anonymous

8

"Do you see him?" Cheryl asked me as we stood by an empty desk in the police station. I took a sip of my coffee and looked by the front door. I didn't see them or Willian, or Mike. An hour ago my Dad and Willian left to go pick up Mike to bring him here to ask him questions and Cheryl was shitting bricks.

"I'm so nervous, fuck!" She cried out and I looked away from the door and to Cheryl who was now pacing back and forth. Maybe I should go get her some coffee to calm her nerves. Just as I thought that I heard the front door open and I looked over and saw the 3 of them walking in. Cheryl stopped dead in her tracks and watched Mike who looked confused and pissed.

I watched as he looked around and his eyes landed on Cheryl and then me and then Cheryl again. His eyes soften whenever he looked at Cheryl but then his brow raised as Willian and my Dad guided him into a room to question him. We need to hear what he's saying.

"Hello?" Me and Cheryl both looked away from the room and to the front door to see Noah and Erica walking towards us. Why are they here? "We called you like 30 times, why didn't you answer?" Erica asked once the two of them reached us. Me and Cheryl just exchanged looks and without saying anything we walked towards the room where we could see and hear them, and Erica and Noah followed.

"Holy shit, is that Mike?" Erica asked as me and Cheryl walked directly in front of the window and watched. "Where were you when my daughter was attacked?" My Dad asked him and Mike stared at him like he had grown 2 heads.

"I was searching the school with the others for the killer. At first I was with Erica and Colin but then the hallway got really packed and next thing I know I was alone." I furrowed my eyebrows and looked behind me at Erica who wasn't paying attention. She was sitting on a bookshelf, picking at her nails.

My Dad just looked at him and then at Willian and they both stood up and exited the room to go talk for a moment. Now's my time to talk to Erica since Colin wasn't here. "Why didn't you tell me you were with Mike?" I asked Erica and she removed her hand from her mouth and stood and walked towards me.

"I didn't think that it was a big deal." She said with a smile on her face. There's always one on her face, unless we're talking about the killer. "It's a big deal because he could be the killer!" I stressed to her and she just laughed and looked between me and a very worried Cheryl.

"There's no way that Mike is the killer." She said as she walked away from me and over to the window to watch Mike. And how is she so sure? I think that it's him. "In fact your Dad is about to release him and then he's about to question all of us because we're now officially suspects."

How am I a suspect? I almost died, if anything I'm a victim! And just like Erica said my Dad walked in and stared at us for a moment before speaking. "I'm going to have to question you all now. You're all suspects and each time there was a murder you guys were there."

I looked at Noah and he looked just as scared as I was feeling. I know I'm not the murderer because hello, I almost died! I have no reason for killing any of those people! Hell, I don't even think that I have the guts to kill anyone. I am not the murderer.

-

"I'm sorry kiddo, there isn't any special treatment around here." My Dad said to me as he entered the room where I was sitting. I just gave him a quick smile as he sat down and cleared his throat. It was only us. Willian was nowhere to been seen.

"Where were you when Ms. Black was killed?" My heart started to beat fast as I remembered seeing her dead body on her desk like that. There was blood everywhere. She was dead. She is dead.

"When her body was discovered I was at my locker with Noah. We were about to go home, but then I heard someone scream, and you taught me to never run away from someone who needs help. That scream, they sounded like they needed help. Or so I thought. But we ran to the area and I saw her dead body on her desk. It was terrible."

My Dad's eyes started to water up and so did mine. I don't want to talk about this anymore. I can't relive that! My Dad forcefully pushed away his notepad that was filled with questions that he was going to ask me.

"I can't do this to you. I know that you didn't do any of this." I forced out a thankful laugh as a tear escaped my eye. I rushed over to the other side of the table and bear hugged my Dad. I'm so grateful for him. "I want you to go home," He said as he pulled away from our hug and stared at me.

"And just relax, okay? We're going to find out who's doing this." Or who did this. I kept that part to myself because my Dad probably thinks that. I smiled as we both walked out of the room and just as I walked out Colin entered with Willian. I wanted to stay and see what they were going to say, but apart of me just wanted to leave and be alone, even though it's not safe.

"Leaving already?" I turned around and saw Erica and Noah sitting down at an empty desk. "Oh yeah, I just really want to be alone right now." I said to the two and they both stood up and stared at me with concern on their faces. I really don't need them worrying about me. I just need to clear my mind. So much is happening and I just need to figure it all out.

"Nonsense, we're coming with-" They started to come my way and I shook my head at them. "No, I need to be alone. I'll call you guys later." Without even looking back I walked straight out of the police station. I had no destination to where I was going, I just need to be alone.

I walked for a good 10 minutes until I was in front of a very familiar deli shop. I opened the door and smiled at my favorite deli worker, Salah. "Oh no, I know that face when I see it." He said as I smiled at him and sat down as he started to make some food.

"Everything is going to shit, Salah." I said to him as I frowned and thought about everything even more. "I heard about what's going on at your school. Were you attacked?" He asked and I just nodded my head. I couldn't say yes. I couldn't go through that pain that I went through in that pool.

"Maybe to get over this you need to do something that'll take your mind off of it." He said. What can I do? School's on hold until they figure out how we can learn safely. There's nothing that I can do but sit at home, and wait. Wait for him to kill again.

"There's nothing that I can do. Maybe if I was like my Dad, and had a job that consumed most of my time I wouldn't have anything to worry about." I said to Salah and he laughed as he continued to cook.

"How about you be more like him." I furrowed my eyebrows at him, clearly confused. How could I be more like my Dad? "You know, solve the mystery. Figure out who's going around killing all these people from your school and why." Oh my gosh, he's absolutely right! And with my friends and the people I know I don't think that I'll ever have to fear about dying because I'll always have protection.

"Salah, this is why you're amazing." I said to him as I got ready to leave. He started to laugh and turned to face me. "I'm here 7 times a week." I smiled at him as I stood up and got ready to leave, but he stopped me. "Your usually." He said as he handed me a sandwich. Aw, and I didn't even order anything. Salah is the sweetest. I love this guy.

"Thank you Salah, stay safe." I said to him as I grabbed the sandwich and he yelled out a quick, "You too." As I rushed out and to my house. Tonight I won't get any sleep because I'm staying up to figure this all out.