Thank you, fluffnights, for the review! You inspired me to write this chapter so quick.

He pulled the picture over to him, the glossy white outline of the photo flashing in the artificial light of the kitchen. Arthur looked up at Francis, an inquisitive look upon his face. "I – We know her, don't we? She's the girl who's always following Ivan. In the office."

Francis nodded grimly. "I'm a little scared to tell him."

"We've got to though." Arthur clenched his fist. "So, how many kills has this person racked up as of now?" Across from him, Francis took in deep breath. He scratched the back of his head, and frowned.

"The department has documented about 3 kills, but there might be more we haven't found."

"That's a lot. Hopefully we can catch this person before he kills anymore people." Francis gulped, uncertainty showing in his eyes.

"Yes. I do hope we catch him. We don't want anybody else to die." Then he stood up, and brushed some papers over to Arthur. "Look over those before tomorrow. I'll see you at work."

"Goodbye?" Arthur looked at Francis as he left.

"Well, that was sure quick. I wonder what's going on?" He looked down at the gray-tiled kitchen floor and took a deep breath. "Ettie! So how are you doing?" He walked over to the couch, settling against the soft back.

His sister gave him a knowing look. Then she smirked. "I'm doing fine, but what about you, little bro?"


Alfred sighed and pushed the math book away. The idle students all breathed in tandem, with the occasional cough or sniff. "This is boring." He rolled his eyes, leaning back and stretching. He knew that the bell would ring soon, and with that would come detention. "Why me?" He groaned quietly, leaning his face on his textbook. The loud bell rang out of the blue, and Alfred popped up, his arm covered in drool. He grimaced, getting a Kleenex and quickly wiping his arm. Then he picked up his books, and hurried out of the room to his locker. The chattering and loud bangs of lockers closing encompassed the area around him. He arrived at his locker to find Matthias and Gilbert already talking. "Hey guys!"

Matthias smiled at him. "Thanks for getting Jordan back there, buddy." He slapped him on the back and then continued. "Sorry about the detention, though. I know Mrs. Perry can be real mean sometimes."

"Don't worry bro. I'll be fine, I can deal with some mean teachers." Alfred grinned. Then he entered the lock combination into his lock, and opened the locker. He put his English book inside and shoved the math book into his backpack, making a note to do the rest of his homework. "At least it's Thursday. I'll be able to hang with you guys tomorrow after school."

Nodding, Matthias and Gilbert then hurried on, throwing a "Gotta catch the bus!" after them. Alfred smiled, wishing he could go with them, but turned around, backpack slung on his shoulder. "Yeah, I can handle a mean teacher." He told himself.

When he arrived at the classroom door, he knocked and it opened to reveal Mrs. Perry, whose severe blue eyes stared him down as he sat down in one of the front seats. A couple seats behind him, Jordan looked at him in disgust. In large letters on the board was 'DO YOUR HOMEWORK DURING THE ALOTTED DETENTION TIME.' Alfred looked down and grabbed his backpack from the floor, opening it as he pulled it up. He pulled out the book their English class was reading and the math textbook. The paper was already in the book, so Alfred grabbed a pencil and started.

The only sounds in the room were the shuffling of feet, the tick of the clock, and the occasional cough from the students. Mrs. Perry sat in front, the keyboard clicking as she typed up whatever teachers did whenever they watched detention students. He groaned inside his head, the math filling every nook and cranny of his brain. 'Dear gosh, I hate math.' He decided to take a break and looked outside.

The leaves shone golden from the sunlight coming from the low sun. The trees overshadowed a large park bench where two students sat, pouring over textbooks and laughing with each other. Alfred moved on. The flowers were large, luscious, white, and many other colors. Shaking his head, Alfred pushed his thoughts away and turned back to his math textbook.


His backpack newly emptied, Alfred having finished his math homework, was lightly swinging on his shoulder as he walked along the path. Currently, it was devoid of people, it being 4:30pm and the heat rising as the day went on having something to do with it. The two girls he had seen on the park bench were both gone by the time he had left the classroom at 4:00pm. Alfred had decided to take a small walk, knowing Arthur wouldn't be home until later that day. Alfred was used to the heat, and so he basked in the warm sunlight, jacket around his waist so as not to be too hot.

Taking a break, he sat down on a bench, carefully wiping away leaves that were gathered there. The fall season had come fast this year, and leaves littered the ground in countless piles. Alfred let his head fall to the side. "Wow..." He muttered to himself. "Not even a quarter through the school year, and you're already in fights. Better tone it down, buddy." Relaxing, he let his eyes slide closed, and then was out like a light.


Unknown to Alfred, a man prowled the park, watching two girls as the older one left in her car. The younger girl sat, unsettled, watching the park around her, a dreadful feeling in her stomach. She drew herself closer together, hearing things in the park around her. Gulping, she shivered as she saw the figure of a man coming near her. She quickly jumped and yelled.

Before she could do anything else, the man lurched forward and slammed his fist into her forehead. She fell backwards, her head striking the stone ground, and then the man picked her up and smiled like a predator.

Alfred shook himself up as a yell rang through the forest. Noticing the dark, he quickly pulled out his phone, mouth falling open in shock. "I've been asleep for 2 hours?!" The time now read 6:45pm, and Alfred gulped as he imagined the lashing he would get from Arthur.

But first, he had to investigate that yell. It sounded... off. He shouldered his backpack, pulled his phone out, and turned on the flashlight. He held the phone out in front of him, and as the beam covered the leaves and branches covering the ground. Alfred's breathing grew more and more shallow the farther he got into the forest. "You're the hero, Alfred, just find that person and make sure they're alright..." He said as a way of comforting himself.

With a small shriek, Alfred fell heavily on the ground, feeling a branch scratch his cheek on the way down. Looking around, Alfred spotted what he had tripped over. An icy feeling spread in his chest, and he screamed and launched away. On the ground in front of him lay one of the girls he head seen on the bench during detention, her hair spread out and the leaves around her head soaked in a dark liquid.

So... Like it? If so, please review. If you have any feedback whatsoever, make sure to tell me, whether through review or PM!

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Bye, AutobotCopperShadow