I put down my dish and chopsticks before getting off my bed. I pause the TV show and search for my fluffy pink slippers, which are underneath my bed. I take them out and put them on the floor. The knocking continues, and it sounds like if someone is in trouble or something.

"Coming, coming." I shout as I quickly put on my slippers. I walk to the door as I quietly mutter to myself, "It better not be that bitchy, drunken roommate of mine..."

When I open the door, I find to my relief that it's not my roommate - instead, it's Chloe, bending over her knees, breathing heavily. From the looks of her, she looks like she's been running as fast as she can. 

"Oh thank god you're here!" Chloe pants as she stands up, her cheeks red from the running. I ask her with concern in my voice, "What's wrong?"

"It's Marie." Chloe wheezes through her teeth as she bends down again, trying to get her breath back. 

"What happened?" I ask her, panic starting to settle in. "Is she hurt? Is she alright??"

"She's way more than hurt, and she's not alright." Chloe gasps as she shakes her head before she finally catches her breath. She looks up to me and says in a grim tone, "She's dead."

"Dead..." I gulp as I slowly clutch my chest, hoping that my heart won't burst right out of it. Dead? How is this possible? My head is starting to spin, and I shake it to get the sinking feeling out. No, it can't be.

"Murdered on the stage. A sword prop right through her head. The other stage manager found her right there and called the police right away." Chloe explains, like if she's playing that board game Clue. Chloe says in a quiet voice, "She's gone, Joanne. Someone must have been following her and then murdered her!"

No. No. No. I just saw Marie hours ago before I ordered takeout. How can she be dead?? 

"Fuck..." I whisper as I slowly kneel down onto the floor. Dear god, no...this can't be happening...

"Joanne, are you alright?" Chloe asks me as she kneels down and holds my hand.

"I don't know if I'd be alright..." I mutter, trying to breathe. My head spins and my vision is a bit blurry. My heart races like a drumroll and my throat feels dry as a sandpaper. Is this what panic and fear combined together feels like? 

"Don't worry, Joanne...the police will find that bastard and put him in jail for good..." Chloe hugs me tightly. I hug her back, softly at first but then firmly. 

Yeah, but would they? A small voice whispers in my head, questioning Chloe's so-called comforting words. Would they ever find Maggie, when the cops in Martha's Vineyard have failed to do so?

Maybe they will succeed in capturing her. Maybe they know how to get her. Maybe...they would kill her on sight just before Maggie can destroy them. I'm positively sure that when Maggie is outnumbered, she can't go on and eventually she'd surrender and be in jail for the crimes she's done. 

But the question is...will they actually stop her? Or die trying?