Manhunt

Chapter 5

The group stiffened in their place, staring at the scene before them in horror as a chill ran down their bones. It felt almost impossible to fathom that something like this could happen, and at a school, no less. A million conclusions swarmed Julia's mind as she tried to deduce the series of events that led to this. But nothing she thought of felt concrete enough for an assault. It didn't help that the school had terrible security, considering how often she had climbed the back gate mostly undetected. She wasn't even sure if there was someone watching the cameras regularly.

Julia glanced around the room quickly, checking out the space in case the attacker was still lurking around. To her relief, no one else was present besides her group and the teacher.

Where could the attacker have gone?

How long ago did this happen?

Based on the destruction that was left behind, it could have only been done by an adult, or someone with a lot of strength. Julia searched for any additional exit points, her gaze settling upon the additional door that led directly outside. The art room was also connected to the back of the auditorium, but she was sure that the concert band had practice during the first block. There wouldn't have been an appropriate chance to escape through there, much less it being a smart move. The only option was the door leading to the side of the building.

Did we just miss them?

Julia shook her head and rushed to the teacher, crouching down next to her. She put her ear near the woman's mouth, praying to feel the breath of life from her. Her eyelids nearly fluttered in relief when she did. "Okay, she's breathing." Julia reported while checking her pulse, finding it to be normal. "Get the principal!" Julia glanced up just in time to see Caroline and Sydney sprint out of the room, hissing out profanities as the situation caught up to them completely. She looked around to study the room again, trying to understand where it could have all begun.

There were signs that Ms. Lazo had put up a fight, considering the room was in complete disarray. Julia crept over to her professor's desk in the other side of the room, looking for anything that could tell her more. On the center of the table sat an unexpected object, and she leaned in to look closer.

It was a beautiful white rose, stained with dark red patches on it that started to fade into a murky rust color. She gently picked it up, finding a small tag with a red ribbon wrapped around the stem. The words were typed in a standard Times New Roman font, the ink bold against the stark white paper. When she read the card, her blood ran cold.

Dear Julia,

We're coming. Let the hunt begin.

"Zane, check if Ms. Lazo is hurt anywhere." She requested once she remembered that he still stood in the room, no doubt terrified. Julia stared at the tag, her eyebrows furrowing at its bizarre words. Why was this addressed to me?

"S-she seems fine from what I can see." He reported hastily, looking up at her in alarm. "Um, does this usually happen here? If it does, I think more people should be transferring out."

"No, this is the first time anything has happened in this school." Julia answered back, looking at the note once more. Who was coming? Gritting her teeth, she looked around the room until she found a small box, placing the rose inside it as discreetly as she could before sliding it into her bag.

The Virtus lab would take a look at it later.

She headed back to her teacher just as the door slammed open, a series of footsteps rushing up the ramp leading to the classroom. The principal walked in with the security guard and Julia's friends close behind him. The security promptly ran to Ms. Lazo, motioning Zane to step away from her while he performed first aid on her.