BEWARE OF COW

CHAPTER SEVEN

The place was buried with electronic sounds and flashing lights. Kids hollering while their much older siblings smoked crack in between the whack-a-mole arcade systems. This happy little place was known as Steve and Nesters. It was supposed to be a Dave and Busters however, the owner could not get the rights.

We walk over to Yancy who has just scored a solid eight hundred points at a round of Skeeball. The tickets came chomping out to no end.

"Let's see if you can beat that?" he asked Alexis, standing to his right.

"Now don't get too cocky", she responded, looking even more determined than ever. She bent her knees in a fighting stance. The ball hidden behind her back. Her objective was at least six hundred points. She swung her right arm around, letting go of the ball. The ball bounces right off the machine, causing Alexis to duck. The ball successfully lands right into the face of a poor little hispanic girl - pretty much knocking the wind out of her. "Oops. Sorry".

After that incident, Yancy took his enormous winnings up to the prize area. Alexis followed with only five that she found off the floor. Needless to say, she can't play arcade games worth a shit.

"How can I help you two?" said the scrawny, insecure employee behind the counter who obviously hates this job and is only working here to pay off his student loans.

Yancy bent down to take a gander at all prizes on display. So many to choose from. So many to play for only two seconds and remain in your car for about a few more months.

"Hmmm", he questioned all while rubbing his freshly shaved chin. Thankfully he has found the right one. His finger plasters onto the glass, pointing right to a plastic neon slinky. "I will take that".

The employee hands him over the slinky, "You got more tickets left".

"Perfect", Yancy said. "Then give me that nice little mood ring for my lady".

Alexis sparked. Her cheeks started to blush. "You're so sweet".

Yancy drooped his head, locking lips to this adorable lady he's been dating for only a few months. Yet it seems this relationship could last for eternity.

"Alexis?" A voice cried out. Yet Alexis was too busy looking at the mood ring attached to her ring finger, glowing the color yellow. "Ms. Edmond, please".

Then came a snap of the fingers. Alexis now transferred back to the real world. She looked up at her counselor, Mr. Fintz.

"I'm sorry. Just zoned out for a bit", she explained.

"There's nothing to be sorry about", he replied. "Unless you like... killed a person".

"I don't think these sessions are going to help me", she confesses.

"This is only your first day here though", he responds as he takes a sip from his coffee mug.

"Look, you seem like you know what you're doing. I'm not blaming this on you. It's just that, this whole memory can't just go away by words ".

"Well, i'm not trying to wipe away this memory. I'm trying to help you get through this".

"Oh right", she spatters. "Sorry. I've never really done these therapy shenanigans. Just feeling a bit uncomfortable".

"Hey, that's completely understandable- OH FUCK!" His coffee mug came spilling onto his clothing. "Ah man. This is my favorite tie. Oh well".

"Uhh... are you okay?" she asked. "That coffee seemed pretty hot".

"Oh no. It'll be fine", Mr. Fitz smiled as steam came rising off of his baige pants.

A loud trombone screeched into Ivy's ear, just about making her deaf. Her whole entire period was just one big orgy of terrible band music. She couldn't stand the sporadic sound. However, her parents wanted her to continue the legacy. The instrument of a choice was a drum. Not that easy but not that difficult. But she doesn't spend time with the drum. Majority of the period is her scrolling through facebook and watching videos of little children getting kicked by a horse.

Up came a young tiny freshman named Victor, wearing his Star Wars jacket that he's worn ever since the sixth grade. Victor is quiet like Ivy as well. He has a stutter which was not an actual disability but more of a sign of being nervous. He stutter causes him to yell to get the words out of his mouth. "He-Hey-. Hey HEY IVY".

Victor zipped his mouth as Ivy jumped from her seat. "Oh... hey... uhh Vinny".
"It's actually Victor", he corrected.

"Vinny is the nickname I give to you", she lied. "Anyways, what uhhh... what do you want?"

"I was wondering if you would - wa- if you would want to uh go - to the prom- THE DANCE - the dance with me".
"Ahhh. That's so sweet. But umm. There's someone else I'm going with. Well, hopefully".

"YOU BITCH". he yelled then marched away with no further comment".

Geez she said in her brain. Now she's starting to think Victor might have actual tourettes. That theory then danced away from her mind once her cell phone started buzzing.

She opened it back up. It was one message from Doug.

MEET ME AT THE STUDINT PARKING LOT - DD

She found this to be quite suspicious since Douglas doesn't usually collaborate on the group chat.

Another buzz. She opens it up once again.

STUDENT* - DD

The final bell rings and a wave Ramford high students all come flooding out of the building. Exiting the wave was Doug, walking himself to his own car. His keychain swirls on the tip of his index finger. A little tick of his.

His two legs stop at the front of his jeep. He drops his book bag onto the heel and awaits his friends to arrive.

"What did you want to talk about?" said Richard, popping from behind.

"JESUS", Doug shouted. "Have you been there the whole time?"

"Yes".

Then came Ivy with a purple backpack just clinging on her left shoulder for dear life. She wonders, "What's going on?"

"Glad you could make it. But I can't tell what's going on once Alexis shows up".
"Dude she's not gonna come", spats Richard.

"Just hold on. We're not so sure of that", Doug looks into the distance. "Look. I see her right now".

Doug sprints over to the blonde beauty and taps her on the shoulder. She turns around. It was not Alexis at all. It was actually Academy Award Nominee, Saoirse Ronan. An odd school to go to for such a famous talent such as herself.

"What do you want?" she asks.

"Nothing", Doug whimpered and then ran back to Rich and Ivy. "Okay so that wasn't her".

"Can you just announce what we're doing here?" Richard asks.

"The old farmer invited me to his house for Dinner. Which makes it the perfect plan to expose him".

"What old farmer?" asked Ivy.

"The old farmer that murdered Yancy".

"Yancy was murdered?"

"Well, they haven't fully said he was murdered but it's pretty obvious. Look, this guy is creepy".

"You say that about old people all the time".

"That is true but this guy. This is SUPER creepy. I could just feel the vibe off from him".

Ivy returned to the meeting. "Okay so why exactly are we a part of this?"

"Because I need some company. I don't trust going to his house all alone".

Ivy took a while to think about it. Meanwhile, Richard asked one question. "Will you pay us?"

"Ugh... fine!" Doug sighed.

"Then it's a deal", Richard made his way to his own car while Ivy stayed around.

"I'm gonna bring some over some of my homemade Tofu if that's okay", she said.

"There's gonna be dinner over there but go for it I guess".

"Alright. Alright. And what about Alexis?"

"Don't worry. I'm gonna convince her". Doug gave Ivy a wink. Ivy didn't know what that gesture meant so she just scaddaddled.