𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊 - 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐬

seven | woe is the loneliest number

-SEVEN-

The day was gloomy, just right for a round check on Juniper's water hyacinth out in the quad. Sure, she despised water, but she didn't despise water plants. She brushed her fingers over the delicate petals of the flowers which floated peacefully on the undisturbed surface of the quad's central pond. Her worries of the night before faded momentarily, as she stayed silently for a brief moment. She was, unfortunately, called inside by the principal.

"How could you miss a dead body?" She heard Wednesday's impatience clearly.

"'Cause it wasn't there," replied the gruff voice of the sheriff. "No footprints, no blood, no sign of a struggle. Nothing, nada. My search party looked all night."

"Well, your search party must have left their seeing-eye dogs at home," Juniper interjected. "I vaguely recall being drowned on land till the monster came."

"We saw that monster kill Rowan right in front of us." Wednesday replied, getting annoyed. Juniper placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, using her neat telepathy trick to say, 'pick your battles, Winnie.' Wednesday didn't flinch away from the girl's touch, but she did send her a death glare at the nickname.

"Get a good look at this monster thing?" Asked Sheriff Galpin.

"It didn't stick around for a chat." Wednesday said curtly.

"Maybe it was one of your classmates." He deadpanned.

Snapping, Weems said, "Sheriff, I find that question offensive."

"I don't care, 'cause I got three other dead bodies in the morgue. Hikers just ripped apart in the woods." Sherrif Galpin rolled his eyes.

"The mayor said those were bear attacks." Weems replied, baffled.

"Well, the mayor and I disagree on that." He said, lowering his volume.

"So you automatically assume a Nevermore student is the murderer, even though there's no evidence a crime was even committed." Said the Principal, quite annoyed.

"I'm sorry. I forgot, you only teach the good outcasts here, right?" He mocked.

They entered Principal Weems' office, which gave a distinct smell of lavender essential oils and sickening incense. Juniper kept herself from retching, and said, "I personally find the smell of this room suffocating. Could I please stand outside?"

"Stay. Here." Wednesday hissed, making Juniper step back.

"My guess is Rowan ran away." Weems said. "State troopers have put out an alert, and I've contacted his family, but they haven't heard from him either."

"Dead people are notoriously bad at returning calls." Wednesday deadpanned.

"What were you doing out in the woods with him, Ms. Addams, Ms. Carrow?" Asked the sheriff, suspicious.

"I heard a noise in the forest and went to go investigate. That's when I stumbled upon the attack." Wednesday replied, as if she'd rehearsed it. By god, she was one good liar.

"I saw her leave in a rush, and decided to go after her, in case she got hurt. The forest is, after all, my turf." Juniper replied, keeping her tone strictly formal.

"Then what happened?" Asked the sheriff.

"Then I ran into Bianca Barclay, and I told her to go for help. Next thing I remember, I was awaking in my dorm." Said Wednesday.

"I aided her there, and awoke later in the infirmary." Juniper nodded.

"And just to be clear, this monster wasn't a bear or some other wild animal?" He raised an eyebrow.