Winter's Academy

Chapter Six: Killer, Killer

Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin.

- Grace Hansen

I had an idea. Plan D. I'd have to ask permission of course, but only after the girls were exonerated. Which they were, only three were picked from the crowd and they each had a perfect alibi – although they weren't too happy with me sitting in on the interview. So, plan B was going to come into effect, it was a good idea, very, very random – but good.

"A Fight Tournament?!" Was the Chairman's reaction to my idea, "Absolutely not!"

"Here me out." I begged, he settled back in his chair and listened, "The heart of a true killer shows in movement and feeling. If signs are placed all over the school for a fight tournament, people will sign up – but if I can watch the fights, I'll know if any of them have the potential to be the killer we're after."

"What if the person we're after doesn't go for it?"

"They'll go for it – I'm not the only fighter here. And most serial killers can't help but show everyone that they are strong, besides, not everyone is a black-belt three times over." He looked at me with one eye brow cocked. "Well, I had to do something while I was stuck in that stupid mental institute."

"You're never going to get past that, are you?" He enquired.

"No, should I?"

"Very well. Stick signs up on the wall – broadcast a message – throw posters down the stairs, I don't care. Just find me this killer. I don't need any more deaths occurring." I nodded and left the room, my word allocation was all used up. All I had to do was make the posters, print them off and stick them all over the school while everyone was asleep. So why did I have such a troubled feeling?

My poster was finished and I printed off 80 copies – it would have been 100 but I ran out of ink. I placed 40 of the posters all around the girls side of the school, it was a good thing I had authorisation to go to the other side. It was nearly 11pm, so no one was awake. In fact – no one was allowed out of their rooms after 9:30pm – except me. One of the bonuses of living at a boarding school where your 'Dad' runs the place. I finished what I had to do and was on my way back to my dormitory, that's when I heard a sound behind me. This hallway always gave me the creeps at night. Locked rooms, a single window at the end of the hall, endless, with the stairs at the end. The scary part was that I could barely see anything and shadows were everywhere. I heard the sound again, this time I could make it out – footsteps. But it was too hard and loud to be female, was it one of the teachers? The Chairman? The Killer? Was he after me? Did trying to find who he was land me on death road? Were Lucida and Max next? I couldn't let them die. I turned to my door and fiddled with the key till I finally got it firm in my hand, that's when I heard a new sound, breathing. Right behind me. If there was ever a time to use my fighting skills for more then punching large bags of sand, it was now. I dropped my keys and threw back a fist, but it was caught – my eyes hadn't focussed yet but whoever this was, they were going to kill me.

"What the hell was that for?" A whisper spoke the words, it was Angelo.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, taking hold of my breathing,

"I saw you putting these up," He held up one of the posters he obviously tore down, "What's it all about?"

"Finding the killer – whom I thought you were just then." I wanted to yell, but it came out in a shouted whisper.

"Sorry if I scared you. It should be normal for you to be on edge. Being one of the lead investigators and all. I must admit, your face just then was hilarious." I didn't need to respond to that. "Can I come in? I have a few questions of my own." He said.