TREPIDATION | sᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ 1996. (DISCONTINUED)

NINETEEN

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 :
cryptic messages

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PSYCHOLOGY CLASS HAD been a blur of her trying to avoid Professor Crane while still trying to focus. It was hard when he brought up psychopaths, however, only being able to think about two people. It was safe to say she ran out of that class.

     Now she was in the library, having barely gotten on when it completely froze. (F/N) glanced at the girl that was sitting next to her's screen, finding it still moving just fine. Just to create conversation, (F/N) questioned, "Hey, did your computer freeze?"

     "No." The girl leaned over and took a quick glance at the screen. Her eyes lit up with recognition as she then informed, "Oh, you have an instant message. If you hit alt-M it pops up."

     "Wait but," (F/N) was confused, "I'm not signed on."

     "Then it's sent by someone in the library." The girl explained, "The terminals are all connected."

     (F/N) took the information, saying thank you before she hit the directed buttons. Then, the message popped up. (F/N) felt her blood run cold at the words that she read, "WATCH YOUR BACK. I'M COMING FOR YOU TONIGHT."

     The girl stood up abruptly, almost knocking her chair over from the quick speed. She caught her bodyguard's attention and they rushed to her side. The men both read the message over her shoulder and grim but serious expressions appeared on them.

     "Get her away from the computer." Officer Richards ordered as he moved to check every screen for the corresponding message.

     Meanwhile, Officer Andrews brought (F/N) to the entrance of the building—a set of stairs—and ordered swiftly, "Stay here."

     (F/N) was left alone in the busy library, looking at the floor to avoid the confused student's stares. They had no doubt looked at her computer after the officers moved her away from them. Wasn't this great? She wasn't even safe in public.

     (F/N) sighed, pushing her hair out of her face even though all she wanted was to hide from everyone's judging eyes forever. But this was her new normal, and she had to accept it, even though it was a tough pill to swallow.

     She looked up when she noticed that the two officers were returning to her side. However, no one else joined them and they looked defeated. (F/N) held her breath as Officer Richards informed, "We found the computer that the person used to send the message."

     "But," Officer Andrews continued, "no one was occupying it or was signed in.

The girl furrowed her eyebrows. That made no sense. How could the person just disappear like that?

     "Don't tell me." (F/N) sighed as her bodyguards nodded in sinc, informing her that she would, in fact, have to go to the police station. She tiredly laughed and shook her head, "My day just keeps getting better and better."

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     "I'm beginning to think I should just move in." (F/N) joked to Dewey who was the first person she knew that approached her since she had arrived at the police station.

     However, the girl's playful mood quickly dissipated once she noticed the solemn expression on the man's face. "What?" She had asked, trying to meet his eyes, something he avoided.

     Hesitantly he looked up and met her eyes. His voice was quiet and sounded pained as he said, "(F/N) ..." He sat down next to her, grasping the hat on his head and pulling it off, and setting it on his lap. "Randy was attacked."

     (F/N) couldn't bring herself to say anything. Her mouth opened, but all that came out was a shaky breath. "Is..." It took her a few seconds to mutter, "Is he...?"

She couldn't bring herself to believe the news. If Randy was dead... Her heart felt like it was squeezing and her chest closing in on itself.

Dewey gave her a sympathetic look, knowing what she suspected, "No! No!" He stammered out quickly, just as happy as her with the news, "He's alive."

     The girl looked at the floor in front of her, then leaned forward where she was sitting. She placed her elbows on her knees and pushed her hair out of her face.

     "Where?" She managed to ask.

     "At Windsor." Dewey winced as he thought about the scene he and Gale had found, the boy's body was covered in cuts and stabs that seemed deliberately small, "He was pulled into a van on campus and attacked."

     (F/N) turned to Dewey, meeting his eyes with a hopeful gleam in her eyes, "Can we see him?"

     Dewey seemed regretful to inform her, "Not yet. He's in critical condition right now, but..." A small smile grew on his face, "they're hopeful."

The girl felt some relief spread upon her. Even though Randy was in critical condition, he was still alive at the moment. But that didn't mean his survival was confirmed, and she didn't like those chances.

     "Dewey..." (F/N) leaned closer to the man, laying her head on his shoulder. Dewey adjusted his seating position to let her be more comfortable in the position, "Why does this keep happening to us?"

     "I wish I knew, but I don't," Dewey admitted, leaning his head on the top of hers.

"I'm happy you're here with me." She said, tears beginning to well in her eyes from how overwhelmed she was by everything. It had been a long few days of never-ending scares, and she was ready for it to be over. But she was afraid that she didn't know what the ending of their story looked like.

"I'm happy we're together too... You know, despite everything happening, it almost feels normal. Except, that," Dewey paused and swallowed thickly, "Tatum's not here. You know, she could be really annoying sometimes. But I miss her."

(F/N) tensed at the mention of Tatum. Tears began to fall down her face at the memory of her friend and all the old ones it brought up and she let them fall without shame. Her lip quivered as she said, "I miss her too."

Not only Tatum but Sidney and Casey too. She missed all of her friends who had been lost to what? Two boys who couldn't control their feelings? Two boys that couldn't just ask her the fuck out like normal people?

She felt Dewey reach for and grab her hand, comfortingly dragging his thumb across it. They stayed like that until they were forced to move by the chief who had a plan.

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AUTHORS NOTE !

It only took me months to
update this story (yikes)

I wrote some of next
chapter and I gotta be the
first to admit, I'm not on
Stu and Billy's side
anymore

Randy >>>

Posted: July 11, 2023
Words: 1135
Edited: ✘︎