WARGAMES
CHAPTER FOUR
ALORA HAS SEEN MANY MONSTERS. She was familiar with the one hiding under her bed and whispering in the winds. She saw monsters, she made monsters, she was a monster. But what she had seen last night was unlike anything she had ever seen before. This was real. Of course, it could of been her though. Maybe history was repeating itself. Maybe she was just as crazy as every one thought she was. It wasn't completely unfathomable to think that she could've conjured the beast from the depths of her nightmares. But as of late, she hadn't conjured anything but a mere butterfly. Alora hoped it was real. At least if it was real she could kill it.
After the tragedy of Rowan's death, Wednesday reported the incident to the police. Alora was profusely against it as her history with the police has been less than pleasant. Sheriff Galpin would likely have her arrested for Saylor's death if he had the evidence he needed. He's still furious that she got of scot-free like half of the Nevermore population. It was the only time her father ever got involved and he only made an appearance long enough to tell her how disappointed he was. It was actually Xavier that bailed her out and pretended to be her alibi. To this day he still doesn't know why he helped her and he's still not sure if he should've.
Wednesday and Alora waited outside the Nevermore entrance, waiting for Sheriff Galpin to return with news. The girl two girls hadn't spoken since the incident and hadn't got their stories straight. Alora was sure they would lie through their teeth the moment they were questioned. Sheriff Galpin parked in front of the school and Wednesday perked up. Alora couldn't care less about the Sheriff or what happened to Rowan. Wednesday, however, was adamantly curious. While Wednesday waited at the foot of the entrance, Alora leaned against it with her arms crossed and one foot pressed against the doorway. Principal Weems stood with them to greet their guest.
"We couldn't find anything." The sheriff reported to the petite girl. Principal Weems ushered him inside so they could talk further. Wednesday matched his pace while Alora lingered in the back with Weems.
"How could you miss a dead body?"
"'Cause it wasn't there." The Sheriff told Wednesday as they walked side by side. "No footprints, no blood, no sign of struggle. Nothing, nada. My search party looked all night."
"Well, your search party must have left their seeing-eye dogs at home. I saw that monster kill Rowan right in front of me. Alora was a witness that has to count for something."
Sheriff Galpin cast a glance towards the girl. "Alora's word doesn't usually count for anything."
"Thank you, Sheriff." Alora said sarcastically.
The Sheriff turned to her. "Did you get a good look at this monster thing?"
"It didn't stick around for a chat."
"Like the last one?" Fury pricked her skin but Alora remained calm despite the burning gaze she held with the police officer. "Maybe it was one of your classmates."
Weems spun on her heel. "Sheriff, I find that question offensive. And as for Miss Thorpe, since you have no sufficient evidence that she was involved, I would appreciate it if you didn't treat her as a criminal."
"I don't care, 'cause I got three other dead bodies in the morgue. Hikers just ripped apart in the woods."
"Saylor wasn't ripped apart." Alora reminded.
Galpin pointed an accusatory finger at her. "Doesn't make you innocent."
"The mayor said those were bear attacks." Principal Weems added.
"Well, the mayor and I disagree on that."
So you automatically assume a Nevermore student is the murderer, even though there's no evidence a crime was even committed."
"I'm sorry. I forgot, you only teach the good outcasts here, right?"
Alora's gaze burned through the layers of Galpin's skull. The Sheriff could feel her gaze but he couldn't care less about the opinion of a young criminal. Whether or not she was involved in this murder, he still believed that she deserved to be charged for Saylor Vu's death. Justice needed to be served even if it was for an outcast.
Galpin's finger twitched as he felt something brush across his skin. It happened once and then twice but he brushed it off. He felt it a third time. He looked down at his hand and his face twisted in terror. His mouth hung open for a silent scream as he connected eyes with the eight of the tarantula crawling up his arm. He couldn't help but release a loud scream that got the room giggling.
"Afraid of spiders, Sheriff?"
"Miss Thorpe, stop this instant!" Weems exclaimed. Alora let go of her illusion and the spider disappeared into dust. The Sheriff patted his whole body for evidence of the spider but it was gone. "Shall we go inside?"
Weems opened the door to her office. Her and Wednesday walked inside. Galpin followed. He locked eyes with Alora, terror still playing on his face and satisfaction on hers.
"My guess is Rowan ran away." Principal Weems tried to move on as she sat down at her desk. "State troopers have put out an alert, and I've contacted his family, but they haven't heard from him either."
"Dead people are notoriously bad at returning calls." Wednesday pointed out.
Galpin sat in one of the chairs opposite Weems. "What were you doing out in the woods with him, Miss Addams?"
"I was with Alora. We heard a noise in the forest and went to go investigate. That's when we stumbled upon the attack." As Alora expected. Lying through the teeth.
"The both of you? Together?" Galpin asked with a raised brow.
"Yes, we're quite close friends. We were playing ring toss when it happened. Shame we missed the cotton candy." Alora stepped forward with an exaggerated pout.
Galpin rolled his eyes, knowing that Alora was mocking him. "And then what?"
"Then I ran into Bianca Barclay and I told her to go for help. Next thing I remember, I was awaking in my dorm."
"And you?" He asked Alora.
"I ran like hell."
"And just to be clear, this monster wasn't a bear or some other wild animal?"
"I've hibernated with grizzlies. I know the difference."
Weems stood promptly from her chair. "Thank you, Sheriff. I think these girls are done now."
"Actually, I think Alora and I would like to speak to Sheriff Galpin. Alone."
"I'm not sure I can allow that."
"I'm sure I could take them to the station and get a formal statement." Galpin suggested, knowing that Weems would do anything to keep this from the public.
She forced a smile. "Fine. You have five minutes, and everything is off the record."
As soon as the door closed, Wednesday looked the Sheriff straight in the eyes. She wasn't joking around. "Someone is trying to cover up Rowan's murder. That's the only reason to scrub the crime scene."
"Is that your professional opinion as the daughter of a murderer?"
"My father's twice the man you are, and the only thing he murders is the occasional opera in the shower."
"It's been a long night. I'm tired of your games."
Alora stepped forward and for the first time, she was serious. "This isn't a game. We're telling the truth. You know there's a monster out there and Rowan's its latest victim."
The door opened again. It was Galpin's deputy. "Sheriff. You're gonna want to see this."
The second door opened and three sets of eyes widened. Rowan himself, stood in front of them scratch free and very much alive.
The two girls were ushered outside as they pulled Rowan in for a statement. Wednesday and Alora didn't move from their spots outside the door still in shock.
Alora was more shaken up. With Rowan alive it only confirmed her greatest fear. That she had conjured the monster herself. That this was Saylor's death all over again. She was going insane. She was hurting people.
"I don't understand." Wednesday said. She turned her full body to Alora. "I think we're going to have to investigate this ourselves."
In all her panic, all Alora could say was "Agreed."
"What do you know about Rowan?"
Alora shrugged. "Nothing. Other than that he's my brother's roommate."
"Can you talk to him?"
"He and I are not on the best of terms. You can do it though." Alora suggested with a teasing smile. It was obvious Xavier had a crush on her. He wasn't the most inconspicuous person to a exist. He had a crush on her from the day they met and now she was back and he was head over heels.
"Why me?" Wednesday inquired.
"He'll be kinder to you than me."
Wednesday didn't think more of it. "Fine. Then you look into the monster."
Alora's eyebrows crossed. "How do I do that?"
"Do I have to hold your hand through everything? Figure it out." Wednesday turned with her whole body and walked away from the brunette. Alora stood hopelessly in the hallway wondering what to do next.
"Jeez. She's tough. I see why you like her. She's like Mira." Saylor appeared beside her. Saylor had a habit of disappearing when Alora was in company. Which only made Alora feel crazier. Saylor normally got spooked when other people showed up. She was like a socially anxious ghost.
"Mira is a carnivorous bitch."
"Hey. That's my girlfriend you're talking about." Saylor scolded.
"Can you have a girlfriend if you're dead?"
Saylor shrugged her shoulders. She hadn't really thought about it all that much. But right now, she was a conscious thing so she thought she still had a right to her relationship. "We never broke up."
Alora couldn't be bothered with this. "Why don't you debate with her on that one."
Saylor's eyes softened. She looked down at her friend who was perched against the wall with her head in her hands. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Alora-"
"I'm fine, Saylor." She took a deep breath. "What are the chances that I conjured the monster?"
Saylor stepped forward. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her best friend in a hug. "You create illusions, not realities. If you did it there's no way it could've killed anyone."
"You're dead, aren't you." It wasn't a question. Saylor was dead. They knew it. They were both there.
"Not your fault." Saylor said for the millionth time.
Alora took another deep breath. "Okay. Let's say it's real. How do I investigate it?"
"I don't know. Maybe go back to the woods where it happened."
"Fine. Let's go."
Alora started to walk out of the building. Saylor froze for a moment with her mouth hung open. She quickly chased after her best friend with panicked paces. "Alone?"
"Two isn't alone." Alora corrected.
Saylor laughed nervously. "Yes but one of us is a ghost that can't do anything but run commentary."
"Then I'll die laughing." Alora said with no humour in her tone. Alora saw Saylor's concerned expression and rolled her eyes. She conjured Cheshire from her mind and held it in her hands. She spoke directly to it's antenna. "Tell Wednesday to meet me in the woods where Rowan was attacked."
The butterfly dipped it's head before taking flight through the school hallways. Saylor's face melted into a different type of concern. "Don't you think having an imaginary pet butterfly is a little too far into crazy?"
Alora looked her in the eyes. "It feels like just the right amount."
☆☆☆
Alora usually liked the woods. It was here she got the most peace when she was trying to escape the school or her family or the world. But today, the woods didn't feel too peaceful. The air smelt like death and dew and the fear of monsters loomed over Alora's head. Of course, if it was imaginery then there was nothing to worry about but her own head.
Alora had been walking the woods for almost an hour. It was hard to remember where exactly Rowan had been attacked when every tree looked the same. So far she found nothing. Alora felt a sense of shame, wanting to impress Wednesday.
"We're not going to find anything." Alora declared to Saylor. Saylor didn't reply but instead, Alora got a violent gruff as a response. The girl lifted her head and spotted Galpin and his bloodhound walking her way. Simultaneously, a hand covered her mouth and her eyes widened.
She could smell coffee and citrus which told her who had their hands around her face. She was pressed against Tyler's chest and waited a few moments for her father to disappear before he let go. "Sorry, I didn't want Elvis to pick up on your scent."
"How'd you throw them off?" Tyler reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of coffee grounds. She could almost applaud him for being smart.
"Deer hunting hack." He said. "Who were you talking to?"
"None of your business." Alora said a bit too forcefully.
Tyler quirked a brow but held an amused smile. "You're kind of weird. You know that?"
"So I've heard consistently." Alora had heard it from everyone. Normies and outcasts alike. She was strange. She was weird. She was crazy. She heard it all. She turned her back to him and continued at the job at hand.
Tyler followed. "Hey, wait, what really happened the other night at the festival?"
"Do you ever stop asking questions?"
"Do you ever give real answers?" He retorted. Alora bit back a smile.
"Are you two done?" Both of them snapped their heads to the direction of the monotone voice of Wednesday Addams.
"Hey, Wednesday." Tyler offered a small wave.
Wednesday ignored his greeting and joined Alora in the search for evidence. "What's he doing here?"
"Stalking."
"Did you find anything?"
"Not yet. Did Xavier tell you anything?"
"Not really." Great. They were getting no where. All they knew is what they saw and one of them was questioning it more every minute.
"What's with this Daphne and Velma thing you two have going on?" Tyler asked, slightly freaked out by the two girls. Especially two who, on the surface were so cold yet seemed to get along quite well.
"Would that make you Scooby?" Alora asked.
"I was going more Fred." Tyler admitted, in a small voice.
Alora's voice was crude. "You would have to be useful first."
"Alora. These are Rowan's glasses." Wednesday reached for the pair of glasses that were discarded in the grass with bloody lenses and broken frames. Wednesday touched the glasses for a moment before she gasped and her neck snapped up to the sky. Her body collapsed in one motion. Tyler ran to her safety.
"You okay?" He asked with his hands on her arms, trying to steady her. Alora watched with her arms crossed over her chest.
"I'm fine." Wednesday told him as she came back into consciousness.
"Are you sure? I'll take you back to school." Wednesday didn't protest. She allowed him to help her up and guide her to his car by holding her arm. Alora walked behind the two with her arms glued to her chest and a sour expression.
Tyler drove the both of them back to Nevermore. By then, Wednesday was as fit as a fiddle. She sat in the front while Alora was in the back. When they arrived, Wednesday thanked him. "I'll pay you back for the fuel."
A smile pulled at the boy's lips in a soft sense. "Don't bother. Maybe you can buy me a coffee as a thank you."
Wednesday didn't say anything in response and failed to see the intention behind his words. Alora got out of the car with a goodbye and walked behind Wednesday.
"You know he likes you."
Wednesday swerved her body. Her face was genuinely perplexed. "Why?"
Alora laughed. "Hell if I know."
"Are you jealous?" Wednesday asked, noticing the change in behaviour.
Alora's eyebrows crossed together as she shook her head. "What? No."
Wednesday didn't like to be told she was wrong. She may not know much in the way of feelings but she knows what it looks like. She was a detective after all. "The hostility in your voice would suggest otherwise."
Alora feigned a laugh. "I don't care about boys."
She didn't care about anyone. She didn't date or even make friends. She was destined to be alone like everybody told her she would and she was fine with that. "And yet it bothers you when he stops paying attention to you."
Alora was left speechless as Wednesday walked into the school. She would not have anyone tell her how she feels, let alone Wednesday Addams. What would she know? She couldn't tell happiness from an allergic reaction.
"She's not wrong." Saylor conveniently decided to chime back in.
Alora gritted her teeth. "Shut up, Saylor."