<< INSIDE - HILLEL JEWISH STUDENT CENTER -- DAY >>

Kelly stands on a step ladder in a hallway full of bulletin boards, signs and posters, hanging a banner that reads: "CHALLAH FOR HUNGER".

A girl and a guy walk by chatting.

KELLY

“Hey, Sara! Ben! Don't forget the time for Challah has changed this week.”

Sara frowns slightly upset.

SARA

“I know...I'm going to miss the first half because of volleyball.”

Kelly smiles at her reassuringly.

KELLY

“That's ok. These last minute changes can mess with all our schedules. I just-”

Vizz! Vizz! Vizz! All Kelly, Sara, and Ben's cell phones suddenly vibrate repeatedly. They all whip out their phones from their pockets.  

Kelly looks at her phone, claps her hand to her mouth in shock and scrolls the touch screen vigorously.

SARA

“Kelly, are you seeing this?!”

Kelly nods, face stunned.

KELLY

“All my news apps are blowing up.”

She hops down off the ladder, and rushes over to her friends. They all look down at Kelly's phone, mouths open in shock as she taps the play button on a video with the headline: 

"STUDENT FOUND SLAIN AT UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND".

>VIDEO ON THE PHONE

A female reporter with a short haircut stands about 100 feet from an alley of dumpsters and speaks to the camera.

NEWSWOMAN

“A student discovered the body of a nineteen year old University of Maryland student today. Police have given no word as to the cause of death, but the case is being investigated as a homicide. Sergeant Jay Thomas, College Park police department spokesperson, said the name of the young woman is being withheld until all family members have been notified.”

A swarm of police officers are blocking off the area and inspecting the scene.

Several students stand behind the police caution tape crying and hugging each other, taking video on cell phone cameras and talking with dread stricken faces.

NEWSWOMAN

“Campus PD are patrolling all areas. All campus classes are canceled today and tomorrow as the police put the school on lockdown pending a further investigation. Officers feel this is an isolated incident, but every precaution is being taken in case facts prove otherwise.”

Paramedics roll a black body bag on a gurney towards an ambulance, and load it in.

Sara and Ben shake their heads in shock.

SARA

“I can't believe something like that happened here?”

Kelly looks down at the video, squinting at something that has caught her eye. She pauses the video.

>ON THE PHONE

Behind the newswoman, police are swabbing what looks like either dark burgundy graffiti or blood as the light hits it on the alley wall.

The graffiti is the scrawled outline drawing of a large 3 petal commelina flower.

Kelly's face changes from shocked sadness to terror.

SARA

“What is it?”

Kelly doesn't answer. She scrolls the video back, pauses it and takes several screenshots of the flower at different moments in the video.

Ben scrolls through his phone quickly.

BEN

“It's all over facebook, twitter... they're saying it's a girl named Taneisha Jackson?”

Kelly looks at him taken aback as he reads from his phone.

BEN

“A girl in her dorm says police questioned her roommate... no one's seen her since two nights ago…”

Tears form in Kelly's eyes.  She utters softly.

KELLY

“I knew her.”

Sara looks at Kelly sympathetically.

SARA

“So sorry Kelly.”

KELLY

“I, I have to go.”

Abruptly, she turns and runs down the hallway.

<< INSIDE - CENTREVILLE HALL - LOBBY -- NIGHT >>

Gennard walks into the lobby talking on his cell phone.

GENNARD

“I'm here.  I'll be right up.”

He hangs up, pockets his phone and jogs over to the elevators.

He presses the up button on the elevator wall and waits nervously bouncing on his heels.

He scans the lobby.

Several students head out the door carrying blankets, stuffed animals, and bags of food. Gennard looks at the exodus with questioning.

Suddenly, someone taps him on the shoulder.                          

He spins around startled.

ROSIE

“Hey Gennard, that elevator's not working.”

She gives him a weak smile, her face red and puffy from crying. 

GENNARD

“Oh, Rosie, hey, you alright?”

She smiles, nods, and shakes her head "no" all at the same time.  

She begins to tear up, and wipes her eyes and nose on the edge of her hoodie sleeve. 

ROSIE

“We're all going down to Route One. The Iota Frat started a bonfire vigil for Taneisha. You wanna come?”

He pats her arm gently.

GENNARD

“Oh, I, I came to check on Erika.”

Rosie smiles and squeezes his hand understanding.

Sheila walks up, nods at Gennard, and puts an arm around Rosie's shoulder.  They walk out the door, Rosie wiping her eyes, holding a bundle of blankets with a picture collage of Taneisha and friends tucked under her arm.

Color drains from Gennard's face as he sadly watches them leave, then he jogs up the stairs.