Harrowed (The Woodsview Murders #1)

Chapter Eleven

  Sunday October 20th  

The crowd filing into the football game was restless. Avery suspected that it had something to do with the murders and the extra police stationed at what seemed to be every fifteen feet throughout the stadium. The fact that the Templeton Tigers were the Woodsview Sentinels' biggest rivals didn't help either.

Over by the field, the cheerleaders worked hard, pumping their arms, shouting, waving, tirelessly trying to pump the crowd up. The crowd shouted back, full force to every one of the cheers, as if their lives depended on it. The sound was deafening.

The wind howled, sending a cold chill through the entire field, whipping Avery and Quinn's hair into their faces and spending dry autumn leaves swirling into the air as they walked from the parking lot.

Quinn pulled the collar up on her black peacoat. "How do people do it? Sit out in this for fun. FOR FUN."

Avery laughed. "Not everyone thinks that high school football is the devil."

"Well, everyone is wrong."

"If you're so cold, get moving, dingleberry," Avery chuckled, "Looks like there's some room in the middle there," she said, pointing toward the home team stands. They were packed, and the crowd was standing, as the game had just gotten underway. It felt like a rock concert they were late to instead of a football game.

As they got closer, the giant head of the Sentinel, Woodsview's Roman soldier mascot came around the corner from in front of the stands, turning to look at them. The mascot got between the two of them and the back of the bleachers and stopped, its large foam head just staring at them.

"Do you see Candy around?" Quinn was asking, not paying attention to the weird scene in front of them. "I need to ask her about tomorrow."

Avery felt a small knot of anxiety form in her stomach as the Sentinel tilted its head to the side like a dog. The knot in her stomach became a wave of panic as the mascot slowly reached behind its back and pulled out something long and shiny.

Avery clamped her hand over her mouth, backing away. She stumbled into Quinn, knocking her backwards.

The Sentinel began walking forward, brandishing its weapon.

"Quinn—run! It's him! It's the Harvester!" she shouted. She grabbed her friend by the shoulder and turned to run, but tripped over her own feet, slamming into the cold ground. Before she could even turn around, the killer was on her, and Avery shrieked as she felt the point of the blade digging into her back.

Suddenly, the killer grunted and Avery felt the weight lifted off her back. She scrambled to turn over and saw Tommy lying on the ground in a daze, his mascot head lying beside him.

"Cut the shit, Tommy!" Quinn said, looming over him. She'd knocked Tommy over after hearing the scream of terror that came from Avery.

"Christ, Quinn," Tommy said, rubbing his head. I think you gave me a freaking concussion. And you broke my stupid sword," he moaned, holding up the plastic blade, half of which was dangling off.

"Are you okay?" Quinn asked Avery as she pulled her off the ground.

"Yeah—I'm fine," Avery replied, trying to brush it off. But her heart was still racing.

"Jesus, you're shaking," Quinn said. "He really scared the shit out of you."

"I don't know what happened," Avery said, taking a deep breath. "I guess I'm a hell of a lot more on edge than I thought."