S05xE06 – ALONE TOGETHER

 

The sun shone in a clear blue sky. There wasn’t a cloud in sight. The birds tweeted happily in the trees. Squirrels chased each other playfully through front lawns. It was another beautiful morning in the town of West Valley. The residents were slowly waking from a good night’s sleep. Inside Fallon’s bedroom, a light breeze from the open window ruffled the curtains. With a peaceful smile on her lips, Fallon stirred, opening her eyes. Sunlight filtered into the room as she sat up with a sigh of contempt. She pushed the covers back and got to her feet. She made her way across the room and over to the window. She peered through the glass, taking a deep breath of the early morning dew. She glanced at the bedside clock. There was still plenty of time before she had to start her day.

 

She stifled a yawn, closing the window. She made her way over to her closet, pulling the door open. She peered inside before choosing an outfit. She pulled it out and closed the closet door before placing the outfit down on the bed. She’d get dressed after taking a shower. But first, a nice cup of coffee sounded like a good way to start the morning. With a bounce in her step, she made her way over to the closed bedroom door. She wrapped her hand around the knob and pulled the door open. There was someone standing right on the other side. Hayley Summers. To be more precise, the corpse of Hayley Summers. Her skin so white, almost translucent. Her eyes, dark holes in her face. Her mouth open in a frozen scream of terror. Bright red crimson blood cascaded out of her mouth and down the front of her white dress. In her clawed hand, she gripped a large kitchen knife.

 

Before she could react, the knife in Hayley’s hand plunged deep into Fallon’s gut. Eyes wide in surprise, Fallon stumbled back off the knife blade. It was stained black with her blood. She looked down at her wound. Instead of blood, big fat brown worms oozed out from it. Hayley cackled insanely as she advanced on Fallon. Fallon opened her mouth to scream as more worms cascaded out from between her lips. Somewhere off in the distance there was a loud scream as suddenly, the world came crashing back. Opening her eyes, Fallon found herself on the bedroom floor. She had fallen out of bed. She realized the scream she had heard, it had come from her. Her eyes went to the bedroom door. It was open, and there was no zombie-fied Hayley standing in the doorway.

 

Fallon climbed to her feet. It was just a nightmare. she thought to herself with a deep sigh escaping from between her lips. A week had passed since Hayley’s brutal murder. The killer had claimed another victim. Hayley’s funeral had come and gone, and now she was buried in the cemetery behind St-Gregory’s church. Fallon made her bed, shaking her head in sadness as she did so. It always came as a surprise when someone else died. The killings were at random and the killer’s next victim could literally be anyone. Just like the killer, whoever it was, could be anyone. Fallon didn’t know how she still trusted people at time’s like this. Anyone could be under the black cloak, it was possible that it was someone she knew. Despite the sunshine coming in through the window, Fallon shivered.

 

Every time Fallon closed her eyes, she could picture Hayley’s body. Almost the whole town had been at the memorial. Darcy had planned it. She had stepped up to the microphone and had just started her speech when someone screamed. Fallon was pretty sure it had been Ivy Corbin. And she was pointing at something with horror glinting in her eyes. Someone else had gasped and also had pointed at something just a few feet away. Fallon had turned to look, and immediately wished she hadn’t. There, hanging by her neck from the top of a lamp post, was Hayley. She was dead, her body had been gutted. Something from inside her body, probably her intestine, had drooped out and fallen slowly down to the ground. That’s when Fallon lost her cool, also screaming at the grisly sight.

 

A few moments later there was a stampede, people rushing by her to get away. Her senses told her to run, but Fallon didn’t want to abandon Darcy, who had turned away from Hayley’s body, looking like she was about to be sick. Barry Stanton had come up to them, pale as a ghost, explaining he had called the police. Soon enough, red and blue flashing lights lit up the sky around the art school. A dark coroner van also accompanied them. Fallon didn’t watch, she was too busy comforting Darcy, but she had heard it had been some trouble to get Hayley’s body down from the top of the lamp post. Darcy answered some questions, and by the time Fallon was being questioned as well, the coroner van had driven off with Hayley’s body inside. They were en-route to the morgue.

 

Did you see anything peculiar? the police officer had asked. She hadn’t. Fallon didn’t even know how Hayley’s body had gotten up on the lamp post. One moment it was empty, and next there she was, with her insides on display for everyone to see. Had the killer been there at the memorial? Disguising themselves as a grieving towns-person? There were so many people in attendance, it could have been anyone. Like in her dream, Fallon made her way over to her closet. She pulled the door open, expecting Hayley to come pouncing out. But everything was normal as Fallon chose her outfit for the day. She laid it down on her bed before she headed out into the hallway. The silence of the house around her was a little eerie. She made her way into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her. A few moments later, and the shower was turned on.

 

It was a short shower, and a few minutes later Fallon stepped out into the hall. She had a towel wrapped around her body and one wrapped around her hair. She made her way back into her bedroom. It didn’t take long, but soon she was dressed. Her hair and makeup flawless. She went over to look at her reflection in the mirror. She didn’t have many plans that day. She was going to visit Ivy Corbin and Lilah Shull. She figured they needed a friend right now. She hadn’t seen them since Hayley’s funeral. Hayley had been their housemate. And now she too, like many, was gone forever. A pang of sadness hit Fallon. She considered Hayley a friend. Another one of her friends was dead. Once again horribly murdered by the West Valley killer.

 

Are they ever going to catch this creep? Fallon thought to herself with a frown. She made her way into the kitchen. It was time for that cup of coffee. She puttered around the kitchen, and soon the aroma of fresh coffee lingered in the air. Fallon noticed Naomi wasn’t home. She’d come running at the smell of coffee, no matter what time of the day it was. Fallon figured she was still taking care of things with Warren’s house. There were rumors that Naomi wanted to buy it, since Warren’s mother and two daughters were getting ready to move away. Warren had been killed as well. The victim before Hayley. He and Naomi were involved, and she had taken his death quite hard. Maybe that’s why she wanted to buy his house.

 

To continue his legacy, somehow. Naomi was bouncing back from Warren’s death, slowly but surely. Fallon thought maybe seeing Hayley’s dead body had stalled Naomi’s healing process. It was sort of an ugly reminder that the killer was still out there. Was it Brandon Covington? Scott Emerson’s accomplice? Or someone completely random? Fallon wished they had an answer, and soon. There wouldn’t be a town left if everyone kept getting horribly murdered. A shiver of fear snaked down Fallon’s spine as she sipped her coffee. She turned to look out the kitchen window, as if she expected to see the killer peering back at her. But no, from where she stood, the backyard stood empty. The sun shone high in the cloudless sky above.

 

No killer. Not even Derek Vance. Fallon thought to herself. She’d heard about what happened. That someone had notified the police about Derek. That they had seen him lurking outside Warren’s home moments before he was killed. Derek and Warren were good friends, Fallon didn’t believe he would have killed him. Besides, when Hayley had been killed, Derek had still been in questioning with the police. He had been released not long after. Fallon took another sip from her coffee. At least the drama with Wendy and Derek was over. She had been unwillingly caught in the middle of it. Wendy had accused Derek of being infatuated with Fallon. Which Fallon had found a little odd. If he was, Derek had never showed it. He had come around a few times, but all they had done was talk.

 

Even so, Wendy had nothing to worry about. Fallon didn’t think of Derek in that way. It didn’t mean she didn’t find him attractive. He was easy on the eyes. Any girl would tell you that. But he just wasn’t Fallon’s type. Also, Wendy was one of the best looking girls in West Valley. She’d look to die for even with a bag over her head. A lot of the girls had to try to look good. For Wendy, it just came naturally. Fallon had given herself a makeover. She got rid of her glasses, stopped wearing her hair back away from her face. She tried different makeup styles. She even updated her wardrobe a little bit. But that was still no match against someone like Wendy. If there was a perfect guy out there for Fallon, she had yet to meet him. She didn’t necessarily need a boyfriend, but it would have been nice to have one.

 

Once she was done with her coffee and it was in the dishwasher, Fallon was ready to start heading out. She found her purse and keys before making her way over to the front door. Before she stepped outside, she made sure to arm the alarm system. No one left their doors unlocked in West Valley anymore. It was still a bit strange to her, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Once the alarm was on and she had locked the front door, Fallon headed down the walkway and over to the sidewalk. Her car was back from the shop, she had returned her rental car. For a brief moment she considered taking it but decided since it was such a nice day, to walk over to Ivy and Lilah’s. It would be a bit of a walk, since they lived on the outskirts of town. They were the only house for miles.

 

The only neighboring building they had was St-Gregory’s church. That was a constant reminder as to who had died, since most of the killer’s victims were buried in the cemetery behind the church. Fallon wouldn’t live that close. But Ivy had inherited the house from her late grandfather. That impressed Fallon. When her grandfather died, she doubted he would leave her a house. Her family, the McQueens had money but not as much as some others. Sure, growing up Fallon had gotten anything she wanted. Sometimes she got it right away, sometimes she had to wait. Fallon missed her family. She spoke to them every day. Maybe I should go visit them soon. she thought to herself as she headed down the sidewalk. They were worried about her, about her safety.

 

She didn’t blame them. She didn’t know why she was still in West Valley. The murders were still happening, there was no sign of them stopping anytime soon. Fallon frowned, letting out a deep sigh as she kept moving. It didn’t take too long, but soon she found herself standing in front of Ivy’s house. The bell from St-Gregory’s rang nearby. It was almost as if it was announcing Fallon’s arrival. Tossing her hair back over her shoulder, she made her way up the front door and rang the doorbell. She waited a few moments before the door was opened. She was greeted by Ivy, who didn’t look that great. She had been crying, about Hayley, Fallon guessed. Her eyes were red and puffy. Fallon wrapped Ivy up in a hug before they headed inside, closing the front door behind them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naomi looked around Taylor and Kaitlyn’s room. There wasn’t much left to pack up. Just the big furniture like the two beds and a large stuffed unicorn in the corner of the room. A look of sadness glinted in Naomi’s eyes. Colleen was packing up and taking the girls away from West Valley. While she was sad to see them go, Naomi thought it was the best choice for all of them. It was up to Colleen to take care of the girls now. Both their parents were dead. They were orphans. Lucky for them they had family they could rely on instead of being shipped off to an orphanage. Their grandmother was their sole guardian now. And she was doing what was best for her granddaughters. To get them out of town, for they had seen such tragedy at such a young age.

 

Their mother Scarlett had died. And then bad things had happened to both the little girls. And now their father Warren, was dead. It had only been a few weeks since he had been murdered by the killer. And he was definitely missed. Not just by his family, but by Naomi too. Just thinking about him now brought tears to Naomi’s eyes. She sniffled, holding them back. She still couldn’t believe he was gone. They had just come back from vacation. A week away from West Valley had done them well. Warren had been outside the house collecting the suitcases when the killer had pounced. Naomi and the rest of the family had been inside, waiting for him to return. When he didn’t, Naomi herself had gone out to see what was taking him so long. She had found the suitcases down on the sidewalk, but there was no sign of Warren.

 

Naomi had found it odd. That’s when she saw the blood. It was seeping out from between the closed trunk of Warren’s car. The keys were still in the lock. With her heart thudding she had opened the trunk. And immediately wished she hadn’t. Warren was dead inside. His throat slashed, and his eyes gouged out. Naomi screamed, and screamed. She didn’t know how long she screamed for, but it had alerted everyone living on that block. Colleen had come out first, collapsing to the ground when she saw her dead son. Taylor and Kaitlyn had come out onto the front porch but stayed away from the grisly sight per their grandmother’s request. Until Taylor couldn’t take it any longer and had run over to take a closer look. Seeing her father’s corpse, she had collapsed in a heap of hysterical tears next to Colleen.

 

Someone, probably a neighbor, had called the police. In moments there were two police cars, an ambulance, a news van, and a coroner’s van. A crowd of neighbors had gathered on the street in front of the Biggs’ residence. They had gasped and spoke in hushed tones. Besides that, Naomi didn’t remember too much. She had been taken away by the ambulance for hysterical shock. The night she spent at the hospital was a blur. However she was released the day after. Isabel had come to pick her up. As much as she didn’t want to return to the Biggs’ residence, she did. She had sat with Colleen and the girls while they all grieved. Naomi had felt like someone had submerged her in icy cold water. It didn’t feel real. She couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that Warren was dead.

 

With a sigh, Naomi turned and headed out of the bedroom. The house was quiet. Taylor and Kaitlyn were at school. It was one of their last days. Colleen had headed to the hardware store to pick up some more empty boxes. That left Naomi alone with her thoughts. She made her way into what was once Warren’s bedroom. She looked over at the bed, flashing back to all the times they had laid in it. Naomi sat down on the edge of the bed, burying her face into her hands. In just the past few weeks she had seen two dead bodies. Warren. Hayley. She couldn’t help but flash back to the night of the memorial. She could still hear the screams of the crowd once they had spotted Hayley’s dead body. Naomi couldn’t believe her eyes. Hayley was her friend, and there she was, hanging with her insides on the outside for everyone to see.

 

It had taken a lot for Naomi not to go into some sort of catatonic state. She had turned away from the grisly sight and waited for the police to arrive. She had also been questioned. Just like all the others who had chosen to remain. As much as she would have loved to run home and hide under the bed sheets, she had stayed. She was staying in town while Colleen and the girls were leaving. Going back to the town where Colleen lived before she had come to West Valley. When she had told Naomi the news, Naomi decided to buy the Biggs’ house. It was an investment. And it was a way to keep the Biggs’ legacy alive. The owners of the house were dead, what better way to pay tribute to them. Naomi basically lived there anyway.

 

Sure she still had a bedroom at Fallon’s place, but she spent more time at Warren’s. She got to her feet and paced the length of the bedroom. Naomi couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. Leaving Fallon to live on her own. It’s not far, I’m sure I’ll still see Fallon every day. she thought to herself. She would be living alone as well, she didn’t mind if Fallon came to visit. Or vice versa. They just wouldn’t be living together like they once had. That seemed like so long ago. Things were different back then. Naomi was a single woman, Warren and Scarlett were happily married. Most importantly, there were no horrible murders being committed. Everyone lived safely, able to leave their doors unlocked. Things had changed merely a few months after that. Suddenly, Felicia Talley was dead, and more began to join her. Soon, the townspeople of West Valley were living in fear. Hoping they wouldn’t be the next to fall victim to the killer.

 

So far, Naomi had been lucky. But every morning she woke, wondering if it would be her last day on earth. If that particular day, the killer had set their sights on her. Whether it was fate, or if the killer had plans for her, Naomi had to watch the people around her get murdered. People she cared about. She couldn’t help but wonder who was going to be next. Focus on the packing. she scolded herself as she headed out of the bedroom and over to the stairs. She descended them to the main floor of the house, making her way into the living room. There were still a few things to pack up. Naomi made her way over to one of the boxes. It was open, and staring up at her was a picture. She grabbed it out of the box for a closer look. It was a picture of Scarlett. She was young, Naomi guessed she was about eleven or twelve years old.

 

Scarlett was holding cotton candy in her hand, the glimmering lights of a carousel behind her. Naomi had never seen the picture before. Because it was in a box ready to be packed up, she assumed Kaitlyn and Taylor had kept some pictures of their mother. Which was normal. But it seemed like Scarlett’s eyes were gazing back at Naomi with an accusing glint in them. I know, I know. I got with your husband. Was he supposed to mourn you forever? Naomi thought, looking down at the picture. A moment passed before she put the picture back in the box, reaching over and grabbing some tape. She felt less guilty as she taped the box shut and put it aside so it could be loaded into the van on moving day. She wasn’t trying to be a mother to Kaitlyn and Taylor. If anything, Naomi was trying to be their friend. The girls were comfortable enough with her to come with questions they had.

 

Sometimes it was about school. Sometimes it was about girl stuff that they were too embarrassed to ask their father or grandmother. Naomi was close to their mother’s age, it made sense that they would go to her. Naomi wasn’t looking to replace Scarlett, even thought she was dead and never coming back. She had told the girls they could call her anytime they had a question for her. Or if they just felt the need to talk. Naomi was going to miss them all, including Colleen. They had grown close while she was dating Warren. Colleen had promised to call as well, and Naomi had shown her how to video chat on the computer so they could see each other. It was a good alternative to visiting, considering West Valley was not safe. Naomi wondered how people still moved to town, had they not heard about what was happening? The news called West Valley “MURDER CAPITAL OF THE STATE.”

 

It was no wonder Naomi had payed cheap for the Biggs’ residence. The housing market was down. She wasn’t made of money, but with some help from her family and a loan at the bank, the house was hers. She was surprised at how easy and effortless it was. She hummed to herself as she prepared to pack another box. A nearby sound stopped her in her tracks. A deep frown creased her pretty face as she listened. What was that? And where did it come from? she thought to herself. Slowly, she made her way over to the living room window. She pulled the curtains aside and peered out into the daylight. For a brief moment, Naomi thought Colleen had returned home. But there was no car parked in the driveway or in front of the curb. Naomi wasn’t too worried. She knew for a fact all the doors and windows to the house were locked with her safely inside. But then she remembered that wasn’t enough to keep the killer out.

 

Whoever the killer was, they were like a phantom. Locked doors and windows were no match for them. Naomi swallowed hard, stepping away from the window. She turned around and listened intently. Was it just her mind playing tricks on her or did she really hear something? She took an uncertain step across the floor. Something told her to make her way to the front door. It was broad daylight outside, and she was sure there were neighbors around in case she needed help. Slowly, as quietly as possible, she made her way out of the living room. Pausing to peer down the hallway towards the kitchen. She could hear the refrigerator humming. For some reason, it sent chills racing down her spine. She turned, making her way for the front door. There was another noise, coming from somewhere inside the house. Naomi whirled around with a soft gasp.

 

There was no one behind her. Yet she just knew something was wrong. She turned back to the front door as she hurried and unlocked it. She pulled it open, stepping out into the warm air. She closed the door behind her. Making her way down the steps and over to the sidewalk. She looked back at the house as it loomed ominously over her. Was that movement in one of the upstairs windows? No. Just my mind playing tricks on me. she thought to herself, letting out a deep breath. Naomi could hear a sprinkler turning on somewhere nearby. She looked down at her watch. It was far too early to go pick up the girls at school. So why did she feel like she would be more at ease if someone was home with her? She was certain she had heard a noise. She knew better than to go investigate. Something told her that danger was lurking nearby. Suddenly, the honking of a horn snapped Naomi back to attention.

 

She had almost jumped out of her skin when she realized it was just Colleen returning home. She watched as the older woman parked the car in front of the house, cutting the engine. She stepped out of the car, shutting the driver side door as she did so. She waved at Naomi as she went over to the backseat and pulled the door open. She pulled out a few sheets of cardboard, they would be folded into boxes soon enough. Naomi hurried to help her. She took half of the boxes and followed Colleen up to the house. The older woman was oblivious as she pulled open the front door. Naomi lingered in the doorway before making her way back into the house. She put the cardboard down against the wall as she followed Colleen into the kitchen. Naomi took a cautious glance around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She sucked in a deep breath as Colleen opened the pantry door. She expected the killer to pounce out at them.

 

But the pantry was empty. “You alright? You look concerned.” Colleen asked as she grabbed some pancake mix off the pantry shelf.

 

“…Just hoping the move goes smoothly.” Naomi replied. She was concerned, but didn’t want Colleen to know.

 

“I know what you mean. I can’t wait to take the girls away from this place.” Colleen explained.

 

Can I join you? Naomi almost said out loud. “It’s important you’re all safe.” she told the older woman.

 

“You know what? Can you finish the pantry? I’d rather start the backyard.” Colleen told Naomi.

 

“Sure. I’ll be done with the pantry in no time.” she told Colleen with a reassuring smile.

 

A few moments later, Colleen was stepping out the back door into the backyard. Naomi was loading a skillet into a box when she heard the older woman gasp loudly. She dropped what she was doing, hurrying out to join Colleen.

 

“Colleen? Is something wr…” Naomi trailed off. The older woman was staring at something scrawled on the brick of the house. Red letters that dripped like blood. Naomi’s breathe caught in her throat. A message. SOON.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I swear, if I have to clean another puke infested toilet bowl, I’m going to… well, puke. Beth thought to herself as she exited the maintenance room, closing the door behind her as she did so. She looked down at her outfit, making sure she hadn’t gotten any vomit on it. She was dressed to the nines. If she worked at Surge, she might as well dress like she did. Her hair and makeup were flawless, she wore a dress that would make people second guess whether if she worked at a nightclub or as a prostitute. Her outfit seemed painted onto her body, as if one wrong move would send it tumbling to the floor. But no, Beth was used to dressing like that. No matter how she moved, she knew her clothes would stay on. Satisfied that her dress hadn’t been soiled, she made her way across the floor. Ignoring the stares she was receiving by the male patrons.

 

Maybe working at Surge had it’s perks. Ellie Jacks had basically forced her into working there. A type of punishment for stealing the club’s money. Beth had returned all of it. She had been threatened to be murdered by the killer if she hadn’t. She wanted to live, so she had agreed to the killer’s request. She had returned the money. She had been so terrified that Ellie would call the police on her. But she hadn’t. Instead, she had Beth work for her. It wasn’t her ideal job, but at least the pay was good. It was like Beth was being blackmailed in a good way. If that was even possible. Ellie didn’t have the best tasks to give her, but Beth thought it could be worse. She could be spending her time behind bars in jail. A soft sigh escaped from her lips as she grabbed some empty glasses off a table. She brought them over to the bartender, placing them down on the bar top.

 

Ellie wasn’t working that particular day, but Christy Whitlow was there. She was a bit more sympathetic than Ellie was. Not that she wasn’t upset, but she seemed to be more understanding than Ellie was. At least they both don’t hate me. Beth thought to herself, pursing her lips. She knew to stay on their good side. As long as she did that, she didn’t have to worry about the rest of the town finding out what she had done. Ellie had been so mad, she wouldn’t be surprised if she had told someone what Beth had done. She hoped the truth wouldn’t come out. She would be so ashamed. People would never look at her the same again. For a brief moment, Beth felt a pang of sadness. She wished Preston was still around. He would have stuck by her no matter what. However, Preston was dead. She couldn’t turn to him now when times got rough. Beth would have to deal with things on her own.

 

The house felt so empty without Preston. On more than one occasion when she was sitting on the couch, she expected him to come walking into the room. But he never did. Beth wondered if she should rent out his old room. In a way, she liked having the house to herself. She could invite who she wanted. Since she had been living alone, she had many guys over. A different guy almost every night. Someone to keep herself and the space next to her in her bed warm at night. If Preston were still alive, he wouldn’t have judged her about that. Beth was single, and she was very beautiful. She knew how to work that to her advantage. Many of the men she had invited over to spend the night, she had met them at Surge. It wasn’t that she was searching for attention, but she seemed to attract guys to her like bees to the honey. A soft smile played on the corner of her lips.

 

Like right at that moment, she noticed a familiar face waving at her from across the club. One of the guys she had in bed with her. What was his name again? Beth thought to herself. She couldn’t remember, yet she waved back at him anyway. She made her way over to grab a trash bag, the bartender on duty was busy pouring drinks for several patrons. She would do it, she would rather keep busy. She closed the garbage bag, tying a knot at the top. She lugged it over to the backdoor of the night club. Beth pushed the door open and stepped out into the back alley behind Surge. There was a big black dumpster just a few feet away. She headed towards it, the back door swinging shut behind her. The sound of the door slamming echoed all around her in the alley, almost making Beth jump out of her own skin. A nervous chuckle escaped from between her lips.

 

She carried the garbage bag over to the dumpster. Placing it down on the concrete so she could reach for the dumpster’s lid. The lid was heavier than usual as Beth pulled it open. It protested with a loud squeak as it opened. Hoping there were no rats inside, Beth turned to grab the garbage bag at her feet. She picked it up, and with all the strength she could muster, tossed it into the dumpster. She was going to close the lid when she thought she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned to look towards the shadowy corner. Even though it was broad daylight outside, a corner of the alley was dark with thick shadows. She opened her mouth to call out, but couldn’t seem to find her voice. Was there someone there, watching her from the darkness of the alley’s corner? The sound of shuffling feet on the concrete revealed that there was.

 

Beth backed up slowly until her back was pressed against the night club’s back door. She couldn’t see who was skulking in the shadows of the alley, but she could feel the burn of someone’s stare on her. She reached out with a hand, grabbed the door handle and opened the door. Or at least Beth attempted to. The door wouldn’t budge. It remained closed. Beth’s heart raced in her chest as she tried again to no avail. The door was locked. Probably from the other side. A whimper escaped from her lips as she tried to see who was in the shadows across from her. It felt as if every thing was moving in slow motion. She gripped the handle and tried again, but the door remained locked. She wanted to turn and pound her fists against it, but she would be exposing her back to whoever was hiding there in the dark.

 

She had a feeling that she knew who was standing across from her. Anyone else would have showed themselves by now. But whoever it was, they were toying with Beth. Taunting her. There was movement in the shadows. A sudden glint of light broke the darkness. Even if it was for a few more seconds, Beth knew what the glint of light was. The shining blade of a knife. She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. She was paralyzed by fear. Was this the end for her? Was she about to die in that alley? Keeping her attention on the killer, she pounded her fist on the door. Please, someone hear me! she thought to herself. She doubted anyone would. No matter the time of day, the music was always blaring inside Surge. Sometimes, when she was inside, she could barely hear herself think!

 

“HELP ME!” she screamed, the words erupting from her mouth. Beth pounded on the door as hard as she could.

 

This is it. I’m going to die. Beth couldn’t help but think to herself. They said that when you were about to die, your whole life flashed before your eyes. That wasn’t the case at that moment. Beth felt like her fear was consuming her. Rolling over her like the undulating waves of an ocean. She screamed again. And then, a miracle happened. The sound of a loud engine roared in her ears as a delivery truck turned into the alleyway. Despite her fear, a thought popped up at the back of her mind. It was the daily delivery of new glasses. The truck just so happened to be pulling up at that time. There were quick footsteps as the killer took off running in the opposite direction of the alleyway. Beth watched with wide eyes as the killer disappeared around a corner. The squeal of the truck’s brakes snapped her back to attention.

 

The driver side door of the truck opened and the delivery man hopped out, concern flashing in his gaze. “Are you alright, miss? Who was that?” he asked.

 

Beth didn’t answer, instead she took off running the same way the killer had took. She exited the alleyway, looking both ways. There was nothing out of the ordinary, the usual hustle and bustle of downtown West Valley. She didn’t see anyone suspicious. She was hoping to maybe see the killer throw off their costume. But the sidewalk was void of any life, except for an elderly couple who walked arm in arm. Beth doubted one of them was the killer. They were walking too slow, both using the aid of a walker to navigate down the sidewalk. A shiver of fear snaked down her spine as she realized how close she had been to being murdered. She had run into the killer before, the night Preston had been killed. But for some reason, the killer hadn’t touched her, disappearing into the night instead. Beth found herself gasping for air, breathing heavy in fear.

 

“Miss? Are you alright? Do you need me to call someone?” the delivery driver asked, walking over to stand next to Beth.

 

She spun around to face him. “Did you see who it was?” she asked.

 

“I didn’t see their face.” he explained.

 

“Are you SURE?” Beth replied.

 

The delivery driver nodded. “They were wearing a hooded cloak. Is… was that the West Valley killer?” he asked, his eyes wide. 

 

“I’m pretty certain it was. I would have been toast, had you not come along.” Beth explained.

 

“Just delivering your glassware. You work here, right?” the delivery driver asked, arching a questioning eyebrow. 

 

“I do. I just started here a few weeks ago.” she replied, focusing on the driver so the pounding of her heart would subside.

 

“So you could sign this?” he said, holding up a clipboard. Beth nodded, taking the clipboard and a pen from him. She signed the paper, handing it back to him.

 

“You’re a lifesaver, seriously. If you ever feel like having a drink on the house, it’s on me.” she told him with a light smile on her lips.

 

“That’s awfully nice of you. Sounds like a plan.” he told her with a smile.

 

“Let me go back inside and get the door open for you. And again, thanks.” she told him, shaking his hand before she headed back for the club.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was an hour and a half later, and word had traveled fast. The whole downtown area was abuzz that Beth Myers had encountered the killer. The news had traveled to the store that Darcy and Jane owned. Darcy had run off once she had found out. She had left Jane and Kendall to look after the store themselves. Kendall wasn’t worried. She could handle it, and she knew that Jane could as well. She could probably do it with her eyes closed. she thought to herself. Not that Kendall herself didn’t know what she was doing. She had grown familiar to the job, comfortable as well. She was just a salesgirl. It wasn’t rocket science, she was there to help the customers. She knew how to run the cash register, and look for stock in the backroom. She even knew how to fill out orders, though Darcy and Jane took care of that most of the time.

 

Kendall had a good relationship with her employers. She had fit right in. Which was nice, considering Kendall hadn’t lived in West Valley for very long. It had been just a few months since she had come to town. Luckily for her, she had been welcomed with open arms. Despite the occasional murders, she had come to like the small town. She had gotten to meet her half sister and brother. She even had two nephews. She had never gotten the chance to meet Charlie, he had been killed before she had come to town. But she enjoyed spending time with her other nephew, Finn. Kendall had even met someone. She felt her cheeks redden as she thought of Travis. She wondered how his day was going, stuck in school while she was at work. She reminded herself to text him a little later when she had some free time on her hands.

 

They were keeping their relationship a secret for now. After all, Travis was a few years younger than Kendall. It wasn’t like he was in university or anything like that. He was still in high school. It would be two years before he even turned of legal age. Not that anything had really happened between them, they were being careful. But they spoke every day and tried to spend time with each other when they could. Kendall thought Travis was mature for his age. He wasn’t like some of his classmates that Kendall had seen around town. They’d stare at her, drooling like dogs, daring each other to go up and speak to her. Kendall rolled her eyes just thinking about it. The boys were more sophisticated in the town of Bayrock, where she grew up. She had no idea that she was adopted, and that she had actually been born in the town of West Valley.

 

Kendall still couldn’t believe that she was Mayor Covington and Regina Olsen’s daughter. That she was somehow related to Brandon. Just the thought of his name brought shivers down her spine. He was out there, somewhere. He was responsible for all the death and mayhem the town had seen. Are they ever going to catch him? Kendall thought to herself. She watched as Jane went over to the window overlooking the sidewalk, and peered outside. Ever since witnessing Hanna Workman’s death, Jane was a bundle of nerves. She had become paranoid, every little noise causing her to jump out of her skin. Luckily, Jane had returned to work after taking some time off. She had been traumatized that night of the homecoming dance. Kendall didn’t blame her. She would have reacted the same way Jane had, if she had seen someone decapitated before her very eyes.

 

Kendall watched as Jane turned away from the window. There was a glint of relief in the other woman’s eyes. Catching her gaze, Jane smiled thinly before hurrying away towards the office to do something. That left Kendall out in the store by herself. She wasn’t worried. It was a slow moment, and there were only two customers browsing the shop. One was admiring a row of dresses while the other was standing in front of a mirror, trying on hats. Kendall made her way around to the other side of the cash register. On a shelf below was her cellphone. She picked it up as she sat down in the chair, scrolling through her text messages until she found the chat thread she had with Travis. A small smile played on the corner of her lips as she typed out a message and then pressed SEND. She sat back, drumming her perfectly manicured nails on the counter top as she waited for Travis to respond.

 

He must have been busy, for a few minutes later, there was still no response. A soft sigh escaped Kendall’s lips as she put her phone back down beneath the cash register. One of the customers was heading over to her, holding two hats in her hand. They were expensive, but the woman looked like she had money. She seemed to the type that frequented the country club every weekend. Kendall hadn’t been, but she knew the Olsen family were members. She pictured herself dressed in tennis whites, swinging her tennis racquet at the ball, sending it flying over the net. She wondered if Travis was good at tennis, they could play against each other. Once Kendall rang up the sale, the customer left, a contempt smile on her face as she headed out the door. The other woman was now browsing through a rack of sweaters, three dresses draped over her arm.

 

“I’m going to step out to grab lunch. Do you want anything?” a voice snapped Kendall back to reality. She turned to see Jane standing behind her.

 

“I could go for some sushi. I’m having a craving for that restaurant down the street.” she told Jane with a smile.

 

“Sounds like a good idea! Be back in a few minutes.” Jane said as she headed across the floor, her heels clicking before she pushed the door open and stepped outside.

 

A few minutes passed, Kendall served the other customer who walked out with two bags full of items. Now she was alone, waiting for Jane to return. She looked down at her phone again. Still no reply from Travis. For a moment she wondered if his phone was dead. She grabbed her phone, dialing his number. It rang once, twice. On the sixth ring, the voicemail picked up. She left a quick message, asking him to call her back when he had free moment. I hope he’s not ignoring me. she thought to herself with a slight frown. She looked at the time, he would be done school for the day very shortly. It was a short walk to the high school, maybe Kendall could ask Jane if she could take her break early and meet up with Travis as he headed home. She hoped Jane would say yes. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, expecting Jane to walk in at any second with their lunch.

 

Another minute passed, and there was still no sign of Jane. Kendall shrugged to herself, thinking nothing of it. She figured the restaurant had a line that Jane had to wait in. Out of the corner of her eye, Kendall noticed movement at the front window of the store. She looked up, the front of a black pickup truck heading right for her! A small shriek escaped from her lips as she jumped backwards. She expected the truck to come crashing through the glass. Instead, it stopped dangerously close to the window. With her heart thudding in her chest, Kendall took a step forward. The pickup truck was massive, it almost looked like a monster truck. She couldn’t tell who was behind the wheel, for the truck’s windows were tinted black as night. The truck revved it’s engine, the sound was like a sonic boom. It was so loud, it rattled the windows of the clothing store.

 

For a brief moment, Kendall thought maybe it was Travis playing a prank on her. But there was something very suspicious about the situation, she doubted it was him. The truck revved it’s engine again, rattling Kendall’s bones. She didn’t recognize the truck, she was pretty certain she hadn’t seen it around town before. It was kind of hard to miss, with it’s imposing look. She let out a loud gasp as the bumper of the truck pressed against the front window. One more wrong move and the glass would shatter. Is no one outside seeing this? she couldn’t help to think to herself as her heart thudded in her chest. Why hadn’t Jane returned yet? Kendall fumbled for her phone, ready to call Jane. Perhaps the driver of the truck thought she was calling the police, for the truck was put in reverse and zoomed backwards away from the store.

 

Kendall forgot about her phone for the moment, hurrying over to the window. She hoped to catch a glimpse of the license plate on the back of the truck. But there was none. She watched as the black truck zoomed around the corner, disappearing from sight. Whoever it was behind the wheel was trying to scare her. And it had worked. She couldn’t help the uneasy feeling that wrapped itself around her. She looked down at her hands, realizing she was shaking. Kendall made her way around the counter and sat down in the chair behind the cash register. She took a deep breath, waiting for the pounding of her heart to return to normal. She grabbed her phone, saw that Travis had finally replied to her. His text message explained that he had just gotten out of gym class and had left his phone in his locker.

 

SOMETHING WEIRD JUST HAPPENED

TO ME AT WORK.

She typed out on her phone. She pressed send, looking up at the door when the bell above the entrance rang. It was Jane, finally returning. She held a bag of takeout in her hand. She was oblivious as she made her way over to the counter, placing the bag on top. She took out plastic utensils from the bag before pulling out two plates. She passed one to Kendall and one for herself as she stood by the counter, digging into her sushi. Kendall was hungry, but she was too upset to eat. She looked over at Jane, wondering if she should tell her what had just happened a few minutes earlier. While she ate her sushi, Jane leafed through a fashion magazine. Kendall picked at one of her pieces of sushi before bringing it to her mouth. The uneasy feeling she had experienced had begun to dissipate. She cleared her throat, catching Jane’s attention.

 

The woman looked up from her magazine and over to her with a small smile on her lips. “Not hungry after all?” she asked Kendall, noticing she had barely touched her sushi.

 

“Not right now. But I wanted to ask you something.” Kendall replied.

 

“Are you asking for a raise? Because you just started working here.” Jane said, arching an eyebrow.

 

“Oh no, it’s not that. I was just wondering if you had seen a black pickup truck around town lately. It’s hard to miss, it’s huge with the windows all tinted.” Kendall asked.

 

“I saw a truck like that go around the corner when I was leaving the sushi place. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before though. Why do you ask?” Jane asked curiously.

 

“It was just…super loud. It stopped in front of the store. It kind of made me nervous, that’s all.” Kendall replied. 

 

“Well I’ll keep an eye out for it. It’s probably just someone with a new truck, showing off.” Jane said.

 

“I hope so.” Kendall replied, wondering if Jane could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The front door of the Stanton residence opened and Joanna stepped inside the house. She closed the door behind her, locking it for good measure. A tired sigh escaped from between her lips as she put her purse down on the floor. She was tired. She had no idea being a temp would be so energy draining. Today it was working as a secretary at a dentist office. She thought it would have been a breeze, that it would have been easy work. She had been wrong. By lunchtime she was up to her elbows in work. And after lunch, she was regretting taking the job. Joanna hoped she didn’t have to return to the office the following day. Or ever again, for that matter. she thought to herself with a frown creasing her face. Now inside her home, she listened. The house was quiet. It meant that Carly and Travis were still at school, and Barry was still at work.

 

That was fine by Joanna. She could use the peace and quiet for the time being until the rest of the family came home. She made her way into the kitchen, looking at the time on the stove. In about twenty minutes, school would be let out. That meant that Travis and Carly would be arriving home soon. Barry would be arriving a few hours later, usually sliding into his seat at the dinner table in the nick of time. Since she was home already, Joanna decided to make Travis and Carly a snack. She headed over to the fridge, pulling the door open and peering inside. In a few minutes, she was cutting apple slices and cheese slices on the kitchen counter. While she prepared their snack, she thought about what they could have for dinner. Joanna was too tired to cook, she thought it would be a good idea if they ordered dinner instead that night.

 

She’d wait to ask Carly and Travis before calling. With the snacks ready on the kitchen counter, Joanna went to rinse the knife she was using in the sink. As she was washing the blade, it suddenly struck her that Halloween was four days away. Despite the summer like weather West Valley had all year round, it was October. The new mayor of West Valley had cancelled Halloween this year. And with good reason, with all the murders happening. The town hadn’t even been allowed to decorate for the holiday. Back in their old town, Joanna and Barry would throw the most fun Halloween parties at their home. They were known to go all out, and their parties were something people still spoke about. It was different this time around. If you walked through West Valley, you wouldn’t be able to tell that Halloween was just a few days away.

 

Is the new mayor going to cancel Christmas as well? Joanna thought to herself as she stood in the kitchen. She could see why Halloween was cancelled. People dressed up in costumes, she was sure some would find it funny to dress as the West Valley killer. That there would be many people running around town in black cloaks. Also, it would be easy for the killer to blend in with them. To kill again. The mayor was being smart and wanted to avoid that kind of chaos it would create. Not that cancelling a holiday would stop the killer from murdering someone else. Many people had died already, and it was just a matter of time before the killer struck again. No one knew who the next victim was going to be. Joanna felt like everyone was sitting on pins and needles, waiting to see who was going to drop next. A shiver of fear snaked down Joanna’s spine.

 

Hayley Summers had been the killer’s latest victim. Like many of the townspeople, Joanna had been there the night of the memorial service. They were there to celebrate and remember the lives of the people who were dead and gone. No one was expecting Hayley’s body to pop up. She had been hung from the top of a light post, her body gutted. Joanna couldn’t get the grisly scene out of her memory. She had the feeling it would haunt her for a long time. She too had been questioned by the police, everyone at the memorial had to. Joanna answered the police’s questions as honest as she could. No, she had no clue that Hayley had been killed. No, she hadn’t seen anything suspicious. She assumed the killer had been there among the crowd gathered at the memorial that night. One moment everything was normal, the next moment, it was chaos.

 

Hayley’s body had appeared, as if by magic. Whoever the killer was, they were quick. Joanna assumed it must have happened in the time that Darcy had walked up to the podium to say her speech. With everyone’s attention turned away, the killer must have strung Hayley’s body up and then blended back into the crowd. Darcy had only been a few words into her speech when she had noticed the body hanging from the light post. All color had drained from her face, her eyes wide as she had pointed over to the grisly sight. Everyone had turned to look, reacting in horror to seeing Hayley’s gutted body. Joanna shook her head, thinking back to that night. Poor Hayley. To be killed so viciously and left like that for everyone to see. she thought to herself. Joanna wondered if the killer would ever be caught. As of that moment, it didn’t seem very likely.

 

Only a few people had encountered the killer and survived. Not many walked away from their attacks alive. Meredith Dupree had been the last to be attacked and she had gotten away. She had been very lucky. Once the killer, whoever they were, set their sights on you, there was almost no chance of you surviving. But some had been lucky. Maybe fate was on their side, that the killer was having an off day. These were innocent people that were being killed off. Just because they lived in the town of West Valley. Just because years ago, a young Brandon Covington had killed his father. He seemed to be back now, just because Darcy had moved to town. They had crossed paths when they were younger, and he was obsessed with her then. It seemed like Brandon was obsessed with her now in the present day as well. Joanna felt bad for Darcy.

 

She couldn’t imagine what Darcy was going through. Even if she tried to move away, Joanna imagined that Brandon would just follow Darcy to whatever town she fled to. However, Joanna had a feeling that whoever the killer was now, it wasn’t Brandon. He was most probably pulling the strings from somewhere. It was most probably someone else underneath the black cloak, an accomplice to Scott Emerson. Whoever it is, they need to be caught soon before there is no more townspeople left. Joanna thought to herself with a frown. A noise suddenly snapped Joanna out of her thoughts. It took her a moment to realize it was the sound of the front door closing. She opened her mouth to call out, but couldn’t seem to find her voice. She heard the sound of footsteps heading right for the kitchen. That’s when a familiar face stepped into the room.

 

Joanna relaxed and smiled at the younger girl standing before her. “How was school?” she asked Carly, who had just gotten home.

 

“Same old, same old.” Carly replied as she spotted the snack on the counter. Her eyes lit up as she went over to grab an apple slice.

 

“Did your brother walk home with you?” Joanna asked curiously, noticing Travis hadn’t stepped into the kitchen yet.

 

“No. He said he had to run downtown and check something out.” Carly replied with a light shrug, grabbing another apple slice.

 

After a few minutes, Carly was done her after school snack. Putting it in the sink, Joanna and her daughter made their way into the living room. Sitting down on the couch as Carly turned on the television.

 

“I hope Travis didn’t head downtown because there was a sighting of the killer.” Joanna said nervously as they watched a news report about Beth encountering the killer a few hours earlier.

 

“I don’t think that’s why. There’s been rumors going around the school lately that he’s seeing someone.” Carly explained to her mother.

 

Joanna’s eyebrows shot up. “Seeing someone? My son, Travis? Who up until last year thought girls had cooties?” she replied.

 

“And that’s why girls mature faster than boys.” Carly replied, rolling her eyes.

 

“Should I get your father to talk to him? You know, THE TALK?” Joanna asked her daughter.

 

“Eww, mom! You’re not going to give ME the talk now, are you? Because we learnt about that stuff in school.” Carly answered.

 

“Why, are there any boys you’re interested in?” Joanna asked with a wink.

 

“Ugh, no! Boys have cooties! Although there’s this boy in my class, Markus Bray, he’s pretty cute.” Carly replied, cheeks blushing.

 

“Well, looks like we may have THE TALK after all. But not right now. I’m worried about your brother. He should be home before dinner, and before the sun sets. It’s not safe out there.” Joanna replied, gazing out the window.

 

“I’m sure he’ll be home before dinner. He knows it’s dangerous out there.” Carly reassured her mother before turning back to the television. She had a glint of worry in her eyes as well.

 

“So, Markus Bray, huh?” Joanna said, turning to Carly with a smile playing on her face.

 

“Mooooommm! Stop!” Carly said, blushing even more as Joanna let out a laugh as she pulled her daughter into a hug.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soon enough the sun had begun to set in the sky. The townspeople of West Valley began to head indoors, into the comfort of their own homes. Behind the safety of locked windows and doors. Outside in a cloudless sky, the moon shone down on the small town. Those smart enough were inside. Some still wanted to enjoy life, and a killer wouldn’t stop them from heading out and hitting up the town. That’s what Amy Rayburn was doing right now, and her sister Jillyan was a little worried. Jillyan stood in front of the kitchen sink, finishing up washing the last of the dishes. She was babysitting her sister Madison for the night. The baby was already upstairs sleeping in her crib. The baby monitor was on nearby so Jillyan could hear her if she suddenly woke up. She hoped Madison would sleep through the night, it would definitely make her night go more smoothly.

 

Amy had gone out for dinner with Sasha Ferris. It had been a few days since they planned it. Amy had asked Jillyan if it was okay to babysit Madison for that night. Jillyan didn’t have any plans, besides doing her homework. So she had agreed. Amy had even offered to pay her, which she had accepted. It never hurt to have some extra cash. So once she was done school earlier that day, Jillyan had returned straight home. Stepping away from the sink, she thought about the school day. There were rumors going around about Travis Stanton. That he was seeing someone, a girl, who didn’t go to West Valley High. Everyone was trying to figure out who this girl was, what high school she went to. Jillyan didn’t know Travis that well, he was a junior and she was a senior. They didn’t have the same classes but they did have some mutual friends in common.

 

Jillyan had gone out on a date with one of Travis’ few friends, Elliott Kirkpatrick. They’d had a good time, they had gone for ice cream and then to the bowling alley. Jillyan was trying to get herself out there more. It was her senior year and she wanted it to go well. That meant having friends, going on dates, and participating in school activities. Jillyan was considered popular. She wasn’t the Queen Bee like Skye Cosgrove or Hanna Workman had been before they were both murdered. But Jillyan was popular enough and the school’s current Queen Bee was none other than Megan Whitlow. The once punky, edgy girl had her Cinderella moment, she was now beautiful and ran the show at West Valley High. But Megan was a nice girl, she didn’t let the popularity get to her head like it had to others. Jillyan liked her, she thought she was pretty down to earth. 

 

Jillyan made her way into the living room. Moving across the floor and sitting herself down on the couch. Thinking of Skye Cosgrove reminded Jillyan that she lived in the dead girl’s old house. I wonder what Skye would think about that now. Jillyan thought to herself. She hadn’t met Skye. She had come to town after the other girl had already been killed. Right there in the kitchen. An ice cold shiver of fear snaked down Jillyan’s spine just thinking about it. She had also taken what had once been Skye’s old bedroom. Skye and her father had been killed, and Skye’s mother had been sent to prison. Not because she was responsible for her family’s deaths, but because of tax evasion. It would be a long good while before Olivia Cosgrove was released from prison. Jillyan wondered if Olivia knew that they had moved into her old house.

 

Once out of jail, would Olivia try to get the house back? How would she be able to show her face in town? Jillyan thought to herself with a frown. She was sure Olivia was ashamed of what she had done. That one of the town’s richest women was in jail. Her sentence was five to ten years. Jillyan wondered if the town of West Valley would even exist by then. It seemed like the killer was going to wipe everyone out. Jillyan planned on leaving. She wasn’t going to stay in West Valley forever. She was planning on going off to college somewhere. Somewhere far away from all the madness and chaos that was happening around her. She wanted to be at a college where her biggest worry was which sorority to pledge to. Or to which professor she would suddenly have a big crush on. A place where all the murders were just a thing of the past, and that she had survived.

 

Jillyan sighed, picking up the remote. She flicked on the television. There seemed to be a lot of news on the killer’s sighting from earlier that day. Jillyan stopped to watch a reporter interviewing Beth Myers for a few moments. She didn’t know personally. She had seen her around town a few times. Jillyan found her to be kind of slutty, in the way that she dressed. When she got to Beth’s age, Jillyan didn’t think she would dress like her. Jillyan was confident enough with her looks, she didn’t find anything appealing by dressing like a street walker. Jillyan grabbed the remote and lowered the volume on the television when the baby monitor came to life. A burst of static. Jillyan frowned, getting to her feet. She turned the television off as she made her way out of the living room. She made her way over to the stairs, peering up the staircase.

 

Had Madison woken up? Standing at the bottom of the stairs, she listened for a moment. Jillyan didn’t hear Madison crying. She sucked in a deep breath before she began heading up the staircase. Once she reached the second floor landing, she listened again. The hallway walls seemed to be closing in on her. Jillyan shook her head, making her way slowly down the hallway towards the bedroom. Madison didn’t have her own room yet, her crib was in Amy’s bedroom. Jillyan made her way over to the door, reached out and grabbed the doorknob. The door was open just a crack. Slowly, she swung the door open. Jillyan peered inside. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She took a step into the room. Walking slowly, making sure not to wake up her baby sister. She peered over the side of the crib, almost expecting Madison not to be there.

 

Madison was in the crib after all. Snug as a bug and sleeping peacefully. A soft smile played on Jillyan’s lips. Relief glinting in her eyes. She slowly made her way over to the window, pulling the curtains back. She stared out into the night. A light breeze was making the bushes bordering the house dance in the moonlight. A car drove by, illuminating Jillyan’s face with it’s headlights. She turned away from the window, letting the curtains fall back into place. Quietly, she made her way out of the room. Keeping the door open a crack once more before she headed down the hallway. She made a quick stop into her room to grab her homework before she headed back down the stairs to the main floor of the house. She hummed softly to herself as she made her way back into the living room, sitting down on the couch once more.

 

Jillyan placed her homework down on the living room table. It could wait a few more minutes before she started doing it. She took the remote and turned on the television once again. She went through the channels until she found a rerun of a show she enjoyed. EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT, was the show, and it was a popular teen drama series. Jillyan had seen that specific episode twice already, yet she didn’t mind watching it again. Once it was done, she would get started on her homework. She watched the scene unfolding on the screen. It was the part where one of the main characters of the show walked in on his girlfriend kissing another guy. Jillyan leaned forward in anticipation, clasping her hands together. Another sudden burst of static from the baby monitor startled her, she jumped to her feet. A deep frown creasing her pretty face.

 

Not again! she thought to herself. She muted the television before once again making her way out of the living room. She stopped at the front door, making sure it was securely locked. It was. Just for safe measure, she activated the alarm on the wall before she turned back to the stairs. A sigh escaped from between Jillyan’s lips as she made her way up the stairs. She once again reached the second floor landing. She wondered if the baby monitor was broken, or picking up some kind of signal that was interfering it. She made her way over to the bedroom door once more. She grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door open. She stepped into the room and once again went over to the crib. Madison was still sleeping peacefully. Jillyan scanned the darkened room with her eyes. Was she being paranoid? Madison was clearly fine, having no idea what was going on at that moment.

 

Shaking her head, Jillyan made her way slowly across the room. Stepping out into the hallway. This time, she kept the bedroom door wide open. If Madison suddenly did wake up, she would hear her. Jillyan headed for the stairs. Suddenly, there was an explosion of movement from one of the other bedroom doors. Jillyan turned to see someone rushing at her. A figure dressed in a black cloak. The killer. A knife clutched tightly in his hand. Before Jillyan could react, there was a flash of silver, and a searing pain at her thigh. She looked down with wide eyes to see she had been struck with the knife blade. It had cut into her thigh, not very deep, but blood was trickling out from the wound. Jillyan looked up and let out a shriek as the knife blade flashed out towards her again. Before it could strike her again, she had her hands up and was shoved the killer back as hard as she could.

 

If only Jillyan could get back into Amy’s bedroom where Madison was sleeping. There was a landline there. She could lock herself in and call the police. But the killer was coming at her again, blocking her way. With quick thinking, she snatched a frame off the wall. She swung it with all the might she could muster. It connected with the killer’s head, sending glass showering around them. The killer stumbled against the wall, clearing Jillyan’s path. That’s all she needed. Despite the burning pain in her thigh, she ran for the bedroom door. She didn’t get very far, for suddenly her legs were pulled out from underneath her. Another scream escaped from her lips as she fell to the floor, bits and pieces of glass biting into her hand. The killer swooped down towards her, and with her good leg, Jillyan kicked out hard. She felt her foot connect with the killer’s midsection.

 

It was a struggle, her feet sliding on the broken glass, but Jillyan finally was able to get to her feet. The bedroom door was just within reach. Suddenly, she was grabbed and slammed against the wall. Jillyan felt her bones rattle inside her body. This wasn’t the first time she had encountered the killer. She had saved Hanna Workman from whoever it was, a few months back. But who’s going to save me? she thought to herself as she was slammed against the opposite wall. She was grabbed by the hair and had her head bashed against the wall. She screamed again as stars filled her vision which had started to blur. She was swung away from the wall and before she could let out another scream, felt herself falling. She realized she had been thrown down the stairs. Her head smashed against the steps as she tumbled all the way down.

 

Before the world went dark, she felt something in her body crack. And then she was swallowed up my darkness. She lay at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes closed. Alive, but knocked out cold. Slowly, the killer made their way down the stairs to Jillyan’s still form. Peered down at her for a few moments before reaching out and wrapping their hands tightly around her neck.

 

 

 

 

THE END