Staring at the screen of her laptop, Elara found herself zoning out, her chin resting on her palm. The teacher’s voice had become background noise as she scrolled down an article about narcissistic behaviour.

She scribbled down a few notes for next week’s assignment—Psychological Issues in Modern Society.

The irony almost made her chuckle. As if dissecting broken minds through articles and blogs would fix anything, when the world seemed to be run by them.

As she reached the end of the article, a new headline slid into view beneath it.

"Police Investigate Third Homicide Linked to “The Rose Killer”

Elara glanced around before sitting upright and clicking on the page, Becky’s words from the night before echoing faintly in her mind.

"Authorities confirmed evidence of sexual assault in the death of Emily Harkens, 27, whose body was discovered at approximately 3 a.m. Police urge women to travel in pairs while the investigation continues."

Elara felt her stomach tighten, a shiver running down her spine as more information opened up beneath the article. The location made her pause.

The park wasn’t far from her apartment complex.
She had even passed it on her way to school that morning.

“Crazy, isn’t it?”

Elara jumped slightly in her seat as a male voice spoke from behind her. She turned around and let out a breath when she saw a guy peering over her shoulder, his gaze flicking briefly to her screen.

Noticing her reaction, he let out a soft laugh just as the bell rang, marking the end of the lecture.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said with a chuckle.
He looked not much older than she was—sharp features, short dark brown, almost black hair, and deep hazel eyes to match.

“It’s fine,” Elara muttered awkwardly.

The man reached over the bench and offered his hand, a friendly smile playing on his features. “I’m Roger. Nice to meet you.”

She shook his hand. “I’m Elara. It’s nice to meet you too.”

“A bit of a crazy time with that maniac on the loose,” Roger said, gesturing toward her laptop. “I get why you’d be jumpy.”
He paused, then added lightly, “My money’s on that creepy janitor guy.”

A small giggle escaped Elara before she could stop herself.
Before either of them could say more, another guy holding a skateboard walked up and tapped Roger on the shoulder.

“Hey man, you coming?” he asked, glancing at Elara before offering a friendly smile and a quick wave.
Roger grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. “Yeah, I’ll be right there.”

He turned back to Elara with a smile. “See you around.”

“See ya,” she replied, though she wasn’t sure he heard her before he disappeared out the door with his friend.

Elara turned back to her laptop, closed it quickly, and stuffed it into her bag before gathering the rest of her things and heading for the exit of the lecture hall.

“Ms. Voss? A moment of your time, please.”
The teacher’s voice stopped her just before she reached the door. Elara sighed softly and turned around to face the older woman, who was packing up her belongings at the front desk.

“With the recent news,” the teacher began, “we are advising all our female students and staff not to travel alone outside of school grounds.”

Elara nodded quietly.

“I know you work the night shift at the cinema across the street,” the woman continued. “I spoke with the school board, and we’ve agreed that if you ever feel unsafe before, during, or after your shift, you can reach our nightly security guard and stay as long as you need.”
She smiled gently as she slipped on her jacket.

Mrs. Chase had always been thoughtful—sometimes even bringing small cupcakes when a student’s birthday came up.

“Oh… thank you, Mrs. Chase,” Elara said, surprised.

“You’re very welcome, my dear. It’s important to me that you all stay safe." She ushered Elara out with a reassuring smile.
Elara said her goodbyes and left the room, exiting the building moments later.

The moment the cool air hit her face, she pulled out her phone and slipped her earbuds into her ears. Her favourite band filled her head as she made her way toward the grocery store to pick up some snacks for when Becky came over later that evening.

It didn’t take long to get there. She had taken a slight detour from her usual route, but she didn’t mind.
At least this way, she didn’t have to pass the park.

The automatic doors slid open as she entered the small local grocery store. She grabbed a basket and browsed the snack aisle, tossing in a few bags of chips and cookies before heading for the drinks.

Once everything was paid for, Elara thanked the cashier and stepped back outside, the cold air nipping at her cheeks. The sun was already beginning to set, painting the sky in soft streaks of orange and pink.

Hugging the grocery bag tightly to her chest, the college student picked up her pace, uncomfortable with how the cold seemed to cling to her.

The moment she turned a corner she paused,  her gaze landing on what looked like a tall shadow of a man wearing a fedora walking just past the corner,  right before the street lights turned on one by one.

For a split second, she swore she could smell something sweet. Like Roses.
Like someone had waved them briefly in front of her face.

A shiver ran down her spine. Then it was gone, both the shadow and the scent. Elara brushed her long black hair out of her face and shook her head.
“God… this Rose Killer stuff is really getting to me,” she muttered before continuing her walk home.