So… Laura's kinda nuts. I probably should've seen this coming considering everything that's happened up until this point. Her demeanor, how quickly she jumped into a new relationship, the ominous shit she's been saying, the picture, it all leads to that conclusion. The new question is… what now?
My initial thought was to break things off, but there's no way I'm going to do that. That's infinitely more dangerous than just staying close to her, right? Additionally, I don't really want to break things off and send her back to the mental state she was in, as well as fail to capture her as a target. As long as I continue our relationship I don't think she'll do anything too crazy.
Actually, what about Karlsson? He broke their relationship off, but she hasn't tried anything with him. A conversation from earlier today echoes through my mind.
"But it's not fine! There should only be one living man who knows my body!"
"Karlsson can go die for all I care."
She stiffens in my embrace like she just realized something.
Fuck.
There's no way that she's planning on trying something, right? Trying to kill someone goes beyond just a little crazy, and I don't think Laura's that fucked-up. She'd never do something like that.
The bell rings, signaling the end of the lunch period and a return to classes. The rest of the day passes quickly, while my mind races. I don't think Laura's going to do anything, but what if she does? I need to find her.
The final bell rings and I bolt out of the door as quickly as I can and make my way to her classroom.
I open the door and am greeted by nothing. Where the hell is she?
Actually, I have a skill for this. I toggle on Sense Boost, but before I can continue my search my senses are overwhelmed. The noise of passing conversations makes my head feel like it's going to explode. Each nearby footstep feels like a percussive force to my ears. My nostrils are overwhelmed by the smell of hundreds of sweaty teenagers. Never mind, Sense Boost is totally useless here.
My search continues, but I fail to find Laura anywhere. The longer I search, the more panicked I become. She wouldn't do something so insane. There's absolutely no way.
Trying to find Laura has proven to be fruitless, so instead, I'm going to look for Karlsson. I leave the science building and head to the Language & Arts building located on the west side of campus. It's a bit shy of a 10-minute walk, but I run the whole distance in half that.
Karlsson's classroom is located in the middle of the second floor, and when I reach the door, I throw it open, revealing a horrifying sight. In the middle of the classroom is a figure cloaked entirely in loose black robes facing away from the door. There are strange sigils hastily assembled on the floor and walls utilizing pieces of taped-together office paper.
"So you have returned, my love." says a husky, feminine voice.
"What the fuck?"
Upon hearing my voice, the figure whips around and says "You're not Cedric!"
I point my finger at them, "and you're not Mr. Karlsson! What the hell is going on in here!?"
Now that they're facing me, I can clearly see who it is, and I can't say I'm too shocked. The ginger girl from Val's pictures is standing in front of me, frantically trying to gather whatever weird ritual she had set up in Karlsson's classroom.
"Cassie? What the hell are you doing?"
"Th-that's not my name. I have no idea what you're talking about. There's nothing strange is going on in here. Nothing at all."
It most definitely is her name, but I don't really have time to argue with her about… well... everything that's going on here.
I let out a loud sigh, "Just… tell me where Karlsson went."
"Why do you need to know?"
"Curiosity."
"Well, I don't-"
My phone camera clicks, "I'll show the dean."
"I think he went to the trailers. He looked pretty unhappy, so I was all set up to… make his day better if ya know what I mean." She picks up the last piece of paper, and the classroom has returned completely to its normal self.
I really don't know what she meant and have no real desire to find out. Instead, I shut the door to the classroom and leave, determined to forget all about this little diversion.
That was… strange, but I can't focus on it too much, as there's potentially something far worse happening right now. If I were going to murder someone at the school, it would absolutely be at the trailers. They were used for overflow classes years ago when there was a huge influx of new students due to the recently relaxed entrance requirements. They're basically only used for storage anymore, and nobody goes there unless they have to. They're nearby, luckily, but it's already been far too long.
My legs are getting tired, but I have to keep going. There could literally be a life at stake.
I arrive at the trailers and… nothing. The whole area is silent. Did Karlsson leave already?
Now that I'm alone, I toggle my Sense Boost again, but this time without having my ears blasted out. With my now multiplied senses, I can hear the faint sounds of breathing, located in one of the trailers furthest away from campus. I follow the sounds of breathing to a window, just barely too high to see inside of. There's an aluminum trashcan nearby that I step on top of to look inside.
The scene before me is ghastly. A man, most likely Karlsson, is splayed on the floor of a cramped storage room, covered in blisters. The door to the room, as well as the window, have had all potential openings jammed with rags. The only light is from the window I'm now standing in front of, and there are greasy handprints on the window that trail all the way down on the inside. Did Laura… gas him?
I'm momentarily paralyzed. The sight of Karlsson face down on the floor, gasping for air... he looks so much like... no. This time is different. I won't let him die. I won't let Laura become a killer.
I spring into action. Karlsson's still breathing, so he's still alive. Even though I don't particularly like the man, no one deserves this. I pick up the aluminum trash can that I was standing on and throw it against the window, spilling trash everywhere. It bounces off and lands on its side with the window fully intact. Shit.
I try again, and again. Each time the window refuses to shatter. Is this like… bulletproof glass or something? We are in the U.S, so bulletproof shit at schools makes sense, but there's no way windows need to be this sturdy.
I let out a loud scream and lob the trash can with as much strength as my adrenaline-roided self can muster, and finally, the window gives way. Shards of glass fly everywhere, but I don't have time to waste. The room should be clearing of gas, but I need to get Karlsson out of there.
I jump and grab the windowsill, and pull myself into the room. Now that I can see him more closely, the blistered man on the floor is definitely Karlsson. He's heavy as all hell and completely unresponsive. The room still definitely has gas in it, so I need to get out of here quickly. I manage to stand Karlsson up by draping one of his hands over my shoulder and try to evacuate him through the window.
I'm not exactly in great shape, so the best I can do is slowly fit his body through the now smashed window, and try to minimize cuts and scrapes on the now jagged glass. After I fit him through, I do my best to drop him gently on the ground below, which is still far rougher than I would consider safe for someone completely unconscious.
I hop out after him and immediately dial 9-1-1 on my phone. My hands are covered in blood, but I don't have time to examine more closely.
"911, what's your emergency?"
"He's fucking covered in chemical burns! I don't think he's going to make it much longer!"
"Sir, where are you located?"
"Fuck… uh, Harris-Hyde Prep, by the uh… the rear? We're at the trailers."
"Do you need medical assistance?"
"Not me! One of the teachers. He was locked in a room with… I think it was a gas of some kind?"
"Stay calm. An ambulance has been dispatched. Is he breathing?"
"Yes, he's breathing."
She continues to ask me pertinent questions, and I continue to give her answers. I was panicking at first, but I quickly fall into the rhythm of answering questions, whilst trying not to eye the grotesque blister-ridden man in front of me.
Eventually, a few paramedics arrive on the scene. It feels like it's been hours, but it's likely only been a few minutes. Closely following behind them are several police officers, as well as other emergency crews, who were obviously dispatched after news of a chemical attack on campus.
While the paramedics deal with Karlsson, I'm being questioned by police. I tell them the whole story, with a few details omitted, like my belief in Laura's involvement.
After my adrenaline begins to wear off, I feel a sharp pain in my hands. Looking down at them, I realize that my hands are cut to shit. When I grabbed that windowsill I wasn't looking out for the shattered glass, and being so pumped full of adrenaline made me ignore the pain. I might need a trip to the hospital alongside Karlsson.
Over the next few hours, the entire high-school and college campuses are shut down while investigations of the chemical attack begin. Every student still on campus for one reason or another is told to go home and await further instructions, but in addition to a trip to the hospital, I have something to deal with. I still don't know where she is, but when I find Laura, I'm going to make her understand the gravity of her actions, and just how much she's betrayed my trust, one way or another.