Chapter 2:


Seven-ten crept by incredibly fast--but never or less, Cassie drove to the school track to rendezvous with her colleague. It was getting dark and she was a bit apprehensive of making the trip. The sunlight was descending like a burnt out candle. The student climbed out of her shabby vehicle and to the rubbery track. She found Lynne, vigorously practicing on the pole valet. Cassie jarred the entrance and waved as her equal greeted back.

"You decided to come after all." Lynn quipped.

"Yeah...Ryan had to be an asshole and be with his friends." The girl complained and then sighed. "I thought I would hold you up on your offer. I'm gonna warm up then do hurdles."

The friend agreed as Cassandra walked countless around on the track. On the far curb, she observed her partner dive into the air, pulling the stick to support her. She released the pole, which she managed to enfold her body above the bar and fell on the hard mat that was beneath her. The bar that hovered over her slightly shook, but did not drop. What a success!

Suddenly, a shadow lurked to the mat that the average girl was laying on, recovering from her fall. The walker slowly stopped and stood motionless in her tracks, like a frightened deer about to be hit by a nearby car. The dark object dug into its pocket and pulled out a sharp butcher knife. Before Lynne could react in any particular way, it began to rapaciously slay her. Cassie feebly examined her best friend dying. The victim screamed in a cold, bloody curl. Within minutes, her wails seemed to fade in the bitter night. A large pool of blood soaked on the villainous silhouette and on the mat. The body morphed into limpness; rega-mortis played into effect.

Cass swiftly climbed the fence and lurked to find the true identities of these mysterious shadows. Her heart raced with trepidation and she concentrated on the quietness of her rapid gasps. A faint odor of alcohol danced lightly in the crisp breeze. The murderer gave the weapon to his partner in crime, muttering indescribable sentences.

"What the hell are you saying, man?" His companion whispered, revealing his face to the unnoticeable witness.

"I said 'take the knife'." The murderer soon unmasked himself as well.

Her jaw nearly dropped to the damp grass and her face transitioned to paleness. Ryan killed her friend, in an act of drunken rage!

"Oh my god..." Cassie buzzed to herself.

Her boyfriend noticed something in the far distance, slurring, "Shit, I thought that was..." He stopped and met Cassie's beautiful eyes, "Get her!"

Her knees were about to buckle underneath her before she fled. Adrenaline filled her body as she ran like the wind to her vehicle. The petite girl never ran this fast before and it won't happen again. The males stumbled onto the fence, landing face first into the soaked ground. Her boyfriend's companion grabbed her arm, yanking her back from her car door. Cassie attempted to break free in which she did, only to find the knife gash into her right arm. She yelped in pain and banged the door on her attacker's groin area. His grasp loosened and she sprawled herself in her means of transportation. Eventually, she sped off.

"You douche! Why didn't you her?!" Her lover cruelly spat.

"I'm so sorry. I was too busy getting the shit beaten by a car door!" His friend mockingly replied.

Police sirens were clanging in the far distance. That was the sign for the duo to flee into the velvet night. Their victim laid inertly on the mat, her eyes expressing her last sight--panic. For the police, it seemed that it was going to be a difficult case to solve. The most of the pieces of the puzzle were missing: the knife, motive and witnesses. The only major portion that was left was the slain body of Lynne Barnett. The road to discover her murderers will be a challenge...

Cassandra's heart bleated in anxiety, making her tremble. She noticed that blood was leaking on the steering wheel; the wound was deeper than expected. The female quickly grabbed a cloth from the floor and used as a tourniquet to firmly stop the hemorrhaging.

"Ok, Cass, get yourself together. You have a credit card and a car. It's time to take a trip down to Chicago." She talked aloud to herself, with a grin forming on her clammy face.

She always yearned to go to Chicago, to visit the sights and sounds of the large city. The student never told a soul about her secret obsession that she had. That was where Ryan would look last for her.