The Blood Legion

Deadly Graduation

The Blood Legion

Deadly Graduation

The sun is peeking through the curtains, and it warms my face. My eyes flutter open and I reach over Dillon for my phone to check the time. SHIT! I can't believe I overslept! Practice for graduation started at nine o'clock and its half past ten! Rolling out of bed and searching frantically for my pants, I walk over and playfully slap Dillon on the arm while mumbling a few select curse words. One of his eyes barely open and he gives me that stupid grin, I just rolled my eyes and smiled. I find my pants laying across a chair, I snatch them up and begin to hop up and down trying to fit into super skinny jeans. Jogging to the door I grab my purse while trying to button and zip up my pants before I leave his house. My heart slightly racing, I wasn't sure if it was because I'm out of shape, I'm worried Mrs. Henderson will have my ass for being late – or perhaps both.

I navigate around the University at an above suggested speed looking for the Auditorium. I swear South Alabama needs a map. Been here for four years and I still have problems finding certain buildings. I keep driving in circles, getting more agitated by the second, my eyebrows squinch together as I finally find the Auditorium. I let out a breath of relief while mumbling 'thank god!' I don't even bother looking for the closest parking spot, I just park, grab my phone and purse and bolt out of the car. I jog to the main double doors at the north side of the building - swinging them open, almost hitting myself in the face. Once in, I walk briskly to find where my classmates are along with Mrs. Henderson standing there amongst the student with one eyebrow up and her nail tapping on her watch.

My lips purse together, and I shrug my shoulders. "I know Mrs. Henderson, I..."

"Emma, just go put your stuff down, and let's get started." She had the disappointed look on her face, and she wore it well. "You know, as the Valedictorian, I expect you to be here – on time. Being punctual is something you should have already learned from going to classes daily." She kept talking as I walked over and put my belongings on one of the seats at the base of the auditorium and preceded to follow her and my graduating classmates to the auditorium stage.

"Talking about being punctual, where is Jessica?" I asked the question, not to any one person but to whomever knew the answer.

Mrs. Henderson walked closer to me with a sly grin, "You know Jessica as well as I do. Party girl, up all night. I really didn't expect to see her here, honestly. She'll make it to graduation tonight, still hung over from the night before acting goofy as always."

"Yeah, you're probably right." I fake a smile and just walk over to the podium about to practice my speech.

Practice for graduation lasted for a few hours, until everything was perfect. In between breaks, I would call Jessica. After the third break we had, I must have called at least fifteen times, sometimes leaving a voice mail and other times just hanging up from pure aggravation of her not answering. She always answered, no matter what time of the day. I felt my heart race again and my palms get sweaty, and it wasn't nerves because of the speech, or because I was nervous about the graduation ceremony, I had a bad feeling, until I knew she was safe, this feeling of dread wasn't going away.

The growing anticipation of knowing Jessica's well-being was becoming overwhelming, "Mrs. Henderson, I know we're about done with practice, do you mind if I cut out early?" She could tell I was very worried, so she nodded agreeing to let me go early. I walked to the edge of the auditorium stage and crouched down with one hand on the wooden floor and hopped down off the stage. I snatched my purse up with my phone already in hand and walked out, not wanting to draw any more attention. I was just about out of the auditorium part; I could hear buzzing and beeping going on from my graduation class mates and then my phone beeped. It was a group text sent to most of the college campus students. It read: The Beta Community housing is closed off due to an investigation of a Homicide. It was dead silent for a split second, until the whispers began.

No, no. It can't be Jessica. She wasn't supposed to be home last night. I walked through those double doors, to my car. Thankfully my car was keyless entry because using my keys to unlock it would have been a chore since my hands were shaking badly. I wiped away a stray tear with my palm and enter my car. I drive the few miles to get to the dorm rooms seeing blue and red lights as I approach. Policemen and CSI were walking in and out of the Beta/Gamma building where my best friend and I shared a dorm. I could feel an emptiness in the pit in my stomach as I shook my head 'no'. There was so much going on, people surrounding the yellow tape wrapped around the building notifying people it was a crime scene. I needed in the building. I wasn't thinking rationally, I ran up to the yellow tape where only the policemen, CSI and paramedics were able to cross, but I crossed that line anyways. I ran towards the stairs going up to the second floor and I felt arms wrap around my torso trying to prevent me from going any further. However, when there is a will there is a way and my will surpassed any will of any man trying to prevent me from going up those stairs. My mind was blank with only one mission. Somehow, I slipped out of the man's arms trying to hold me back and ran like I have never ran before up those steps and through that door.

I could tell people were yelling and crying, but it was all white noise to me. The door was wide open, and I could smell what people would describe as decay, with a body in the middle of all the chaos. It was horrific, I could feel my lunch making its way up and projecting outwards as I flung myself over and just pull my hair back. I take a few steps backwards in pure shock and bump into someone standing behind me. I twist around and just fling my arms across their neck, not knowing who they were, I just needed some sort of comfort – a shoulder to cry on. My best friend was dead.

"People will understand if you don't show up tonight. You are not obligated to do this. You need time to grieve." I watched Dillon as he held his head low sitting by the tub with one finger swirling around the bubbles in the tub and his other arm resting on the side of the bear claw tub. I was silent, nothing but the sound of his shallow breathing and the water swirling around his finger could be heard. I just stared at the faucet where droplets of water would seep out. I knew he was right. How could I face all those people? What if I have a break down right on that stage? What if I forget my speech? I cut my eyes to look at him and I could feel them swell and the tears poured down into the water.

"You're right." I said in between sobs "I can't." I put my hand on the side of the tub where Dillon was resting his arm just seconds ago to pull myself out of the tub to wrap my arms around his neck. "I feel like my chest is caving in. The only reason it hasn't is because my rib cage is protecting my heart from being crushed." I couldn't tell if the tub water or the tears were soaking his shirt, but he didn't mind. "I don't know how to live without my best friend – she was like my sister."

He pulled away just enough and he rested his hand under my chin so he could raise it up to look at him. "One day at a time. You still have me and I'm not going anywhere!" He is my rock, my everything.