When the bell rang, they all couldn't wait to get out of calculus. Alex was the first one to dash out of Mr. Argus’ class, hoping that none of his friends would follow him. Luckily, Abram and Mercer seemed to have gotten lost in the crowd. But Bridge finally caught up to him just outside the cafeteria.
“Alex,” Bridge smiled as the former faced him. “I like it. A throwback to your birth name.”
“We don’t have to do this.” Alex scoffed. “This is too much for me right now.”
“Why didn't you tell us? Why would you possibly think that it would be easier to go through alone?”
“I’m not doing this. Abe said you guys would understand. Obviously he was wrong.”
Without another word, Alex left Bridge outside the cafe. He sighed. Alex being...Alex was a complete shock to him. But shutting them out? The entire class, Bridge, Mercer, and Abram had tried talking to Alex, and he wasn't having any of it. Why couldn't he have talked to them about what he was going through? Bridge obviously understood what it meant to come out and then be perceived differently.
“Hey.” Bridge turned to see Abram sauntering up to him.
Bridge breathed deeply. “Hey.”
“I don’t know what to do,” Abram sighed. “We talked briefly, and he basically just apologized and said we weren't dating anymore but he won’t talk to me beyond that.”
“I hate this, us not talking. Alex has gone through so much and he isn't talking to us. None of us are even talking to each other.”
“We’re talking.” Abram smiled.
“I know,” Bridge grinned. “And it’s the only normal thing that’s happened to me in the past six months.”
“We’ll figure everything out.”
Bridge shook his head. “Mercer said his dads don’t want him getting in trouble and he equates me with danger.”
Clasping a hand on Bridge’s shoulder, Abram scoffed. “You got me, B. At least, until they come around.”
“And me,” Willa echoed as she approached them, giving Bridge a warm grin before clearing her throat and looking at her brother. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
Bridge nodded. “I’ll see you guys in there.”
The St. James siblings agreed as he went inside the cafeteria along with the other students of Westbrooke. Willa grabbed Abram’s hand and led him to a little stone bench just outside the cafe. Abram watched as his little sister took a chasm of a breath, worry washing over her.
“Willa, you’re freaking me out,” he admitted. “What is it?”
“I saw you talking to Faith earlier.”
“Okay.” He wasn't quite sure where this would end up.
“Well, I was going to join you guys when that guy showed up.”
“Straton?” Abram’s interest piqued. What could he have to do with the concern in his sister’s eyes?
“Yeah, Straton.” Willa exhaled. “Did he mention anything about Sumner?”
This conversation kept taking wilder and wilder turns. Abram’s eyebrows were practically leaping off of his face at this point. “What the hell would Straton know about Sumner?”
“Remember the party at Heartmyth earlier that night when Sumner—”
“Yes, I remember.”
Sensing his discomfort, Willa decided to just blurt it out. “I've met Straton before.” she huffed. “I've met him because Sumner introduced us at the Heartmyth party.”
His eyes expanded. “Straton knew Sumner?”
Willa confirmed his suspicions. “I just think Faith ought to know, assuming she doesn't. But I just think it’s weird for her to be dating him if he knew Sumner like that.”
“No, I agree. She must not know. I’ll mention it to her, Or, if he’ll listen, I’ll get Alex to pass it on.”
Willa eased off her own agenda upon seeing her brother’s anguish. “Speaking of, how are you taking the news about Alex? I only just heard about it myself.”
“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I’m happy for him, but I’m just so confused about how things have changed between us.”
“Change is inevitable, Abe. And Alex has probably endured even more since the night of the attack.”
He knew she was right. Alex was entitled to his space. He’d been through a lot, but he still thought it’d be easier on him to be surrounded by his supportive friends.
“I just want us all back to being friends again, like before Sumner even moved to Armor Falls.”
“Things aren't like they were before though.” Willa stood up. “Just give Alex what he says he needs, even if it is space from everyone.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Abram stood also, presenting his arm, which his sister took with a laugh. “Let’s eat some subpar food presented as lunch.”
The smiling siblings entered the cafeteria, which was buzzing with students eager to eat and further gossip about the infamous survivors of local maniac Sumner Shadows.
After going through the lunch line with him, Willa left her brother for a few of her junior friends after refusing to accept her offer to sit with them. Abram wasn't sure he needed his sister's pity along with the flood of emotions that came with wondering where he would sit for lunch.
Looking out in the cafeteria, Abram didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Except that there was only one table that didn't have any students at all. The one near the exit in the back.
It was their table.
Bridge suddenly appeared on his right. “Of all the tables, right?”
Nodding, Abram sighed. “Should we?”
Shrugging, Bridge walked with Abram as they made their way toward the table when they realized that both Mercer and Alex were doing the same thing. They all locked eyes and watched as everyone gave each other weak smiles. Pushing forward, the four of them made their way toward the table as the lunch room went silent, the students looking on in anticipation.
They looked around as the crowd silenced themselves. And when they further approached the table, they saw why all sound had vanished around them.
There was a message lathered on the table.
The four of them looked at the table in horror as what looked like blood was smeared along the edges of the table, with a message written in blood red sharpie in the middle. Alex inched closer to the table, reading the message as his friends stepped forward and did the same.
THIS TABLE IS RESERVED FOR THE SLAYER SOCIETY
Upon reading the message, the crowd erupted in a wave of laughter and heckling. They looked around, searching for a sole perpetrator, but everyone was giving them sinister snickers. Willa came running over, her mouth dropping as she read the table’s message.
“Who did this!?” she yelled out to no one, only meeting with judging eyes and wide cackles.
Not being able to take the torture any longer, Alex ran for the door right by the table, a much needed exit from the cafeteria.
“You guys go,” Willa nodded, gesturing toward the door Alex had just disappeared through. “I’ll get someone.”
Abram was out of the door as soon as his sister finished, eager to assess Alex’s state of mind. Bridge and Mercer soon ran out also, hearing the guffaws fade as the door slammed shut behind them. They found Alex and Abram just left of the cafeteria, a little nook between the cafeteria building and the science building. Alex looked panicked, Abram restraining from physically consoling him.
“You don't think that was real blood, do you?” Alex shivered.
“Of course not,” Abram scoffed. “It was probably ketchup.”
“Guys,” Mercer started but was interrupted by Bridge.
“You don’t think anyone knows about the cemetery, do you? I mean, Slayer Society? That’s oddly specific.”
“How would anyone know that?” Abram questioned.
“Someone could have seen us,” Terrified, Alex shifted in place again. “They easily could have seen us with the body.”
Silence built up among them like rot along the base of an old tree. It was the first time since that night t
hat they had referenced what they’d done. They all looked among each other, too afraid of eavesdropping to say something more about it.
“No one saw us,” Abram finally said. “There’s no way anyone knows anything beyond what we told the police.”
“Guys,” Mercer shouted, sighing halfway through the word despite how much he didn't want to do what he was about to do. They each looked at him as he withdrew a clear breath. “As much as I don’t want to be involved with this crap anymore, you guys deserve to see this.”
Bridge, the obviously most hurt by this word choice, spoke up first. “See what?”
Slowly, Mercer reached into the front of his jeans pocket and revealed the polaroid, holding it out for them to see. Alex stepped forward and grabbed the picture before anyone else could. His eyes flexed briefly, looking from the photo back to Mercer.
“What kind of sick joke is this?”
“I know how it looks, but it’s legit. I swear.” he pleaded.
Alex huffed, examining the picture more as Bridge and Abram squeezed close to him, shocked by the polaroid of Sumner at Armor Falls Cemetery.
“You’re sure this was taken last night?” Abram asked.
“Positive.”
“Wait, who took this?” Bridge interjected.
Mercer hesitated in answering, but decided to shake his head. “It doesn't matter.”
“It does matter, Merce!” Bridge shouted the nickname, breathing heavy and trying to calm himself as he continued. “Whoever took this could be helping him.”
“Assuming he’s back for good,” Alex scoffed, giving the polaroid to Abram. “Why would he be back? Why now? He’s been gone six months without anyone seeing him. It doesn't make sense.”
“As if anything surrounding Sumner ever does? Look, the person who took this doesn't need to be brought into our hysteria, but they are not aiding Sumner in staying somewhere in Armor Falls.”
Abram gave the picture back to Mercer, who stuffed it back into his jeans as Alex folded his arms over each other.
“We have to tell the school. And the police.” Alex stated.
“Absolutely not.” Bridge protested. “That’s out of the question.”
“Bridge, my mom is a cop! I can’t keep something like this from her even if I wanted to." Alex exclaimed.
“It’s not your ass on the line.”
“What if Sumner really is hanging around town, for good?” Abram opened. “If he ambushes us and somebody like the cops find out we knew he was here before that, it’s all going to be over.”
“They’re right, B. We have to tell someone.”
“I thought you didn't want anything to do with us? Don’t call me that until you do.”
“Breathe,” Abram pleaded. “Right now, we have to be all together, all on the same page. We’ll go to Cobbins. Agreed?”
Alex nodded instantly, with Mercer close behind him in agreement. But Bridge was more reluctant. He couldn't shake the table’s message and how it made him feel like someone knew about their late night escapades that night. He’d never forgive himself though, if Sumner snapped on someone and he could have possibly prevented it.
“Fine,” he sighed. “But we go now, before I change my mind.”
Finally, all in agreement, they left their safe little nook next to the cafeteria and started off toward the principal’s office. As they headed around the cafeteria, Ben came running up to them.
“Abram, Willa told me what happened. Are you okay?”
Abram scoffed. “Jesus. Yes, Ben, I’m fine.”
“Who is this?” Alex inquired, the look on Mercer’s face suggesting that he was wondering the same thing.
“My ankle bracelet.” Abram shook his head.
“I’m his pseudolife coach.” Ben corrected him, shifting his eyes between Abram and Bridge, hoping the latter wasn't noticing.
“Thanks for the concern, but I’m good. You can go report back to my parents that I don’t need a psych eval or whatever it is you tell them about me.”
Ben didn't look like he was leaving, so Bridge broke his focus of not looking at him to throw him a smirk. “Just go, Ben. I’m sure Paige needs to hear about what happened back in the cafeteria.” he emphasized her name like it was secretly a voodoo curse.
He finally left as they entered the building that housed the principal’s office. It was down a long hallway with classrooms and lockers lining the walls, just at the end was Principal Cobbins’ office.
“Mercer!”
They all turned around to see Kirby running after them. Mercer gave them a look. “Go. I’ll catch up in a sec.”
Begrudgingly, they left Mercer alone with the blonde stranger and proceeded to head toward the principal’s office.
“I saw the table,” she breathed slowly. “What's going on?"
He shook his head. “Nothing that you need to worry about.”
“Wait, you’re doing it, aren't you? Telling about the photo.”
“Kirby, go back to lunch.”
“What are you going to tell them when they ask you who took it?”
“I don’t know.” he sighed.
“Or how you got it?”
“I don’t know!” Mercer scoffed, seeing the determination radiating in her eyes in regards to just how much she wanted to help him with this. “I haven’t worked out the details. Kirby, this stuff, stuff involving Sumner? It’s dangerous, it always has been. Just, promise me to stay away from all of this.”
“Mercer,”
“Swear.” he looked toward the office, where they were waiting on him, eyes glued to him and Kirby. “Look, I have to do this. You’re safe from this, for now. Stay that way.”
She let him walk away without any other debate as he joined the others just in front of Principal Cobbins’ door.
“We ready?” Mercer said with very weak enthusiasm.
“No,” Alex admitted as he huffed, but gestured to the door. “But it’s not like we have a choice.”
Abram knocked and waited for Principal Cobbins’ velvet smooth voice to grant them entry. Quickly, they all ushered in and slammed the door as she turned from behind her desk, taking in exactly who had just entered her office.
“Oh,” The beautiful olive skinned Thalia Cobbins gave the four of them a feeble grin. “I was wondering if I’d see you all before the day was done, just to see how all of you are…easing back into things, considering.” She gave them a wave to sit down, which they obliged once she too took a seat behind her huge mahogany mammoth of a desk. “What can I do for you today?”
“It’s about Sumner.” Abram took the lead for them.
Mercer threw the polaroid on the desk as Cobbins flipped it over and gasped. “Sumner’s back.”
Before Principal Cobbins could ask them any followup questions, the office door swung open feverishly, revealing a tall, leggy blonde.
“Ms. Wheaton, this is a private matter.”
Kirby glanced at Mercer, who shook his head at her as if begging her to leave and forget her involvement, before looking away and nodding at Principal Cobbins. “I’m part of this matter, Mrs. Cobbins.”
“Kirby—”
She ignored Mercer, pointing toward the picture on her desk. “The polaroid? It was me,” she breathed easily. “I took that picture.”
Everyone gawked at Kirby Wheaton then, Mercer wishing she had heeded his warnings while the others wondered who she was and what connection she had to Sumner Shadows.
5
BEGINNINGS