King Slayer {1} ✓

XVIII

"Everyone back to class!" The teachers pushed us back but the crowd resisted. Principal Marley was trying, and failing, at controlling the situation. I saw Kevin at the front while people were shoving me forward and backward. It was chaos.

It wasn't too long before we were all back in class. Mr. Rylander wanted us to focus on our problem sets but all anyone could think about was the dead body upstairs.

The attacks were getting more violent and more reckless.

"The mayor just put a curfew in place starting tonight." I heard Hayley Brown whisper behind me.

"Because of the murderer on the loose?"

"Yeah. Nobody's out passed eight."

"That sucks. I have a game tonight."

I didn't know how serious the curfew was but didn't think much of it. I had plans tonight anyway.

.•*•.

We all met up at Jenny's house after school. We hung around the kitchen, ready to start our cookie contest.

"Who will be the judge?" Jenny asked.

"Me!" Dexter's hand shot up.

"No, you'd just vote for yours." I shook my head.

"Yeah but only because mine are the best."

"Grandma can be the judge." Jenny decided. "She loves cookies."

Jenny really did buy everything. There were Hershey kisses, skittles, m and m's, pretzels, candy canes, Reese's pieces, raisins, and a bunch more goodies.

"No recipe. Thirty minutes. May the best cookie win." I said and called time.

We rushed to the pantry and fridge and I started grabbing whatever I thought I'd need. I dumped out some flour, a little sugar, three eggs and my extras. I couldn't remember if cookies had butter but I added it anyway.

"So we all know what Dexter's making," I glanced at his dough, which had literally every ingredient in it and in dire need of some flour, "What are you making, Jenny?"

"I'm making classic chocolate chip. Yours looks good, what's in it?" Her dough looked the best so far. Dexter's. . . kind of looked like chunky poop.

"I'm making peanut butter and jelly cookies, you know, because it reminds me of my childhood."

"Fancy fancy."

"I have no idea what goes in cookies but I'm just gonna add everything." Dexter started dumping everything in plus a cup of sugar. I watched him pour chocolate milk over the batter and some mint Oreos too.

We put our cookie trays in the oven and had to wait over twenty more minutes. When the timers went off, we all took our cookies out. Dexter's looked under baked while mine were left in there too long.

Jenny's grandma came into the kitchen and looked at our cookies, not knowing whose were whose.

"They all look good," she said then looked at Dexter's, "This one's a party, isn't it?"

She took a bite from each one and we waited for her comments.

"They're all very good, it's hard to pick just one. I'd say the first one was a perfect cookie but slightly burnt at the edges." She looked from mine to Jenny's. "The second was warm and chocolatey but too sweet for me." She looked at Dexter's. "And the last one had my favorite toppings but wasn't mixed all the way."

"Which one do you like the most, Grandma?" Jenny asked.

She looked at each one before saying, "The second one. But they all were very delicious."

Jenny smiled. Of course, she always won.

We put on a few family movies and nibbled on our creations. I tasted each one and agreed that hers was the best. I always told her she should go to culinary school because she liked cooking so much.

And for a few hours, we forgot all of our worries. It was just the three of us again. Nobody was trying to kill us.

When the third movie ended, I yawned and stretched my arms above my head. It was almost eleven now. Jenny looked tired, too.

"I'm getting sleepy." I yawned again.

"Me, too," Jenny said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you guys need sleep. You ready to go, Bri?" Dexter asked and I nodded. We got up from the couch and grabbed our backpacks.

"Goodnight, get home safely," Jenny said as she opened the door for us. We waved goodnight and hopped into Dexter's car.

"You think she's doing better?" He asked.

"I think so. At least, she's going in the right direction."

"Her parents' anniversary's coming up. Do you think she wants to do something or just be alone?" He asked.

"I think we should bring flowers and maybe go with her."

"I can go get them and then you can just pay me half."

"Okay, I'll call you about it later—I mean, email you later." I forgot I still didn't have my phone. Only another day now, what could possibly go wrong?

"What happens if you break another rule? Will they take away your computer so we'll just have to send letters to each other?" He grinned.

"I hope not but I wouldn't be surprised if that was the next to go."

We got to my house and I grabbed all my stuff.

Dexter saluted goodbye, "See you tomorrow. Peace,"

When I got home, most of the lights were off. I opened the door and saw my parents waiting for me at the kitchen table.

"Where have you been?" Mom and Dad both had their arms crossed and were staring down at me. They looked pissed.

"At Jenny's. I told you yesterday—"

"That was before the mandatory curfew. You were supposed to be home by eight." Mom interrupted.

It was eleven eleven now.

"We were going crazy thinking somebody murdered you or kidnapped you." Mom snapped.

"Well, I didn't have my phone to tell you where I was." I huffed.

"Then you should have called from her house."

"I'm only three hours late and I'm home now—"

"Don't you understand? There's a psychopath out there killing children!" Dad shouted. "I want you straight home after school from now on!"

"But—"

"No buts. Home after school. You aren't going anywhere."

I sighed, "Fine."

I walked into my room and slammed the door. I didn't feel like doing anything so I flopped onto my bed. Blueberry followed me and sat at the foot of my bed. She meowed and I scratched her behind the ear.

This curfew was going to be broken a few more times so I might as well get used to surviving without a phone.