🐺Wolf Creek:Volume One🐺

Chapter Twenty-One: The Second Confession

Another school day, another mob of teenagers walking as slow as zombies. I wove through the crowd in agitation as I made my way out of school. Gran had texted me that she would be late. She was at the store but had left instructions not to leave by myself under any circumstances. I hated being babied, but understood her anxiety. Especially with a murderer on the loose. The town may not have known better, but I certainly did. I didn't know what reasons William Acuna had for killing Mr. Bernz, but I had a pretty good feeling that it had something to do with the syringes on my camera.

An orange hood caught my eye. Theo had his hood pulled over his mop of black hair, hands stuffed into his front pocket, and head down as he stomped his way to his car. I called out his name, but he didn't answer. Instead he ignored me and picked up his pace. I ran after him. I needed to apologize, and I needed to talk to him about everything that happened. I needed to warn him.

I panted heavily as I caught up to Theo. His legs were so much longer than mine! I reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, and he whipped around to face me. Theo's gaze was intense, and for a moment all I could do was stare in shock. He had always been so nice, and I had no idea how to react to this usual ray of sunshine suddenly being so serious. I opted for what was on my mind.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you. I should've done a better job checking up on you, and I shouldn't have even mentioned leaving so soon. I completely understand if you don't want to be around me anymore or even if you don't want to forgive me. But I want you to know that the last thing I wanted was for you to get hurt. If you can forgive me then I would still really like to be friends." I ranted. Theo stood in silence for a moment, and I watched anxiously with hopeful eyes. Theo sighed. His shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry for being so testy last night. You saved my life, and I relayed you by acting on a fit of jealousy. I can forgive you, but I don't know if we can still be friends. I...I like you as more than a friend, Kelsey." Theo spoke in a hushed tone so that no one else could hear. Then he stepped closer.

"But never mind that right now. What you told me last night...." Theo lowered his voice even more. "Do you truly believe someone tried to kill you?" I was still caught off guard by his confession. Still, I managed to consider it deeply before answering.

"I do."

"Then show me what you saw. A wolf attacked you before your accident. Two wolves have escaped now, and the Sheriff is keen to get me fired. I know I'm not the one letting them out, so it has to be someone else. Someone who was there before me." Theo explained.

"My camera is at home. If you'd like to see them then we have to go there." I whispered. Theo nodded in agreement. I quickly called Gran, and begged her to let Theo drive me home so that we could talk. She was hesitant, but finally agreed.

"Kelsey...this will be the last time you ride with him. Make it count." Gran warned. It lit a fire in me, and instead of replying I responded by ending the call. I followed Theo to his car. We didn't talk as he started the car and began to drive, but I figured that was for the best. It gave me time alone with the silent rage-fest inside my head.

How could Gran tell me I couldn't hang around Theo?! As far as she knew something bad happened only one time that I rode with him, and it wasn't even his fault! I had survived three wolf attacks, and she wanted to take it out on Theo? No, ma'am! I crossed my arms and glared ahead as we pulled into the drive.

Gran wasn't home from the store yet. I practically smacked the car door open as I yanked my keys out of my purse and marched up to the front door. I stabbed the keys into the lock and twisted it before snatching the door handle and shoving the door open. Theo watched me in silent curiosity as I tossed my purse onto the couch and lead him up the stairs.

"What did she say to you?" Theo asked.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that I can do as I damn well please, and I have more important things to deal with than her unreasonable pro-" I froze in place, causing Theo to nearly smack into me. He peered over my shoulder, still being able to see over me despite being two steps below me. My bedroom had been thoroughly trashed. My desk was turned over, my sheets were pulled off of my bed, and my closet doors were wide open.

I let out a loud gasp before sprinting into my closet. The shelves were empty. My clothes lay in a massive pile in the floor. My shoe rack has been turned over. I threw myself to ground and began searching for my boot. There! I snatched it up and looked inside. Empty. I shook it violently, praying that my camera would fall out. No such luck. I tossed the boot down, and wrung my hands in my lap.

"It's gone..." I whispered.

They had been in my house. I leapt up with a vengeance. How had they gotten into my house?! I hurried down the stairs. Once I got to the bottom I froze again. The window. Gran hadn't been able to get a new window yet, and so we had kept the trash bags taped around it. The trash bags were completely gone. I peeled outside and into the ground. They weren't even outside.

"Whoever took it knew about the pictures." Theo spoke.

"Whoever took the camera must be working for William Acuna's company, and I'm willing to bet it's the same person that tried to kill me." I elaborated. Theo stood in quiet thought for a moment. I hadn't told him about Mr. Acuna yet. Theo looked up at me.

"And I'm willing to bet that he'll be at the party that will be held at the Acuna Manor tomorrow." Theo added. "Looks like you need to call your boyfriend and ask for an invite." I nodded in silence. The phone was heavy in my pocket. I was about to trick another person I cared about.