CHAPTER TWO

It was a frosty morning in Oakland, Maryland. The first crack of dawn was peering over the distant mountains, sending bursts of golden red light streaking across the sky to fight away the dark. After Lacy Holloway pulled her front door closed, she paused for a moment to take in the view which was particularly breathtaking on this brisk fall morning; one of the reasons why she loved living so close to the mountains.

Thursdays were usually pretty busy at SPU, where Lacy worked as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, and today would be no
exception which was why she was leaving the house at the crack of dawn. She had plenty to do before classes started and always preferred to go into work an hour earlier than needed to make sure she had everything prepared for the day.

Weighed down with briefcase and files, she walked to her car and clicked the fob on her keychain to deactivate the alarm and unlock the doors.

Great. The windscreen was frozen solid.

After getting home as late as she had last night from work she’d forgotten to put the antifreeze cover on. She cursed quietly. Avoiding this was the reason
she’d bought one in the first place. She went to get the antifreeze spray from the trunk only to find it empty. She huffed, her cold breath creating a cloud in front of her face. Not a good start to the day. She’d have to pop into Jim’s Hardware store on the way home this evening to pick up some more and maybe a new brain while she was at it. Admitting defeat, she grabbed the plastic scraper from the inside of the driver’s side door and began attacking the window. A few minutes and two soggy wet gloves later and she was in the car, heater full blast, on her way to work.

One of the good things about heading out so early was the lack of traffic on the roads at that time of the morning which made the seven mile trip a pleasant one.

A ground mist covered the woodland on either side of the road, like a translucent blanket rising from the earth’s bed. As Lacy looked out at the long, straight road ahead, the mist-laden forest stretched out as far as she could see.

The sky was now a rich, golden backdrop to the tall trees in the distance, its sun ready to peer over their canopy at any moment.

By now the birds would be singing their morning chorus’ but Lacy couldn’t hear them as she was too busy singing along to Charm, her favorite band at the moment, which blasted through the stereo. It was her usual morning ritual and the best way to wake herself up at such an early hour.

She had worked at SPU for almost three years now, the only reason she’d moved to Maryland in the first place. It was the happiest she’d been in a long time being in the small picturesque town of Oakland, Garrett Co. Even though she was away from all of her old friends she’d settled in well, finally feeling
comfortable enough to call the place home.it had been almost three and a half years since her grandma had died, leaving her house and all her other belongings to Lacy who was her only living
grandchild. It was hard for her to continue to live in the house after that because there were far too many reminders of her past. The house had seemed too strange with only her in it so, after battling with her conscience because she knew how much her grandma had adored the place, she put it up for sale. In the meantime a vacancy had popped up at SPU. Lacy applied, got an interview and sailed through it. They offered her the job just after she’d accepted an offer on the house.

For once in her life things had fallen into place perfectly.

She still really didn’t know that many people in town aside from work colleagues and only had a couple of friends−none she knew well enough to really rely on−but she was happy with the way things were. Since moving to the states when she was fourteen, she’d always been a bit of a loner. In fact, even
Before then. She’d moved away from her only parent leaving her life and her troubled mother behind in England to start afresh with her grandparents in Ohio.

Her grandfather had died when she was twenty-two, leaving another gaping hole in Lacy’s life. After that it had just been her and her grandma who never
got over the loss of her beloved husband and, Lacy suspected, eventually died of a broken heart.

It’s as if Lacy was meant to be alone.

She was fine with that now though. Besides, her work kept her busy so she had no time for a social life anyway, even if she wanted one−been there, done that and found it hard juggling the two. Destined to be on my own. . .

As she ironically sang about there being “nobody who can comfort me”, she glanced down at the clock above the stereo to check the time and just as she
looked back out of the windscreen she gasped and swerved to avoid a dark figure standing in the road. The Ford Focus came to a screeching halt just
before the grass banking. Before Lacy could gather herself, she looked back through the rear window, eyes wide, frantically scanning the area.

Nothing there.

She glanced over her shoulder, her heart pounding in her chest so much that it felt like it would burst through her rib cage at any second.

Nothing there either.

“Shit"

She slammed the off button on the stereo and sat for a moment in silence, her heartbeat drummed loudly in her ears as she forced herself to breathe steadily−in and out, in and out−in a bid to calm herself down. She double checked the area to make sure there was definitely no one there. What the hell
was that? Had she imagined it? Her stomach suddenly felt heavy and a wave of nausea washed over her. Oh no! Not that. Please. Not those damn hallucinations . She thought as she reached for the door handle with a shaky hand. She got out and, after another quick glance around, her eyes checked the car over: everything okay. So far so good until she reached the passenger side

where. . .

Dammit!

Her front tire was shredded.

So much for getting into work early, now she’d have to call AAA and wait God knows how long for a truck to get to her. She had one last glance behind her before she got back in the car and reached over the passenger seat for her purse. She fished around for her cell, called a report in and was told they’d be there within the hour.

She sat quietly playing what had just happened over in her mind. It had happened so fast she’d barely had time to register what it was that was in the
Road. Could it have been an animal? No. The only animal that could be that big would be a bear or something, but there’s no way it could have disappeared that quickly into the forest.

There one minute, gone the next.

A person?

Lacy let out a long sigh. Yes, she thought, a person that was probably only ever there in her mind.

She cursed.

All those therapy sessions were supposed to have worked. Post Traumatic Stress her therapist had put the hallucinations down to after many hours of delving into Lacy’s past. You’d think she’d have been able to diagnose herself given her profession, but that had never happened, which is the reason she’d
hoped that someone else could. Well, it had all been a complete waste of money now. Oh well, nothing that another few sessions couldn’t fix, she supposed, then she could look forward to another five years without them.

She rested her head on the back of her seat and waited for the recovery truck.

Waiting for the next chapter

CHAPTER THREE

Michael had been in Oakland for three days, had checked out the area and done some research on the town’s history, but nothing unusual had come up. Getting close to the student’s friends around campus and seeing if there was any connection between the victims was the only plan he had right now.

He walked along the quiet corridor of the administration building at SPU.

His footsteps echoed lightly as he passed a long row of gray doors that ran uniformly down one side. The sound of muted voices reached him from time to time from a couple of the rooms as he walked by but none of those were what he was looking for.

Towards the end of the corridor, there stood a small wooden table against the wall. Framed pictures of each of the dead students were placed upon it along with various other objects. A pegboard hung right above on the wall with more pictures pinned to it; a memorial of happier times before each of their friends had met their demise. There were also messages of condolence from those who knew them.

Michael read one of the notes:

Dear Emily. . .

I wish we’d known the hurt you must have been feeling to make you do something so desperate. At least you are now at peace. Forever in our hearts.

Your Friends
Jo and Sandra x

A young woman approached the table and stopped beside him. Her dark, backcombed hair almost covered her whole face, but Michael got a glimpse of her pale complexion and thick dark eye makeup as she threw him a sideward glance before placing a small glass next to one of the framed pictures: a young man who looked to be wearing almost as much makeup as she was. He watched as she pulled a lighter from her pocket and used it to light a small candle which she then placed inside the glass, She stood staring silently at the picture.

Michael thought he heard her sniffling and decided to step back from the table feeling that this was a moment he shouldn’t be intruding on.

He was about to continue down the hall when a tall, middle aged, bearded man approached quickly. “Nina!” he snapped. “I’m sorry, you can’t do that in here.” His harried expression suggested he was a faculty member.

“Do what?” the student replied in a brash tone.

“The candle. . . It’s against university safety rules. You’ll have to put it out I’m afraid,” he ordered as he peered at her over the top of his narrow rimmed glasses.
The female’s shoulders slumped. “Fine!” she said quickly, and blew the flame out. She gave him a sarcastic smile and walked off down the corridor in the opposite direction.

As Michael turned away, he noticed that the man had caught sight of him. Hoping to avoid him, Michael continued down the hall.

No such luck.

“Excuse me,” the man called after him. By the time Michael had turned around to answer, he was standing right in front of him. Jeez! This guy’s keen.

“Can I help you, sir,” the man asked, again over his glasses which he seemed to do a lot making Michael wonder why he wore them at all.

“Maybe. . . ” Michael replied, taking a step back so he didn’t feel so crowded by him. “I’m looking for the Dean’s office. I have an appointment.”

The man’s features relaxed. “Ah, I see. Well, you’re heading in the rightdirection. If you come with me, I’ll take you there myself Mr. . . ” He waited for a response while holding out his hand.

“Warden.” Michael shook it firmly.

“Mr Warden. Ed Wilkinson.” He continued to shake Michael’s hand while

he spoke. “It’s right this way.”

After eventually letting go, he led Michael down another short corridor to a room with several windows overlooking the outside. “Miss Taylor, the Dean’s secretary, will assist you now,” he said as he opened the door and walked straight in.

Michael followed.

“Morning Ed,” said a young blond haired woman sat behind a desk opposite the doorway. She was well presented, wearing a cream blouse and her hair neatly tied up in a bun on top of her head. To one side of her were two tall, metal filing cabinets and to her right, the wall was covered from floor to ceiling with shelves full of books.

Mr Wilkinson gave her an affectionate smile. “Morning Sarah.” He gave her a little wave on his way out and nodded to Michael before closing the door.

Sarah gave Michael a friendly smile as he approached her desk. “What can I help you with?” she asked as she left whatever she was typing on her computer.

Michael noticed her large, brown eyes behind her glasses, the kind of eyes that smiled with her. “I have an appointment with the Dean,” he explained.

“I’ve been sent from KSU for the substitute position.” He’d never actually been to Kent in his life, let alone the university there, but no one needed to know that.

She tapped a couple of keys on the computer in front of her. “Name please?”

she asked.

“It’s Michael Warden.”
She typed some more. “Ah, yes. Here we are. Please take a seat, Mr Warden.” She pointed to two plastic chairs, under the window which overlooked the corridor, and picked up the telephone receiver from her desk.

“Mr Raynor, your nine o’clock is here.” She paused for a second. “Yes, sir.”

She then placed the receiver back in its cradle and looked back over at Michael.

“He’ll be with you in a moment.”

“Thanks.” He sat down, placing the envelope which contained his papers on his knee. While he waited, he read through some of the book titles on the shelf next to him: The Hidden Curriculum; The Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms. The usual stuff you would see in a university. He scanned some more until he stopped on a title that made him pause for breath: The Remembrance of Death and the Afterlife. It was hard not to find it amusing, not that his situation was funny in any way. Maybe he should write a book; after all, having experienced it first hand, he should be able to sell a few copies.

The phone made a beeping sound and Miss Taylor picked up the receiver and paused. “Yes, sir.” She looked over at Michael after hanging up. “You cango in now,” she said, gesturing towards a wooden door on the opposite side of the room. “Mr Raynor is ready for you.”

“Thanks,” Michael said, then headed towards the door which had a gold plaque on it that read Dean’s Office - Professor Joseph Raynor in black letters.

He entered the large room which was brightly lit due to a large arched window overlooking the front grounds of the university. In front of it, dressed in a gray suit, Mr Raynor sat behind a dark wooden desk flicking through some paperwork. He glanced up at Michael. “Ah, Mr Warden. Please, come in and take a seat.” His office was full of books on shelves that covered the walls from floor to ceiling, except for one wall which had a large oil painting of the main university building surrounded by a heavy, gilded frame.

“Thank you, sir,” Michael said as he sat down in the chair in front of the desk.

“You’re here for the substitute position?” Mr. Raynor asked, spotting Michael’s file containing his homemade papers and holding out his hand for it.

His voice was stern but polite all the same. It couldn’t be easy running a university department, which was evident in his well lined face. He was almost bald apart from a little patch of stubble either side of his head; probably also the result of his work load.

Michael handed the envelope over. “Yes, sir. That’s correct,” he replied.

“And you’re aware it’s only a two month position?” Mr. Raynor began to flick through the paperwork which made Michael a little anxious as he silently prayed he hadn’t missed anything. He really didn’t want to have to re-plan everything.

He nodded. “Yes, I am.” It was much longer than he’d planned to stay, but at least it gave him plenty of time should he need it.

“And it’s a live-in position?” Raynor confirmed.

“Yes.” Michael replied. The university had accommodation for adjunct instructors and lecturers filling a temporary position as they would usually be from out of town. So, Michael would be on campus for most of the time; right where he needed to be.

There was a long silence as Mr. Raynor continued to read through Michael’s papers. This was the part where−if he could−he would be sweating as he waited to see if he’d manage to fool the Dean or not, but he’d realized that sweating was another thing that wasn’t a problem for him anymore.

After an anxious wait, Mr Raynor raised an eyebrow and looked straight at Michael. “There appears to be something missing.” He looked a little put out and flicked back through the papers again as though he were checking he hadn’t missed whatever it was.

Michael’s shoulders slumped a little. He felt sure he’d done everything required. He’d checked everything over three or four times. Dammit. This washis only way into the university. He didn’t have a plan B so if this didn’t work

he didn’t really know what else he could do.

“I’m sorry, sir?” He said with a relatively calm voice, wondering how he was going to get out of it. What could he have missed?

“The form containing your bank information isn’t here. . . ” Mr Raynor looked up at him. “For your salary? You’ll be paid into your bank monthly and our accounts department won’t be able to process the payment without it,” he explained.

Michael relaxed and had to fight back his laugh. Relieved, he smiled at Mr Raynor. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how I’ve missed that, sir.”

“It’s no problem. Just ask Miss Taylor for a form on your way out and pop it back into her before the end of the day.” He picked up a pen from a leather bound holder and began signing a few of the papers.

“Sure. No problem.” He smiled.

“Right!” Raynor slammed the folder closed and placed it down on the desk in front of him. “That seems to be everything. I’ll get someone to show you around the department and then take you to your accommodation building as soon as possible.” He buzzed through to reception. “Sarah, could you page Miss Holloway from Psychology and ask her if she’s free to show Mr Warden around please.”

“Of course, sir.” Miss Taylor replied politely through the loud speaker followed by faint tapping noises that sounded like a computer keyboard. “Her first class isn’t until ten o’clock so she should be available.”

“Thank you.”

Mr Raynor stood up and held his hand out to Michael, who did the same. They shook hands. “Welcome to State Park. I hope you settle in well. Take a seat back out in reception and someone will be with you shortly.” He politely showed Michael to the door.

“Thank you again, Mr Raynor.” He said before leaving the office.Miss Taylor smiled at him as he sat down. The chair was still warm from before.

“Can I get you a coffee or something?” she asked him as she picked up her cup from the desk and headed over to the coffee machine.

“Please. Coffee would be great.”

“Sugar? Milk?” He barely heard her ask over the noise of the machine.

“Yeah, Milk. One sugar,” he replied. Exactly how he’d drunk it before he’d died.

The slight aroma of ground coffee beans, the same smell he’d noticed when he’d first walked in, had now intensified and he couldn’t help but inhale it deep into his lungs. It was a normal, familiar smell that comforted him a little.

After the sound of hot steaming liquid dissipated, the petite blonde female brought him over a steaming hot mug which had the SPU logo on it. “Be careful, it’s extra hot.” But he’d already wrapped his hand around it and taken a sip of the hot liquid by the time she’d finished speaking the warning. Michael noticed her eyes widen a little, probably surprised that it hadn’t burned him.

“Thanks,” he said, and then blew over the top of it, only for effect, before attempting to drink more.

After watching her walk back to her desk where she quietly returned to her work, Michael reached for a community magazine from the coffee table in front of him and began to flick through the pages even though he wasn’t really taking anything in.

He was pleased that he’d managed to get through the meeting with Mr Raynor, and that he’d done everything he was supposed to, but he had no idea what to do next. He assumed the rest of the day would be spent being shown around, learning the ropes and other things, so was pretty certain he wouldn’t be teaching any classes until tomorrow which was probably for the best considering he knew nothing about psychology. Not needing any sleep wasgoing to be pretty handy tonight as he had a feeling he wasn’t going to get any.

Instead, he’d be spending the night studying for tomorrow’s classes.

It will be a miracle if I manage to pull this off.

It wasn’t long until the reception door opened and in walked a tall, attractive woman with sleek, long, blond hair. She was tidily dressed in a navy colored pencil skirt which stopped just below her knees and a casual, maroon V-neck sweater. The scent of her perfume followed her into the room, filling the air with a sweet, floral fragrance and. . . apple?

Miss Taylor pointed over to Michael as she spoke to the woman. “Morning,

Lacy. This is Mr Warden. He’s the new sub filling in for Joanne Hart while she’s on maternity leave.”

Michael stood to greet her as she approached him with her hand extended.

“Pleased to meet you, Mr Warden,” she said with a soft British accent.

Michael realized he was still holding his nearly empty mug in one hand and the magazine, he hadn’t really been reading in the other. “Uh. . . ” He fumbled and then quickly shoved the mag under his arm, freeing his hand to shake hers.

“It’s Michael,” he said politely. “Please, call me Michael.” As he looked at her, he couldn’t help noticing that she had the palest green eyes he’d ever seen.

“It’s nice to meet you, Michael. I’m Lacy.” She smiled at him, revealing a perfectly straight set of teeth, except for one of her bottom ones which bent

inwards. “If you come with me, I’ll show you around

Tenks so much 4 d update....i want some more

Chapter 3 cont

* * *

After a long day spent mostly sitting in on classes and getting a feel for how things worked around the department, Michael was finally at his apartment building. Lacy had been kind enough to show him around the lecture halls, meeting rooms, and the two counselling clinics that were regularly used by members of the community as well as students; the latter being the main focusin light of recent events. They’d finished up having coffee in the staff room before she’d asked one of her students to walk him to the building where he would be living for at least the next couple of weeks.

Benjamin Hall was one of many colonial type buildings that he’d seen on the university grounds, this one being quite small compared to the others. As he walked through one of the large oak doors, he was faced with yet another reception that was on the left. This time, an older lady with short gray hair stood behind the counter, barely tall enough to see over it. She looked up at him.

“Can I help you?”

“Yeah, hi. I’m the new sub from the psychology department. I understand there’s a room available for me.” Michael towered above the woman who had to stretch her neck to look at him.

“Name?” she asked as she lifted the glasses that were hanging on a cord around her neck. She put them on and then pulled out a drawer from underneath the counter. Her voice was quite stern considering the size of her. And she wasn’t at all polite.

Michael gave her his details and she began sifting through some cards and pulled one out. “Here we are. You’re in room B-7.” She pointed across the way towards a wide staircase that was framed by a chunky oak handrail and wooden panelling which also ran around the bottom half of the walls. “It’s the first floor towards the end of the hall.” She passed him a small key ring, which had the SPU logo on it and two brass keys attached. One of the keys had blue around the ring. “The blue one is the key to this building. The door will be locked from nine every evening so that key is the only way to get in. There will be a guard on duty from then, but he’s off patrolling the grounds most of the time.
The other key is for your room.”

“Thanks,” Michael said.

“Can I help you with anything else?” She placed the card back in its holder amongst the others.“No. Thanks. That’s everything.”

“Very well,” she said and carried on with her business.

The large reception area was more like a common room. It was brightly lit and the walls were painted in the university colors: some white, some navy blue. There were a few soft, brown, leather chairs and a couple of sofas to match which had low coffee tables in front of them and there were two vending machines tucked away in the far corner: one for hot drinks and the other contained snacks and sodas.

Up the stairs, Michael walked along the narrow hallway, where the decor matched the lobby, watching the small brass numbers counting upwards on the navy doors on the left-hand side until he got to his, which was the very last one opposite a floor length window that overlooked the university grounds.

Inside, the room was bigger than he’d expected. It had a spacious living area with a black leather sofa and one chair, and a TV which sat on a wooden unit in the corner by a small window. The decor was cream throughout with dark wooden floors. In the corner of the room to the left was a small kitchen area which looked to have everything a person would need: kettle, stove, microwave and an under-counter fridge.

Just next to the kitchen were two doors which, after investigating further, turned out to be a small bathroom with a mirror above the sink and a very petite bedroom with just about enough room for the single bed, which was dressed, and a small closet against the far wall. It was as big as a small apartment which wasn’t what Michael expected at all. He thought he’d have a room like the dorm rooms the students usually have, but this was much bigger than those.

Michael noticed some paperwork on the kitchen counter and picked up an information sheet which explained about the fire drill, where the exits were and other general safety information. There was also a list of codes for the telephone, most of which were to dial through to different areas of the campus and a code to dial out which was 09. At the bottom of the list was a Wi-Fi keyand instructions on how to set up an account−faculty only. In fact the whole building had Wi-Fi which was perfect for Michael’s research and would also come in handy for the teaching he had to do. He had no idea how to teach even one class of psychology, let alone a whole term.

After fetching what little belongings he had from his car, Michael had begun to settle in. It was dark outside. Most classes had finished for the day, except for a few evening courses, which meant that the university was quieting down slowly. He decided to take a look around the grounds to familiarize himself with the place and thought he’d start with some food. He still loved his food almost as much as when he was alive and not having a single thing in his new apartment meant that he’d have to eat out tonight.

The fall night air was crisp. The moon bright in the sky with a hazy glow around it and one or two stars had managed to glisten through the light mist that was now creeping over. It was a perfect night for a stroll around the grounds.

He walked across the green and past the football field which was brightly lit with flood lights in all four corners. Training was over and what remained of the team−a couple of players and a coach−were walking across the grass to the exit.

He reached the food complex on the other side of the campus. It was certainly the busiest part of the campus where, he would guess, that most of the live-in students spent their early evenings socializing. There was everything they needed: several food outlets including a burger joint, a restaurant, and one bar− Lucky Seven’s, which looked quite large−situated at the end of the block.

On the opposite side of the complex was an entertainment building called The Hub. It had a ten lane bowling alley, electronic video games, pool tables, computers with internet access and a shop for school sports equipment.

After familiarizing himself with it all, Michael grabbed a burger from the takeout window at Denny’s Ranch: a half pounder with extra cheese and bacon, topped with Denny’s Special Barbeque Sauce−no good for the prevention ofheart disease. Not like he had to worry about those kinds of health problems anymore.

He sat on a secluded bench on the grass out of the way of the busy complex and watched the students−illuminated by the tall, ornate street lamps that lit up the campus−enjoying their down time now that most classes were out.

He finished off his burger and was thinking about heading back to his room when he spotted a familiar face coming out of the bar. It was the young Goth girl from this morning. The one he’d seen at the memorial table. She was followed out by a boy who seemed to be annoyed with her. While he was still saying something to her, she stomped away from him with her head down. She cut across the grass and headed in the direction that Michael was sitting. Her long black skirt dragged on the floor and now and again revealed her purple Doc Marten boots. Her hair was backcombed into a black, shoulder-length mass, much like how it had been earlier, and her skin looked paler under the false lighting.

Michael remembered her looking at a photo of a young man, one of the dead students, and wondered how she knew him. He stood up and walked towards her. “Excuse me, Miss.” She clearly hadn’t seen him because she looked up at him with a startled gasp. Her face was glum and he noticed runs in her thick black eye makeup. She’d definitely been crying.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“Fine,” she said solemnly. “Did you want something?”

“I saw you this morning. You knew one of the boys that died didn’t you?”

The girl frowned even more than she was already. “Yeah. Why?”

“I was just wondering how you knew him.”

“Why?” she repeated. “Who are you anyway? I haven’t seen you here before.”

“Michael Warden. I’m new here. . . Psychology sub,” he explained.

“Someone was talking to me this afternoon about what happened here over thelast couple of weeks. It’s terrible.” He didn’t see the harm in lying to her in this situation. After all, he couldn’t exactly be honest could he? “Oh, I’m really a dead person and I believe that an evil spirit may be responsible for your friend’s death.” Somehow, he didn’t see that going down too well.

“He’s my. . . ”—she lowered her head—“was my boyfriend, Danny.” The hard edge had suddenly disappeared from her voice.

“I’m sorry.” He tried his best to be sensitive as he could hear the pain in her voice. “I don’t want to trouble you. I can see it’s hard for you to talk about.”

She shook her head and her sullen tone quickly returned as she tried to hide her sadness. “No, it’s fine. I mean. . . there’s nothing I can do about it now is there? He’s gone and that’s it.” Michael saw straight through it.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, but can you think of any reason why he would have done what he did? Did you know he was so unhappy?”

Nina sat down on the bench thumping her black denim bag down on the floor. Michael joined her.

“No, in fact, he was the opposite.” Her voice softened again this time and Michael was surprised when she continued. “We’d both just decided to get a place together as soon as term ended. So, no one was more shocked than me when he killed himself.” A tear ran from her eye down her cheek following the trail that was already there. “He didn’t even leave a note.”

Michael pulled a napkin from his pocket that he’d got from at the takeout stand, and handed it to her.

“Thanks.” She sniffed as she wiped her eyes.

“The police are treating it as some kind of suicide pact aren’t they?”

“They’re wrong,” she snapped. “Danny only knew one of the others. Jason Miller. He was in his Chem lab, but Danny didn’t even like him very much. He never had that many friends. We don’t exactly fit in here.”

“And there was no other connection with any of them? Maybe he was involved in something you didn’t know about.She shot him a funny look. “He never kept anything from me.” Then shook her head and sighed. “Look, I was the only person who really knew him. I would have known if there was something wrong.”

“When was the last time you saw him before. . . you know?”

She hesitated. “Two days before it happened. We’d had an argument. I tried to speak to him, but he wasn’t answering my texts. I figured he needed some time to calm down so I didn’t think anything of it.” Her face was blank and there were more tears balancing on the edges of her eyes ready to drop any minute.

Michael felt a little uncomfortable hitting her with so many questions, but it was vital for him to get as much information as possible. “What was the argument about?”

“It wasn’t even anything serious. A guy from my English class, Jake...” She waved her hand in the direction of the bar, “He’d asked if I’d help him out a little after lessons. He was struggling with the course and wanted my help that’s all. So a couple of times we went to The Hub after class and I helped him study.

It really made a difference, so I continued to help him and have been for the last couple of weeks.”

“That guy you were just with?”

“Yes. Danny was fine with it to begin with but he became really unhappy about it all of a sudden. He’d always been a little insecure, but it was never a real problem before. He seemed desperate about it; asked me to stop helping Jake, but I told him I didn’t see any harm in it. We argued about it and I told him he was being ridiculous.” She dropped her head again and said quietly, “I never thought it would be the last time I saw him.”

Michael felt for her. On the outside, Nina seemed cocky and thick skinned with an I-don’t-care-about-the-world attitude, but that really wasn’t who she was. Inside, she was as vulnerable as everybody else. She just dressed differentlyShe reached down for her bag and stood up to leave. “I have to get back and study.” Which was just as well as Michael didn’t feel the need to upset her any more than he already had.

“Again, I’m sorry for what happened to your boyfriend.” He stood and turned to her before leaving. “Will you be okay?” he asked with genuine concern.

She wiped her eyes, which smeared her thick make up even more. “Yeah,”

she nodded.

“Well, if you remember anything else, or just need to talk, I’m always on campus.”

“Thank you, sir,” she replied and gave him a strained smile before walking away. Back in his room, Michael had thrown on some sweat pants, made himself a mug of coffee and was now sitting on the sofa with his bare feet propped up on the coffee table and his laptop on his knee. He had quite a lot to do to prepare for tomorrow’s lessons, but, honestly, had no clue where to start. He flicked through Mrs Hart’s notes, which had been given to him earlier that day, trying to make some sort of sense of them but, honestly, they might as well have been written in Chinese for all he could understand of them.

Michael was pleased to read that she was teaching Statistical Methods in Brain and Cognitive Science at the moment, which was also something he knew absolutely nothing about. By some miracle of mammoth proportions he had to know enough to teach a class about it in the morning. He had approximately eight hours.

It was going to be a very long night.

A few hours passed and, after several cups of coffee and a bacon sandwich, Michael was well on his way to constructing his first assignment at SPU. He was surprised, and relieved, at how much information was out there on the internet. The clock in the bottom corner of his laptop screen read 02:14 so hethought he deserved a break and decided to make yet another cup of coffee. Not that he had anything else in his kitchen to make. He made a mental note to go to the store after work and get some groceries. Having nothing to snack on was not helping with his all night study session.

The sound from the boiling kettle was just beginning to die down when Michael heard a noise coming from outside his building. It sounded like distant sirens. He walked over to the window, opened the curtains and peered out. He saw a flashing blue glow rising up from behind one of the student dorm buildings across the green and opened the window which increased the volume of the emergency vehicles. He saw scattered lights being switched on around the rest of the building and the one next to it. It looked like the whole campus was waking up from the commotion. He threw on a hooded sweatshirt, pulled on his Nikes and headed out to see what was happening.

By the time he reached the student dorm building a crowd had begun to gather in the parking lot trying to see what was happening. Some of the students were crying, some seemed to be in shock and one or two were even videoing the scene on their cell phones.

Unbelievable.

Michael squeezed his way through to the front. There were two police cars, lights still flashing, and an ambulance was just pulling up beside them. Officers were ushering the onlookers to stand back including Michael now. He stretched his head to glance around the officer that was standing in front of him and could see a gray blanket covering every inch of what appeared to be a body on the ground. Whoever it was, was dead. Another jumper he presumed.

He watched as one of the medical crew pulled back the blanket. A young girl with blond hair lay still and lifeless with her eyes wide open. She was dressed in her night clothes−light blue pyjamas from what he could see−and there was a pool of blood by her head. One of the ambulance crew checked her over only to confirm the obvious and placed the blanket back over her face. Heheard sobs in the crowd and one girl fainted across the way from where he was standing. An officer went to assist her followed by a medic. This was the fifth suicide in just over a week and Michael knew that if he didn’t find out what was going on pretty quickly it wasn’t going to be the last.

* * *

The ambulance had taken the body away and, after taping off the area where the body had been with yellow tape, most of the police had gone. Students had begun to return to their rooms. Most were still shocked and upset by what they had just seen. A few of the officers had stayed behind to get statements and any other information they needed from witnesses.

Michael made his way back to his building.

Before going back to his room, he bought a hot cup of coffee from the vending machine and decided to hang around downstairs for a little while.

There was a security guard, a large man with graying hair and mustache, now sat behind the desk watching a small portable TV.

Michael noticed the guard watching him as he sat on one of the sofas near the door.

“Have you just come from the drama?” the guard asked with a deep gravelly voice. He had a strong accent. Michael guessed from the south somewhere−Texas maybe?

“Yes. Were you there?” Michael replied.

“I was the one who called it in.”

“You found her?” He sipped on his coffee.

“I sure did. I was out doin’ my rounds. By then there was nothin’ could be done for her, poor soul.” He had no idea how right he was about that.

Committing suicide definitely wasn’t the best thing for her soul. “Cops just tookmy statement. Makes you wonder what’s goin’ through these kids’ minds. It’s gettin’ crazy ‘round here lately.”

He reached over and turned the sound down on his TV. “Haven’t seen you before. You new here?”

“Yeah. Just got here today. I’m filling in for someone. I’m only here for a couple of months.” That was only partly true. He hoped his investigation wouldn’t take anywhere near that long.

“Well. You couldn’t have come at a stranger time,” the guard said. Then he turned the sound back up on the TV, leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the counter.

Michael finished his coffee, which was just as well as the guard was clearly done with the chit-chat. He needed to wait until the heat died down a little over the new jumper before asking any questions so he figured he might as well go up to his room and get back to what he was doing before he completely gave up on the idea of studying for the next four or five hours. His first class was at nine and, although he couldn’t care less about his teaching skills (or lack thereof), he had to make a good impression on his first day so he needed to make sure he was ready for it; putting it off wasn’t going to help. Why couldn’t the position have been for something more interesting like a football coach? Well. . . he wouldn’t be much good at that either.

Wow i want some more

Intresting story. Keep it up

The more the comment the more the update fellas

Keep it coming o

well,,bring it on!!

CHAPTER FOUR

Time had passed quite quickly once Michael had managed to get his head back into his research. By the time he’d finished piecing his class together and gathering up his notes on Statistical Methods and Social Cognitive Theory, his laptop clock read 07:15. He powered down and after a quick shower, rummaged through his only bag of clothes−which was actually a canvas sack, like the ones you got in the army−and pulled out a navy blue shirt and a gray pair of trousers.

They were crumpled but clean. Still, he wasn’t going to look good turning up for his first day of work looking like he’d just stepped out of a tumble dryer. He looked through the kitchen cupboards and thankfully found an iron and did his best to iron the clothes on the countertop which wasn’t easy but he somehow managed. They weren’t perfect, but it was a big improvement.

He quickly ran his fingers through his deep blond hair in the bathroom mirror until he had some kind of style before heading out early for some breakfast.

It was already busy in the large dining room situated in the main building to the front of the campus. Michael stood in line at the food counter with mostly other members of staff. There were one or two students about, but not many due to the fact that most classes−for them anyway−didn’t start until nine. He helped himself to the various hot breakfast buffet items on offer, piling his plate high with bacon, scrambled egg and hash browns, before grabbing a cup of coffee from the machine and paying the rather grumpy looking cashier. She was an old, gray haired lady who clearly looked like she’d had enough of the jobbecause she’d probably worked there for far too long. He was beginning to think that all the staff were miserable in this place. Well. . . all except one. Lacy Holloway couldn’t be included in that thought because she’d been pleasant to him yesterday.

He sat at a vacant table by the far window overlooking the main parking lot and placed his bag−which was full of his research and notes−down on an empty chair next to him and tucked into his food.

It wasn’t long before he was interrupted and a pleasant scent of rose mixed withwith a hint of apple filled his nose.

“Michael? Hi,” a pleasant female voice said. He recognized the soft British accent of Miss Holloway straight away and when he looked up, she was standing across the table, smiling at him, her large, pale green eyes smiling with her. Her blond hair was tied back in a ponytail except for a few wispy strands that fell either side of her face. She was dressed in a beige pencil skirt that stopped just below her knees and a black short sleeved blouse, holding a blue file in one hand and a breakfast bar and juice bottle in the other. “May I join you?”

She’d been kind enough to spend the time explaining things and showing him around the place just after he’d arrived yesterday which made him grateful for that and the fact that he felt like he actually knew someone now.

“Hi, Lacy. Yeah. Sure,”

She sat down at the opposite side of the table, freeing up her hands and pulling the straw from her juice box. “So, are you ready for your first day?” she asked as she pierced the little round hole on the top with it and took a sip.

“Yes. I am actually. A little apprehensive, maybe, but I’m looking forward to it.” Was he hell! He had no idea what he was doing, but it was hardly the worst thing he’d ever had to do so he’d get through it somehow.

He threw a convincing smile at her.“You’ll be fine. They’re really not a bad bunch. I’ve taught Joanne’s class a couple of times when she’d had doctor’s appointments.”

Michael liked her. She was easy to talk to−friendly, and her perfume made the air around them fresh and comforting. He decided to casually ask about what happened last night to see what she knew about it all, if anything.

“Terrible what happened last night wasn’t it? That’s five all together, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I was filled in when I arrived here this morning. I’ve heard that there are going to be police patrolling the campus for a while.” She sighed heavily. “I can’t believe what’s happening. They’re saying it’s a suicide pact. Even though we know that these kinds of pacts are usually made because suicide to an individual is so daunting that they can't face it alone, there’s also a chance that the victims have no connection to each other. Apparently the local media have been asked by the authorities to hold off printing their article about this latest one. They fear the more media exposure, the more copycat deaths. It’s just so awful. ”

Michael took another sip of his coffee and then swilled what little was left around the bottom of his cup. He nodded. “Did you know any of them?”

“No. None of them were in psychology. I’m glad I didn’t. It saddens me enough as it is and I daren’t think of their poor families.” She took another sip of her drink.

“She looked young,” he said before drinking the last of his coffee.

“You saw her?” Lacy looked surprised.

“Yeah. I heard the sirens from my room and went to see what was happening.” He shook his head. “Such a waste of life.”

“Indeed,” she said, and for a moment it looked like her mind had wandered somewhere else. Then she blinked and looked at him again. “I’m sure they’ll get to the bottom of it.”

Michael wasn’t convincedAfter a short silence, Lacy looked at her small black leather strapped watch.

“I better get going.” She grabbed her stuff. “I have to finish preparing an assignment. Good luck today.”

He laughed. “I think I’ll need it.”

She smiled at him. “You’ll be fine. If you need anything at all just come and see me. I’m in room M103 for most of the day.”

“Thanks.”

“Bye, Michael.”

“Bye.” He watched her walk away happy to know at least one person.

He finished up and decided to head for his first class. No use trying to put it off. He had no choice but to get on with it and hope that the day wouldn’t be a complete disaster.

He walked along the old, dark corridor of the psychology department. The building on the west side of the campus was the oldest on site and the many wooden classroom doors all looked the same, each with small plastic plaques on them containing white class numbers. He finally reached his room−CS101−and hesitated for a moment with his hand on the handle. He felt nervous, which was strange. He hadn’t felt that in a long time. Get a grip, Michael! He told himself, clutching his file under his arm. He took in a deep breath, turned the handle and walked in to face a large room full of faces that looked up at him all at once.

Damn! He thought, feeling like a rat in a cage. Here goes.

* * *

Michael was back in his apartment by three. He sat in blissful silence. He’d done it. Relief washed over him quickly as he sat leaning on the dining table with his head in his hands. He’d managed to get through it. There were no hiccups, noone had questioned his work and he hadn’t made a fool of himself like he thought he would. He’d survived it. No more classes or lectures for today.

Thank God.

He’d grabbed a coffee from the machine downstairs on his way back and was about to enjoy it when the phone rang. He reached over and grabbed the handset from its cradle on the kitchen counter and answered, “Hello.”

“Hello, Mr Warden?” a male voice said at the other end.

“Yes, speaking.”

“I’m from Oakley Laundry services. Your suit is ready, sir.”

Michael had dropped it into them yesterday afternoon, but had forgotten all about it with everything that had happened. “Oh. Great. I’ll come collect it.

What time do you close up?”

“Five-thirty, sir.”

“I’ll be there before then. Thanks very much.”

“You’re welcome.” The voice said before hanging up.

Michael didn’t have much but there were a few things he always made sure he did have: a computer, for research purposes; a heap of fake IDs, for when he needed to be someone else; a gun, which he’d stored away under a loosened floorboard by his bed; and a good suit.

He had the rest of the day off so he figured it was a good time to go into town and pick up his suit and get some groceries and a few other things he needed.

Oakland was a small town. There seemed to be plenty of stores, though they were all pretty small: thrift stores, grocery stores, coffee bars, the odd second hand book store and a sports store which sold mostly college stuff.

After picking up his suit and grabbing some groceries from the store across the street from the cleaners, Michael began to head back to his car. He noticed a young man leaning against a wall by the bus shelter up ahead, hood up, smoking a cigarette. As he got closer, the man looked up at him and as soon as he sawMichael he pushed himself from the wall and began to walk away. It was Jake, the guy he’d seen Nina leaving the bar with last night.

Michael called out to him as he upped his pace. “Hey!”

The young man stopped and slowly turned around. His black, hooded top was torn on the arm and his scruffy indigo jeans didn’t fare much better. The guy lifted his head and as he stood and stared, as if Michael had inconvenienced him, he played with the piercing in his bottom lip with his tongue. Michael saw another stud in his left eyebrow.

“You go to SPU right?” Michael asked.

Jake flicked away what was left of his cigarette; sparks flickered from it when it hit the ground a few feet away. “Yeah. I’ve got no classes this afternoon, though.”

“That’s okay. I just saw you last night with Nina. You were leaving the bar with her, right?” Michael tried to sound as casual as possible.

His eyes narrowed. “Yeah. Why?”

“Well, it looked like you were arguing. Is everything all right? I’m a little concerned about her that’s all.” Michael explained. He was just clutching at straws, but he had a feeling that something was going on between the two of them and found it a little strange given how upset Nina was last night about her boyfriend dying. It was probably nothing, but it was an avenue he felt he had to explore before he could move on.

“She was just in a weird kind of mood. She’s like that. She stormed off back to her dorm or something, I guess,” he replied. His voice was almost as blank as his expression. His eyes were framed by dark circles and his skin was pale. He looked like he needed a good sleep, and a long soak in the bath.

There was his first lie. Michael thought. Jake had definitely been the aggressor outside the bar and Nina had been visibly upset by it. Not realizing that Michael had spoken to her straight after, Jake was trying to pull a fast one and he wasn’t buying it.He had to find out if there was a connection between Nina’s dead boyfriend and Jake. “You’re her friend right?”

Jake was beginning to fidget, pulling the zipper on his sweater up and down.

“Yeah.”

“So, how well did you know her boyfriend? Danny, wasn’t it?”

“I didn’t. Look. . . I gotta go.” He pulled another cigarette from his pocket, then turned and walked away.

Michael raised his voice after him. “You’ll let me know if she needs anything won’t you.” No answer.

He needed to have another conversation with Nina.

* * *

Later that evening, after Michael had eaten some frozen pizza that he’d burned for himself, he’d decided to take a walk over to Lucky Seven’s figuring if he was going to bump into Nina that would probably be the place. It was a modern looking bar: lots of dark wood beams across the ceiling, a dark wood floor, and a large round bar in the center which was lit with color changing panels all across the bottom. Apart from some more of the same panels around the edge of the ceiling, there wasn’t much light to speak of. His eyes scanned the place, but there was no sign of Nina or Jake. It was busy, mostly students, and yeah, he felt a little out of place so he ordered a beer and found a corner where he could keep his eye on the entrance and still hide away quite easily.

Or so he thought. . .

“Hi, Mr Warden,” one of three girls said, all were smiling, as they passed his table. Students he recognized from one of his classes earlier. He acknowledged them with a smile and carried on with his beer.

About an hour passed and there was still no sign of either of them. Michael was on his third beer and was still sitting alone, even though another one of hisstudents had asked if he’d wanted to join him and his friends for a game of pool over in the other corner. He’d politely declined.

He was about to give up and try somewhere else when he caught sight of Jake amongst a crowd who came walking through the door. He was on his own.

Michael sat back in his seat and watched as Jake scanned his eyes around the room, then ordered a drink at the bar. He seemed anxious, looking over at the door every time it opened. There was no doubt he was waiting for someone; could be Nina. Hopefully, he’d find out soon enough.

Another hour soon passed and Michael was beginning to get a headache from the Indie music that was blaring through the sound system: At the moment, some guy was singing about a girl out of her head and staring at the ceiling. It was no wonder half the campus was suicidal. He watched as Jake threw back the last of his Corona and headed for the exit. Looked like whoever he was meeting had stood him up and he was clearly pissed off about it.

Michael got up to follow him out and got collared by the girl who’d smiled at him earlier. “Mr Warden, I was wondering if−”

“Not now. I have to go. Sorry.” He dismissed her quickly, but by the time he’d gotten outside Jake had gone. “Shit!” He looked around, but there was no sign of him.

Icekidmuktar
Solomombrown64 where are you
BiafraBushBoy

Uh_yeah.

Nxt!!!!

Next pls

Stroke of genius

hmmm, am beginning to suspect a connection between this lacey halloway and jake

Sorry about the delay peeps nairaland refuse me to post throughout yesterday.. Don't worry I'll make it up to you peeps.

CHAPTER FIVE

Days had passed and Michael had seen nothing of Jake or Nina; in fact, things were quiet, a little too quiet. Apart from working, he’d spent most of his time doing research on the internet and finding out who the friends of the dead students were. He’d gathered a list of those who he wanted to speak to so he could see if he could find out if there was any connection whatsoever between those who had died. There had to be something. Even though the cops had asked all the questions they could and had concluded that none of them even knew each other, there still had to be something they were missing.

His research into what kind of creature could be responsible for the deaths hadn’t really pulled up anything solid either. A couple of passages he’d read had caught his eye. The website had written about a spirit who causes un-natural death to those who perform disrespectful acts, cause harm, have affairs etc−known as a Sowin−but he had to look into it further and unless he could come up with something solid on the students there was little evidence to support the theory.

Damn, he was hitting nothing but dead ends.

He’d had no luck locating Nina either. He’d found out that some of her classes were in the Micro Biology building which was right next to the Psychology department. He’d asked around, but no one had seen her. She hadn’t shown for classes for the last two days. He had a bad feeling.

Sitting down at his table in the dining hall at the south end of the campus, he read some papers on Humans in Biological Perspective, which he’d printed out from last night in prep for today’s classes, while he finished off his breakfast omelette. He had another half hour until his first lecture and figured he needed the extra run through before then. It was funny how he’d settled into his latest role. It was boring subject matter but he was actually quite enjoying being Prof. Michael Warden. It made him feel like he had a bit of purpose for once; like he was still relevant in a world that was very different to him now.

He was about to take a sip of his coffee when he looked up to see Nina walking over to the line for the buffet cart. She looked so different that he wasn’t sure if it was her at first. Her hair was pulled back neatly into a slick ponytail, she was still dressed in all black, but gone were the heavy boots and long skirt, replaced by skinny jeans, gray converse pumps and a loose woolen sweater that hung off one shoulder. She had half the makeup that he’d seen on her before and no longer looked like the brooding Goth girl with the heavily back combed hair that he’d met only a few nights ago.

She looked happy.

Michael watched as she carried her full tray over to a small table on the other side of the dining room and sat down. He contemplated going over to her, but quickly changed his mind when someone else approached her table.

Jake.

He spoke to her and when she looked up at him, her whole face lit up with an adoring smile. Jake sat down on a chair beside her, they shared a laugh and a joke and then he leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

Only a few days ago Michael had seen how distraught she’d been over her boyfriend’s death and now she was cozying up to some other guy? The same guy who she’d seemed to have problems with not too long ago. Something wasn’t right.

A female voice interrupted his thoughts. “Hey. Penny for them.” Lacy stood beside him looking elegant in black leggings with black knee high boots and a royal blue long-length sweater that hugged her slim figure. She was holding a juice box and a granola bar−her breakfast of choice, it seemed; although, how she could function on that little amount of food was anyone’s guess. Hell, he didn’t even need to eat anymore, but still wouldn’t be able to manage on that.

“Hey, Lacy.” He blinked, realizing he’d taken too long to answer.

“May I join you?” she asked politely.

“Of course. Please, sit down.” As she did her fresh, rose tinted perfume filled the air around them as it always did when she was near. He couldn’t help himself as he inhaled deeply. She smelt like spring flowers. Her hair was loose today, neatly ironed into place.

“How are you settling in?” she asked, smiling up at him as she stabbed her straw into her apple juice.

“Good, thanks.” He nodded, glancing back over at the two unlikely lovebirds that were now holding hands on top of the table.

Lacy must have sensed he was preoccupied. “Is everything okay? You look a little distracted.”

Michael turned his attention back to her. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just didn’t get much sleep last night.” At least it wasn’t a lie.

Her expression changed to one of understanding, like she could relate to it.

She gave a small sigh. “Well, this job can do that to you.”

Michael nodded. “Has there been any word on the jumper?”

“Nothing, as far as I know. They’ve sealed off the area around her dorm and are still interviewing students. That’s about all I’ve heard.”

“Yeah, it can’t be easy for the cops. I mean, She’s the fifth one now, I’m sure people are feeling pretty anxious.” He noticed Nina and Jake getting up to leave. The guy had his arm flung over Nina’s shoulder as they headed for the door, both still laughing and joking. Michael’s brows lowered as he watched them.

Lacy followed his gaze and turned around to see what he was looking at.

“You know those two?” she asked. Michael shook his head. “No. Not really. The girl, Nina, her boyfriend was one of the jumpers.

“Oh!” Lacy turned back and raised an eyebrow. “Clearly she got over that quickly.”

“I know, right? Strange thing is, I spoke to her a few nights back, my first night on campus, and she seemed distraught as though her whole world had ended. And she looked completely different too.” He finished off his coffee.

“Different? How?”

“Her whole style has changed in the space of a couple of days and she’s acting differently. If I didn’t know any better I would swear she wasn’t the same person I spoke to the other night. And now she’s all loved up with that guy, Jake.” The more he thought about it, the weirder it felt.

“I’m sure it’s nothing. You know what it’s like being young. These things happen all the time. You’ll never understand it, so why try?” She laughed a little and Michael couldn’t help but smile at her. Perhaps she was right. Maybe he was just looking for something that wasn’t really there. He would keep an eye on them regardless.

“So, how are you finding it here?” Lacy asked. He was glad of the change of subject. He’d had his head in nothing but this stupid case since he’d gotten here, well that and studying for his fake job.

“Classes are good. It’s been a little easier than I thought. I have a couple of lectures today that I’m not quite sure I’m fully prepared for but apart from that, things are going okay.” He watched as Lacy bit into her granola bar then wiped away a crumb from the corner of her mouth. She was certainly attractive. Well groomed with striking features which he guessed would turn any man’s head as she walked into a room. But it was her smile that he liked the most: it was genuine. He could see it in her eyes and he felt comfortable in her company. He had a sudden need to know more about her.

“What about you, how long have you worked here?”“This is my third year,” she replied, her mouth still half full.

“And I’m guessing with that accent you’re not from around here.” He popped an eyebrow up at her.

She laughed softly. “Good work,” she mocked. “No. I was born in a place called Chelmsford in England.”

“So how did you wind up here? If it’s okay to ask, I mean.” Michael was surprised how eager he was to know more about her. It was nice to be focusing on something other than suicidal students and spirits and all things supernatural.

Besides, she seemed comfortable enough to answer.

“I moved over here from England when I was fifteen to live with my grandmother because. . . Well, let’s just say me and my mother had a turbulent relationship. It was work that brought me to Maryland; been here ever since,”

she explained.

Michael picked up his cup, forgetting that he’d finished his coffee already until he glanced into the bottom to see it was empty. “Do you have to be in class yet?”

She glanced at her watch. “Not for another half hour.”

“Great,” he said as he rose up from his seat. “I’m going to grab another coffee, would you like one?”

She smiled up at him. “Yes. Thanks; white, one sugar.”

As he walked away, Michael smiled to himself. He didn’t know why it pleased him that she took her coffee the same way as him, but it did.

He returned with the drinks and they chatted easily for the next half an hour after which he realized one good thing: he’d found a friend here.

* * *

Michael sailed through his first half of the morning’s lectures and everything had gone well−all but the last one anyway−which he’d had to cut short before anyone realized he had no clue what he was talking about. It was a little after two thirty in the afternoon and he had a spare hour to kill before a scheduled faculty meeting which he was really looking forward to.

He decided to see if he could find Nina. She had to be at her classes this afternoon after showing up this morning so, ducking his head down in an attempt to shield his face from the heavy rain, he made his way down the street to the Micro Biology building and headed down the hall. When he reached Nina’s class, he glanced through the small square window in the door and noticed her sitting at her desk in the far corner of the room. Everything seemed to be normal as she sat with her head down writing out her work, so Michael decided to wait it out in the corridor until class was out.

Fifteen minutes later, and after reading the same poster over and over again on the notice board, something about a Carbon Sequestration Seminar at eleven in the morning, Michael headed back down the corridor just in time to see Nina walk out of the room.

“Nina? Hi,” he said nonchalantly, acting like it was a coincidence that he'd bumped into her. She looked surprised to see him.

“Mr Warden, right? Hi.”

Her behavior was the polar opposite of what it had been just days ago: She wasn’t hunched over with her chin almost on the floor but the exact opposite.

She seemed to have more life in her, a spring in her step. Either she’d had a personality transplant or she was just really good at dealing with grief.

“How are things?” He already knew the answer.

“Good. I’m feeling much better about things. Thanks.”

“That’s good. . . good to hear,” he said. “I saw you this morning at breakfast in the dining room; you were with your friend. . . Uh, Jake isn’t it?”

“Yeah. Are you two okay now?” She knew he was referring to their little altercation the other night. He waited for some kind of tell in her expression, but if she had something to hide, it didn’t show at all.

“It was a little misunderstanding that’s all,” she explained.

“Good. You two seemed pretty close this morning.” He was pushing it with that one and expected some sort of attitude back from her but it never happened.

“Yeah, we kind of are. He’s been so good to me through all of this. I don’t know what I would have done without him.” Her smile looked genuine, and even though it seemed strange for her to have adjusted so well so soon after Danny’s death, he guessed it could have been. Like Lacy said: it was probably nothing. “Sorry sir, I gotta run.” She began to walk past him.

“Sure. Take care.”

Chapter 5 Cont


* * *

After his last class of the day, and after all the students had left, Michael sat quietly thinking about the dead end he’d walked smack-bang into earlier. He was going to have to start from fresh. He had the list he’d gathered of all the students’ friends and associates and would start there, then he’d have to look into the investigation, see what the cops were saying. The authorities weren’t treating the deaths as suspicious, but there might be something they’d missed, something that they wouldn’t necessarily be looking for that Michael would.

He opened the top drawer of his desk with a small key and pulled out a file, opened it and pulled out the newspaper clippings that he’d gathered since he’d arrived in Oakland. Each of the victims’ names were highlighted in each article:

Claire Miller, aged 19; Kevin Mitchell, aged 20; Ryan Willis, aged 20; Danny Wheeler, aged 20; and the latest was Marissa Jacobson, also aged 20. Like the authorities, he’d established that none of the victims knew each other, hadn't shared any classes together and there was nothing similar in their appearance.

No connection; just random suicides.

Michael wasn’t accepting that. There was definitely something not right. He could feel it.

He leaned his elbows on the desk and pinched the top of his nose with his fingers, heaving a sigh. A knock on the open door caught him off guard and he swung his head around to see Lacy leaning against the jam with a thick pile of folders in her arms.

“Hey. You look like you could use a drink too,” she said as she walked into the room. Michael slowly closed the file in front of him, making sure all his clippings were tucked away inside. “It’s that obvious, huh?” He grinned up at her, glad to see her smiling face behind a slender pair of black rimmed reading glasses that he hadn’t seen her wear before. “You wear glasses?” Not really a question, more an observation. They made her features even more striking.

“Ah. . . yes, but usually only in class.” She removed them as though she felt a little embarrassed. “Tough day?”

“Not the best.” And not for any reasons he could talk to her about.

“I was thinking of grabbing a coffee and a bite to eat before I head home, care to join me?” She fidgeted with her glasses before sliding them into her purse.

Michael smiled as he watched a shyness in her that just positively melted him−which wasn’t good. The last thing he needed right now was any complications, so beginning to like a colleague a little more than he should was really not an option. But he did like Lacy. And besides that, it was just coffee and a bite, and he was in the mood for some food. What harm could it do?

“Sure. That’d be great.” He noticed her shoulders relax in that instant.

* * *
Lacy had insisted on driving them out to a small Italian cafe bar called Carlito’s on the other side of town, a small place set back from the road. Inside, the welcoming cream and red décor felt warm, and the heavy scent of roast coffee and Italian cuisine made Michael’s stomach groan with anticipation.
They were seated at a small table in the corner by the window. The lighting was dim and there was a tea-light in a red colored glass holder flickering in the middle of the table.

This is not a date. He thought as he reassured himself that everything about this was okay. It’s just dinner with a colleague. He looked up at Lacy, who smiled back at him, the glow of the candle light on her face enhancing her features and creating shadows that made her eyelashes appear twice as long.

She was. . . beautiful.

Oh, Hell.

They ordered food and while they waited, the waitress brought their drinks over: cappuccino for Lacy and a whiskey for Michael. He only wished that the alcohol would affect him in some way so he could relax a bit. Even just a little fuzzy would be great right now. One day he was going to drink and drink as much as he could to see if he could actually get drunk at all. But for now, he’d have to make do with sober-as-a-judge no matter how much of the brown stuff he drank.

Realizing they were both sitting quietly, Michael pulled himself away from his thoughts and tried to look a little more relaxed about the whole situation.

“Nice place,” he said, breaking the awkward silence.

“It is, isn’t it? I come here once in a while, nice atmosphere and no students.

It’s nice to relax here after work.” She took a sip of her coffee. “How’s life for you on campus then? I don’t envy you having to live as well as work there. I think I’d go insane.”“It’s not so bad, but I haven’t really been there long. I’m not sure I’d be happy with a permanent situation.” And it did beat some of the musty motel rooms he was so used to. “My place is bigger than I expected actually. I have my own kitchen, albeit small, and the living area is plenty for me. I’m in a quiet part of the building which is good. There’s just me and another sub on our floor and the other rooms are empty. So you see, I can’t complain.”

Lacy cocked an eyebrow “I didn’t realize it was so luxurious over there.”

“Oh, it is. You should see the size of the bedroom.” Shit! He held his breath and shook his head slightly as he realized what he’d said. Thankfully, when he looked at Lacy she was grinning right at him. They both laughed. “I’m so sorry,

I never meant for−”

“It’s fine. I know you didn’t,” she interrupted. After that, there was no more awkwardness or silence. The ice had been broken and they both began to feel much more relaxed as the night went on.

An hour passed easily. Michael was feeling well fed after polishing off a large Penne Arrabiata and a tomato and onion salad. He watched Lacy intently as she finished off the last of her tiramisu. “I enjoyed that so much,” she said after swallowing her last mouthful and dabbing at her mouth with her napkin.

To his chagrin, he’d enjoyed it too, watching her eat the little slice of coffee flavored, cream dessert. He had to stop it. He grabbed the attention of a passing
M waitress and called her over. “Another coffee?” he asked Lacy, who hesitated for a moment before turning to the young girl waiting with her order pad at the ready.

“Hey. Sarah. Would it be okay if I left my car in the parking lot tonight? I just really fancy a beer.”

Michael spoke before the waitress had time to answer. “I can drive back.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind?”“Of course not.” He turned to the waitress, “A beer for the lady and,” he smiled back at Lacy, “a coke for me, please.” Lacy mouthed the word thank you so he waved his hand in dismissal, “I was fed up of the whiskey anyway.”

The rest of the evening consisted of more drinks and plenty of conversation. Michael had done a good job of keeping it mostly about Lacy, wanting to know more about her and her life and figuring now was as good a time as any.

Luckily she didn’t mind and, to his surprise, she was actually quite open about things. How her life had been since moving to Maryland, even past relationships. She spoke more about her mother and how they’d never really seen eye to eye, which is why she’d come to live with her Grandmother in the first place. She told him how her mother cared more about her job than anything else and she couldn’t stand it anymore. He was quite content to leave her to do all the talking and was sitting back in his chair, pleased that he’d managed to avoid her asking any questions about him.

Until. . .

“So, how about you?” Lacy said, catching him off guard for a second. “You must miss your family when you work away like this.”

He should have expected it, been more prepared for it, but the truth was, he was so fixed on listening to the soft tone of Lacy’s voice that he hadn’t really been paying attention to everything she’d said. He cleared his throat, buying himself time to prepare his answer which shouldn’t have been a problem. Lying was a big part of his existence now and it usually came naturally to him. But somehow, now that he was sitting in front of her, it didn’t feel right.

“I’m actually kind of a loner.” Wasn’t a lie. So far, so good.

Lacy’s eyebrows lowered. “Oh. . . I don’t believe that.”

“It’s true, honestly. I don’t have any family around and I’m an only child.

So. . . yeah, just me.” He said it matter-of-fact as though it didn’t bother him and the truth was it didn’t anymore, not really. Perhaps it was just because he'd been so wrapped up in his quest to find whoever had killed him that loneliness no longer played a part in his existence. Or maybe he just hadn’t allowed it to.

“Okay then. . . Girlfriend?”

He grinned and shook his head. “No.”

“Um. . . Boyfriend?”

His eyes widened and so did hers. “No! Definitely not my thing.” He could have sworn she looked relieved for a moment. She took another swig from her bottle of beer.

“What about friends then? You must know someone.”

Michael inhaled deeply, pleased that the four beers she’d drunk had given her more courage and that it had somehow made her think that she was hosting an episode of Twenty Questions. He was strangely amused by it nonetheless.

“Just work colleagues mainly.”

Her shoulders slumped and her tone of voice changed to something slightly more dejected than before. “I’m sorry to hear that. It must be bloody miserable being on your own.”

He smiled. “It’s really okay,” he said reassuringly, wanting the silly, relaxed, slightly drunk Lacy back even if it did mean more questions. “I have plenty of work to do to keep me occupied. I don’t have time to feel alone.”

Thank God that seemed to lighten the atmosphere again.

Lacy sat upright, her mouth curling up into a warm smile. “Well, Michael, in Oakland you have a friend.” She held her hand out to him over the table. He shook it and hesitated before letting go.

“I think I can live with that.”

As the evening went on, and the place filled with diners at the tables and drinkers at the bar, Michael had managed to switch the subject back to Lacy.

She was pretty tipsy and he didn’t even need to ask questions anymore; information was just pouring out of her and he found it hard to keep a straight face. He sat listening to her talk about her ex fiancé, Simon, who’d had an affairfor over a year with a colleague from his work. She’d only found out about it because she’d become friends with a woman at her weekly spinning class; neither of them knowing that they were seeing the same guy until they went for coffee one afternoon, and her friend had pulled a picture of Lacy’s fiancé from her wallet claiming him to be her long term boyfriend.

“I seem to be as unlucky with men as my wonderful mother is. . . ” She went on, getting more and more animated much to Michael’s amusement. In fact, he wasn’t even sure what she was saying anymore. He was lost in his thoughts.

What was it about the tone of her voice that warmed him so much? He felt like he could listen to her talk forever. She was fascinating to him and he couldn’t help feeling a connection between them that maybe they both shared. They seemed to have at least one significant thing in common: they were both alone.

Instead of listening to her talk, he studied her face, noticing how smooth her skin was. Her large green eyes looked darker in the soft hue of the candle light.

Then he realized what he was doing and snapped himself back to a reality he needed to make damn sure he clung on to.

“. . . and thinks it’s acceptable for a forty seven year old woman to date a man who’s four years younger than her own daughter−”

Michael leant his mouth on his hand and tried to stifle his laugh.

Lacy blinked and focused her eyes on him. “Oh dear, I’m waffling aren’t I?”

Her words were beginning to slur a little. “And you haven’t spoken for a very long time.”

“I’m enjoying listening,” he said before asking for the bill from the passing waiter, “but I do think I should get you home.”

“I think you’re right.” Lacy began to rummage through her purse as though she’d lost something. Michael stood and reached for her jacket from the back of the chair and retrieved her car keys from one of the pockets.

“Are these what you’re looking for?” He grinned, dangling them from is finger.She reached for them. “Yes. Thank you−”

Michael snapped them away. “I’m driving remember?”

“Yes. Of course you are.”

Michael helped her into her coat.

* * *

Luckily, Lacy was just about sober enough to remember how to get to her house. With only a couple of wrong turns along the way−and plenty of laughs about it−Michael eventually pulled into the driveway of her quaint, one story home in a small suburb just on the edge of town. He got out and hurried to the other side of the car to help her.

She giggled as he took hold of her arm to steady her. “Quite the gentlemen aren’t you?”

“Just don’t want you falling on my watch,” he replied as he guided her from the car to the front door. She rooted through her purse for her house keys under the glow of the porch light, cursing under her breath until she finally pulled them out and attempted to unlock the door. Michael assisted.

“Are you going to be okay?” he asked as she stepped inside and turned to face him.

“Yes, I’ll be fine. I’m feeling a little dizzy, that’s all.” She brushed a stray hair from in front of her eye and tucked it behind her ear. “I had fun tonight.”

She smiled.

“Me too. Good night Lacy.” He began to walk away down the narrow garden path which cut across the grass. The crisp fall air left his mouth on a cloudy exhale as he prepared for his brisk walk back to campus; the walk that would clear his head and bring him crashing back down to reality as he berated himself for nearly letting his feelings rule him for the very first time since he’dbeen Michael Warden. He was about to unhook the small gate when Lacy shouted from behind him.

“Wait!”

He turned back to see her still standing in the open doorway, the glow from the hall light silhouetting her slim frame.

“How will you get back?” she asked as she took a couple of steps towards him.

He held his hands out and looked up at the clear night sky. “It’s a great evening. I’ll walk.”

“But it’s right across town.”

“I’ll hail a cab or something. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” Again, he went to open the gate.

“Why don’t you stay here?” His hand froze on the catch at the same time his breath caught. No. Definitely not a good idea. He turned back to face her as she started to walk towards him. “Look. . . I have a spare comforter. You can sleep on the sof−” She stumbled, but Michael hurried and managed to catch her by her arm.

“Are you okay?” He couldn’t help laughing.

“Whoa! I may need coffee.” She held her hand to her head as if that would stop it spinning. “I’m okay, really. So, what do you say? It’s the least I can do after leaving you stranded.”

It would be much easier. And they could both travel to work together in the morning. But he really shouldn’t, not after the way his mind had been working back at Carlito’s. He should be spending less time around her now not spending the night. “I, ah. . . I really should go.” Lacy tilted her head to the side and smiled. “It’s just a sofa.”

He exhaled sharply. Yes. She was right. It was just a sofa. What was he thinking? “Okay. But only if you’re sure.”Lacy linked her arm through his and pulled him back towards the house. “Of course I am.”

* * *

“Michael.”

A soft voice pulled him out of his slumber and caused him to bolt upright. He rubbed at his eyes and as he did, he heard a sudden gasp.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.” That same voice said. He looked up to see Lacy with a plate in one hand and the other covering her eyes.

“What..?” He looked down. “Oh. Shit! Sorry.” He cursed again as he realized his boxers weren’t quite doing their job properly. He quickly pulled the comforter over his lap. He must have kicked it off in his confusion. “Panic over,” he assured Lacy, who looked through a little gap in her fingers before removing her hand. Michael smiled coyly. “Sorry about that.”

She shook her head quickly; cheeks lightly flushed and, thankfully, carried on as though nothing had happened. “I made breakfast; my lame attempt at an apology for last night.”

She handed him the plate of freshly cooked pancakes smothered with syrup.

Her cheeks were still a little pink and she looked fresh like she’d been awake for hours. Her hair was tied back from her face and she was wearing gray colored trousers and a slim purple turtleneck top. She always presented herself well.

“Thanks. But you don’t have to apologize.” He tucked into his pancakes. Man, they tasted good. He noticed her eyes flick down to his naked chest and she quickly blinked and turned away. He smiled.

“Yes. I really do. I have no idea what came over me.” She walked over to the ornately carved wooden fireplace and leant her arm on the top. “I hardlyever drink, but I think I drank more last night than I have in a whole year. I don’t do that. It was rude, and I’m sorry.” She paced across the room, towards the window this time, squeezing her fingers together. “I can’t begin to tell you how embarr −”

“Lacy,” he interrupted. She turned and looked at him. “Quit apologizing.

And would you keep still?” It was more an order than a request but she was about to wear a path in the carpet.

She plunked herself in the chair opposite him and sat quietly.

“I actually really enjoyed myself last night,” he told her and he meant it too. He was so used to being on his own−and if he wasn’t, he was hanging with mostly dead people−that he hadn’t realized he could still be sociable. Last night, for those few hours with Lacy, he hadn’t thought about what he was or what he was really doing here in Oakland. It was a welcome relief.

She raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Are you kidding me? Great food, great company. . . Why wouldn’t I?” He

stuffed the last fork full of pancakes into his mouth after making sure he used it to scoop all the rest of the syrup off the plate first.

Lacy laughed a little. “Yeah. I enjoyed it too.” She smiled at him then, “Oh no,” she groaned, her face disappearing behind her hands. Michael looked down at himself again just to be sure. Yes, comforter still in place. “I told you about Simon, didn’t I?” She looked over at him, her face full of apology. He couldn’t hold back his laugh. “Yeah, you did. And for the record. . . He’s a complete jerk!”

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Interesting

We want some more plsss

Next update please this is interesting

Preciousbouy:
BiadeForla
Hadow
Cadec007,
Solomombrown64,
Theblessedman
Jomagibs...
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that's the few that I know and if you mention your friends to read the story I will be grateful

My Brother well done ooo.

Chai, food don done.

Wey all my paddy, Abeg come join me make we flex

CHAPTER SIX

“Okay, don’t forget your assignments need to be in by the end of this week.”

Lacy raised her voice to her hurried students as they left the class. She packed up her files from her desk, relieved that she had a couple of hours before the next lecture. It was a little after one in the afternoon and her stomach grumbled loudly, reminding her that she’d hardly eaten a thing since leaving the house with Michael that morning. A piece of fruit wasn’t sufficient enough for a day’s work, especially with the day she’d had so far. But truthfully, she hadn’t even been able to think of food let alone eat any. Her stomach was just too sensitive today. Add to that the shame of her near emotional breakdown in front of a work colleague, she barely knew and her day could only get better. Right?

She grabbed her purse and threw it over her shoulder, picked up a large stack of files and made her way to her car. As she walked through the double doors to the outside, she winced at the bright sunshine, squinting as a blast of pain shot through her temple; the effects of last night’s highly embarrassing, drunken stupor refusing to wane. Why did I allow myself to drink that much?

She huffed. She’d actually enjoyed herself up until that point. Michael had turned out to be good company which was a pleasant surprise. She’d always thought he seemed a little serious, but she’d seen another side trying to creep through last night, even if she had sensed him holding it back.

And then there was this morning. She flushed as she recalled seeing him almost naked on her sofa. His body was pale, but surprisingly well defined with tight muscle in all the right places. He clearly looked after himself, and she’dfound it hard to look away from him as he fumbled for the blanket to cover himself. Oh, God! I hope he hadn’t noticed me gawking at him. She berated herself. She couldn’t have embarrassed herself any more than what she had last night. Thankfully, he’d been very polite and a lot more relaxed as they’d spoken about nothing but work in the car on the way to campus.

Out in the parking lot she reached her silver Ford Focus, clicked the lock to open the trunk, and placed the files inside finally freeing her arms from the week’s heavy work load. It was going to take her all night to get through that Okay much work and she wasn’t feeling in the best of moods.

Just as she reached up to close the trunk she paused at the sound of a distressed female voice. Slowly peering around her car she saw Nina, the dark

Just as she reached up to close the trunk she paused at the sound of a distressed female voice. Slowly peering around her car she saw Nina, the dark

Chapter six is short

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Cadec007:
gucciqueen38, Ellabae, correctguy101, adesina14,

Thanks brother for the mention.


Only seeing Ella there brought back memories... Painful ones. Was offline for her and I came on only to see my moniker mentioned with a namesake of hers....


Just don't know what to say..m...

Ohhhhh too short