hybrid on the run #wattys2018

Chapter 24. Anonymous tip

Much, much later in the office

"Beth, could you send me the new students' homeschool transcripts? Thank you"
First day of a new year. You think it would get easier after 25 years. It never does. I'm drinking probably my third cup of coffee as I sit down. I find a weird note on my desk.
"Beth, who's this letter from?"
Still no answer. What good is a secretary if she won't do her damn job. My imagination begins to run wild as I open the envelope. In very sloppy and somewhat childish handwriting, it reads,
"Don't trust the new children. They are not what they seem."
A bit of an odd statement. I'll do some research, but in the meantime, this should go into a file of its own. I pull out a plastic zip lock baggie and carefully place it into my wooden drawer. I go to check on my secretary to find her drunk and asleep. Taking her pen, I write on the blank paper in front of her "you're fired" and sign my name. What a way to wake up. I don't have any tolerance for idiocy on my campus. Logging into the school data base, I search for the children's transcripts separately only to find that they haven't been sent over yet. I find it strange, but we've had problems getting transcripts on time in the past, so I think nothing of it. They all seem like very sweet, normal children. I'm so stupid. Someone is probably bullying them and left the note to rial me up. I'll keep it in the back of my mind, but until I see proof that I should be suspicious, they are innocent in my eyes. Turning off the light and grabbing my keys, I lock up the school and walk back to my car, listening to my boots splash in the remnants of this afternoons rain showers. The brisk autumn air sends a chill down my spine. It's starts to shower again just as the engine turns over. Great. More freaking rain.  My wife is probably worried sick. Ignoring my conscience and speed limit regulations, the car speeds on home. My heart about jumps out of my chest as I go over a large bump. I get out to inspect, and find Beth, my ex secretary, dead in the road, her body mutilated and ripped to pieces by a wild animal. Panicking, I call 911. I look up to see a very large pair of bright yellow eyes in the bushes along the side of the road and rush back into my car, locking the doors. I'll be sure to put in an announcement tomorrow morning to let the students know not to be outside past dark alone. But how did this happen? When I left, she was locked in the school, asleep and drunk...? She must have woken up and tried to walk home. That's the only logical explantion... Isn't it?

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Authors note: sorry for such a short chapter. The plot line just wasn't moving along like I had hoped, so here's something to spruce it up a bit