The Day Death Died

The Day Death Died - Chapter 2

One thing about me? I drive fast. It's a habit I picked up the moment my parents handed me the keys to my Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. Maybe they thought giving me something less sporty than I wanted would curb my lead foot, but the minute I pulled out of the dealership, I knew this car was meant for speed. And I wasn't about to change my ways now. My foot pressed down on the gas pedal, and I watched the speedometer tick past 70 as we zoomed away from school.

"Girl, you are seriously going to get another speeding ticket," Emily warned from the passenger seat, laughing but with a tinge of genuine concern.

I just grinned. "Probably. But I was born to drive fast."

Emily cranked up the music, and we belted out lyrics to whatever pop song was playing. I felt free, unstoppable, with the wind rushing through the barely cracked windows. The mall was only a fifteen-minute drive, but with me behind the wheel, it was more like ten. When we finally parked, Emily jumped out first, bouncing with excitement.

Our first stop was always the same—Java the Hut. It was our favorite little coffee shop in the mall, and the barista, Kyle, knew our orders by heart. Two vanilla lattes, extra foam. As we sipped on our drinks, the world seemed a little more manageable. I could forget about Wisnowski picking on Brayden, and the looming responsibility of the homecoming dance.

"Alright, let's knock this out. Black, gold, and silver, right?" I asked as we approached the decorations store, Party City.

"Yup," Emily said, scanning the aisles. "Ooh! Look at this red carpet!" She grabbed a roll of the bright fabric and tossed it in the cart. "We can't have a 'Night Under the Stars' without a red carpet!"

"Obviously." I laughed. "What about the plates? We're going to need something for the snacks."

Emily threw a few packs of small, gold-rimmed plates into the cart. "What about balloons? Should we grab them now or wait?"

"They'll be deflated by Saturday if we buy them now," I said, scanning the shelves for more ideas. "We'll pick up a helium tank. That way, we can blow them up on Saturday morning with the rest of the committee."

"Smart thinking, as always," she replied with a grin.

As we turned down another aisle, my eyes caught movement. Someone tall, dressed entirely in black, turned the corner ahead of us. They were draped in what looked like a long, hooded cloak.

"Did you see that?" I asked, my voice dropping.

Emily glanced over her shoulder. "What?"

"That person... dressed like it's Halloween."

She frowned. "It's October, but it's still early for costumes."

"Yeah," I muttered. But I was sure of what I saw—a figure cloaked in black, almost gliding through the store. It wasn't a typical mall sight.

We rounded the corner, but whoever it was had already disappeared. I shook my head, brushing it off. "Maybe I'm seeing things."

"You've been stressed lately. Dance committee, student council... it's a lot," Emily said, her voice light as she steered us toward the checkout counter.

We paid for our haul—glittering tulle, stars, black-and-gold streamers, and of course, the red carpet. We barely managed to carry all the bags between the two of us as we made our way to the food court.

"I'm starving," Emily declared, making a beeline for her favorite spot, the tiny Chinese restaurant that always smelled like fried heaven.

"What are you getting?" she asked, shoveling a sample of orange chicken into her mouth before the question was fully formed.