Chaos in the Basement

Chapter 10

As quickly as November, the new year came even faster. The winter had been rough, snowing hard each day in the woods. 

News of Jared's disappearance spread like wildfire after he never reappeared that weekend. Police interviewed the whole high school, all the students and all the teachers. Danny could only help but notice how that was never done for Shannon. 

"Were you at Jared's party on Saturday, November thirtieth?" a police officer asked Danny. 

"Yes, I was," at this point Danny was still feeling blank from the fight with Louis and from the traumatic event with Jared. 

"Do you know anything about his whereabouts?"

"No."

"What time did you leave the party?"

"After twelve thirty."

And that was that. There was no further questions, she wasn't a suspect. Which didn't make her feel any better or any worse. 

The whole school had been mourning the loss of Jared since November, now that it was February they were still holding vigils to remind everyone of the loss the town was suffering. 

Oliver and Danny had fight the Monday after the party. 

"What was with you?" He asked angrily. She didn't answer, just glanced at him and kept walking. "Danny," he yelled. He grabbed her arm to pull her back to face him. She still didn't reply, her eyes were blank. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," she said. 

"Where did you go after the party?" he asked. 

"I left." 

"Did you know Jared's missing?" 

"Yeah," she said, still no expression. 

"What's wrong with you, Danny," he didn't sound concerned. He just sounded annoyed. 

"Nothing," she said it more prominent. She started to walk away. 

"You know, I heard something about you Danny," he said.

She turned around, humoring him. "Really?"

"Yeah, how's the pharmacist treating you?" 

Danny just gave a short laugh and looked at him. She smiled with her dead eyes and said, "Good thing I don't easily put out, huh?" she turned back around and kept walking. Oliver was stunned, being left with no words to reply. 

For 4 months things had been kind of rocky between Danny and Louis. Louis kept trying to convince to change her after graduation plans and stay with him and she was becoming convinced that he was going to do something to make sure that she stayed, so she just kept quiet and tried to act normal. Keeping her plans to herself. 

When Riley and Ethan came to pick up Danny for school, Oliver no longer came with them. Riley didn't really know they had broken up, she just thought it was because Oliver acted like a jerk at the party. But really Oliver's whole personality started to change. Riley nor Ethan ever brought up anything about Louis and her. Whoever Oliver heard that from was unknown and apparently he hadn't shared that information with anyone else. 

This morning was no different. Danny woke up and got ready for school, it was too cold for her usual morning runs and plus Louis was starting to get weird about her leaving the house without him, something she despised him for. Slowly taking away her independence. He drove her to the Pharmacy and she waited outside. 

Danny sat on the bench, she closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breathing. Her face was now always in a semi-permanent blank expression. When she opened them, she was startled realizing there was someone standing next to her. 

"Gosh, you scared me," Danny said. 

"Sorry. It's pretty cold today," it was Shannon. Today she was wearing jeans and heavy coat, that Danny didn't recognize. 

Danny nodded. Not really giving much thought about Shannon's presence. Since the experience with Jared, Danny hadn't had many restful nights. She hadn't dreamed about Shannon in a long time. Although, it didn't seem like Danny needed to be asleep anymore to see her. 

"Today's the day," Shannon said. 

Danny looked up at her. Shannon's dark brown hair was up in a ponytail with strands of hair framing her face. Her checks and nose were getting pink from the cold air. 

"Today's the day?" Danny asked. 

Shannon nodded. 

A car horn honked, taking Danny's eyes off Shannon. When she looked back to see her, she was gone. 

The first two hours of the day felt like they took days to get through. Danny felt especially irritable today. Finally the last class of the day rolled around. Danny sat in the front this day, to the far left so she could stare out the window. The trees were bare with no leaves and the ground was dry, only leaving brown dead grass. 

Ms. Church started her lesson, she started to hand back portfolios. Danny just left the blue folder on her desk, not giving it much thought. Towards the middle of the class, she decided to what her grade had been on her recent writing assignment. She opened the folder and inside found a polaroid picture. It was of a dismembered body, wearing the same shorts and green sweatshirts Shannon had. There was a sticky note attached to the photo reading, "Do you remember the cellar?" it was in Shannon's hand writing. Danny felt that nauseous feeling coming on again, it felt like all reality was being pulled and swept away from under her. 

"Can I use the bathroom?" Danny manged to choke up, interrupting class. 

"Uh, sure," Ms. Church replied. 

Danny ran out the door. She ran down the hall. She ran out of school. She ran as fast as she could all the way to Ms. Churches house. It wasn't far from the school, less than a mile. It was close to Danny's old home. She ran straight into her backyard, her heart was racing. She yanked the cellar doors opened and there she found the body. The cellar was shallow, not more than two feet deep and about six feet wide. Danny fell on her knees, hyperventilating. She found Shannon. The body was decayed, you couldn't tell it was her anymore. But the clothes bunched up in the corner was a dead giveaway to Danny that this was indeed Shannon. 

Sirens were filling the air, getting closer to the location of Danny. Suddenly officers came and removed Danny from the area, taking her to sit with another officer. Everything was happening in a blur nothing was registering to her. Louis' car pulled up and he came running towards Danny, holding her in his arms, trying to comfort her.