“Are you positive you don’t know where he is?”
Kyle shrugged at the police officer. “I haven’t seen him for the last two days. Not since…” Kyle glanced at the principal.
The principal’s eyes narrowed. It was all that was needed to tell Kyle to keep his mouth shut.
“Since when,” the officer pushed. The officer's glare was more intimidating, but the principal could do far more damage.
“Um, since he had some kind of freak out in class.” Kyle tightened his lips. He glared at the principal. The stout old man was more concerned with the reputation of the school than the safety of one of his students; the school over Kyle's best friend.
The officer looked through his notes. “This is the incident where Jacob claimed demons were trying to possess him?” Kyle nodded. “Has Jacob ever had a history of these kinds of freak outs?” The cop air quoted “Freak outs.”
“Never.”
“Probably tried drugs for the first time and couldn't handle it.”The officer sighed. He closed his notepad. “Thank you for your cooperation, Kyle. If we have any more questions, we’ll be sure to contact you.”
Kyle nodded. He picked up his backpack and left the principal’s office.
Cops roamed the school halls, searching lockers and asking students questions pertaining to Jacob. A forensics team had taken over the classroom where Jacob had his episode. Students nonchalantly leaned against the walls as they watched the police force work.
Kyle reached his locker. He glanced back at the cops searching Jacob’s locker. They bagged notebooks and random miscellaneous items, knowing full well none of it would lead to Jacob’s whereabouts.
Kyle’s friend, Brett, stared at the cops as he walked up. “This is crazy. I still can’t believe someone we know went missing; and Jacob of all people.”
“Yeah…” Kyle stuffed his math textbook into his backpack.
“And did you feel that earthquake last night? Man, what a shock. First time I ever experienced one.”
“Same…”
Brett turned his full attention to Kyle. “How was the interrogation?”
“It wasn’t an interrogation. They just wanted to know if I knew anything.”
“Same difference.”
“Here’s the thing, the principal was acting weird. He kept acting like he didn’t want the cops to know the full details of what happened to Jacob two days ago. That shit was scary. There's no way drugs had anything to do with it.” Kyle shook his head. “I just don’t get it. That’s probably the biggest clue we have.”
Brett scratched the side of his head. His dark curly hair flopped about. “I bet it’s because of that thing that happened a couple years ago. He’s probably trying to protect the school’s reputation.” He gave a flirtatious nod to a pretty girl passing by. The girl bit her bottom lip and gave an approving look-over as she walked by.
“What thing?”
“Surely you know about it.” Brett watched the girl’s behind. “That mass murder that happened?”
“How about we pretend as if I don’t know what you’re talking about. Or we don’t have to pretend, ‘cause I don’t.” Kyle rolled his eyes.
“Touchy. Well, a couple years ago this murder spree occurred. Some new student went crazy and kill a bunch of people all for this guy he was obsessed with. Rumors say the crazy student was actually a demon summoned by the guy and his friend.”
Kyle tightened his lips. He shut his locker and leaned back on it. “If I hadn’t seen what I saw yesterday, I would say that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
Brett tapped his chin in thought. “Trying to remember the name of the student it happened to…”
“Not like it matters. It has nothing to do with what happened to Jacob.”
“Gabe… I think the name was Gabe or something.” Brett shrugged. “Whatever. Like you said; nothing to do with this.”
“But it obviously is enough for the principal to hide what really happened.” Kyle exhaled his frustration.
“The cops will find out eventually. Just gotta wait until they do.”
Kyle watched the cops rummage through Jacob's locker. It was a futile front. All Jacob left in his locker was his school stuff. His secrets, he kept elsewhere. “Or I need to figure it out myself.”
Brett chuckled until he realized Kyle wasn't joking. “I really don't think that's a good idea.”
Kyle shrugged. “It's happening either way.” He threw his backpack over his shoulder. “I'm ditching the rest of the day. Cover for me?”
Brett crossed his arms. “What's my incentive?”
“How about my sister's number?”
Brett's face beamed, “Jasmine? Done deal! For her number I'll rob a bank for you.” He stopped and looked at the cops who now eyed them suspiciously. “Obviously I don't mean it.”
Kyle shook his head and walked away. If there were any clues to be found, it would be at Jacob's house.
. . .
Kyle stayed hidden in the shadows of a tree cluster for a few hours until the forensics team finally left. The property had been taped off from the public and the cops scoured the house until dusk. The two-story house looked like a scene from a movie. The extravagant wood structure had a portion of the second story blown off. Wall remnants had been scattered around the backyard.
When the house was deserted, Kyle waited ten minutes before racing across the street. Kyle had always loved coming over. The backyard had its own pocket of woods that he and Jacob would spend most of their youth playing in. Now it looked like a battlefield.
“What the hell happened here?” Kyle looked at the hole in the wall.
He snuck to the back door and fished the hidden key from within the garden's soil. Kyle slowly opened the door and stepped inside the kitchen.
A cold draft pricked Kyle's skin. Broken dishes and glasses had been scattered along the floor. The china cabinet had been knocked over. It leaned on the table island, blocking the path to the living room. Traces of burns along the wall trailed from the oven to an incinerated hole in the ceiling.
Kyle crawled under the fallen china cabinet. A shard cut his right hand. He cursed as he rose to his feet. Kyle picked up a stray kitchen towel and wrapped it around the cut. He continued onward, appreciatative that no one was around to hear the glass and porcelain crunching under the weight of his boots.
Somehow the living room was worse than the kitchen. All of the furniture had been burned or torn apart. The carpets had been ripped to shreds. Blood had splattered everywhere and the floor accumulated a multitude of blood pools. With the blood seeped into the shredded carpet and the blood puddles about, the living room looked more like a swamp. A solid color rug in front of the fireplace was the only dry.
Kyle shuddered in disgust as the carpet squished under his foot. He clenched his fists tightly in vain attempt to hold back the urge to run. He hated being so squeamish at the sight of blood, but he couldn’t help it. The sight and the smell always made him queasy. He hurried up the stairs. He avoided touching the blood-covered rails and walls.
The second story hall was black as night from scorch marks. Kyle couldn’t believe his eyes. The hallway must have been consumed by flames enough to burn the second story down, yet there it lay, intact.
The door to Jacob’s room had been melted into a stub. Inside, all of the furniture had been thrown to the sides. The dresser and entertainment center had been piled onto the bed while the gaming chairs and bookcases had been tossed onto the desk. A perfect circle had been burned in the center of the room.
Kyle stared at the white outline before the singed carpet. It had to have been where Jacob’s father was killed.
Another shudder passed through Kyle. He stared out the destroyed wall into the woods. The full moon peeked from behind the treetops. A cold wind rustled the trees and picked up loose leaves into the night sky.
Kyle shook out his nerves. He turned his attention to the mess before him. With a sigh, Kyle began searching for some kind of clue.
Cold air pricked at his skin as the night set. Kyle sat on the only spot on the bed he could fit in. He had skimmed through piles of papers that were mostly homework or poems, which he actually didn't know Jacob was into. The room was too much of a mess to find anything out of place.
He looked down at one of Jacob's poems he had discarded. “Oh.” Kyle jumped to his feet. A smile came to his lips. “If he's the type of person to write poems, then...”
Kyle pulled the dresser and entertainment center off the bed. He searched through the drawers and under the mattress for anything. All he found were girl magazines.
Moving over to the desk and bookcases, Kyle flipped through each book until he finally found exactly what he was looking for. Kyle pulled off the Danielle Steel paper cover to reveal Jacob's journal.
The winds suddenly picked up. The loose papers on the floor swirled around Kyle and flew into the sky. Kyle’s skin felt cold as ice and was only getting colder. He rubbed his arms. As he turned to leave, a howl echoed over the woods. More howls followed until an eerie symphony played in the air.
“What the hell?” Kyle glanced down at the backyard. A pack of wolves gathered at the woods edge. They lined along the trees and looked up at Kyle. At least ten wolves were watching him.
Kyle’s heart beat hard against his chest. His breathing hastened. Kyle took a step back. The wolves howled in unison. A flock of crows flew out from the woods.
Kyle stumbled over the fallen furniture on his way out of the house. He slipped into one of the blood puddles and soaked his shirt red. Kyle tried to get up but kept slipping. Finally he reached the front door and stumbled out of the house.
He raced across the street and looked back. The wolves still howled in their spots. Kyle moved just enough to take a peek into the backyard. All of the wolves stopped howling and turned to look at him.
Kyle's heart leapt. He clutched Jacob's journal tightly and ran.
Kyle shrugged at the police officer. “I haven’t seen him for the last two days. Not since…” Kyle glanced at the principal.
The principal’s eyes narrowed. It was all that was needed to tell Kyle to keep his mouth shut.
“Since when,” the officer pushed. The officer's glare was more intimidating, but the principal could do far more damage.
“Um, since he had some kind of freak out in class.” Kyle tightened his lips. He glared at the principal. The stout old man was more concerned with the reputation of the school than the safety of one of his students; the school over Kyle's best friend.
The officer looked through his notes. “This is the incident where Jacob claimed demons were trying to possess him?” Kyle nodded. “Has Jacob ever had a history of these kinds of freak outs?” The cop air quoted “Freak outs.”
“Never.”
“Probably tried drugs for the first time and couldn't handle it.”The officer sighed. He closed his notepad. “Thank you for your cooperation, Kyle. If we have any more questions, we’ll be sure to contact you.”
Kyle nodded. He picked up his backpack and left the principal’s office.
Cops roamed the school halls, searching lockers and asking students questions pertaining to Jacob. A forensics team had taken over the classroom where Jacob had his episode. Students nonchalantly leaned against the walls as they watched the police force work.
Kyle reached his locker. He glanced back at the cops searching Jacob’s locker. They bagged notebooks and random miscellaneous items, knowing full well none of it would lead to Jacob’s whereabouts.
Kyle’s friend, Brett, stared at the cops as he walked up. “This is crazy. I still can’t believe someone we know went missing; and Jacob of all people.”
“Yeah…” Kyle stuffed his math textbook into his backpack.
“And did you feel that earthquake last night? Man, what a shock. First time I ever experienced one.”
“Same…”
Brett turned his full attention to Kyle. “How was the interrogation?”
“It wasn’t an interrogation. They just wanted to know if I knew anything.”
“Same difference.”
“Here’s the thing, the principal was acting weird. He kept acting like he didn’t want the cops to know the full details of what happened to Jacob two days ago. That shit was scary. There's no way drugs had anything to do with it.” Kyle shook his head. “I just don’t get it. That’s probably the biggest clue we have.”
Brett scratched the side of his head. His dark curly hair flopped about. “I bet it’s because of that thing that happened a couple years ago. He’s probably trying to protect the school’s reputation.” He gave a flirtatious nod to a pretty girl passing by. The girl bit her bottom lip and gave an approving look-over as she walked by.
“What thing?”
“Surely you know about it.” Brett watched the girl’s behind. “That mass murder that happened?”
“How about we pretend as if I don’t know what you’re talking about. Or we don’t have to pretend, ‘cause I don’t.” Kyle rolled his eyes.
“Touchy. Well, a couple years ago this murder spree occurred. Some new student went crazy and kill a bunch of people all for this guy he was obsessed with. Rumors say the crazy student was actually a demon summoned by the guy and his friend.”
Kyle tightened his lips. He shut his locker and leaned back on it. “If I hadn’t seen what I saw yesterday, I would say that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
Brett tapped his chin in thought. “Trying to remember the name of the student it happened to…”
“Not like it matters. It has nothing to do with what happened to Jacob.”
“Gabe… I think the name was Gabe or something.” Brett shrugged. “Whatever. Like you said; nothing to do with this.”
“But it obviously is enough for the principal to hide what really happened.” Kyle exhaled his frustration.
“The cops will find out eventually. Just gotta wait until they do.”
Kyle watched the cops rummage through Jacob's locker. It was a futile front. All Jacob left in his locker was his school stuff. His secrets, he kept elsewhere. “Or I need to figure it out myself.”
Brett chuckled until he realized Kyle wasn't joking. “I really don't think that's a good idea.”
Kyle shrugged. “It's happening either way.” He threw his backpack over his shoulder. “I'm ditching the rest of the day. Cover for me?”
Brett crossed his arms. “What's my incentive?”
“How about my sister's number?”
Brett's face beamed, “Jasmine? Done deal! For her number I'll rob a bank for you.” He stopped and looked at the cops who now eyed them suspiciously. “Obviously I don't mean it.”
Kyle shook his head and walked away. If there were any clues to be found, it would be at Jacob's house.
. . .
Kyle stayed hidden in the shadows of a tree cluster for a few hours until the forensics team finally left. The property had been taped off from the public and the cops scoured the house until dusk. The two-story house looked like a scene from a movie. The extravagant wood structure had a portion of the second story blown off. Wall remnants had been scattered around the backyard.
When the house was deserted, Kyle waited ten minutes before racing across the street. Kyle had always loved coming over. The backyard had its own pocket of woods that he and Jacob would spend most of their youth playing in. Now it looked like a battlefield.
“What the hell happened here?” Kyle looked at the hole in the wall.
He snuck to the back door and fished the hidden key from within the garden's soil. Kyle slowly opened the door and stepped inside the kitchen.
A cold draft pricked Kyle's skin. Broken dishes and glasses had been scattered along the floor. The china cabinet had been knocked over. It leaned on the table island, blocking the path to the living room. Traces of burns along the wall trailed from the oven to an incinerated hole in the ceiling.
Kyle crawled under the fallen china cabinet. A shard cut his right hand. He cursed as he rose to his feet. Kyle picked up a stray kitchen towel and wrapped it around the cut. He continued onward, appreciatative that no one was around to hear the glass and porcelain crunching under the weight of his boots.
Somehow the living room was worse than the kitchen. All of the furniture had been burned or torn apart. The carpets had been ripped to shreds. Blood had splattered everywhere and the floor accumulated a multitude of blood pools. With the blood seeped into the shredded carpet and the blood puddles about, the living room looked more like a swamp. A solid color rug in front of the fireplace was the only dry.
Kyle shuddered in disgust as the carpet squished under his foot. He clenched his fists tightly in vain attempt to hold back the urge to run. He hated being so squeamish at the sight of blood, but he couldn’t help it. The sight and the smell always made him queasy. He hurried up the stairs. He avoided touching the blood-covered rails and walls.
The second story hall was black as night from scorch marks. Kyle couldn’t believe his eyes. The hallway must have been consumed by flames enough to burn the second story down, yet there it lay, intact.
The door to Jacob’s room had been melted into a stub. Inside, all of the furniture had been thrown to the sides. The dresser and entertainment center had been piled onto the bed while the gaming chairs and bookcases had been tossed onto the desk. A perfect circle had been burned in the center of the room.
Kyle stared at the white outline before the singed carpet. It had to have been where Jacob’s father was killed.
Another shudder passed through Kyle. He stared out the destroyed wall into the woods. The full moon peeked from behind the treetops. A cold wind rustled the trees and picked up loose leaves into the night sky.
Kyle shook out his nerves. He turned his attention to the mess before him. With a sigh, Kyle began searching for some kind of clue.
Cold air pricked at his skin as the night set. Kyle sat on the only spot on the bed he could fit in. He had skimmed through piles of papers that were mostly homework or poems, which he actually didn't know Jacob was into. The room was too much of a mess to find anything out of place.
He looked down at one of Jacob's poems he had discarded. “Oh.” Kyle jumped to his feet. A smile came to his lips. “If he's the type of person to write poems, then...”
Kyle pulled the dresser and entertainment center off the bed. He searched through the drawers and under the mattress for anything. All he found were girl magazines.
Moving over to the desk and bookcases, Kyle flipped through each book until he finally found exactly what he was looking for. Kyle pulled off the Danielle Steel paper cover to reveal Jacob's journal.
The winds suddenly picked up. The loose papers on the floor swirled around Kyle and flew into the sky. Kyle’s skin felt cold as ice and was only getting colder. He rubbed his arms. As he turned to leave, a howl echoed over the woods. More howls followed until an eerie symphony played in the air.
“What the hell?” Kyle glanced down at the backyard. A pack of wolves gathered at the woods edge. They lined along the trees and looked up at Kyle. At least ten wolves were watching him.
Kyle’s heart beat hard against his chest. His breathing hastened. Kyle took a step back. The wolves howled in unison. A flock of crows flew out from the woods.
Kyle stumbled over the fallen furniture on his way out of the house. He slipped into one of the blood puddles and soaked his shirt red. Kyle tried to get up but kept slipping. Finally he reached the front door and stumbled out of the house.
He raced across the street and looked back. The wolves still howled in their spots. Kyle moved just enough to take a peek into the backyard. All of the wolves stopped howling and turned to look at him.
Kyle's heart leapt. He clutched Jacob's journal tightly and ran.