The cruiser approaches the dirt driveway leading to the two-story cabin and halts at the fence line. My Aunt and I step out of the vehicle. Rookie leans slightly out the window, observing us, as my Aunt opens the gate to let me in.

“You all have a better day, okay?” Rookie shouts before ducking back into the cruiser and driving off.

As I walk down the stone path to the porch, I can already feel my phone vibrating loudly with notifications in my back pocket.

“Damn, that was quick,” she murmurs, retrieving her keys from her back pocket and unlocking the front door. “Anything interesting?”

“Haven’t checked,” I murmured as I entered the house. I took off my shoes and headed to the kitchen. Passing the stairwell on my left and the living room archway on my right, I brushed my fingers along the door frames. Stepping into the kitchen, I passed the island toward the fridge. Pulling out a cold coffee and pouring it into my mushroom mug, I leaned against the counter.

Taking my phone out, I finally opened up the notifications.

Jamie: You, okay??

Jamie: Olivia, it's all over the school site. What happened?

        Olivia: What do you know?

Jamie: Well, so far, you found both Angelia Parker and Elric Dawson

        Olivia: Yeah, that’s pretty much it

Jamie: Shit, do you want me to come over? I’ll bring Poppy.

        Olivia: No, I’m good. I’m just going to relax today, maybe snuggle Edgar.

Jamie: I gotcha, if you need me. I’m going to be working at the funeral home with my dad today.

        Olivia: Okay, I’m going to finish my coffee and go for a walk.

Jamie: Peace

        Olivia: Peace

Pocketing my phone, I push off the counter, take a sip of my coffee, and head upstairs to the right. I open my bedroom door, and my eyes fall on the light brown Maine coon, which is softly purring with its legs hanging in the air.

“Well, hello, Edgar,” I smirked, placing my coffee on my desk beside my bed. Before turning and stepping closer to the bed, I ran my fingers through his fur. The purring grows louder. “Sweet baby.” I chuckle as I lift him and walk across the room toward the nook double windows. Placing him down, I then grabbed the forest green harness and laid it in front of him. “Walkie?”

Edgar mewls as he steps into the harness, getting himself snuggly settled. I grabbed his little net hat and placed it on him.

“Fancy boy," I chuckle, grabbing my mug and finishing the coffee before heading to the door. Edgar rushes past me, down the stairs, toward the back door in the kitchen. Hopping down the stairs behind him, I quickly wash my mug in the sink before walking to the back door. Opening it, the enclosed back porch felt more like a connected greenhouse as I stepped through and into the backyard.

“Heading out?”

I turned my head and saw my Aunt kneeling in front of the tomatoes, her gloved hands covered in fresh soil.

“Yeah, going to clear my head.” I shrug and lift Edgar's leash off the hook by the door. Hooking him up, I let Edgar lead me into the nearby pines.

“Have fun! Be back before the sun hits noon!” she shouts as I pass through the dense forest.

After a couple of hours of walking, the dense pines started to thin out, and the soft hums of Holdridge’s community, still bustling as if nothing had happened this morning, reached my ears. With Edgar taking the lead, we walk toward downtown, nodding to passersby as we approach the convenience store.

“Morning, Andy," I mutter as I walk past the front counter. Andy straightens up a bit, adjusts his black hair, and smiles.

“Oh, morning, Olivia.” He smiles, the bright Quickie C labeled vest a contrast to his gothic attire, which didn’t help with the giant yellow smiley face on the back. “How’s the morning treating you?” He asks, leaning against the register.

“You hadn’t heard?” I ask him, glancing at one of the snack racks. "The school has been closed because of an investigation.”

“Investigation? What happened?” Andy hopped around his register, checking the empty lot by the door before walking over to me.

“Well… you know Angelia and Elric?”

“Yeah, I know them. Elric’s in my class.” He leans against the shelf, his eyebrow raised.

“Well, they were found deceased this morning.” I sigh, watching as Andy’s face shifts from calm to confused, and finally to wide-eyed shock.

“No way… that’s who they were talking about this morning.” He mumbles, placing his hand over his mouth.

“Who was talking?” I asked, mild curiosity eating at the back of my thoughts.

“Some weirdos,’ he says, coming in and talking to himself about how sad it was that poor children were dying,” Andy explains, gesturing with his hands. “He kept talking to the air above him; you know how it is early in the morning.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I nodded, grabbing a sandwich off the deli fridge.

Walking back to the register, I pay for my stuff and step outside. Andy walks out with me, taking a cigarette out of his pocket. He leans against the brick wall, closing his eyes as he places it between his lips. Patting himself down, he pulls a silver flick lighter from his back pocket.

“So, any idea how long things are going to be out for…” he mumbles, lighting a cigarette, taking a drag before letting the smoke drift from his lips.

“No, you have a better chance of hearing something than I do.” I shrug, clipping Edgar’s leash to my belt loop before opening the sandwich and taking a bite.

Soon, a calm silence falls between us. After finishing my sandwich, I wave at Andy and then head back toward the woods. He waves back as I step into the trees, Edgar now in my arms as I make my way back to the house.

Six days later, I sit in the greenhouse digging into the dirt in chestnut brown overalls and a deep green short-sleeved shirt. Fixing the dirt, I get to my feet just as Jamie walks in through the back door, a smirk on her face.

“My dearest friend, I have bad news.” Jamie walks over, her boots thumping against the hardwood porch as she hops up, her head thrown back while gripping the banister.

“Oh? And what's that?” I joke back, pulling my gloves off and stuffing them into my pockets. Jamie whips around, placing her hands on her chest.

“Sadly, in three days, we must go back to the hell known as school," Jamie chuckles, pushing her wild black curls away from her face. “How are we supposed to survive?” she asks as she walks into the kitchen.

“With caffeine, cat memes, and possibly a boatload of video games?” I joked as I moved to the cabinet, grabbed a glass, filled it with water, and headed over to the island.

“I can handle that.” Jamie chuckles, leaning against the island with a smirk. “You know, I’m going to fight anyone who fucks with you?”

“Knowing you, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

I should have known jinxing myself was the worst idea I could have mustered as we stepped into the school that early Monday morning, my arms now wrapped around Jamie’s waist, holding her back from Jackson Cooper, a tall athletic varsity boy who gives off the stereotypical daddy buys me everything type of energy. His face scrunched up as he held one hand above the black eye he had just received seconds ago from a very now pissed off looking Jamie, who in all honesty would have done it again if given the chance. Her fingers tightened against the sleeves of my jacket as she glared at Jackson.

“Fucking psycho!” he screams, clutching his eye like a wounded animal, as the loud sound of Principal Phillips' pristine leather shoes rounds the corner makes him stop. A look of horror crosses Phillips' face as he glances between us and Jackson. Jackson is now pulling his best wounded animal act, which I would have to say would be impressive if I hadn’t seen and heard firsthand what he did just a few moments ago.

“My office now!” Principal Phillip shouts, his voice echoing off the walls. His face turns bright red, and the pulse in his temple twitches as he throws up his arm, pointing down the hall toward the primary office.

“Dammit…” Jamie mumbles under her breath, her fists clenched, nails digging into her palms and leaving small crescent moons as Jackson starts making up a long tale, twisting words into the air as we walk.

Walking into the head office, my eyes catch Mrs. Elisa standing off to the side, her desk at the reception now empty except for a small memorial for Elric and Angelia. Photos from freshman to senior year are laid out on the now clean surface, the scent of bleach and heavy pine filling the air as we pass by and enter the Principal’s office.