I held my coffee and smiled down at my iPad, my neon splattered black purse hanging at the crook of my elbow as I double checked my plans for today's lessons. My black curls where pulled up into a high ponytail as my thin, black, rectangular rimmed, glasses rested on the bridge of my nose, while I took a sip of the warming liquid. Looking up, I smiled in the cooling weather, knowing it'd be great to start biking to the cozy little school.
Using my hip, I opened the door and took out my badge, using it to sign myself in as I smiled at the hall monitor. Though most people weren't that worried about a school full of 5-10 year olds getting shot up, we weren't going to take any chances. So at each entrance are a badge sign-in and a hall monitor, whom all carried around stun guns. Everyone, including parents/guardians and the students, had a badge. It was really to make sure everyone was kept safe, namely the children that entered the building. The hall monitor at my entrance smiled, nodding at me in greeting. I smiled back, giggling softly as I clipped my badge of my plaid shirt, quickly making my way to my class.
Most of the class was there already, putting away their jumpers and snacks into the little cubbies they each had. "Good morning, class!" I greeted them all with a warm smile, placing my purse in my chair as I set my coffee down on my desk; they all turned and smiled at me.
"Good morning, Miss Annabel!" they chimed. I counted and noticed I was three children short of twenty-five.
"Maggie won't be here, today, Miss Annabel," Mark, a charming and sweet tempered fair haired boy informed me. "She hasn't been feeling good this past weekend…"
"And what of Trevor and Matthew?" I asked, curious about the two troublesome redheaded twins. "Did any of you hear anything from them?"
"Trevor said their grandma was ill. Their Mommy and Daddy are taking them to visit her today." A sweet Native American girl named Annie said, playing with a strand of her dark silky straight hair. I hummed softly, fixing my glasses that were perched on top of my nose.
"Well, seeing as we are missing three of our friends, how about for today's art project we all make 'Get Well' cards for them?" I suggested, smiling softly as all the children cheered happily. I changed the lesson for art, putting it off for another day, before getting started. The children all sat down at their assigned table, pulling out draft books and pencils for notes. "Okay, well let us get started on today's lesson, shall we?" I started up the projector that synced with my iPad, allowing me to show their weekend homework. "Let's go over this weekend's homework. And once our friends are back, we'll make sure to catch them up to speed."
The class nodded, waiting for me to begin with their vocab words.
•BAU; Reid's Point of View•
It was Monday, and most of us were sitting in the bullpen, finishing paper work. Well, I was. Morgan kept throwing paper wads at my head. Sighing, I just continued to work. "Conference room." Hotch stated from the catwalk, quickly disappearing into said room. JJ, Prentiss, Morgan, Garcia, and Rossi all met Hotch in the room, along with myself, as we quickly took our seat.
"There's a small little town in Ohio where women, fitting the same victimology, have been rapped and murdered." Stated Hotch, nodding to Garcia to pick up where he left off.
"They all happen to be young women, between the ages of 23-26, school teachers, and all happen to be from Finland. Another thing is that they all look similar." Garcia explained, handing out photos of four women when they were alive. Each where beautiful, in that exotic way, with fair ivory skin, loose black curls, and stunning blue eyes.
"There must be something else, baby girl…" Morgan inquired.
"Are they all from the same area?" asked Rossi, jotting notes down.
"Yes and here's the biggest bit of information. There's only one more woman in that area that fits the other victims to a T…" the tech analyst handed out a picture of the, supposed, next victim. Unlike the other four, this one seems to be taken from her Facebook or something of the like. She was wearing mismatched converse high tops, a bright orange tank-top, dark acid washed blue jeans that had rips in the knees, black fingerless gloves, a knitted black beanie, and a black pea coat. In the image, she was crouching in the brightly colored leaves that said it was fall, smiling up at whoever was taking the picture. "And that's where the similarities stop."
"Is there anything else?" Prentiss asked, looking at all five photos side by side.
"No. There was nothing else I could find. Only difference between the last woman and the four victims is that she's a brilliant 1st grade teacher. And by brilliant, I mean Reid brilliant. She has been a subject of studies for school teachers dealing with mentally challenged kids, even those with a learning disability." I looked up, startled that someone would be mentioned on being on level with me. "She is probably one of the only few school teachers that are able to bring normal and challenged children into one class and have them work together. It has been reported that she has quite a success rate with children that have a high rate of failing, and/or repeating a grade."
I wet my lips slightly, sitting up a bit straighter as I closed the file I held. "Uh, when did she start teaching?"
"It says, and I'm only guessing here because it's written in Finnish, that she started as an Assistant Teacher at eighteen."
"Think it might be a former student? She couldn't have only taught just children…" JJ suggested, speaking her thoughts.
"We'll disgust it on the flight over there. We're leaving in twenty." Informed Hotch, leaving the room to get ready to leave. The rest of us did the same. Soon, we were all in the jet, heading to Ohio.
•Annabel's Point of View•
The children and I were sitting at the large arts and crafts table, making the little gifts for the three absent children. "Mark, Annie, do you know anything that Maggie and the twins would like to see?" I asked, looking at the children.
"Well, before Maggie got sick she kept on talking about this short story dealing with a raven." Mark stated, looking up at me with his baby blue eyes. My own blue orbs widened in wonder as I started chewing on my lip. I had an idea of what story he was talking about. But that wasn't the type of story a child would read. Let alone understand and find interesting.
"Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore'…" I mumbled, resting one of my knuckles against my chin.
"Yeah! That's it!" Mark cheered, clapping his hands happily. I giggled at his enthusiasm, getting up from the table and grabbing a book. I sat it down in the centre of the cozy round table, flipping the pages of brightly colored birds.
"That, my lovely children, is a raven." I stated, tapping a black nail on the beautiful ebony bird. "Ravens are really smart birds, and are known for figuring out just about everything, such as picking locks and opening cages. Never underestimate a raven." I informed them. The class eagerly absorbed the little bit of information I gave them. "Annie, do you know anything about Trevor and Matthew's grandmother? Like favorite flowers or anything?"
The young Native American girl nodded, grinning up at me. "Yes! They said she loved lilies. But because she hasn't been feeling well, she hasn't been able to visit her shop." I grabbed another book before looking out the window to the school garden, an idea coming to me at the sight of the flowers. I tuck the book under my arm and clipped my badge to my shirt once more.
The children seen this and looked up at me, wondering what I was doing. "Class, get your badges and your jumpers on, we're going outside for a little hunt." They stood, going to their cubbies and pulled on their jumpers, sliding on their badges that were hooked to chains that hung from their necks. "Single file, children, and remember; other classes are taking place. So please use your indoor voices."
"Yes Miss Annabel…" chorused together. I took the lead, leading the children through the halls and out to the gardens. The kids smiled and giggled, enjoying the fading warmth and the floral smell from the gardens. "Miss Annabel, what do lilies look like?" my class asked. I opened the book and shown them the different types of lilies.
"Before picking flowers, make sure to double check with me that it is a lily. Also beware of thorns." They nodded and left in pairs, checking in every once in awhile with me on if it was a lily or not. As I stood in a small clearing in the garden, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. Because of nerves, I started rubbing my arms, as if to get away from a chill.
"Miss Annabel, are you okay?" Martin, a small Asian boy that was missing three teeth, asked. He was one of the children that had an LD, and from what I've seen, I could guess it was probably ADD. I just smiled softly, patting his head. But still, that feeling would not leave me. I turned my head, looking around from the corner of my eyes. Nothing stood out, but the feeling would not leave. Martin stood closer to me, his shoulder squared as he fixed his tapped glasses. "Miss Annabel, are you getting a creepy feeling?" he asked, looking up at me. "Like that feeling you get when you're in a house full of mirrors with another person?" I chewed on my lower lip as my eyes shifted down.
"It's probably nothing, Martin. You shouldn't worry." I looked down at my watch that was strapped to my left, upturned, wrist. "Okay class! Let's get back inside! We have twenty minutes left before lunch." They quickly came over and I did a head count before heading to the doors, holding them open as the children used their badges and waving at the hall monitor, before waiting for me. Soon we were back in the classroom, finishing up the cards.
"Miss Annabel, Miss Annabel! Look! Does this look okay?" asked a bubbly little brunette that had her thin waves into two long pigtails. It was her card for Maggie. On the front was a well drawn raven. I opened it up to see a tree void of all leaves that spelled out 'Get well soon'. Before I could comment, was there a knock on my classroom door.
"I'll get it." Marti stated, opening the door. It was the principle and a talk African American man wearing a guest badge. Behind them was Mr. Andrews, one of the few subs that I trusted with the education of my class.
"You guys clean up and get the table clean, put away the supplies, and put your finished cards into the in-basket. Once that's done you can start eating your lunches. I'll be back, but until then be kind to Mr. Andrews, he's in charge until then…" I got up and quickly grabbed my things. "Remember, kids, behave for him…" they giggled and nodded, cleaning up and putting their cards in the correct basket. "Mr. Andrews…" I greeted, nodding at him.
"Miss Annabel, no need to worry, I'll make sure to follow whatever you have planned for them…" he smiled. Smiling softly, handing him a paper copy of today's lesson plan that I always have on me. Exiting the room, I adjusted my glasses.
"Yes, Mrs. Cruz?" I asked, my Finnish accent clearly coming through. She said nothing and walked away, leaving me alone with the unknown man. Shaking my head, I removed my scrunchy and placed it into my pocket. "I'm guessing I am to leave with you?" I inquired softly, running my fingers through my loose curls.
"Yes, this way Miss Annabel…" he placed a large hand on the small of my back, leading me out to the parking lot to a black SUV.
"If you have something to say, then, by all means, say it." I told him, not enjoying this odd silence that thickened the air between us.
"You seem to have a very loving class, even though it is so early in the new school year."
I nodded. "Unlike most teachers, I have an actual emotional connection with my students, often referring to them as my children. And if they have a birthday or something, I go out of my way to make something for them that can be shared amongst their peers. And I care about their education." Again, I adjusted my glasses as we both got in. I got out my iPad and started using it to grade papers.
"If I had you as my teacher when I was a kid, I'd've enjoyed school a lot more." The charming man stated, smirking.
Giggling, I locked the device and smiled at him. "Oh really, now? Sadly you are a little out of my teaching range…"
"Oh, but I'm not out of rage for that kind of teaching…" he countered suggestively. I continued to giggle, covering my mouth. This continued for a bit until we got to the police station. Morgan, as I found out, opened my door and held his hand out to help me down. Again, he placed his hand on the small of my back, leading me inside. "Guys, I got Miss Annabel…" a group of unknown adults came over to me.
"Do you have a maiden name to go with that, Miss Annabel?" asked a slender black haired woman, shaking my hand.
"Yes, but I rather enjoy going by my first name. But if you must know, it's Lee."
"Annabel Lee? As in Edgar Allan Poe's poem?" inquired a tall and lanky man with wavy light brown hair. I had to bite down on the inside of my lower lip to keep from giggling. He was very handsome, in that nerdy, dorky way. He could pass as a teacher's assistant if it wasn't for the gun and badge.
"Yes, is that a problem?"
"Um… no. It's just a-a-a very American name… Did you have it changed when you came here?"
This caused me to giggle more. "Oh, I'm sorry… It's just… My father is American. He's from North Michigan, a place that is known to have been called a Second Finland because most Finnish people move there. My mother was born in Helsinki, though…" I told them. "And, to clear up any confusion, my parents love Poe's work. So they gave me the name of one of his poems…"