The Carter Hollow Murders

Leonidas Ramirez - Task Four

User: KnightoftheRealm

After dancing, drinking punch, and chatting with my friends, I'm starting to feel a little sleepy. I glance at my watch and see it's still early, just barely past eleven fifteen. The night is still young and the crowd shows no signs of calming down, even though the party's supposed to end at twelve. Being one of the few male wallflowers doesn't mean I'm a wet blanket, so I hang around an little longer.

A little before twelve I can't take it any more. I feel my temper rising because of my exhaustion and I don't want to snap and ruin everyone's night. I utter a quick good-bye and make my exit.

Walking back to my dorm, I notice the stillness and vastness of the night. The party sounds dimly in the distance but the crickets have gone silent. The very stars which carpeted the sky now seem harsh pinpricks of light, glittering bleakly in the void of space. Worst of all, I can't shake the though that there are watching eyes in the dark.

I walk faster, picking up my pace until I'm jogging, then breaking out into an all-out sprint as I fly up the stairs to my dorm. Fumbling with the key, I manage to get the door open and enter the room. I check to make sure the dorm is empty feeling an absentminded annoyance that my pulse is pounding. Looks like all those hours studying without exercise have caught with me, I think darkly.

In my room, I shrug off my jacket and peel of my sweaty shirt and heavy vest. I'm exhausted, so I flop on my bed to rest.

A few moments later, I hear Bryn come in. Thumps and bangs sound as he barricades the door behind him. I should to get up and help him, but cool AC is soothing and the bed is soft. I I close my scratchy eyelids for a second before getting out of bed...

A few moments later, I hear a soft tapping. Someone's calling my name, so I stumble out of bed. I don't remember falling asleep, but my stiff limbs and aching neck tell me otherwise.

When I reach the door, it's unblocked. Bryn is nowhere to be found. Looking through the peephole, I see it's Ariadne, still in her evening wear, and holding her shoes in her hand. I smack my forehead as I realize she must be here for the gear and weapons.

"Hey," Ariadne says when I open the door. "Sorry to wake you up, Leo." I glance down at myself and realize I'm still in my slacks and undershirt. "Your bed-head is a dead giveaway."

With a grimace, I say, "No problem. You're here for the...items, right?" Ariadne looks at me quizzically and nods slowly.

"Um...yeah."

"Come inside," I say, gesturing grandly at my dorm. Panic flits across her face at the invitation. I know as well as Ariadne does that breaking a rule is grounds for expulsion, especially for scholarship kids. But after the past month, who cares?

"In for a penny, in for a pound. We've already broken a few rules. It's not like they don't have grounds to kick us out already," I reason. Ariadne looks unconvinced. "Besides, we're leaving soon, right?" I add as I usher her into the small living room.

Noticing the duffel bag she's brought with her, I ask, "Are you collecting all weapons and vests from everyone?"

"You're the last stop," Ariadne says, holding out the bag. I put my stuff in. "I'm going to the office for my interrogation after this."

"Interrogation?"

"Arabella announced it over the intercom a few minutes ago. I guess you were asleep. Everyone has to go to the office for an 'interview' with the police." She snorts with laughter. "Maybe they think 'Trace' will turn himself in."

"Maybe we'll get lucky," I suggest. Ariadne shoots me a glare. "I suppose I have to go too. Mind if head over there with you?"

The smile Ariadne gives me let me know she's ok with my company. Before we leave the room, I offer to carry her duffel but she stubbornly refuses. As we head to her dorm and put away the weapons and armor, I keep up a steady stream of complaints about the abuse would-be gentlemen like me get these days.

On the way to the office, the eyes in the dark still watch me, but I laugh softly along with Ariadne to keep my fears at bay.

As we walk, I'm trying to analyze what Ariadne makes me feel. She's the first person to laugh at my strange humor in a long time, the first person I met here. She treats me like an equal instead of expecting me to be a genius. After learning about my neurotic tendiencies, she still chose to be my friend. Yes, she is attractive, and might like me too--

But she has a beautiful mind, and that makes all the difference.

So for once I don't think when we pass under a lamppost. I don't try to reason when I stop and take her hand. I don't imagine the consequences as I lean over and kiss her softly. And I don't try to speak when the silence between us lingers, even after we're seated in the office.

When they call my name, I mutter a quick aplogy to Ariadne for everything I have and haven't said or done and head to the interrogation room.

In the room, an armchair is set behind a desk, with a folding chair placed across from it. Shuffling across the plush carpet, I take my seat in the cold metal chair as an older man sits behind the desk. A police officer enters a few moments later, and closes the door behind her. The older man clear his throat and begins to speak.

"You are Leonidas Ramirez, correct?"

"Yes."

"From Miami, Florida?"

"Yep." I see the man check something off on his paper, then recline in his chair.

"I'm Detective Thompson. Officer Greyson"--he gestures to the officer--"and I are from the local police department. We're here to investigate the...stituation here are Carter Hollow Academy. Everyone who's left here has been called down to answer some questions about last night."

Confused, I ask, "About the dance?"

"Not quite," Thompson replies. "Where were you last night between the hours of eleven P.M. and one A.M.? During those two hours, Lily Le, Clove Dahlia, and Michael Aiden were killed."

What? Three more are dead? My mind is on autopilot as I speak. "I was at the dance until a little before twelve. Then I headed back to my room, where I fell asleep. Ariadne Rane--she's out there too--woke me up about a half-hour ago. Like at one A.M. We came here together and sat out there to wait."

"So did everyone else," the Detective says tiredly. "What was your relationship with the victims? Any rivalries, friendship, romances we need to know about?"

"No," I say, shaking my head. "I saw Lily and Clove a few times around campus. I didn't meet them. We didn't have any of the same classes or friends. Mr. Aiden was just the band director--not my favorite subject. I wasn't able to talk with him much." I pause for a moment, the add, "I noticed the two girl were loners. Not many kids talked to them, and the few who did usually commented on Clove's clothes and Lily's 'condition.'"

"Do you have any idea why someone would want to kill the victims?"

"They weren't normal. Plenty of people said ugly things about the three of them. I guess someone finally had the guts to do what they said." Thompson narrows his eyes at me.

"We believe these killing were carried out by a figure we've nicknamed 'Trace.' Have you noticed any patterns to his killings? Any clues that might lead us to him?" Thompson's weathered face is blank as he waits for me to speak.

"Ah...he hasn't killed any of my friends. Bryn Hafer, Ariadne Rane, Danielle Wilde, Adam Black, Joan Holmes, and I have stuck together these past few days. Maybe he or she is one of us. All of us are related," I add. Detective Thompson looks mildly surprised. "We're not all part of the same family. Ariadne Rane and Danielle Wilde are cousins, Adam Black and Joan Holmes are cousins, and Bryn Hafer and I are cousins. Maybe Trace has a thing against killing members of the same family."

"Trace killed Sarah Jordan and Reid Hollows, who were aunt and nephew."

I shrug. "It might just be a thing against killing cousins."

"Speaking of staff, do you have any idea why he might have killed school staff?"

"Nope. But he does seem to be going after teachers. I think only a few of the administrators are left."

Detective Thompson shuffles through the papers on the desk, sighs, and signs a form. He motions for me to go, saying, "Good luck out there, kid. Stay out of the shadows tonight."