Don't talk to strangers. Keep your eye on the news. Most importantly,
Remember to tell your mother that you love her before leaving the house. You'll never know if that's the last time you'll ever get to say it...
There are criminals on the loose...
"Thanks, mom," Janice says as her mom places a plate of steaming hot pancakes and sausage links.
"No problem sweetie! Hey! Can you turn up the T.V. please?"
Janice nods and puts the syrup bottle down after drizzling it's maple sugary thick liquid onto the pancakes.
She reaches for the long gray remote and presses the up volume button turning it on, then puts it back down to pick up her phone to check social media while eating.
It was just another morning with Janice and her mom, sitting in the small cozy kitchen eating breakfast, feeling the warm rays of the morning sun shining through the blinds of the windows of the house, hearing sounds from the T.V. across from the kitchen sitting in the living room and tuned into the daily 10 AM news.
Janice's mom stops her cooking and turns her direction to the T.V. to the important breaking news that was being announced. Janice keeps her back faced away from the annoying newscasters on the screen, not interested in what happens in the news.
She pops another cut piece of the pork sausage link in her mouth before chuckling at a meme her friend sent to her.
"BREAKING NEWS! Two young adult men around the ages of 20, have escaped St. Helga's Mental Hospital on 40th and Martin Street this past hour at approximately 9:15 AM! Their names are JB and Junior, and they're very mentally crazy! Everyone take caution today and be safe!!"
Mariah: Hey girl! You ready for the party tonight?
Me: Hell yeah! My costume is ready and everything
Mariah: Cool! See ya later!
Janice puts her phone down after messaging her friend. She was only interested in one thing today, Halloween. Her college was throwing their annual Halloween party on the campus and it was a ton of fun. Since it's the start of the week, the party is held a few days before Halloween as people do their own things on the actual holiday. The party every year is seriously legit. A popular DJ comes to play music, the food is catered to perfection with cute desserts that are shaped like skulls and pumpkins, there's always a costume contest where the winner could get legit prizes like Airpods or an Amazon gift card, or like last year someone had gotten a full Adidas outfit. And of course, the games, there's a bouncy castle, a blood pool (food coloring in the water of course), glow-in-the-dark laser tag and much more.
She had to go, she wanted to go.
"Janice! Did you hear that!? Two psychos escaped a mental hospital!!" Her mom says putting the finished food on a plate.
"Yeah mom, I heard." She says taking another bite of her food.
"These two men were admitted in there for their crimes after being judged guilty at their trial, 6 months ago. Diagnosed with psychopathy and histrionic personality disorder, their new prison would be St. Helga's instead of the state prison. They were reported to have seduced, sexually assaulted and abused 7 young women around their age, then killing all of them in very sickening ways."
"Damn..." Janice says after hearing the newscaster at the scene of the hospital on the T.V. She continues to finish her breakfast without care.
"Oh no..." Her mom sighs in disappointment glued to the T.V. with worry.
"OH! THIS JUST IN! WE'VE JUST RECEIVED REPORTING ON THE LAST LOCATION THEY WERE LAST SEEN!! They were last seen around the neighborhood of Wallace and Chesterfield Street! If you live anywhere, ANYWHERE! Near this area! Please take caution! Lock your doors and windows....and now for the weather!"
Janice turns her head to look at the T.V. for once. She spots the faces, the mugshots of these two men, and they did seem around her age.
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To her, honestly, they looked a little too handsome to be psycho. She turns back around in her tall brown chair, gets up and puts her plate into the sink.
"Janice that's two blocks from here! It's not safe sweetie. Maybe you should stay home today." Her mother tells her with concern.
Janice gives her mother a reassuring smile, "Mom it's alright. The campus is literally just 3 blocks up! Plus there's tons of campus police and security! I'll be safe I promise! It's just a quick walk to and from. Commuter advantages remember?"
Her mom sighs and caresses her daughter's hair before hugging her.
"I-I know but...they're dangerous and very close."
"I know mom. I'll be fine!"
Her mom lets go of her from the hug and kisses her on her cheek.
"Alright. I'm just concerned because you're my only daughter you know."
"I knoowwww! Hahaha. I'll be safe. That's what I want too. If I knew I wasn't safe I wouldn't be going to school right now." Janice says with a smile and hugs her mom one more time.
"Alright. Have fun at school. Please be safe!!"
"You be safe too alright. I'll be back later this afternoon." Janice says and grabs her phone and backpack.
"Alrighty, Bye sweetie! Love you!"
"Love you too mom! I'll be back I promise!"
Janice waves goodbye to her mom then turns on her feet to leave the house.
