Chapter Fourteen - Fear
Megan walked out of her school building just as the final peals of the Chapel's bells rang out across the courtyard. They were signaling the end of another school day to everyone on Haven's grounds.
Megan was relived to be out of the building, even though the air was still heavy with the heat that blazed over the school. With the long meeting she had done with the police and her heavy class schedule, she was mentally taxed to the bone. The end of the day had came none too soon.
Wearily, the head of the student body walked with one of her lower council members that was called Crystal, talking about generally nothing important, while her mind was planning to go see a certain blonde haired girl for awhile.
Crystal was just talking about some trip she might be taking, when Megan made herself listen to the girl again. She felt embarrassed that she had zoned the girl out like that, so was making a effort not to again.
" You think I should go with my parents then?" Crystal asked with great bubbly cheer, not realizing that her much taller friend had not been listening for awhile.
" If you think you'll have fun?" Diplomatically asked Megan, choosing just how to reply while not admitting that she had not been listening.
" I would... but what about Jamie, Francine and I going off to see Bermuda together like we have been planning to?" The dark haired girl asked. " That seems like a total blast and a half."
" I guess you have to think on whether you can have fun with your parents or not." Megan replied after a moment of thought. " Your parents also might just want you with them, since we are getting near the time we graduate and then might go off to University, and your parents want that last time with you before having you go off and start your higher educational route."
The girl seemed to be pondering Megan's words carefully, as she unconsciously bit her nails on one hand. Megan knew that this girl was very deep in thought, but wished the lass did not have such a disgusting habit.
The girl suddenly stopped her chewing and looked at Megan with a small smile of resolve on her very angular face.
" As usual, your reasoning abilities are so right on the money." Said the girl with a long sigh. " I can go to the Bahamas another time." She smiled a satisfied grin as she explained herself. " Going to see Paris with my family at midterm break does actually sound more than just a little fun."
" Shopping in the heart of Paris does." Giggled Megan, seeing the light go on in the girl's head.
Megan just was relived that the girl did not have a clue that she had been not listening, and that she had guessed at everything. She always was good at finding context clues, helping Crystal out even though not understanding, made her realize this. She snickered to herself, and promised not to do that anymore.
The two seniors were just starting across the large central courtyard together when they both spotted a gathering of many people near the grade eleven and ten building down a ways from them. The group seemed to be talking louder, and the amount of people there were on they unusual side of things
The crowd looked to be in a bit of a panic over something.
" Wonder what is going on over there?" Crystal said, her eyes searching the crowd for a clue to what was happening. " Looks like some sort of raucous is going on."
Megan peered over to survey the crowd too, curious of just why such a large group had gathered. Her friend was right though, there was something going on, as the girls that were congregating there seemed to be very upset or something by the tone of the chattering. A feeling of coldness suddenly shot right through her, as she pondered on it.
A girl with dark colored hair suddenly broke form the crowd, and ran straight for the President and her friend. The girl raced over, her eyes firmly glued on to the two that she hurried to, not once moving off.
Megan froze where she was, as something deep inside her heart told her to do so. Watching for what seemed like many minutes, The President noted the girl racing headlong was the wardrobe girl, Tasha.
The girl arrived at where Megan and Crystal stood. She was panting hard from the running she just had done, patting her chest with trying to catch her breath.
" Madam President..." She called out, puffing the words out with great laboring gasps. " Have you heard?"
" Heard what, Tasha?" Asked the short haired beauty, puzzled with the girl's question. " What is going on over there?"
The girl finally regained some of her breath back to a normal rate, and looked at the much taller Megan.
" One of the girls is missing since fourth period." She said. " A girl from grade ten Biology class.... they went to collect specimens from the pond, and she totally vanished from the group."
Megan felt her heart skip a beat, as the girl rolled out her explanation. Quickly, her mind went to places where she did not want to. She reigned herself to some degree, as the girl speaking was waiting for something from her
" Who is the girl?" Megan pressed hesitantly, hoping that the name was not what she was fearing it could be.
" It's the new girl in Grade ten, Lori Brentwall." Said Tasha almost bluntly. " She just has simply vanished."
The girl fought to keep her composure, but the fear that she was having, was bubbling over deep inside her. She took a deep breath in, as the questions she had must be asked for now.
" Have they searched the around the pond and wooded areas yet?"
" Yes, Madam President..." The girl informed. " The have done that... there is a rumor that they found blood on some rocks near the edge of the water. They have called for the police and their divers to check the pond."
" B... Blood?" Megan echoed, her heart pounding wildly. " They found some blood?"
" Yeah, a little by what I heard." The girl filled in, her own voice now wavering. " A girl in Lori's class was searching for her after the class was suppose to meet at the head of the path going in to the Pond area."
Megan felt a cold chill go through her body, as all of the information was now hitting her. She just tried to think logically, while her mind flashed with all of the emotions she was having for her now missing lover. She was realizing just how strong her feelings were for Lori.
" Was Miss Fincher advised of this yet?" She said, holding back her growing worrying state.
" She is over there waiting for the police to arrive from Kilperton's main Police Headquarters." Tasha said, looking right into Megan's face. " They said they would dispatch a squad right away."
Unable to contain herself anymore, Megan pushed past her friend and Tasha, and bolted for the group. She felt the tears coming down her face, as all she could do was scream out Lori's name in her mind.
To her shock, she realized right then that she was not just saying it in her mind, she was screaming the girl's name at the top of her lungs as she ran.