The Deadly Star

Chapter 2: Death of a Dear Friend

Watching her body being rushed past on a stretcher, Sofia kept those memories rushing back of Mia. How on Mia's 13th birthday party they went to the movies and Mia ended up leaving the cinema with a bucket of popcorn on her head. How they used to have their own language and they would gossip about the cutest boys in their class. When Mia got her first boyfriend and Sofia crashed their first couple of dates, slipping behind chairs and stalking them at the movie theatre then finally popping up and giving them both a fright, especially when her boyfriend screamed like a little girl.

Sofia gave up on holding in her tears. They had been friends for 13 years.

It was three in the morning and they were still looking for evidence to find the killer. The police were going around houses in the area and making sure they were safe, told them to keep their windows closed at all times and not to leave doors wide open. Only go out in day light and make sure they had a friend or family member nearby.

The killer was getting out of hand; Mia was the 5th death according to records and all in a similar area.

Sofia started to pace in the waiting room. She was just hoping for a miracle.

For Mia to come back.

For her to run out of that room yelling "PSYCH!"

But no. Mia was truly gone.

Mia's poor parents were being asked questions about the funeral. Who they invited? And more. Of course Sofia was there, she just regrets not have gone after Mia when her cheeks were streaked with tears.

Sofia decided she needed fresh air and clumsily walked over to the door. She opened the door ever so slightly and saw a man being carried on a stretcher...hand and wrist soaked in fresh crimson blood. His chest was bare and three open wounds were showing. On his wrist Sofia could only just make out a star.

His star.

Deciding to go ask questions to the paramedics as she was curious Sofia ran over to them. The ambulances siren's had stopped and the paramedics were discussing whether it was worth trying to keep the young boy alive.

"Wh-what happened?" Sofia asked.

"Miss, Max was murdered." An old paramedic said carefully.

"By the same person as Mia?"

"Yes." Another young paramedic replied.

"Wait....did you say Max?" Sofia asked.

"Yes. Max Morgenstern."

"I-I-I knew him. He was my step brother. Then my step mum and dad split up. Oh no." Sofia ran back inside crying trying to find her way back to the waiting room where her dad should have been.

"Dad? DAD?!" Sofia called repetitively.

"Sofia honey I'm over here. At the counter." He replied

"Oh thank God!"

"What is it pumpkin?" He asked using my nickname from when I was seven.

"Max Morgenstern just got murdered by the same person as Mia." Now that she had said it allowed it made it true, she thought and tears poured from her eyes.

Her father started questioning the nurse at the counter. Just ten minutes from then Max's mother walked in. Sofia and her father gave her a warm hug and set her down next to Mia's mother. They had a friendly conversation and a few tears slipped from their eyes every so often.

A nurse came in to see Mia's family and friends and asked them to come into the room where she lay.

Dead.

"We have tried everything. She won't wake up. She has lost to much blood and her heart has been sliced exactly in half. We never thought that to be possible but that's how the other victims have been when they came in here. We are sorry about all this..." Mia's parents started crying and Sofia leaned into her father for a hug. "...She...she won't be coming back. She died. I'm so sorry." The nurse said in a sympathetic tone. "We will give you a few moments to say goodbye." And with that she left. Mia's father walked over to her first taking Mia's uninjured hand. He whispered a few words and memories to her then kissed her hand as if she were a breakable glass object. He then took his wife's hand and helped her towards their now dead daughter. She held her hand tighter as if to warm it. She did the exact same thing as Mia's father then William tugged on his mother's skirt asking to see Mia. He walked up to Mia and helped himself up onto her bed. She was less soaked in blood than before so William lay down beside her and curled up right beside her with his head on her chest. It was the sweetest thing Sofia had ever seen and it made Mia's parents and Sofia cry harder. Sofia walked up to Mia and lifted Will off of her fragile body gently.

"Hey Mia. I-I'm gonna miss you. You were my best friend. I'll never forget you...." The window just at the other end of the room rattled. Mia's parents had decided to leave as they had paper work to fill out and Sofia's had left to comfort them. William was the only one there with Sofia.

The window popped open and the blinds were rattling rather loudly.

"William get out and call upon two nurses. Then tell them to come here and you stay with your mama and dada. OK?" Sofia rushed knowing there was not much time. William hurried out of the door but could not find any nurses.

Just then the blinds fell to the ground and a tall man with stars tattooed around his body climbed inside. Sofia started to run for the door but he ran towards her and caught her before she opened it.

She looked up into his deep blue eyes. No one had ever survived those eyes. His dagger was drawn out of his pocket and Sofia tried to back towards the open window staring deeply into his ocean coloured eyes at the same time. Her back hit the window and he drew out the dagger.

"Please don't....don't." Sofia pleaded as he calmly walked closer to her. She held her wrists behind her back trying not to let him carve her a star. He didn't say anything just took one more step closer to Sofia and snatched her upper arm and forcing her right wrist out of hiding. He took the wrist in his hand and started etch the five pointed star along my bare wrist. Ruby blood dripped onto the hospital floor. Sofia turned her head to her now dead friend. She shed a few tears over the loss of her dear friend. She cried out in pain as the knife traced her wrist and then the searing pain as the dagger sliced through her chest and she fell down to the ground in a pool of her own crimson blood...

...William came back later that night with two nurses but it had taken too long to find some. By then Sofia was dead and the murderer had taken off again....