The Witness

Waking up

  The lights blurred as I rolled around on the ground, bearing a headache. My joints ached with what seemed to feel like arthritis, or a thousand needles. My muscles quivered as I rose from the ground, barely keeping me up. The hair on my neck was slicked down under my blue and gold wildcat sweatshirt. I yanked it off before I passed out from all the heat I was feeling. I stumbled on my shoes yanking off the dreaded thing only to fall back onto a wall, sending shakes all through my body. As I pulled it off, I looked down to see my black tank top and slightly ripped jeans had became my second skin. I looked around at the blank white walls that surrounded me.

    Anxiety then rose inside of me, like boiling water in a pot. At first it it started to tingle my toes, then slowly makes my legs shake, twisting my stomach, and pounded my heart like a punching bag. My breath shortened as I heard a noise behind me, breathing. I froze out of fear. I froze out of what might happen to me next if I turned around, or if I even blink. Slowly my feet began to turn centimeter at a time, making my fear even greater. I kept my head down low, wanting to be invisible. I saw a hand on the floor, I screamed with fear. I backed up and tripped on a heavy object. Landing on my back I rose up, into a seating position and started to back away.

     The body was lying there, motionless as if it was dead. I kept going back and started to scream until  my spine hit some kind of door frame. Trying to stand up I looked around and saw bodies everywhere, boys and girls. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a movement, to the right corner of the room. Under an old white rocking chair there was a body. It flinched again and began to make a subtle noise, and gasps of air. I ran to the person and rolled them over only to be taken by shock. His stocky build, blue and gold letterman jacket, the strong dark skin. His eyes began to flutter open, bringing him to life. "Matthew"

    I whispered as I stood up. The realization came over me like a wave. I looked around the room of bodies I presumed dead started to move their way back to life. Matthew was at my feet, with the iconic football letterman jacket, white T-shirt, and blue jeans. A couple of feet in front of him lay the frailest girl known. Her pail skin white as snow made her fiery red hair stand out even more. Cherry didn't need any make up to make people fall in love with her. Her sweet tea southern accent showered her words as she moaned about her pain.

    To the right there was the thinnest, and wannabe girl in the school. The seven pounds of blush, bronzer, liner, mascara, and god knows what else laid on this girls face. Jennifer wore her "signature" gold hoop earrings that got lost in her weekly new haircut/dye. This week she went with her natural brunet with pink streaks in it. Her denim jacket was over her pastel pink romper which barely reached school dress code.  Her right was the most self righteous person the world has ever seen. Oliver had gel spiked blonde hair, tan skin and boasting personality made him one of the most popular kids in school. Today he wore khaki shorts and his usual multi colored pride shirt. To his left was our school's Regina George. Scarlett was a combination of sex, money, and beauty. With a heaping if smarts and cruelty. All covered with a preppy good girl attitude that made it impossible for non victims to see the real her. Her perfectly tan skin complimented her slightly curly blonde hair. She had on  her blue and gold cheerleader outfit which fit perfectly around her.

     Next to her was the idiotic sidekick of the star football player. Daniel was dressed the exact same as Matthew. His black hair was slick down and parted all wrong. Jack was the last one I saw, but that's exactly how he likes it. His dirty blonde hair was ruffled out, and the right amount freckles rested on his cheek bones. His black sweatpants sagged a little showing his boxer. I forced myself to look away from that and look at his top half. He wore a grey hoodie and skull and crossbones shirt. They all stumbled up, using each other props. But as soon as my anxiety went away, it sprung right back up.
 
   Who was with me didn't matter, or how strong they were. The only thing that mattered is where I am. I twirled around in a circle, trying to scan the room and not throw up. This was a living room type area. Behind me was the old white rocking chair. On the ground the was this black and white geometric carpet that covered this red, yellow, and orange tile. I turned to my left and saw a black painted door. I began to run towards it, pushing people out of my way, and tripping over their feet. I started to twist and turn the white doorknob, jerking it around like a tug of war game. It wasn't until Matthew pushed me out of the way, that I fully looked at the door. I covered my mouth in shock, "SIN" was written on the door. It was a dark blood red that was smeared over the door.
 
"What does that mean?" Cherry squealed as she pointed to the door. We all took steps back to look at the door. My fear rose and I knew that it was bad. I knew that who ever put us in this place wasn't messing around.
"Click"
   
   A little mail slot in the door released a letter, and we all looked at it. Then at each other, not knowing what to do.
"If you guys won't read it, I will." Oliver huffed, as he walked to the letter. He picked it up and examined it. It was a folded in half with a red L stamped on the back. He opened it up and began to read.
  
   "Dear sinners, there are seven deadly sins. Gluttony, sloth, greed, wrath, envy, lust, and pride. You all represent one of these with your unspeakable acts of abomination. As you look around there are eight of you. One of you is an unknown and not spoken of sinner, this is the eighth deadly sin. You are the worst one of all, you are the Witness. You know of all of these crimes and you've seen them. Yet you did not do anything to stop them. In order to go back to you families, my only order is to kill the witness. But for every night you don't find this person, I will kill one of you. You have eight days to slay the dragon, you may commence your hunting."
   We all looked at each other, not knowing what to do. But felt it coming, the fear, anxiety, and everything else. A lump began to form in the back of my throat. This was a punishment about keeping secrets, and exposing them. This will be a blood bath, all for one person. I tried to stop but I kept shaking as I knew who it was, the secret keeper. The witness saw these things, and did nothing. I knew that the hunt would begin soon, and I was the target. Because I am the witness.