MISSING CLAIRE

LAUREN'S POINT OF VIEW

Chaotic. That's the perfect word to describe the uproar happening inside the university. I haven't entered the school's gate yet but I can already sense the chaos and panic.

I walked inside with a creased forehead, following the trail of students going to the same location.

The two students' conversation caught my interest.

"What the fuck? Who even has the guts to done such heinous crime inside the University?"

"I know right. But it's really disturbing, haven't you noticed that three students already died within the first two weeks of our class?" She paused and look at her friend. "And guess what?"

"What?"

"Two of them belong to the same section! And base on what I heard, the other one is also affiliated with those two!"

My eyes widened after hearing what she just had said.

"Really?! That's strange and creepy at the same time."

They passed by me, still talking about the incident. I was petrified on my spot, my feet seem to be glued on the floor as fear abruptly crept my system. I close my eyes and recollect my resolve. Gathering all the strength I could muster, I huddled with the ocean of tumultuous students.

"Lauren?"

I look at the person who grab my arms, it's Pierce who seems apprehensive as well.

"P-Pierce, what happened?"

He did not answer me and pull me again. When we reached the front of the crowd, our other classmates greeted me. There were police busy inspecting one of the abandoned building of this school.

I look for Lei, she's beside Ashley who's now crying.

"It's Carter," Pierce suddenly said beside me.

"What?" I asked, puzzled.

He close his eyes and look at me, tears brimming his eyes. "Carter is already dead, Lauren. One of our classmate died, again."

I was still dumbstruck. Carter and I had neither forge a friendship before, but that doesn't mean I'm not sad hearing his death.

"W-Where is his body?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"The cops already took his body to the hospital."

"But what really happened to him? H-How did he die?" I couldn't hide the fear on my voice.

He sighed. "There are several cuts on his body, a-and-" He paused and gulp hard. "his whole body was burned."

My stomach churned upon hearing Pierce's words. I could not imagine the pain Carter had been through.

"Students, please go inside your respective rooms now." The police officer dispersed the crowd.

We left the place hesitantly. I look at Lei who's carrying Ashley because the latter seems burn out from crying, which confuses me as well.

"I didn't even have the chance to tell him how much I l-love him," Ashley suddenly uttered, her voice cracking.

My forehead creased.

"What do you mean, Ash?" Ethan asked the question I wanted to ask.

Ashley did not answer and cried again.

Lei breathed deep and look at us. "Ash and Carter are in a relationship, but they both kept it hidden."

All of us seem surprise, but no one push the topic further because that will probably hurt Ash more and worsen the situation.

We went back to our room. Anyone can certainly feel the heavy and gloomy atmosphere surrounding us. Even when our professor in Philosophy, Mr. Arellano, started his lesson, all of us are still preoccupied with the same thing. Uncertainty and fear can be seen on our eyes. Two of our classmates already died, and the thought of the culprit is still lurking around freely gives us fear.

"Are there any questions, class?" Ms. Arellano asked.

He sighed when none of us answered. Mr. Arellano looks at his watch. "We still have few minutes left. I want you to find a pair and write down everything that you have learned on our today's lesson. If you want to add additional information, you can go to the library. I will leave you guys now, please behave," he said dismissively before gathering his stuff and walked out of the room.

For few moments, all of us just sit inside the room in silence. Ever since the class starts, nothing good happened yet. Hell seems to break loose and rain all its spleen upon us.

"Lauren, are you hungry?" Lorelei asked as she rest her head on my armchair.

I shook my head. "I'm not. You?"

She sighed. "I'm not in the mood to eat. I don't want to waste the time either, so let's just head to library."

I nod my head. After picking up a notebook and a pen, we immediately went to the library.

"Why do we even need to write all these? I mean, I could just take a picture or search these things in the internet," Lei complained while jotting down some important notes on her notebook.

I rolled my eyes. "Internet is a very limited source, there are things that you can only find on books, they are more reliable too."

She sighed and slam her head on the table. "This is really ridiculous. I should have went in the cafeteria," she whined.

I chuckled at her grievance. "You're the one who insisted on going here."

"Yeah, but I did not say that I want to do some stupid things."

I lightly smacked her head using the pen I'm using. "Writing down notes will help you retain these details, dumbass."

She did not respond so I continue flipping the pages of the book I'm reading.

I momentarily closed my eyes after I finished my work

"Lei, are you done with your part?"

No response.

My eyebrows furrowed when she snores lightly.

"Seriously?" I muttered.

The bitch is already sleeping soundly. Great.

I heaved a deep sigh and fixed my things. I slowly grab the books from her. I stand up and walk towards the shelf where we got these books.

My forehead creased when I heard a rustle and whisper from where I'm standing, seems like it's on the opposite end. I could not comprehend who is that because the shelves and the books are blocking the person.

"Where shall we kill her?"

My eyes widened at what the owner of the voice said. Now I'm certain that it's a girl.

I clenched my fist, trying to calm myself. I swallowed a lump as I walk in the most quiet possible. I was about to peak when someone grab my arms. I flinched and instinctively raised my bag and hit that person.

"Aw," she winced while caressing her face. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

I immediately crouched down when I recognized that it's Lorelei. "Shit. You scared the hell out of me."

She glared at me. "That doesn't mean you can hit me, deep shit."

"I'm sorry, okay?"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, what are you looking at?"

I immediately stand up and dash towards the end of the hallway. My knees quiver when only the empty table and deserted hallway greeted me.

"What the fuck are you looking for?" Lei asked as she stood beside me.

I look at her helplessly. "Lei, I heard a voice here earlier, before you came."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"S-She's asking someone."

"Asking what? Can you please get straight to the point?"

I heave a deep sigh. "She's asking someone from the phone where they should they kill her."

Her face blanch as fear cross her eyes. "L-Lauren, that's not a good joke."

I shake my head. "I'm telling the truth, Lei. I was supposed to see who was that person is but you came."

An eerie silence hover inside the library.

"W-What if he's pertaining to one of our classmate? W-we need to inform them," I said, stuttering.

Her eyes widened. Without any preamble, she grabbed my arms and run outside the place.

We're both panting when we reached the door of our room. With my shaking hands, I open the door only to be greeted with a loud and painful slap.

Samantha's eyes are burning holes on my body as I look at her, frowning. Her eyes are raging with bury despite the tears clouding it.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Sam?! Who are you to fucking slap Lauren?!" Lorelei's voice echoed inside the room.

Sam averted her gaze at me and looks at her. "Stop defending this criminal, Lauren. She's already busted."

My jaw drop as she spat those words while pointing her accusing fingers at me.

"We could not find Claire, and the two of you are the only remaining people who were not with us when she went missing. Do you think I'm dumb to not suspect you?"

I look at her in disbelief. Lei was about to speak when I stop her by patting her shoulder.

I look at Sam sternly. "You're unbelievable. You accused me of something without even hearing my explanation." The whole class turned silent.

I sighed heavily. "No, you're not just dumb, you're a feeble-minded bitch with a miniscule brain capacity who points her fingers without any consummate evidence."

I could not handle the disappointment and anger surging inside me anymore. I continue chastising her impetuous attitude.

"Are you for real? You will put the blame on me just because I'm not with you all during that time? How stupid can you be?  Because honestly, you're not making any sense here."

I walked towards my seat because facing Samantha is making my fingers twitch in contempt. "I and Lorelei went to the library when Mr. Arellano dismissed us, with the sole purpose of doing the research. We did not leave that place since then. Try to put those words in your underdeveloped brain before you doubt me."

I plugged my earphones in and close my eyes to calm myself down. I could not believe that these imbeciles will welcome me with such kind of crap.

Despite my closed eyes, I can still feel them stealing glances at me. I can't blame them though, they are probably surprised because this is the first time that I vent out my frustration and anger. They have known me as the silent and timid wallflower who would choose to stay silent in the corner instead of taking part on the clamor. But what Sam did really cut my last strings of patience, she severed it up to the hilt.

The silence was only disrupted when someone knocks on the door. Lincoln opened it, and a uniformed personnel emerged from the outside, Ms. Montreal is trailing behind him.

"Sam, Officer Davien wants to talk to you in my office. I hope you won't mind lending him a minute."

I eyed the police keenly. He's the same person who nursed our disastrous and bloody classroom before. That's why his face rings a bell.

Samantha, despite the tears cascading down her cheeks, nodded her head.

I turned to Lei who's sitting beside me. "I'll follow them."

Her forehead creased. "What? Are you crazy, Lauren? Incase you forgot, that bitch slapped you just minutes ago. Now stay here if you don't want to have another squabble with that crazy woman."

I breathe deep. "I'm still mad at her, but I need to tell the police what I heard in the library earlier. That could help them."

Though she still looks unconvinced, she just let me off.

I knock on our teacher's office. Ms. Clara opened it.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Oh, Lauren, do you need something?"

I nod my head. "I need to tell something important to Mr. Morelli."

She made a way for me and opens the door. I smiled lightly at her.

Samantha looks at me, but she's more calm now. "W-What are you doing here?"

I ignored her and focused my attention on the man sitting in front of us. "Sir, is Claire really missing?"

He sighed and clasped his hands together. "The entire campus already made an announcement to give us an immediate report if someone sees your classmate. Unfortunately, it's been almost an hour but there's still no progress. We already contact her parents but they are out of coverage."

He turned to Sam. "Kid, can you please narrate us what happened again?"

The latter nodded. "W-We're eating lunch that time when she excused herself because she needs to use the comfort room. But almost an hour had already passed but she did not come back." She paused and wipe her cheeks. "Since I was already worried, I followed her in the bathroom. B-But, I only found her I.D, there's also b-blood spilled on the floor. I panicked and look for her on every possible places where we often go, but there was no trace of Claire."

The officer heaved a deep sigh. "That's what bother us the most, something bad could happen to your friend. We already checked the CCTV footage inside the University but none of those caught your friend's disappearance."

I rub the hem of my uniform to at least ease the tension I'm feeling. I look at Sam and Mr. Morelli. "I think I have a valuable intel."

What I said caught their attentions.

"I and my best friend were in the library earlier. And I overheard someone's conversation. The person asked someone through the phone where should they kill her. I-I'm not sure if they are pertaining to Claire or not, but the timing is too perfect for it to be just a coincidence, right?"

They nod their heads, considering my assumption.

"That information can really help us, Ms. Lauren, thank you. I promise to get to the bottom of this, we'll do everything in our power to find Claire."

I bow my head and excused myself from the three. I was about to walk away when someone grab my hands.

"I-I just want to say sorry for my hasty accusations towards you earlier. I was just fed up by my emotions. I'm really sorry," Sam said behind me.

I fend off her grasp. "That's fine, I understand. But don't try slapping me again because I can't promise you that I will not do the same thing," I said without looking at her.

I turned my gaze on west, the clear blue sky was slowly being tinted with thick gloomy clouds. Heavily, the wind blew, seems like the rain was about to pour down. The sky appears to warn me of the imminent catastrophe.