VIRULENCE | H.S |

~ *28 • H* ~

Chapter Twenty Eight - Harry's POV

A/N-TW: LONGEST CHAPTER YET. HEAVY SEXUAL CONTENT. GET READY.

Evelynn rushed out of our room as soon as the announcement for the school lockdown occurred through the muffled speakers of Dunnet.

She was anxious, and that was obvious from her pacing while watching Catherine pass out in the hands of the police. But, her unease was minimalistic in comparison to the anguish that filtered through my own body as I waited for what was to come.

A lockdown?

What could this even mean?

I just saw Catherine get taken away in handcuffs, which was brutal enough to watch--not at all due to the weird emotions lingering from what happened last night, but because she let her ignorance towards me, and listening to men in general, cloud her judgement. And, it is obviously getting her into troubling situations.

Just like the one she's in now.

She's much too stubborn.

I'll be the first one to admit listening to others isn't an enjoyable experience, but I was trying to save her from this entire situation, and she ignored me. And, well, look where it got her.

But that's not the only thing I can be worried about right now, either. Especially with my own guilt from last night's decisions scorching through my bones. Everything is happening extremely quickly, and it's crucial that I focus intently, as well as mimic my own best judgement.

So, as I manage to bring myself back towards that comprehension, I ask myself---why a lockdown?

There's no way that the police would have already assumed foul play, or could there be?

I thought we did a damn good job covering this thing up.

Whether it was the physical ridding of Elton's body, the scrubbing of the rocks, the burning of all the items used to kidnap him, or even the texts and deleted messages we maneuvered through Elton's phone, we did what we could, and we did it fast, as well. We tried our hardest, with the limited time given. And, I think we managed to allow ourselves to be in the clear for the future because of our grave attention to detail.

Or did we outplay ourselves?

Fuck...I'm getting a headache.

Lockdowns only occur when there's imminent danger surrounding the premises. They're only used to protect those inside. Which means, they're an absolute last resort. In my own personal life, I've never been part of an actual one, only a few drills in primary school.  So, what could this be?

What danger surrounds Dunnet?

I shake my head at myself.

That seems like a loaded question...to be frank.

Between the blood on my own hands, and the stalker that's following me and Catherine, on top of the fact of Elton, with lies and unknown personal motives, it seems like the students at Dunnet have much to fear—they just don't know it yet.

But, sitting here on my dorm bed, looking out the window with my hands shaking right now, I know much more than others, that danger is protruding through the walls of the campus. Furthermore, in my gut I can feel that it will only get worse as the days and weeks go onward.

"What are you thinking about?" James asks, slurring his words softly, clearly still intoxicated from the obscene amount of Xanax he ingested earlier to calm his nerves.