"The Confessions of a Serial Killer"

02 April, 10:15 am

*Alice's POV*

With my elbow on the desk and my head in my hand, I watched Ms. Jackson, our English teacher, drop the small piece of chalk before dusting her hands and placing them on her table, just as the bell rang. Through the bustling of students trying to leave the classroom, Ms. Jackson tried to say something, but it didn't reach my ears at the back of the class. I saw her head falling, her brown hair tightly bound in a ponytail falling along with it on her shoulder. Disdained, she pulled her chair and dropped into it.

I slowly dropped my stuff into my bag and zipping it up, I pulled it over my shoulder and dragged myself towards the front. The class had emptied by then. I walked towards Ms. Jackson's desk and stopped in front of it. When she realized I was standing there, she slowly looked up and interlaced her fingers, keeping her elbows on the table.

"Hello, Alice, something I can help you with?" she asked me, with a smile as vibrant as ever.

"Yes, Ms. Jackson. I just wanted to ask if you had ever heard about an author by the name of 'Alice S. Miller'?" I asked, a little hesitant. The thing had been on my mind since last night. I hadn't had any sleep the night before and I was tired, but my mind didn't cut buzzing.

"Hmm, let me think." she placed her forehead on her interlocked hands, thinking. She rose her head suddenly and said, "If I was from the future, I'd say yes." she gave me that vibrant smile again.

What? "I don't understand..." I trailed, my brows furrowed in confusion.

"Alice, you think I don't notice? You are one of my best students even though you don't respond in class, or refuse to write in tests for some reason." She raised her eyebrows at me in question, but when I didn't answer, she continued. "What I meant was, you could be an excellent writer in the near future, Alice S. Miller. As for now, I don't think any published work under that author exists."

I thanked Ms. Jackson and left for my next class. That weird book was still on my mind. It said 'The Confessions of a Serial Killer'. And the author admitted having committed 7 murders. From the first chapter that I read, the killer seemed really mentally disturbed. I don't think I'd be able to kill a cockroach, let alone seven people. I almost had a panic attack mistaking ketchup for blood in my locker. Speaking of which, I didn't see Viktor in school today, much less any of his goons. I'm not complaining but, he hardly ever skips, no matter how much of an asshole he is. Also, I haven't spoken to Heather since that incident. I'd definitely get a chance because we shared the biology lab, which I was headed to and she was my lab partner.

I instantly spotted the mass of red hair as I stepped inside the class, just before Mr. Banks walked in. He instructed me to take my place and started his class. A few minutes after awkwardly slide glancing at Heather, I finally whispered, "Where have you been? I've been looking for you." She visibly stiffened and pushed her hair behind her ear with her right hand. "In class, where else would I be?" I have known Heather for a long time, and I did not recognize the chuckle that she let out as anything funny. She seemed nervous, but why, I did not understand that.

"I mean when Viktor was making my pulp, and even afterwards when the nurse patched me up," I tried again. "I thought I would get someone to help, but then Mr. Doehren showed up and he took everyone to the principal's office. I chickened out because I don't want my resume for college to look bad, you know?"

"Yeah, it's okay. No worries." I gave a small smile. I had forgiven her even before she had apologized. I started shaking my leg under the table. "What happened after that?" she said, referring to our meeting with the principal.

"Detention. Four days. Have to clean the storeroom." She placed her hand on my leg silently telling me to stop vibrating as I answered.

"Wanna come over afterwards? Do the homework together?"

"Sure" we both shared a smile before Mr. Banks yelled at us to stop talking.

After a couple of hours, when I was sitting in my maths lecture, trying to concentrate on my trigonometry problems, our class door opened and the office lady entered. "Umm...excuse me, Mr. Lennon, may I have Ms. Alice Miller for some time, please? She is needed in the principal's office." The lady said while adjusting her very tight skirt and very loose specs. When both their gazes landed on me, I quietly stood up from my desk, packed my things and followed the lady out of the class.

She dropped me off in front of the office and gestured for me to go inside. I nodded and mumbled a small thanks to the lady and pulled open the door. I was in no way prepared for what was waiting inside the office for me.

As I entered, I was greeted with four people in the office: Principal Sheldon himself, two police officers, and Heather sitting in front of his desk, facing the cops. One of the officers was male, with a huge muscular body, black hair and similar black mustache sitting under his nose. The other one was a lady, her ginger-brown hair was tied in a French braid and she was sitting poised with one leg over the other. And there was Heather, who looked even more petrified on spotting me than she was before if it was even possible. The police lady turned in her seat to lock her hazel eyes with mine and held me there with her gaze. I could feel the authority in her eyes.

"Alice, come in and shut the door please." Principal Sheldon said, and I did just that. My eyes wandered over to Heather, who was scaring me with her expression.

"What happened, Sir? Why are the officers here?" I asked as I moved closer to the desk. The mustache cop told me to sit in the seat next to Heather, which I awkwardly accepted glancing over at Heather. "I am Deputy Morgan and this is Chief Summers. We are here to ask you some questions, Alice. Just keep calm and answer honestly, okay?" He spoke for the first time, and I responded with a nod.

"Did you know Viktor Gowen? Were you friends with him?" this time the lady officer, Chief Summers, spoke. She had a really sweet voice just like her name, which one could never guess belonged to a police officer. I was lost for a bit, and then I saw everyone staring at me and realized I had to answer so I spoke, "We were not friends."

"Why not? You are in the same grade as him, aren't you?" she inquired, and I hung my head. Then I told them, and Principal Sheldon everything, every little torture in the name of pranks that had been pulled on me by that devil incarnated, including the one that happened yesterday.

"That one we know about." She said.

"Huh? How?" I asked, confused.

"Those twins, Max and Alex told us." Deputy Morgan replied.

I was suspicious now, "You went to see them too? And Heather is also here, is this about that fight? We are already suffering detention for—"

"Viktor Gowen was murdered last night." Summers cut me mid-sentence. Now I was sure I looked the same level of petrified that Heather was a moment ago and she had now started crying.

"And why is Heather here?" I questioned, although I was being interrogated here.

"Max and Alex also told us that Viktor was spending most of his time with Ms. Blackwood here," Morgan answered my question.

"Now tell me this, did you threaten Viktor by saying you will rip out his guts with your bare hands?" Chief continued to ask. I was shocked.

"I- I did, but it was— Do you think I killed him?" my throat went dry. I was choking on my own words.

"Is that necklace yours, Ms. Miller?" She suddenly asked, making me look down at the charm necklace I found in the box yesterday. "Well, Yeah,"

"You're coming with us" saying, Chief Summers stood up, Deputy Morgan and Principal Sheldon following suit. "Wait, but, what did I do?" I yelled as my wrists were being cuffed and I was pulled out of the office by the two cops.

"You have all the right to remain silent, Ms. Miller. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law." Summers recited my rights to me all the while dragging me into the hallway. I saw students spilling into. There were going to be rumors. But there were much more important things to be worried about at hand.

"Wait, listen to me!", I cried, but she didn't stop. Only said to me in a low voice, "You'll be given the chance to speak in the interrogation room. Be quiet for now." and soon I was being pushed inside a car with red and blue lights on top and we were out of school.