Chapter 18: Chapter 18

MYSTIC HOLLOW

Homicide

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BY NAOMI INNOCENT

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CHAPTER 18

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"Yh, it should. It'MYSTIC HOLLOW

Homicide

.s your birthday remember?" Peter told her as she smiled and held his hand tight as if he might escape if she loosen the grip.

"I'm going to enjoy every bit of it. I won't let some crazy scary dream get the best of me" she said as Alex smiled.

"Yh, and we're going to go to an amusement park toady, we'll ride on a carousel, ferris wheel, Mary goes round and all the games you could think of" Peter said as her cheek flushed.

They continued walking to school as Alex wondered why Elena and Laura had not catch up with them yet.

They got close to Bonnie's school as they heard a footstep racing towards them, it was Laura, she stopped close to them as she bent down, trying to catch her breathe.

"I've been calling you guys, hailing so you would wait for me, since at that super market. You sure do know how to walk fast" she said as she stood erect.

"Happy birthday Bonnie" she told her as she smiled.

"Thanks Laura" she told Laura who touched her cheek and brought out a clown hat and fixed it on her head.

"So are we having a party?" Laura asked her as she nodded.

"Yh, today by 7pm, dad said all my friends could come along too. Maybe after school, you and Alex would help me decorate the house. What do you say?" Bonnie asked to everyone's amazement as Laura just bat her lashes and stuttered.

"Yh... Eh... Sure" Laura said as they continued walking.

"And maybe Peter would give us a hand" Alex said purposely trying to piss her off.

"Nah, he's all mine for today. We have lots to do as couples, maybe Elena would give you guys a hand" she said as Laura arched her brows at her.

"Couples?' Laura asked to be sure of what she heard as Bonnie giggled.

"Don't mind me, I was only kidding" Bonnie said as they kept walking till they got to Bonnie's school, they stopped to say their byes.

"So, bye guys. See y'all at the party" she said waving at Alex and Laura with her right hand as she held Peter with his right who had no choice but to wave back at them.

"Yh sure. So since dad said you Can invite your friends, Rose would be coming along right?" Alex asked trying to annoy his sister and he actually succeeded.

"No! That witch ain't coming to my party! And plus, she's not my friend so she ain't invited!" Bonnie said with a scoff as Peter and Laura gave her a look because they haven't seen her in such mood before. She seem always glee

Alex gave her a grin and squatted beside her which she find annoying.

"You hate Rose because she's always first position and you are second. And besides, dad said you can invite all your classmates too and she happen to be your classmate. I'm so inviting her" Alex said as she twisted her nose in a sniffing manner.

"You would not dare, and besides, I don't hate her. I don't just like her because she's always a busy body. Behaving as if she knows it all, better than all of us. Just watch as I would take first this time around!" Bonnie said angrily.

"Good luck with that" Alex said as she dragged Peter inside their school building.

"Why do you wanna make her cry huh? At least not today, it's her birthday" Laura told him as he just shrugged.

"I wasn't trying to make her cry but to get on her nerves, she talks too much"

They walked to their school in silent as they got to the hallway. Alex decided to break the annoying silence

"Have you heard from Elena today?" He asked operating his phone as if he was texting someone.

"Yh, this morning I went to her house. She said she's gonna be a bit late because she wants to catch up with Sarah" Laura said as they walked down.

"Ok, so have you gotten any idea about the project?" Alex asked her as she nodded.

"Yh, how about you?" She asked and he nodded in affirmation.

"Which means we are going to discuss about it over lunch?" Alex asked while she shook her head sideways.

"Nope, maybe during your sister's birthday decoration. I don't think we would have such time at lunch" she said as Alex found meaning in what she said.

"Race you to class!" Alex said as they both heard the warning bell.

^^^

Elena was purposely delaying staying at home as she did the house chores which she wouldn't do on an ordinary day until she returns from school.

Her mom was still fast asleep at her mini crime room where she kept track of the killer.

She sat on an armchair as she lay her head on the table which was filled with documents, photos and maps scattered everywhere.

Elena minded herself so she wouldn't wake her up. She went to the kitchen and prepared omelette. She knew if her mom wakes up, she would go to work straight without even having breakfast and probably have pizza later.

After preparing the omelette, she made coffee for her mom and tea for herself. She walked up to her mom in the crime detecting room.

She stared at her mom sleeping tiredly. She wondered if her neck wasn't aching her.

She stroke her hair as her eyes darted to the map on the table, that was the only thing that drew her attention.

She stared at the red markings on the maps. Then she realized those were the places the homicides had occurred. She brought out her phone and took pictures of the map with the mindset of checking it out later.

She stared at the photos of the dead people on the table. A particular picture caught her attention, the photo of Lieutenant Phillips. She picked it up from the table and stared at it as her mom blinked her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Her mom asked her as she sat up and held her neck because of the sharp pain she felt there.

"Oh, you're awake already. Good morning mom" she said smiling as she dropped the photo of Phillips.

"Damn, I slept here? My neck hurts a lot. And what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Her mom asked arranging the documents on the table.

"Yh, I know. Ahh... Mom you must have worked yourself out. I prepared omelette for you. Your favorite" Elena said trying to change the topic because she have no escuse why she wasn't in school yet.

She can't tell her mom it was bacuse she wants to catch up with someone everyone called a psycho, that's so lame.

"Oh you did?" Her mom asked touching the her back of neck as Elena smiled at her.

"And what are you doing here? You shouldn't be here. This is a restricted room and you know why" Sheriff Ruth told her as she sighed.

"Yh, Yh, I know. Just wanted to wake you up. I'm sorry anyway' Elena said as she walked towards the door.

Her mom stared at the documents as she breathed down, she glanced at Elena who was almost at the door.

"Elena?!" She called her as she stopped.

"Yes mom?" Elena said facing her mom.

"Thank you" her mom said as she nodded with a smile.

"I'll be waiting for you at the dining" Elena told her as she nodded too before she finally left.

Elena waited for her mom at the dinning, checking her wristwatch making sure not to loose catching up with Sarah as she set the alarm of her phone to beep by 9.

Her mom finished brushing her teeth and took her bath as she joined her daughter at the dining.

"Let's pray" Elena said as her mom smiled and closed her eyes.

"Lord bless this nutritious omelette, bless the hand that bought it and those that sold it so we can always go there to buy more. Amen" she said and opened her eyes and they started eating.

"Hmm, delicious" her mom said satisfactory after taking the first spoon.

She took her mug and sipped the coffee as she smiled and stared at Elena.

"Coffee?' Her mom asked her as she smiled.

"Yh, you didn't have a good night rest. So I made coffee for you so you wouldn't sleep at work" she said as her mom smiled and stroke her hair.

They continued eating in silence.

"Mom, can I ask you a question?" Elena asked as her mom nodded and took a sip from her mug of coffee.

"How does he look like?' She asked as Ruth dropped the napkin she was using to wipe her mouth.

"Who?" Ruth asked pretending not to know what her daughter was talking about.

"My dad?" she said as Ruth's contenance changed.

"You know, I don't know what he looks like or what he likes. If I look like him or not. We never get to talk about him. I do envy my friends that talks about their dads a lot, but me? I don't have anything to say about him because I'm just blank. I'm not trying to be ungrateful here, like, trying to sound as if you ain't enough for me. Of course you are and I do love you. It's just that sometimes I wish you both never divorced and we would be a complete family. Maybe he is sorry and really wants to apologize to you and sometimes I can't help but wonder if he doesnt miss me at all, he never called or visited, it's just... "

She stopped talking when her mom placed her palm on hers and then she realized the droplets of tears on her cheek as she wiped them off with her other hand .

"I do understand how you feel. And I'm sorry for keeping you blank" Ruth said as she retrieved her hand and sniffed trying to control the tears forming in her eyes.

"The truth is that, your dad died when you were still a zygote in my womb" she said looking the other side as Elena opened her mouth in shock.

"What happened to him? Which means he didn't even set his eyes on me before he died?" Elena asked rhetorically.

"He was in the army, I begged him not to go that day but he refused. I never even had the chance to tell him I had you, that he would be a father soon. He just dropped a note and left. Telling me how much he loves me but had to fight for the state. He promised to return to me immediately the war was over, but he was killed. And he said the reason he didn't inform me before leaving and had to drop a note was because I would try to talk him out of it. But his mind was made up already. When you were 3, you always ask of your dad. At such a tender age, I couldn't bring myself to tell you he was dead. Then I told you he traveled to get you toys and would be back soon. You waited and waited till you were 8 and started asking me if your dad would never come back. I sat you down and lied to you that we divorced so you shouldn't expect to see him and banned you not to ever speak of him because all the memories hurts. I'm sorry for just telling you the truth now" Ruth said with watery eyes as Elena wiped her eyes with a napkin.

"It's ok, I understand. Can I see his photo?" She asked as her alarm in her phone beeped.

It was 9.O'Clock already. Sarah would be passing by the super market anytime soon.

"I've gotta go mom. I'm running late. Bye mom" she said kissing her cheek as she gulped down all her tea and stuck a spoonful of omelette in her mouth.

She grabbed her bag from a chair next to her, hanging it at her back. She ran out of the house.

"Bye sweetheart!" Her mom screamed as Elena finally left the house.

"So weird" her mom said with a shrug as she spit out the omelette she was chewing in her presence taking a glass of water to rinse her mouth.

"When would she learn?" She muttered to herself as she cleared the dishes and prepared for work.

. *. *

Elena raced towards the supermarket, she saw a figure walking to school with a bagpack, putting on a hoodie and an earphone.

She rushed towards the figure and found out it was Sarah. She was walking as if she wasn't late for class or something.

"Hey" Elena said to her for the first time in their lives. She looked at Elena for a while. Elena smiled back at her but she didn't utter a word neither did she return the smile.

"Ok, this is gonna be hard, but I would try my best. I must get close to her. I know what I would do" Elena muttered to herself as Sarah stared at her is if she heard what she said in her heart.

The weird look on her face made Elena brow raise.

*.

TBC