Bass Case

Chapter 8: Close Calls

Brenda and I rush down towards where the scream erupted. My heart pounds hard against my chest. I can hear two separate voices in the distance. When I turn the corner, I see Sarah and Angelica holding onto each other as they scream. A bass case lies on the floor in a pool of scarlet liquid. A limp arm flops from the mouth of the case. I hurry over to the two girls and hush them. "He's here. He's here. The killer's here Daniel!" Sarah screams through ragged breaths. I hold the two girls in my arms while Brenda guards us.

"Call the cops." I order her. "Come on. We should get out of here." I motion the two girls to follow me out when suddenly the arm on the floor twitches, followed by a soft moan.

"He's alive!" Brenda says, splashing down into the blood covered floor. She rips open the case, and laughter fills the air.

The boy inside was clean all except his stained arm. His laughter is joined by the guffaw of another student, a girl with blonde hair. "We got you guys!" She yells.

Brenda stands back from the boy in the case who rises before her, still laughing. "W-what is the meaning of this?"

"A prank. We got you guys good!" The man laughs again.

"What the hell?!" I  growl, pulling away from the two girls to confront the man. "Do you think it's funny making fun of people's deaths like that!?"

"Oh, please. It's all in the past now." The girl retorts.

"Wait a minute." Sarah says, "You two are the freshmen who sit behind Daniel."

"Yeah. We are. It's really annoying having to watch you guys act all lovey dovey in front of us." The man sneers at us.

    "So what?" I growl, "You thought it would be a good idea to bring up a traumatizing experience for us all? Make fun of the lives that have been lost? You weren't there, and you have no right to make anything that happened here into a joke!"

    "And so what are you going to do about it?" Says the woman.

    "Well," Brenda states, approaching the woman slowly, "For harassing other students in such a despicable and vile manner you could be removed from the school entirely. Which we have all the evidence right here captured on my phone. I say you should start packing up your things and find a new place because this is no school for childish antics."

    The two students look over us in silence with straight faces. "Fine." The woman spits out. "This school was too stressful anyways. Was only here early for a month, and I already can't stand it. Only a fool would stay here."

    "Then leave."

    "We will. Come on Darrel!" She orders. The man reluctantly follows her without complain, and they walk off into the hallway in silence.

     I turn to Sarah and hold her by the shoulders. "Are you two okay?"

    She nods to me and pulls me into an embrace. I can here her sniffle a bit in my arms, so I stroke her head to calm her. Angelica sneaks into an opening in the embrace and joins the two of us. She's like a puppy dog needing in on the love. Her sister wraps an arm around her, and I cover her with my outer arm. "Daniel," Sarah utters, "let's go home."

    "Yeah." I whisper, kissing her on the head.

    "Have a safe trip home." Brenda smiles softly. "I'm sorry this happened. I assure you though they will not be returning to our orchestra."

    "Good." I state, folding my hand in Sarah's. "Be careful."

    "Don't worry. I will." Brenda waves us goodbye as we exit the music building.
***
We arrive back at the apartment emotionally exhausted. Sarah falls back on the couch, releasing a long breath. Angelica stands next to her sister worriedly. "Sarah are you okay?" She asks, reaching a hand towards her. Sarah just waves it off and heads to her bedroom. Angelica turns to me then with tears in her brown eyes. "You know," she murmurs, "I know that it was all fake, but coming across that...that body...was all pretty frightening." Her tears proceed to fall from her face, plopping down to her feet. "A-and to think y-you guys saw a r-real one with your friend!" She begins to sob into her hands and curls up on the couch. I settle in beside her and do my best to comfort her. I'm sure that Sarah is doing the same in her room. She was never one to want people to see her when she was weak. Especially being the face of the section.