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It was a dark and errie night, with the wind whistling lightly through the trees, and the nocturnal creatures stirring. Shadows crept from place to place, creating many different shapes. Emerging from the shadows, a gloomy figured lurked towards it's prey. A young girl. Seizing at the right moment, would result in glorious victory. Striking at the wrong moment, would mean it would all end. Creeping closer through the darkness, the hungry predator snuck, until it was so close, that if the girl turned around defeat would come. Yet, outstretching the short cord, and wrapping the ends around it's fingers, the figure lunged. The girl had no chance, for this villian was a crafty one. She attempted to cry out, but it only arose as a choked whisper. Being strangled to death, the girl clawed at the cord, and kicked her attacker, but it was no use. It was too late. Too late, for life. The figure condensed with the shadows once more, and disapeared...
Quinn slammed her locker shut it disgust. She couldn't believe what'd happened last night, and she wasn't about to get over it anytime soon.
"Hey Quinn!" Strother called from down the hallway."Wait!"
"Leave me alone Strother. I'm not in the mood." Quinn snapped.
"Oh, well excuse me your highness. Can I get you anything? Food, drink, anti-bitch medication?"
"I'm sorry, I'm just snippy today." Quinn sighed.
"Why's that?" Strother asked with mild enthusiasm.
"Ugh! Billy! I hate him so much!"
"What? Billy West??"Strother said, confused,"But, weren't you cuckoo for ko ko puffs over this guy yesterday?"
"I was," Quinn replied matter-of-factly, "But he's a jerk now."
"Oohh...How so?" Strother asked.
Now the rage and determination settles in Quinn's eyes, and Strother instantly realizes his fatal mistake. She's going to explain it to him.
"I mean...Uhm uhm..."Strother looks around for an excuse to bail,"Nevermind...Uh..."
"Welp, FIRST he drives up to my house a half hour late, claiming that he was caught by two trains, yet HELL-O! I live like, right by the tracks, and I didn't hear any train! UCK!" Quinn flips her long brown hair in Strother's face.
Strother has his hands covering his ears and practically screams, "NNNOOO!!! NO MORE PLEASE!"
"THEN, oh man, this one really got me hot, he RAN OUT OF GAS!!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Kay, after he got the gas, which took FOR-EVER, he took me to THE cheesiest movie! UCK!" Again, she flips her hair in Strother's face.
"SSSSSTTTTTEEEEELLLLLLLLLLAAAAA!!!!!!"
Strother weakly drops to the floor and sobs quietly, with Quinn still chattering over him. Arven strolls up, investigating the bizarre scene, and automatically knew what happened.
"He dumped you huh?" Arven bluntly stated.
"What?" Quinn said surprised, on the verge of tears.
"West, Billy West." Arven mocked.
"No, I dumped HIM. He was a nutcase." Quinn replied.
"Okay, don't get deffensive." Arven commented.
"I'M NOT DEFFENSIVE!" Quinn screeched.
"Sure sure." Arven rolled her eyes.
Just then, Quinn spotted her "buddy" Tia entering the school. Tia was one of the popular kids. She hung around people like Gwen and Concord, the two most popular kids at school. When she was around her stuck-up friends, she was molded into their shape like silly putty from a cheap drugstore. However Quinn always saw the good in her, yet Quinn's other friends (especially Arven) were undeniable cynics, and couldn't stand Tia. She ran up to say "hi".
"Hey Tia! What's up?" Quinn cheerfully peeped, all memories of the evil Billy forgotten.
"She's dead." Tia said in monotone, looking straight ahead.
"What? Who? Where, when, why, how?"
"Gwen. She was murdered last night."
Quinn was speechless as the shock overwhelmed her. It was such a horribly blunt statement that at first Quinn believed Tia to be joking, but Tia was most definately not one to kid about her best friend being murdered. The look in her eyes said it was true. The saddness that radiated so from her friend weakened Quinn. Slowly sitting down on a bench, she mortifiably replied, "Oh...Tia....I'm so sorry. I really am."
"Quinn, she..." Trying to keep from breaking down."She was one of my best friends."
Quinn felt nauscious. She couldn't move, paralized in this spot on the crappy school bench. Even though this question may have seemed to be insensitive at this delicate time, Quinn had to ask it...
"Tia?"
"Yes Quinn?"
"How did it happen?"
"Well, she went out back to see if everything was all right, after she heard the noises I mean, and..." Tia trailed off. Finishing in graffic detail how Gwen was murdered, Quinn cringed. What a horrible way to die, she thought to herself. Being strangled to death by an unkown killer, in her own backyard in the dead of night? With Tia was sleeping over at her house? Jeez. Tia went on to explain that there were no witnesses at all, but they have a few suspects. One, Gwen's nextdoor neighbor, happened to be a student at there very school, and also one of Quinn's good friends.
"Yeah and my parents made me come to school and everything!"
Quinn noticed Tia was glaring at something. "What are you looking at?" Quinn asked.
"Her." Tia said with hatred. "That piece of Trash."
Quinn glanced to where Tia was staring, to find her friend Shenaynay gathering the contents that just spilled out of her backpack, onto the cold tile floor.
"But, Tia,"Quinn started,"You know Shenaynay didn't do it! She's one of my good buddies! Besides, why would anyone be dumb enough to kill their own neighbor? Eck." Quinn twirled her hair with her index finger.
Someone kicked Shenaynay's notebook about ten feet, and a faint "Cha." is heard.
"Quinn," Tia shifted on the bench to face her. "Gwen always hated Shay, and Shay always hated her back. They were arch enimies, dueling neighbors. You know how nutty it drove us! Remember? Personally, I always assumed Shay was jealous of Gwen, I mean, she had a reason to--"
"STOP!" Quinn interrupted, abruptly standing."Look Tia, I dislike many a people everywhere, for many reasons. But I don't go out and murder them for it! I have more common sense and compassion than that, and so does Shenaynay! How could you ever accuse her of something this vicious?!" Quinn yelled in Tia's face.
"I..."Tia lowered her head in shame." I know."
"Aww damn." Quin noticed Arven and Strother approaching.
"Hey hey!" Strother chirped. "What's up?"
Tia was silent. Quinn gave Strother a look as if to say, "Get the hell away you insensitive jerk."
"Uhm, I'll be over here..." Strother motioned to a corner with his hands, and then departed.
"So," Arven said."What stick is stuck up your ass today Tia?"
Quinn gasped, her eyes gaped, stared at Arven in shock, while Tia burst into tears, and ran down the hallway.
"What?" Arven asked.
"Tia! Wait!" Quinn followed her short companion, pushing through students to catch up.
Arven called after her, "IS IT SOMETHING I SAID?"
Later that day, after school was out, the authorities arrived at Gwen's house to search for some prominent clues. In the back, Gwen's parents stood holding hands, very obviously depressed. Shenaynay was stunned when she heard the news about Gwen last night. Shay always disliked her for many reasons, but people can certainly change, and she never did anything terrible enough to deserve such a dramatic death. It scared Shay, like so many others, to think that a pointlessly brutal psychotic homicide could take place in a quaint little town like Overbrook.
Shenaynay also knew that she was a suspect, even though it was most rediculous. However, in such a mysterious case like this, great caution was taken. Well, Shay thought, I don't have an alliby. I was home all alone last night trying to finish that retarted paper Mr. Zimmerman assigned. I was up even past the time Gwen was attacked, and I didn't hear anything at all. I suppose I'm a good candidate, though I'm not capable of murder. Well, at least not that kind. I'd much rather prefer blowing up the house.
Shenaynay attempted to do some homework, but found it useless under the current circumstances. She took the pencil from behind her ear and threw it against the wall. Just then, the doorbell rang, and Shay strolled down the stairs to get it. Heh, it's probably the cops. Here to cuff me, and take me down town.
She opened the door, and sure enough, it was the police.
"Hello, I'm Sergeant Sondaye, from the 33rd prescinct," Showing his badge." We have a warrant to search your home, may we please come in?"
"Well, uhm, my parents aren't home right now..."Shay was unsure.
"We just want to take a look around. I'm sure your parents won't mind."
Before Shay could open her mouth to object, Sergeant Sondaye and his lackies where all over the house. She tried desperately to follow them around the house, to make sure they didn't break anything. Hhmm, I wonder if his partener is Sergeant Monday...
"Did you say something?" Sondaye asked Shay.
"Who me? Oh, no no."
One young officer was at the top of the stairs, and called down to Sondaye.
"Hey Bob, I think you'd want to take a peek at this!" The officer called down.
Sondaye went upstairs to see what his officers had found. Suddenly, they all rushed down the stairs, guns raised, surrounding Shay, with one grabbing her arm as if she was going to try and escape.
"Hey! What are you---?"
"You are under arrest for the murder of Gwendolyn Belle. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can, and will be used against you in the court of law..." The cop cuffed her, and led her into the patrol car.
Layla and Mercedes walked home from Overbrook High speechless from the day's events. Just before last period came to a close, they were told Shenaynay had been arrested for Gwen's murder. What's up with that?? Mercedes pondered. She is like, the LAST girl on earth who would commit murder!
As if she was reading Mercedes' mind, Layla said aloud, "It's always the quiet ones."
Mercedes looked at Layla. "You're sick, you know that?"
"It's a gift." Layla tried to be funny, but for either of them the pretending wasn't working. A girl was dead, their friend in jail for it. Nothing to chuckle about.
"Hey," Layla began, attempting to lighten the mood. "Answer truthfully, yes or no, to the following question, 'will the next word you say be 'no'?'"
Mercedes giggled and replied, "Ragin' ass yo!"
"Is that your final answer?"
"Did you hear something?" Mercedes stopped walking and glanced around.
"No, why?"
"I have the strangest feeling..." She trailed off.
"What?" Layla began to feel nervous.
"I...I dunno. It's stupid. I feel like we're being watched. Let's just get going." If only Mercedes had trusted her gut instinct...
"Look! A penny!" Layla cried and bounded to retrieve it. At that moment Mercedes let out a bloodcurdling scream, but before Layla could react, she found herself screaming as well. The blood oozed from the stab wound, as she brutally hit the ground with a THUMP. The weakness settling in, and everything going black, Layla closed her eyes. So this is how it ends. With the pain, the sorrow, the regret. Goodbye cruel world...
As Mercedes took her final breath, she was shocked to see her killer looming over her, and she knew exactly who the culprit was. Quinn sure knows how to pick 'em...
The two friends sprawled limp on the sidewalk marinated in a pool of thick crimson blood.
Quinn ran to her room and flung herself onto the bed sobbing uncontrollably. Two of her good friends were just slashed walking home from school, in broad daylight. How could this happen? What was going on here? These questions, after she was done grieving, Quinn was determined to answer before it was too late.
The phone rang, scaring the complete poop out of Quinn. Sniffling a bit, she shakily picked up the reciever.
"Heh-hello?" she studdered.
Silence.
"Hello?" she said raising her voice.
Silence.
"HELL-OOOO!!!" She shrieked. "UUGGHH!!" At that high pitched note, she slamed down the receiver. "Just what I need. A phone stalker. The next call will be asking what my favorite freakin' scary movie is." she said bitterly.
Hastily perching on the side of her bed, she reached over to her vanity and retrieved a framed picture. So many memories. We had so much fun together. And now, no more. We're through having good times. Over with. Done. I'll go cry myself a river now... Staring blankly at the photo of her friends, more tears welled up.
Again, the phone rang. Sighing heavily, Quinn dragged herself up to get the phone.
"Hello?" She said quite unenthusiastically.
"Hey. It's Patsy."
"Oh hi Patsy. How're you holding up?" Quinn asked sympathetically. Patsy is one of Quinn's best friends, and was also very close to Mercedes and Layla.
"Not too good. You?" Pasty replied.
"Horrible. I never knew my body held so much water in it. I'm dehydrating myself slowly."
"Hehe." Patsy chuckled lightly. But there was to be no escape. This devastating tragedy would haunt them all for years ahead.
"I need to get out of the house. Badly. Wanna meet somewhere?" Quinn asked.
"Sure. If I can get my stuck-up brother to give me a ride." Patsy retorted.
"Hey, Concord's nice!" Quinn squeaked.
"That's only cuz you're in love with him."
"I'm not in love with him! I just like his name, damn the world!"
"Well he's still stuck up. You know he was supposed to give me a ride home after school today, but he didn't show up. I had to WALK all the way home."
"He probably just forgot," Quinn teased,"Or maybe he had something better to do than pick up his annoying snively little brother."
"Very funny."
For this brief moment all that was considered despair was forgotten, only to be well revealed again in the next three day's events.
"Some schools have bomb threats, others have gang wars, ours has a psychotic killer!"
Everone sitting at the table grew perfectly silent and stared at Cicely. The only sound made was Quinn in the middle of slurping her Pepsi. Cicely didn't mean anything bad by the insensitive comment of course, she only tries to hide her true feelings with sick humor. Yet even now it was completely innappropriate.
"What did I say?" Cicely wondered innocently.
The conversation immediately resumed between the five friends. Quinn, Patsy, Strother, Arven and Cicely had decided to drown their sorrows in sugar-filled soft drinks at their local Loaf and Jug. Suddenly, Abigail, another member of their crew, bolted in the restaurant, stood a moment in the doorway panting, spotted the group, and ran to their booth. She arrived at the table, completely out of breath.
"My God, what's wrong?!" Quinn asked.
"She...they...were...took...aaaahhhh..." Abigail collasped on the floor.
"Abigail!" Cicely cried.
Quinn and Strother, being on the ends, arose and helped Abigail to her feet. Arven scooted from her place in between Cicely and Strother to get Abigail a chair. Quinn sat abruptly in her spot next to Patsy, and accidentially spilled her Pepsi all over him. Quinn squeaked. There was a pause, with Patsy looking surprised, then everyone started laughing uncontrollably. Abigail saw this site and resumed her position on the floor, considering she fell off her chair from laughter. This only made them all laugh harder until their faces were flushed, and then noticing Patsy wasn't laughing.
"I'm sorry Patsy. I didn't mean to ruin your red sweater." Quinn apologized while giggling.
"Yeah well it's not MY sweater, it's Concord's. He's going to KILL me."
"Well now she's even MORE sorry she spilled on it." Strother retorted. Quinn gave him an evil look and kicked him in the shin under the table.
"Take that!" Quinn cried triumphantly.
"Take what?" Strother asked.
"OUCH! That was MY shin! May your soul be consumed by a pack of rabid goats!" Arven wheezed.
"Oh, sorry." Quinn said, ashamed. Then a lightbulb clicked in her head. "Patsy! Let me take the sweater home and I can wash it. My mom has this REALLY good spot remover stuff. Then I can give it back to you on Monday. If Concord asks for it, just say you left it at my house."
"Oh...okay." Patsy said reluctantly, taking off the sweater to reveal a Scooby-Doo t-shirt.
"Quinn just wants to take Concord's sweater home so she can--" Strother started, but was cut off when Quinn kicked him in the shin and didn't miss.
Abigail finally recovered and joined her friends, respectively, at the table. She said, "Okay, I was TRYING to tell you guys before, and I JUST found out..."
The Crew gave their undevided attention to Abigail.
"Shenaynay was arrested for Gwen's murder!"
They all gasped in shock.
"But this afternoon they let her go!"
They all sighed in relief.
"Because they connected Mercedes and Layla's murder to Gwen's-obviously-and Shay was in the police station when that happened!"
There was a long silence. Everyone had temporarially forgotten about Layla and Mercedes. Until Cicely came up with an idea.
"Hey guys, wanna go to the movies?"
"Good idea," Strother said in a sad voice. He looked at Quinn.
Quinn stared at her half spilled Pepsi and shifted uneasily in her chair.
"Eric!! Eric!! EEERRRIIICCC!!!" Cicely screamed in the movie theatre. Eric finally caught her attention and waved. Abigail, Arven, Quinn, Strother and Patsy waved too.
"Hey Eric!" Quinn and Arven said together,"Ich habe keine Beine!"
Everyone clapped twice. Eric was another one of their good friends, however he wasn't sitting with them. He had come with his friend Senorita H. That was her nickname of course. She was a senior at Overbrook High, and the craziest person Quinn had ever met. But she was well-known and well-liked throughout the entire school.
The movie started and the lights dimmed. From left to right sat Strother, Abigial, Arven, Quinn, Cicely and Patsy. They were sitting in the top row. Eric and Senorita H were located all the way in the front.
"I love the previews. It's the best part of the whole movie going experience." Quinn told Cicely.
"I sure hope they don't drive Yugos in this movie." Cicely replied.
"THAT, was annoying." Arven said.
Right when the 'Silence is Golden' commercial came on, there was a loud scream from Senorita H, and soon after, Eric joined in. They screamed and screamed and screamed until some people left the theatre in frustration. One person left in a brisk hurry near where Senorita H and Eric were sitting. They continued to scream.
"OKAY GUYS WE GET THE POINT!!!" Strother yelled.
"You're going to get kicked out if you don't shut up!" Patsy said, annoyed.
Quinn slapped her forehead and shook her head in dispair. Arven rolled her eyes.
"Enough of this," Cicely abruptly stood up,"I am going to go tell those two idiots to shut up so we can watch a dumb teen flick in peace, THEN I'm going to go get some popcorn with extra butter!"
"AMEN MY SISTER!" Quinn cheered.
The group watched as Cicely gave Eric and Senorita H the low down. Quinn could have sworn she heard Cicely say "Damn you Pikachu!" And amazingly, they listened. Soon after, all was quiet. Cicely gave Quinn the 'thumbs up' sign, and left to get some popcorn with extra butter.
A few minutes later, Cicely returned with an jumbo popcorn almost bigger than herself! She stopped off to apologize to Eric and Senorita H, just in case they were angry since she ruined their fun.
"Oh...my...God..." Cicely shrieked loudly. Then she screamed in pure utter hysteria.
Blood rushed through Quinn's system like a rocket. What the hell...?
An usher ran in and switched on the lights to reveal the gruesome scene.
Cries came from all over the theatre, and some were sick to their stomach and threw up. Cicely was crying on her knees in the isle.
Quinn couldn't breathe at the site she witnessed. There, still sitting in their chairs, were Eric and Senorita H, cut to shreds like ground beef.
"Light as a feather, stiff as a board, light as a feather, stiff as a board..."
To help take their minds off five murders in two days, Quinn decided to plan a small overnight with her girlfriends. Twas only the next day, and by now the entire town, not-to-mention, country knew about the mysterious Overbrook Serial Killer. There were no clues, no fingerprints, no witnesses and no leads to the case. Plus, it was only ASSUMED that the murders were the result of one person's twisted actions. However the police, like everyone else, believe that in such a small, quiet town, it most definately could not be a big coincidence that five teenagers were murdered in the course of a 48 hour period.
"OKAY! Who wants to watch 'The Exorcist'?!?!" Abigail said enthusiastically.
Groans arose from all the girls in the room. Cicely threw a book at her.
"I'll take that as a 'no'."Abigail concluded, and slumped down on the floor.
The group of girls consisted of Quinn, Tia, Shenaynay, Arven, Abigail, Cicely, Amber, Tisha, Leann and Laura. Amber and Tisha were BEST friends. They did everything together...EVERYTHING. Amber had dry humor, and Tisha was obsessed with Star Wars, but they were both joys to be around. Leann and Laura were sisters. They loved each other of course, but were frequently annoyed with each other.
Tia and Shenaynay sat in opposite corners of the room. It wasn't a very merry time at that moment. Arven, Cicely, Abigail and Quinn were playing B.S. with a deck of cards. Amber, Tisha, Leann and Laura were sitting in a circle chattering non-stop.
"Well Laura I think it's time for us to go now." Leann stood up and brushed off her jeans.
"All right. Are we going to do our Algebra homework when we get home?" Laura asked inquizzitively.
"Hmm..let me think...NO! It's only Saturday night!" Leann smiled and winked at Quinn.
Quinn paused from her card game, Cicely and Arven peeked at her cards while her back was turned. "I wish you guys could have slept over."
"Yeah me too. Well you know our parents are weird like that. Hey Amber, Tisha, want a ride home so you don't have to call your parents? There's plenty of room in the van."
"Sure!" Tisha jumped at the chance."Come on Amber."
"Bye guys."Amber said, and the four girls left without further conversation.
"Well, it looks like it's just the six of us now." Quinn concluded. "Hey Tia, Shay, come play cards with us!"
"Oh fine." Shenaynay made her way to the circle.
"I'll pass." Tia sighed.
"Suit yourself." Arven said coldly without looking away from her cards.
A few minutes later the phone rang. Quinn rushed to get it. It was Patsy calling from his house. Quinn heard Strother being Strother in the background.
"Help me! He's driving me nuts!" Patsy pleaded. Quinn heard a muffled 'muahahaha' in the phone.
"You should have come over here!" Quinn sighed. "We're having OODLES of fun." She rolled her eyes.
"Well, we would have. But stupid Concord took the car and went who knows where and my mom said we couldn't go until he came back. He's been gone for almost an hour!" Patsy whined.
"Well he has a life too you know."Quinn giggled.
"Oh get over it! You know you---" CLICK.
Silence.
"Patsy?" Quinn whispered into the phone. "Hello?" She hung up.
"What's wrong Quinn?" Abigail asked.
"We were cut off."
"Freaky." Abigail blinked and scrunched her nose.
Arven pointed accusingly at Abigail. "SQUIRREL FACE!!!!"
They all burst out laughing, except for Tia.
"Excuse me." Tia left her corner and headed towards the bathroom.
"Stupid short people." Arven commented under her breath. Cicely smacked her upside the head.
Tia emerged as quickly as she entered the bathroom, and stood 'stiff as a board' with quite a bewildered look on her face.
"Qui-Qui-Quinn?"Tia stumbled, dumbfounded.
"Ye-Ye-Yes?" Arven mocked.
Quinn kicked her as she approached Tia.
"What's wrong?" Quinn soothed in a motherly tone.
Tia was violently shuddering, she pointed to the bathroom. Quinn went in and switched on the lights. She almost had a heart attack when she saw this site.
Blood. Everywhere. Spared no expense. Only in the bathroom, but it was splattered like someone had taken a paint brush and went nuts. There was no order to it. Pure insanity. However a portion of it made sense, and yet it was even more confusing than the blood itself. On wall, there were letters, written backwards. Quinn was having a hard time distinguishing their meaning. But when she looked in the mirror, it all made sense. In blood, was written backwards a horrible threat...
Quinn fainted.
Sergeant Sondaye survied the scene with skepticism. All six girls claimed that no one was in the house but them. What was more amazing is that they heard no one enter or exit the household. The brown haired girl who lived here said that the bathroom was perfectly clean when everyone arrived, but magically was transformed into a mad butcher shop.
Sondaye also pondered the fact that Shenaynay was here, even though she was dismissed as a prime suspect, he was still going to keep an eye on her. Sondaye considered it might be the short girl with curly hair, because she is the one who discovered the blood. However she was only in the bathroom for a matter of three seconds, enough to absorb the horrific site, become frightened, and send for help.
This is the craziest case I've ever handled. 20 years of experience and never have I encountered something so brutal and deceiving. Whoever the killer is, he or she sure is smart. Probably a psychopath though. Who else would kill five innocent teenagers? Yeah...Hhmm...That's another weird thing. It seems that all the victims were friends with one another. Strange. Probably just a coincidence, being such a small town and everything. But I wonder if we should round these kids up and put them under police protection, just until we find the murderer.Then again, the whole God damn town is in danger. What can we do? People are already terrified of leaving their homes. I really don't believe this killer is a stranger to Overbrook. True, this little burrow has been recognized for it's extreme hospitality. But I've heard many cases about the nice old lady down the street being one to slay a stray cat or two. I'll bet it's just a cover up. Everyone's a suspect! It very well could be anyone. Even a student! Yes...a student. Hhmm...They're all friends eh? A student...
"I told you before, and I'll tell you again," Quinn was fighting to lose her temper, "I was asleep the night Gwen was killed, I was at play practice when Mercedes and Layla were killed, I never left my seat at the movie theatre and what the hell kind of girl you think I am spreading a demonic message in cow's blood all over my pretty bathroom walls?!?!"
"I'm just attempting to get the facts straight miss. You're a suspect just like everyone else is." The young rookie officer stuttered.
"I'm not!" Shenaynay smiled and raised her hand.
Tia snorted and crossed her arms. Arven, Abigail and Cicely made faces behind her back. Quinn had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing.
Sergeant Sondaye was being subtle in the corner. He seemed to be thinking hard about something.
Just then the forensic scientist emerged from the stairs. Earlier he had taken samples of the blood and apparently just arrived back from the lab with the results. He looked disturbed, and after a few minutes of reading the results from a manilla folder, Sondaye approached the couch where Quinn was sitting.
"What's the word Serg?" Cicely slapped him on the back. He gave her a sly look and she quickly removed her hand.
"Girls...I'm afraid I have some more bad news for you--" Sondaye began.
"NO!" Quinn jumped up, "NO MORE!"
"Quinn, calm down," Cicely made her sit down next to her.
"Early this morning, we received a call about a car accident on Overbrook Boulevard. I sent a couple of our boys to go check it out. They said there was only one vehicle involved. It was abandoned. So we naturally assumed that the occupants had left the van to go--"
"A van?" Quinn looked at Arven. Arven raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, that's correct. We concluded that another vehicle ran the van off the road, so it was a hit and run. The van wasn't seriously damaged, but it's not in good enough shape to start--"
"Cut the crap! Was it Leann's van or not?" Cicely demanded.
"Yes, it was."
Quinn stared blankly at the floor.There goes four more friends in one shot.
"But you said that the van wasn't seriously damaged. So, where are Leann, Laura, Amber and Tisha?" Arven asked.
"We got another call a couple hours after the accident, and it was Leann's parents reporting that their daughters hadn't come home by their curfew. Followed by another call from Amber and Tisha's parents..."
"So where are they now?" Quinn said in a low, shaky voice.
Sergeant Sondaye paused. He didn't want to break it to them. Kids this age were supposed to be thinking about dances and homework, not...not this.
"The forensic analyzer just told me, that...that..." He couldn't get the words out.
"Quinn," Cicely broke it to her, "Leann, Laura, Amber and Tisha are smeared all over your pretty bathroom walls."
Quinn rang the doorbell and waited on the front step. A while passed by and she rang it again. Finally Patsy answered his door.
"Hey, come on in." He greeted sourly.
"I brought Concord's sweater back," She gestured to the red linen tied around her waist. "I washed it today, to help take my mind off of...Well the spot remover worked wonders."
"You can keep it." Pasty said.
"What? Why?" Quinn was confused. "I thought this was his lucky red sweater?"
"It was his lucky red sweater," Patsy looked into Quinn's eyes.
"Oh no," Quinn couldn't breathe, "Not again, not again...no no no..."
"Well, we don't know yet, but he might as well be dead," Patsy explained grimly,"We found his car, empty, in our driveway with a note that said something like 'blah blah blah if I don't get it back I'll kill him like all the others' or something. I can't show it to you though. The police already did their vigerous investigation here."
"Oh my god! That's what was written in my bathroom!" Quinn realized.
"Yeah. I don't know what it is, but whoever has it had better return it or we're all screwed."
"It HAS to be me! I must have something the killer wants!"
"Why you?"
"Because it was written in my bathroom!"
"Well," Patsy sniffed,"Quinn?"
"Yeah?" Quinn looked up.
"You think...he, I mean Concord..."
"What Patsy?"
"Nevermind." Patsy sighed.
Quinn didn't feel like interacting with anyone for awhile. After she left Patsy's house with the shocking news that Concord had been kidnapped by the killer, she lost all hope. Quinn didn't care that she was walking home all alone. Exposed. Vulnerable. Is anyone really safe? No. If this killer wants to kill you, it'll kill you. It's ruthless. So if I'm destined to die, I want to die pretty damn soon so that I won't have to watch the rest of my friends get slaughtered before me.
There was a rustle in the bushes.
Quinn stopped. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute. It was probably nothing, she knew. But who could say? Paranoia struck her, and she weakened at the knees. Paralyzed by the sound of leaves rubbing against each other.
The rustling grew louder, the bush began to shake, and suddenly--
POP POP POP!
Quinn heard the sound of branches being broken, as if someone fell into the bush. She heard a low groan. Then...
"Quiiiiin." The deep raspy voice called to her.
Quinn was so startled she almost soiled her Mudd jeans.
"Quiiiiin." It pleaded.
"Who are you?" She whispered in response. She bent over to look through the branches and leaves. Quinn thought she spotted what looked like a white t-shirt. Obviously there was a human body inside that t-shirt in need of dire assistance.
"Help me Quinn." The voice got softer.
Quinn hesitated. What the hell. She made her way through the bushes, desperately trying to find the voice. She kept going farther and farther into the thicket until she very nearly stepped on--
"CONCORD!" Quinn cried in delite. She knelt beside him. "Are you all right?"
Concord, in spite of being dirty and covered in blood, managed a small smile and replied, "Hi Quinn."
"I thought you were...kidnapped."
"I was," Concord attemped to rise, with no prevail. "Can you give me a hand?"
"Oh, sorry." Quinn rushed to help him to his feet. It was akward, because he was much taller and heavier than Quinn. "Can you stand?" She asked.
Concord tested his balance. "I think so."
"How did you escape? Who's the killer? TELL ME EVERYTHING!" Quinn rambled.
"Okay, one question at a time. It's Billy. I don't know why. But I was out driving last night, and he purposely ran me off the road, and I almost slammed into this van in the process--"
"LEANN'S VAN?" Quinn gasped.
"Yes, Leann's van," Concord paused, "Hey, is that my lucky red sweater?" pointing to Quinn's waste.
"What? Oh, uh, yeah," Quinn laughed nervously. "Anyway, go on..."
"Well, I got out of my car and went to see if Leann and whoever else was all right, when Billy clocked me over the head with something," Concord pointed to a huge black and blue bump on the back of his head. "It knocked me out cold. The next thing I knew I woke up in Billy's basement, there was blood EVERYWHERE," He looked at his blood soaked shirt."So I snuck out the back door. That was only a few minutes ago. I think I have a concusion or something, because suddenly I felt dizzy and I fell. Then you came to my rescue."
Quinn blushed. But her blushing was cut short by a terrifying realization.
"WEST, BILLY WEST?!?!" Quinn screamed. "YOU MEAN I WENT OUT WITH A SERIAL KILLER?!?!"
"You went out with that geek?" Concord chuckled.
"Well I guess it's just as well. He was a loser anyway." They laughed.
"Concord!!"
"Yes Quinn?"
Quinn looked puzzled, "I didn't say anything."
"But I heard someone say..."Concord glanced over Quinn's shoulder in horror, "...my name." Concord gulped.
Quinn spun around to see Billy West looming over her with a shovel in his hand. She screamed.
"LET'S GO!" Concord grabbed Quinn's hand and in 1.5 seconds they were bolting to the police station, just as Billy West's shovel grazed the spot where Quinn was standing.
They truely ran for their lives all across town, with Billy at their heels the entire time. Finally they arrived at the 33rd presinct where Sergeant Sondaye was in charge.
Cicely jumped about three feet into the air when Concord and Quinn smashed into the building unannounced. Abigail screamed in surprise, Tia squeaked, Strother and Patsy dived behind matching desks, and Arven hid behind one of the couches used for visitors. As for Sergeant Sondaye, he drew his gun, ready and raring for trouble to begin.
Concord dragged Quinn into a closet and shut the door; both of them yelling like idiots the whole time.
Patsy stood up and pointed accusingly, "I TOLD YOU!!!"
Concord opened the closet a crack and warned, "THE KILLER IS COMING! THE KILLER IS COMING!" then he closed the door.
Everyone looked at each other in confusion.
Concord opened the door again, "WEST, BILLY WEST!"
Arven jumped up and down and said, "I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!"
Just then, Billy West stormed into the office, completely out of breath. He dropped the shovel on the floor. Tia screamed. Arven wringed out her ears from the excrutiatingly painful high pitched sound.
"Hold it right there!" Sergeatn Sondaye ordered, his gun pointed at Billy's head.
Billy held his hands up over his head and said, "Concord...it's Concord! He's the murderer! I..." He took a breath. "He...He ran me off the road last night, and then knocked me out. He took Leann and..." Billy glanced at Cicely, Abigail, Patsy, Strother, Arven and Tia. "...the others. I woke up in my house. There was blood...everywhere. I looked around and found him. He tried to attack me with the shovel, but I fought it away from him and hit him lightly on the head. He ran..." He paused for another breath of air. "...I chased him....here."
Quinn emerged from the closet. "I don't believe you!"
Concord followed her. "You tell him Quinn!"
The police station was in an uproar. Everyone was fighting with everyone else. Finally Sondaye couldn't take it anymore.
"QQQQUUUUUUUIIIIIIIEEEEEEETTTTT!!!!" He screamed.
*cricket chirp*
"That's better," He adjusted his belt. "Now. From all the evidence my deputies and I have collected, we have narrowed it down to you all," He pointed to the group of friends. "Now, considering you all know and like each other, it is very possible that one of you has very serious psychological problems."
Quinn gave Billy an evil stare.
"Let's do this by process of elimination. Simple, but effective."
The group shifted uneasily.
"We know it's not Quinn, Arven, Abigail, Cicely, Tia, or Shenaynay, because they were all in the same place during the 'van' incident. Strother was over at Patsy's house that night, and we have Patsy and Concord's parents to verify that. That leaves Billy West and Concord." Sondaye said.
Quinn looked at Concord, then back to Billy. Which is it? I say Billy...but what if it's not him?
"Both were at the same party the night Gwen was murdered. Both missed their after school activities the day Mercedes and Layla were murdered. Both were at the movies the night Eric and Senorita H were murdered and both were out driving when Leann's van was abandoned." Sondaye pointed out.
"But Concord was kidnapped!" Patsy objected.
"He could have faked it," Arven replied.
"Well...Concord's cuter!" Cicely stamped her foot.
The group went into another uncontrolable arguement. Even this time Sergeant Sondaye wasn't able to simmer them down.
Quinn thought for a long time.
Concord looked at her. "I didn't do it Quinn."
She was silent.
"How could I have done something so inhuman?"
She was still silent.
"Oh come on Quinn! What could you have possibly had that I would want from you? Enough to kill your friends? Come on!" He whispered rapidly.
This hit Quinn like a bullet. Wait, he was unconcious when Billy wrote that message with Leann, Laura, Amber and Tisha's blood, how could he have known? Or...maybe he wasn't...
"This," Quinn removed Concord's sweater from her waist. "You wanted your lucky red sweater you psycho!" She threw it in his face.
"QUINN!" Concord yelled.
Quinn rushed to the nearest desk and stood on top of it. She screamed at the top of her lungs for everyone to shut up. As the tears streamed down her cheeks, she pointed to Concord.
Feeling queasy, she stated shakily, "There's your murderer."
Months passed by but nothing was ever the same. Concord was sent to an institution for the criminally insane, and Patsy's family will forever be burdened by financial and mental restraints. The Crew still goes out and has fun of course, but they all desperately miss their lost friends. Quinn finally saw the good in Billy West, and has become a deeper, not-so shallow person from this experience. As for Strother, Arven, Abigail, and Cicely, well their "special" yet intriging personalities still flourish. Tia, although still a "stupid short person" in the eyes of Arven, has over time been excepted as one of the Crew.
Change is good, but sometimes bad. You just have to roll with the flow and get over it. But one thing's for sure, that you should never forget...
Quinn=Katie
Tia=??
Gwen=??
Shenaynay=??
Arven=??
Strother=Oh come on!
Senorita H=??
Eric=??
Abigail=??
Cicely=??
Layla=??
Mercedes=??
Amber=??
Tisha=??
Leann=??
Laura=??
Patsy=??
Concord=??
Billy West=??
Sergeant Sondaye=Well he's fictional, sorry.
And I hope you liked my story. I worked very hard on it. Oh yeah, in case you're wondering....
POCYDA = PsychO ComedY DramA
