“I think I found them.” Was all he said.

“WHAT THE FUCK! I thought you-” Kai grabs my arm and drags me deeper into the room. There is a vase. It’s pretty with a light blue color and golden design. The vase is on her desk and inside are flowers. They are pink with five petals. In my opinion they are gorgeous and a type of flower I always liked. I have never seen them in real life. Oleander. They are known to be poisonous.

“That’s them.” I decide.

“Are you sure?” Kai doesn’t look to me like he wasn’t the one to decide this first. I simply nod.

My vision blurs slightly. Perhaps I should go to sleep. I feel tired. There is a sound.

“Someone is coming!” Kai almost screams to me.

 We all hurry outside. We run into each other and at one point I hit a wall but we make it outside.

“Did you just give us all a heart attack because someone is on a walk with their dog?” Ava complains.

“Calm down. I thought he might notice that someone is inside the house which is supposed to be empty considering the owner is dead.” Kai holds up his hands. Ava only huffs in response. Before this could escalate Liam turns asks me.

“Is this going to help?”

I now know which flowers it was. While they are poisonous this wasn’t the cause of Rubys death, but I think the murderer send them. The question is why.

“Don’t tell me we just broke into a house for nothing.” Kai crosses his arms.

“Let me check something real quick.” I take out my phone and look oleander flowers up. There isn’t really any new information for me. I look up its meanings and find out that they can mean destiny. I laugh a bit. “They definitely were the right ones. I’m sure they connect to the murder I just have to find out how.” 

Dreams the voices chant.

I want to scream in frustration.

“Does it usually take Noah this long to solve a case?” Liam wonders. Kai shakes his head.

“Depends, sometimes cases go on for a longer period of time however he always gets stressed and frustrated when this happens.” Ava innocently titles her head and tries to make her eyes bigger. This can’t end good, I think.

“Maybe that is why his hair is so white. It’s from all that stress. Maybe I should call him mystery grandpa.”

“Maybe the voices were right.” I contemplate.

Murder and violence! they cheer. The three of them look at me with various levels of concern and fear.

I laugh. My stomach starts to hurt.

I think he went into hysteria the voices sweat. When I calm down slightly and only giggle a little I see that the others started laughing as well. Kai was looking at me the most. His face red again and face still shocked. Maybe he still wants me to be put in a mental asylum. Honestly I can’t blame him. Without warning Liams expression turns sombre. He looks to the side lowering his head hiding his eyes behind his bangs.

“This might seem sudden, but I don’t think that I should hang out with you guys anymore. I don’t want to get involved with this. If the killer finds out what you are doing he will kill you, Noah. Not only you but us as well. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to die.”

I stay still. Ava does not she grasps Liams shoulders.

“You can’t just leave!”

Liam throws her hands off

“IT’S NOT LIKE I ASKED TO HANG OUT WITH YOU!”

I feel exhausted. It may seem wrong but I can’t muster up the energy to argue. I don’t want Liam to leave but I doubt that convincing him will work.

“I’m sorry” All head snap to me. “I didn’t mean to make you afraid. I just want to find the murderer no matter what. At times I forgot that not everyone thinks like that. It’s fine that you don’t. It’s okay that you are afraid.” I’m not. I don’t care if I make it to the next year.

Liam doesn’t answer he bites his lip.

“I’m going home.” He whispers before leaving. Ava has tears gathering in her yes.

“Then leave.” Immediately she goes in the other direction not caring if that is the right way.

“I guess I should leave too.” Kai decides.

We all go home. The next day at school is weird. Ava is still mad at Liam and avoiding him isn’t really an option since he is in our class. He doesn’t hang out with out during the breaks. The whole day passes and nothing happens. It is now again another school day. Ava has claimed that she forgave Liam but she is still colder than usual. I decide to talk to her alone.

“Are you okay? You seem very agitated.” She avoids looking at me. A lot of people have been doing that lately.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Avas smile is strained unlike her usual one. It doesn’t fit her. “Why don’t we look for more clues?  Maybe someone missed something.” 

I hesitate.

“I don’t want to force anyone to do something that they don’t want to.”

“I don’t mind. I guess” I hear from behind me. Liam. Why is he here? And I thought he didn’t want to be involved in this.

“If you are sure…” And so all of us go to the forest again. Alex also joins us. He said that he wants to help us and claims that he has to babysit us. Also since it’s a crime scene we are currently trespassing. I make sure to tell all of them how to not contaminate the scene. Rubys body is gone. The blood is not. Just as I thought we find nothing new. However my body starts to get heavy. I’m not sure why. It’s a strange exhaustion. The same one I felt at Rubys house.

I stop for a second to catch my breath. There is Liam he is doing something but I can’t see what. He has a strange almost guilty expression. The air is still thick with tension. Ava though claiming that she isn’t mad anymore still hasn’t forgiven Liam. It’s easy to tell. I feel uncomfortable.

“Maybe we should go.” Kai suggests. “It’s getting late and we are tired especially mystery boy over there.” He points in my direction. I huff in offence.

“I feel just fine.”

Alex snorts.

“You.” I shake my head. Distantly I wonder why the voices haven’t made one remark since coming here. Maybe I just didn’t hear them. I don’t get any time to ponder on it because we hear something.

Without thinking we run.

“Why does this keep happening?” Kai cries. I agree. This is like my third time and at this point this is getting old. We all stop at a spot even deeper inside the forest and I start to think that this was really stupid. It’s only us four because Alex didn’t run and when he did, he went to a different direction.

“I told you. I don’t want to die.” Big tears are rolling down Liams eyes. He is shaking and sobbing.

Someone is approaching.

“I should have left when I had the chance.” He continuous.

It’s on my right. Kai is trying to shove me behind him as much as possible. Ava is balling her fist. Her hands are shaking. It’s quiet. Kai breathes out.

“Maybe it was just an animal.”

I hum.

“They are dangerous too, you know. Maybe we are going crazy with paranoia.”

You are already crazy the voices tell me. I did not miss them.

Ava turns to Liam.

“WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!” I flinch back despite her not addressing me. No one says anything.

This is a fucking mess. Ava was breathing heavily. There were tears gathering in her eyes.

“WHY DID YOU COME IF YOU ARE SO SCARED!? LEAVE JUST LIKE HER, YOU COWARD!” Her rant was interrupted by my scream. A hand suddenly landed on my shoulder. I was about to hit the person behind me out of reflex but caught myself when I saw who it was.

“You got to be kidding me.” I cry. It was once again Kato. I’m starting to get dejavu.

“What are you doing here?” Kato asks. “There was already one victim in this forest we don’t need another.” No one said anything. Kato runs his hand through his hair.

“If you have to do this at least let me know next time.” He sounds a little defeated. I simply nod. The others also murmur agreements. We stay still not knowing what to do. Everyone is tense.

“Come on, brats I will bring you home.”

“Why were you even following us like that, creep.” Kai huffs out. He moves to my side. He seemed a little on edge. This has been rather emotionally and physically exhausting but something bugged me.

Kato looks like he wants to be anywhere but here. I throw my elbow into Kais side.

“Don’t talk like that to Kato. What was he supposed to do? Let us walk around a forest with a murderer running loose. Though I would have apricated it if you called us. Just appearing like that was scary.”

“I tried you didn’t seem to hear me over the screaming.” Kato looks at us judgemental. I roll my eyes.

“Well seems like none of us would survive in a horror movie.” Liam looks torn between screaming or crying.

“That was your conclusion from this?” I shrug instead of answering.

I look over to Ava. She is biting her lip.

“Are you okay?” I whisper to her. It was really stupid. Of course she isn’t okay. Still she nods. A new voice joins us.

“There you guys are.” Alex puts his hands on my shoulder and starts to twist me in all directions checking me for injuries.

“I’m fine.” He doesn’t seem to trust my judgement instead continued to check me over. Such a prick I can take care of myself.

You really can’t the voices correct me. After Alex is done he lets go of me and then hits me over the head.

“You motherfucker!” I cuss at him. “What was that for?”

Alex put his hands on his hips.

“For making me worry.”

“You are the one who ran into a completely different direction.” I accuse. However Alex remains unaffected.

“Who runs deeper into a forest when they get chased? You four wouldn’t survive in a horror movie.”

“We already established that.” I inform him.

I think I hear a terrified “Oh god there is two of him.” From Liam but it gets drowned out by the voices laughing.

“I can’t fit all of you in my car.” Kato jumps into the conversation. Alex didn’t even hesitate before answering.

“That’s fine I will take a bus.” I shove Alex.

“I don’t mind taking a bus. The reason why we all are here is because of me anyway.”

“No, you look like you would drop dead any second. When was the last time you slept?” Alex shoved me back.

“When was the last time you minded your own businesses. Besides I will be fine. I can fight should I see any murderers. Though I doubt that that is very likely.” In responses I get an unimpressed stare from Alex.

“The way you are right now I wouldn't trust you to be able to tell the difference between a bus and a white van with candy.”

I want to protest but I think my body is actually going to kill me soon.

“Send me a text when you get home.” I demand. Alex nods

“You too” He destroys my hair once again before leaving. We all go to Katos car. It’s quiet the whole time. It is only when Kato stops in front of Avas house that he says something.

“You know bottling everything up until you explode isn’t healthy.”

Ironic coming from him the voices say. I agree with them. However, while it is hypocritical he does have a point.

Don’t act like you are any better. This time I disagree. I’m fine.

I didn’t even realize that Kato already drove Liam home and is now in front of Kais house. Kai looked like he wanted to say something but decided against it.

“See you tomorrow.” He left. After that I was also send to my house. I enter and to no one’s surprise my parents aren’t here. The next day I go to school. I would rather do anything else. I feel exhausted.

Stupid flowers the voices start to cuss. I don’t even question it this time. When I arrive the others are already here. No one else. We all arrived way too early. The classroom is open for some reason so we go inside and sit together.

Ava refused to look anyone in the eyes. She was looking at the floor like it stole her favourite dessert.

“I’m sorry I yelled yesterday.” She forces out. “I was upset. Liam keeps talking about leaving but still joins us. I don’t want that again. My…” No one interrupted her. It seemed like she needed to gather her thoughts. “My mother left.”

Now Liam starts to talk.

“I didn’t mean it. I was just scared. I don’t want to leave all of you.”

“I overreacted.” Ava says.

Healthy communication is this economy that’s new the voices say in wonder.

It’s quiet no one knows what to say anymore. Who was right or who was wrong. I think all of us messed up in some way. I felt guilty. They wouldn’t have to be scared if it wasn’t for me but I wasn’t even sure how to apologize.

“I promise I won’t leave.” Liam was looking at all of us. Ava was smiling. It was weird. We all don’t know each other for a very long time but I think I would break if any of them left.

“Let’s go to class. We still have some time and I want to go over the material for the test.” Liam smiles too. However in that moment Avas drops.

“What test?” We all groan.

“Again seriously?” Kai throws his hands up.

“Shut up!” Ava hits Kai before sulking in a corner. After that school went normally. None of us went home yet. Instead we stayed in the school library.

“What should we do next?” Liam asks turning to me.

“What do you mean?” I title my head to the side slightly perplexed. Kai let out a sigh.

“You now the investigation. You are the detective. Tell us what to do next.” I furrow my brows.

“Are you sure?”

“Do you think we would be asking if we weren’t?” This time it’s Ava who looks at me like I’m a complete moron.

To be fair you are one. The voices once again give their unwanted opinion.

“You don’t have to help.” I say.

“You really need to shut up sometimes.” Ava seemed like she was about to hit me too.

Let Kai kiss him that should him shut up for a good while. The voices laugh.

I choke on air. I fall out of my chair. They all look to me in concern.

“Are you okay?! You are extremely red.” Kai was immediately by my side. I really want to die right now. Where is a killer when you need one. Liam and Ava are hovering above me too their faces are a mix of way too many emotions.

“What happened.” They all looked at me like I was a little insane.

“Nothing.” I choke out. I turn away from Kai and instead look at the celling.

“People don’t usually do stuff like that because of nothing.” Ava gives me an unimpressed look.

“That must have hurt. We should make sure you didn’t injure yourself.” Kai chimes in.

This is a very interesting celling.

Truly why is it that every school has a celling with holes in it. You know those small ones that you try to count when everything gets too boring. I think the last time I gave up after like 45. A hand is waving in front of my face.

“Noah? Do hear us? Do you think he hit his head.” The hand and voice belong to Liam. I sit up.

“I’m fine. I didn’t get hurt.” They all look unsure. I didn’t pay attention again. Too busy cursing out the voices. Seriously what the actual living fuck where those bastards thinking spouting bullshit like that. If I ever find out how to kill them, I will do it.

How vicious the voices shiver. It was so fake I wanted to slam my head against the ground a second time.