The Scissors
Esther stared at Miles. "Can I come, Esther?" he cried, bouncing on his heels and staring back at her. She smiled at him sweetly, and he grinned ever wider.
"I'm just going to the library, Miles. Are you sure you want to come?" she asked innocently. He nodded eagerly. "I need some help with an art project. You wouldn't mind, would you?" He shook his head, and then skipped after her as she began to walk away. 'Like a lamb being led to slaughter,' she thought darkly.
The library was empty except for the librarian. Esther smirked, something Miles failed to see; he was so excited to be helping Esther. 'Idiot,' she thought. He rushed over to a desk and sat down, eagerly watching Esther. She smiled at him; an expression that was so full of innocence and warmth no one could have ever predicted what was going to happen next.
The students at Chandler Elementary School don't remember who shouted it first. "Where's Miles?" The call was raised for the boy, but he didn't surface. "Maybe he's with Esther!" The very thought chilled them to the core. They had all begun to suspect Esther of being something dark – except for Miles. He trusted everyone.
"Miles! Let's sit back here." Miles nodded and followed Esther. "Would you go get us some scissors, please?" The place Esther had chosen to sit at was behind several rows of bookshelves and out of sight from most view points in the library.
"Of course," replied Miles, smiling at her and running over to where the scissors were kept. Clutching the scissors so that they faced up, he ran back to Esther.
It only took a moment. Esther stuck out her foot.
"Over there!" Shouts from all over the playground ran together and formed a raucous cry that was different from the usual noise in a way that made them all even more scared. The cry was filled with panic.
Esther stared down at Miles. "You're my bestest friend, Miles," she said sweetly. "But I am so over you." He tried to cry out, but the pair of scissors stuck through his bottom jaw, tongue and left cheek prevented him from making any sound other than a muted gurgle. He could feel blood slowly filling his mouth, choking him, but at the same time, he could feel more of that precious red lifeblood running down his neck and onto his white shirt. Esther continued to smile at him, seemingly waiting for something. "Don't be like this, Miles," she whispered, kneeling next to him. "You know this is hurting me more than you." But she was smiling while she said it. "It will all be over soon." Then her eyes narrowed. "But I wish your death would last for hours, you stupid little child!" All of this was said in a harsh whisper, but then Esther straightened up and fixed her face into a mask of fear and horror. "Miss Noel!" she shrieked, running to the edge of the nearest row of books to where the librarian could see her. "Miss Noel, come quickly! Please!" Miss Noel hurried towards Esther, but Miles could feel his life fading fast. He moved his gaze down to the blood coating his shirt.
"Esther, wait here. I'm going to call an ambulance!" Miss Noel rushed back into her office, half in tears. Miles watched her go, silently begging. Please don't leave her with me. Please. Don't go. Esther knelt beside him, crying, but as soon as Miss Noel turned the corner she smiled.
"Be thankful this is the last time you'll ever meet Leena Klammer," she said softly, stroking his cheek and the blood coated silver of the scissors. He could see in her eyes that the blood only made the scissors more appealing. "If you had survived, I would have had to make sure you couldn't tell on me. Now you're never going to tell on me, are you?" Miles felt tears run down his face and mingle with the blood. There was a muffled gurgle that numbly he realised was coming from him. He was choking on his own blood; the very thing meant to keep him alive was killing him.
The children burst in the door of the library. The desperate voice of Miss Noel greeted them. "Miss Noel!" they cried. "Please, don't let her near Miles!" She shrieked for them to be quiet. "Please!" But already they knew she would not listen.
Esther stood as Miles' eyes closed. "Miss Noel! Miss Noel!" She was crying again.
Miles remembered a saying his father used often: crocodile tears. He hadn't really understood it before; now he did perfectly. "Miss Noel!" All other sounds faded in and out of his ears, but Esthers' voice he heard clear as a bell. "Miss Noel! Please, Mile won't wake up!"
And the last thing Miles Roberts heard before he died was the voice of Leena Klammer. His body, still and cold as ice, joined all the others on her conscience. But Leena Klammer had no conscience. Just blood on her hands.
The End.