The Plague Doctor ©

P r o t e c t i v e • U n c l e • E n g a g e

A few uneventful days have passed since Cori received the texts and phone calls.

The shaken girl had told her mother about the unsettling texts as well as the unnerving call, and the details he had said, however, Jane didn't take it seriously.

"Its probably your imagination, love. You just want to go back home so badly."

Cori now sits in the back of her class, with her headphones in, Jason and Kasper sit on either side of her. For reasons they don't quite know, they feel they have to protect her.

As the teacher drones on and on about... whatever he's talking about, Cori absentmindedly draws a picture in her notebook, she does this for all her classes.

"Cori." Kasper starts to get up from his seat, getting ready to leave for the day.

"She can't hear you, Kasp, try shaking her." Jason half-teases, knowing Cori hates being abruptly brought back to reality.

Kasper turns his head to his twin, "That is not a good idea, Jas, and you know it."

"Yea, I know, but we have to go before the teacher whoops our asses. Again." Jason gets his books together.

Cori wears a clean, crisp, white t-shirt that buttons down the front, a thigh-high navy skirt, and knee-high navy stockings with white lines across the top.

The boys, on the other hand, wear a white button-down shirt, a navy blazer with a navy tie, black slacks, and shiny black shoes.

Kasper does as his brother told and shakes the girl slightly, "Cor," He pleads, "It's time to go."

The girl doesn't respond; she keeps listening to music and drawing.

Kasper and Jason give each other a wary look.

"Cori, please don't kill me," Jason begs as he takes the girls' headphones out.

"What the fuck!" Cori screams at the boys.

"Cori, class has been out for fifteen minutes, its time to go," Jason states bluntly.

"What?! Why didn't you tell me!" She grabs her bag and runs out of the room.

"Annnnnd there she goes." Jason sighs, "Oh? it looks like she left her drawing book."

Kasper picks it up, and flips through her most recent pictures, "Uh, Jas? Should we be worried?" He holds up a picture of Cori, Jason, and Kasper all lying on the ground with their guts hanging out of their body, heads decapitated, and people in strange masks chanting and pacing about.

Jason looks at the drawing, grabs it, and stuffs it into his bag, "Let's go talk to her."

Kasper nods before he and his twin run to Cori's house.

Cori walks up to her eerie house, her head is filled with music and unsettling thoughts as she walks past a car, not giving it a second glance. She opens the heavy oak door, leans on the frame and undoes her shoes, "Sammy!" She calls to the blue merle dog who trots over, "Hey," Cori leans down and rubs the injured dog's head, "Miss me?"