~ALISON
As was usual with the normal routine for my day, I always left with an empty stomach and my father has never once cared. I took in a deep breath before walking through the hallway of Darnville High.
That was odd. I looked left and right but no one even noticed me or thought to call me names as was the custom in Darnville. They were all gathered together each in their own circle with their eyes fixed on something whilst murmuring to each other.
I shrugged and continued on my way, trying my best to ignore the gurgling sound that erupted from my stomach every now and then.
I got to the class and walked over to my seat which was at the far end of the class. I looked over at Brittany's row, behind where she sat where I expected to find Daven but it was empty.
They all still didn't notice me. Even Brittany was too occupied whispering with her friends to remember that I existed.
"Alright class," Miss Aileen called out and everyone sat up right in their seats. "What has happened was indeed a tragedy but let the cops handle that whilst we focus on what we have to do for the day."
My brows furrowed in confusion. A tragedy?
Now, my interest was piqued.
"Ma'am," Brittany's hand shot up."
"Yes." Miss Aileen answered. "Do you think that it's fair that the cops are suspecting one of us when clearly a human couldn't have done that?"
My interest now was double piqued?
Suspecting who for what?
"And besides, it was clearly a beast that had done that to that poor student." Another added.
It sounded like they were speaking in codes and none of what they were saying made any sense to me at all.
What student? I was tempted to ask but then that wasn't going to go down well.
"Let's just all settle down and leave everything for the cops." Miss Aileen said in a bid to get the class to calm down.
"But if that was the case then Darnville is no longer safe for any of us. I mean I could also be attacked too." Another student chipped in, ignoring Miss Aileen's effort to keep the class from panicking.
After her statement, another round of murmurs erupted.
"ENOUGH!" She yelled in frustration and the class finally quieted down. "Now, let's start the class for..."
A knock came and all heads shot towards the door. Miss Aileen shut her eyes and drew in a very long and hard breath to keep herself from exploding in rage.
Then she opened them back up and shot daggers at whoever it was that just knocked.
It was Daven.
Why was he late?
I saw her eyes immediately soften upon seeing him.
What the hell was going on?
"Please take your seat quietly." Her tone was softer too.
Daven didn't reply or look up at anyone. He simply walked over to his seat and sat down, not sparing me a glance.
I felt a little stab in my chest. We had dinner together last night and now he was ignoring me. Well, what had I been expecting?
I turned and focused all my attention to Miss Aileen, drowning out every other thing that was happening around me.
After two hours, the bell finally went off. We were all about to leave when another knock came on the door which caught all our attention.
Miss Aileen stood frozen, her knitted brows mirroring the confusion that also appeared on all our faces.
"Is something the matter, sheriff?" She asked, her voice cracking a bit.
I didn't care. It was their problem. I placed my headphones over my ears whilst letting Dad's Godzilla work its wonders in my system. Then I packed my books in my backpack, stood up—not caring that the feet of my chair scraped loudly against the floor—and slung it over my left shoulder ready to leave the classroom.
I was already halfway across the classroom and close to the door when I heard my name.
"Alison!!"
I turned back to the rest of the class. They all had a very deep frown on their faces. I sighed and removed my headphones and deadpanned.
"What?"
"They had to help me call your name out when you wouldn't listen." It was Miss Aileen who spoke and I turned to her.
Was I in trouble again?
"Are you Miss Alison Hayes?" The sheriff asked and I turned to him.
My eyes grew wide as shock coursed through my body that the Sheriff had mentioned my name.
I pointed my index to myself. "Me?" I needed to be sure.
"If you don't mind, I'd like for you to come with us."
My eyes darted towards the class, they all had a sort of smug expression on their faces. Then my eyes stopped on Brittany. The corner of her lip was raised in a sort of mocking smirk.
As for Daven, he stood up, picked up his bag, slung it over his head and started walking towards the door.
He walked past me without sparing me a glance.
"Excuse me." Came his throaty rumble which was directed at the sheriff.
The Sheriff stared at him for some seconds and in that moment, I could feel the tension in the air. Before finally, the Sheriff stepped aside and then walked past him out to the hallway.
I inhaled sharply and let my lips stretch in a fake smile. "Okay, we can go." I said with enthusiasm when on the inside I felt a mix of emotions, ranging from uncertainty, to concern, to anger.
The last one was fueled by and directed at Daven.
The sheriff led the way and I followed behind. We got outside the school and got into his sheriff car. The engine picked up and the tires veered while he stirred out of the parking lot.
In a matter of an hour, we were seated across from each other at the station.
"I know you are wondering why I have called you here." He began.
Of course I was but since he knew that too I wouldn't be responding. In fact, my mouth was going to remain sealed until I got a lawyer. Not that I could afford one.
He pulled out some pictures from his drawer and slid it over to me. I looked at it,kmf racing as I tried to understand what was going on.
"Take a look." He urged me gently.
I did.
My brows knitted tightly. "Eden? Why are you showing me this?" I asked, my voice raised in anger.
It was a picture of Eden when he had been attacked. It was gruesome and that occurrence has continued to haunt my dreams.
"No need to get upset." He tried to reason with me. Then he pulled out another bunch of photos and slid them over to me again.
"Take a look at those as well."
I had to tell myself mentally that it was alright and perhaps they wanted to get something out of me to summon the courage I needed to look down at the second photo.
Whoever was in that photo was different.
"Who's this?" I asked the sheriff.
"I want you to take a good look at the two photos I gave you and tell me if there's something similar."
I was hesitant at first but I did as I was told. I looked down at it and the more I did the more it didn't make any—
Wait.
Similar.
My eyes grew wide in shock and I looked up abruptly.
"The injuries and bite marks are the same."
How was that possible?