Bass Case

Chapter 18: Halt

    I drop her off myself. Angelica looks up at me with her big brown eyes. Her hair is messier than usual, not giving a care towards her appearance. A frown hangs on her face. Her brown suit case handle sits in her hand. "So." She utters, "This is it."

    "Yeah." I reply, unsure of exactly what to say to her. We've been together for quite sometime now; it would feel weird not having her around, but I know that Sarah, and I as well, want her to be safe. This is the only way to assure that. The world dissolves into the roaring crowds. The grey walls of the airport cage us in, and freedom is set behind the open door.

    "I'm...going to miss you." She states, looking up at me shyly.

    "Yeah." I give her a faint smile, "Me, too." Then as though our thoughts were one we both reach out for the other. Her smaller figure fits into mine, and we stand there holding the other until the crowds begin the dwindle. We part from the other, "Be careful."

    "I should be telling you that." she smirks, grabbing her suitcase once more. "Take care of my sister."

    "I will. I promise."

    Then in the blink of an eye she vanishes. I make my way back through the hallways we came. Her I am. Alone again. Walking aimlessly by myself. I make my way to the long clear window facing the runway. It was for the best. She's safe now, just like Sarah wanted. I feel my heart clench tightly at the thought of her. Trying my best to mask my guilt for not being able to protect her. I watch as the white plane comes into view from the other side of the window. Then like a gigantic metal bird it takes off into the sky on wings of freedom. I stand there in silence, twiddling with my hands in my pockets until the last speck of the aircraft vanishes from my view.
***
    I make my way to the school, skeptical of my surroundings. That exhilarating excitement that engulfed my entire being back when I first arrived here was nowhere left in sight. All that ever came from this school was pain and suffering, and at first, I thought that it was worth it. Fighting nonstop to maintain that position of security as the best. Better than anyone ever gave me credit for. But it wasn't. None of this was worth it. If I would have known quite how terrifying the horrors here would be, I would have laid my instrument to rest and gone into another career.

    Police scout the area, especially around the engineering building where the attack occurred. A few officers stand beside the music building, searching its contents for a sign of the killer. Then I see Mr. Vibrato sitting on a bench beside it all. I approach him calmly, and his head pops up in relief to see me. "How is Sarah?" He asks, concerned.

    "She's alive. I sent her sister home." I reply, taking a seat beside him. It's strange to think he's a professor. He does not look that much older than I. "Have they caught Mr. Forte yet?"

    "No. Quite frankly I don't think they will unless they find evidence that it's actually him." He replies, sighing, a small hint of frustration in his throat.

    "Ugh. There has to be something." I growl, wanting this hellish nightmare to finally end, but it won't. I know it won't. The police come back, and I ask if they have found anything. Nothing. Not a single trace of who the killer could possibly be. I want to yell at them in frustration. It's obviously Mr. Forte! Who else has unlimited access to bass cases! I return to the professor. "Don't you have a class right now?"

    "Gave them the day off. I mean who really wants to come with all this mess. Besides...what if something were to happen to my students...." Safety measures. Good call.

    Then passes Mr. Forte. We make eye contact for a moment; then he turns away, not saying a word. He walks past the building without any consequences, still holding his black brief case. I turn towards Mr. Vibrato, an idea sparking in my mind. "Professor! The brief case!"

    "What about a brief case?" He questions me, arching a bushy eyebrow.

    "There was a time I saw two of my classmates killed by the killer. There was a black brief case that I had reported. I recognized that as the same exact brief case that Mr. Forte always carries. He never lets it out of his sight. Whatever he uses or plans before he enacts the murders he must conceal in his brief case!"

    "So what do you plan to do? Steel it? He'll never let you near it."

    "No, but maybe you can."

    The professor stares at me with skeptical green eyes. He rubs his temple with his hand anxiously. "You do realize I could get fired for dealing with something like this right?"

    "What do you care about more," I ask, "your job, or your students?"

    Mr. Vibrato stares at me softly, a slight grin appearing on his face. "Fine." He chuckles, "I'll help you. My job as a teacher is to protect my students, and I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. If you need a brief case to do it, then I'll give you a brief case."

    "Thank you." I reply, giving him a faint smile. "Alright. So what's the plan?"