Ch. 2-What Came with the Letters
Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil
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The letter I got scared the hell out of me. I looked over at Sherry and Mari and saw that they were scared, too. Casey was looking over Mari's shoulder, but he wasn't quite as scared as the two girls.
"Well, Mari. It seems as if you got an enemy…again." Casey said jokingly.
"Let me see." I told Mari. Mari reluctantly handed me her letter. I looked it over with Sherry reading over my shoulder:
Hello Mari.
You don't know me, but I've been watching you and soon we will meet face to face. When that happens, I will give you something that will make you different from the rest of your rather large family, including your S.T.A.R.S. brother and cousin. I'm sure you can wait just for a little bit, especially since you're the youngest out of five and are so used to waiting for things last.
I'll be seeing you soon, Mari.
-Albert Wesker
Sherry and I looked at each other. I handed Mari back her letter and asked Sherry to see hers. Sherry handed me hers and I silently read:
Hello Sherry.
Remember me? I used to work with your father. Too bad he is no longer living in this world. I wanted to see him again, but at least I will be able to see you soon and I will give you something similar to what your father gave himself and I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as your father when he was injected with the G-Virus.
I'll see you again soon, Sherry.
-Albert Wesker
"What are we going to do?" Sherry asked frantically.
I thought for a few seconds before answering, "We'll continue with our classes then take these letters down to the RPD. The other S.T.A.R.S. members will know what do to." Mari and Sherry agreed and stuffed their letters in their books. We then closed our lockers and headed for the exit of the locker bay.
Before we could reach the door, I heard a familiar voice scream, "You little brat! You think this is funny? Writing a letter like that?"
I ran towards the voice and saw Hazel with her hands clamped on the collar of the red shirt of the girl that I thought was weird. The girl was being lifted up in the air by at least a foot. "I didn't do it!" the girl shouted.
"Sure you didn't. And I'm sure you don't even know this Albert Wesker either." Hazel answered back.
"Hey! Put her down! I wrote those letters!" Sky shouted from behind Hazel.
Hazel turned to Sky then back at the girl and said in disgust, "You're lucky you got saved or I would have made you pay." She dropped the girl and walked away.
The girl said a quick "thank you" to Sky, then left. As she left, I noticed a folded paper likes the ones Mari, Sherry, and I got. Written on it was the name of the girl "July Larkspur Caden." July, so that's what the girl's name was. I guess May and June did have a sister.
I stuffed the letter in my binder and headed down the hallway to my English class. Casey and Mari were in that class, along with Lucas. I decided then that I could ask him a question about July. Luckily, he sat next to me in the back, so we could quietly whisper or pass notes.
"So, how long have you known July Caden?" I asked.
"Since she was born. We're only a year and a half apart. In fact, I used to live next door to her up until about five years ago." Lucas answered.
"You seem to know her pretty well."
"Of course. We used to play together as kids. Hell, she's a little ball of energy. She used to be on the Elementary and Middle school's track and cross country teams. Nobody could beat her."
The bell rang and the class quieted. One thing I loved about tenth grade English was that it was just like Creative Writing. Sure we read stories, but we also wrote our own. Most stories I wrote were stores starring my old friends. A few titles of the stories were Carlee who snuck into Colleges; Ben, Julius, and the Disastrous Play; and The Piano's Gift.
My English teacher, Mr. Bellamy, said that my stories were creative, but poorly written. If my old friend, Carlee, wrote those stories, she could have gotten them published. She was that good, but at least I was passing the class with a B average.
Japanese II was next. This time, it was actually a challenge, but I was still one of the better students. We had a TA in the class, Liana Mackey. She was a senior and a rebel, but she was smart and helped some of the others who weren't very good in Japanese or had problems with the kanji.
Today, Liana looked nervous, as if something creepy was watching her. Her gray eyes were no longer full of happiness and rebelliousness, but in confusion and fear. In fact, she looked like Sherry and Mari did when they got their letters from Wesker. Maybe she got a letter, too. I thought as I watched the nervous Liana and the clock slowly go by.
Finally, the bell rang and all the students exited the Japanese room in a disorganized fashion. PE, the final class of the day, then I could go to the RPD with Sherry and Mari.
As usual, the three of us dressed into our gym uniforms and waited as our PE teacher took role. Most of the students stretched before preparing for our next sport. Hazel was the only one that refused. Instead, she complained to the teacher. Our gym teacher, Mr. Jordan, looked ticked, but suddenly he had the look of an idea popping into his head.
He called another PE teacher over, a female, and whispered something to her. She nodded, and then called one of her students over. She whispered something to the student. The student nodded and began stretching her legs. It was July.
Mr. Jordan stood in front of the class with a smile on his face. "Okay, since I'm getting so many complaints, I'll make you guys a deal. A race will be run with some members of this class and the fastest runner in Miss Walker's PE class. If anyone in this class beats Miss Walker's student, then the whole class will have free period for a month. However, if the class loses, then all the students that ran the race will have to run a mile every school day for a month. The race is all the way around the track. Any volunteers?" he asked.
Hazel raised her hand along with five boys and two other girls.
"Anyone else?" Mr. Jordan asked. Nobody else raised their hands.
Marc turned to Hiroko. Hiroko shook his head and said, "No way. She's way too fast. She'd beat me in a heartbeat."
I turned to Lucas and asked, "Hey, just how fast is July?"
"Fast." he simply answered.
Mr. Jordan and Miss Walker called their classes out to the field. The nine racing students got onto the track. "And now, for the race of the school year: eight of Mr. Jordan's 6th period students versus the cute Miss July Caden from Miss Walker's 6th period class." Lucas announced in a joking voice.
"On your mark, get set…" Miss Walker announced before blowing her whistle. The racers began running.
I had to admit that July was small, but man was she fast. She was almost seven feet in front of the others and didn't get tired. As she ran, I noticed something new. On her arms, and legs were burn marks, but they weren't slowing her down.
Finally, she made it all the way through the race before the others. She was the only one that wasn't exhausted.
"And the winner, Miss July Caden!" Lucas announced. Miss Walker's class cheered for July. Hell, I was cheering for her even though she still scared me.
Our PE class went inside to enjoy a game of dodge ball. Five minutes before the dismissal bell went off, I re-met July in the locker room. At first she just started talking about random things starting with the race that happened earlier and ending with something about puppies. I handed her the letter with her name on it.
Carefully, July opened the letter and her already big eyes widened. She suddenly stopped talking.
"Can I read it? I got a letter like this, too." I asked. July handed me the letter and I knew why she was scared:
Hello July.
It's been so long since I've seen you. Two years was it since your uncle was murdered? It was a shame. He was such a brilliant S.T.A.R.S. member, but don't worry. Soon, you'll be meeting him again.
I'll be seeing you soon, little ball of energy.
-Albert Wesker
I showed Mari, Sherry, Casey, and our other friends read July's letter, then mine, Sherry's, and Mari's. I turned to July and saw that scary look and couldn't help but stare at her.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" July asked me.
"Like what?" I asked her.
"Like I'm crazy or something? You think I'm crazy right?" She asked.
I shook my head and decided to tell her what I really thought about her. She probably heard what I was going to say before anyway. "No, I just think you're a little weird." I said before adding, "Look, Sherry, Mari, and I are going to the RPD to show the S.T.A.R.S. members these letters to see if they can do something to help us. Plus, I can keep Hazel Mackenzie away from you."
"I don't need you barging into my personal life, but I'll ask my sisters if I can go."
The bell rang and the students in the locker room filed out. I followed Mari and Sherry to the locker bay. The three of us stood in front of our lockers and quickly opened them. We got another presant: manila folders with our names written on them. An eerie feeling overcame my body, but I had to see what was inside.
I opened my manila folder first. Inside was a photo of Billy blowing Amy's brains out in Marysville. How the picture was taken was beyond me. I turned the photo over and noticed words on the back reading, "7. Even your protector can't save you." I didn't understand the message and picture. What does it mean? I thought as I saw Mari and Sherry open their folders.
Sherry raised an eyebrow as she looked at the photo from her folder. It was from about two years ago, when she was twelve. A tired Sherry, Leon, and Claire walked away from a ruined city, unaware of their picture being taken. On the back of the photo were the words "6. You escaped the city, but you will never escape the horror."
Mari looked even more confused at her picture. There were nine people in that picture: Mari, Casey, their two brothers, their sister, their father, and a man and woman I didn't recognize. The woman had a bulging stomach.
Casey looked over Mari's shoulder and pointed at the people I didn't recognize. "Hey, that's our cousin, Cara and her husband, Rick."
"Mari, turn that photo over." I commanded my friend.
Quickly, Mari turned her photo over and, like mine and Sherry's, there was writing: "5. What starts out as ten will soon end with nine."
What do these messages mean? I thought in my head. Suddenly, I heard a loud scream coming from the locker room down the row. I turned towards the scream and saw June run to a terrified July.
"July, what's wrong?" June asked her younger sister.
July pointed at something on the ground. June picked it up and screamed.
I quickly ran to July and grabbed the item from June's hands. I then knew why they screamed. July was given a photo of a man that had bloody scars all over his body. His clothes, a S.T.A.R.S. uniform, were torn and his skin looked like it was pecked off. Blood was surrounding his body. It was easy to see that the man was dead. I turned the photo over and, like I expected, something was written on the back: "4. He may be dead, but you'll see him again."
"Uncle Forest…is this what he looked like after he died?" July asked in a shocked voice.
Mari placed an arm across the smaller girl's shoulders and said calmly, "Come on, July. We'll go down to the RPD and maybe the S.T.A.R.S. can help us."
May came running up and when she saw the picture of the dead man, she gasped, "What the? Who made that picture?"
I decided to answer the question. I told her about the mysterious letters we got and the pictures. I also told her about the plan about going to the S.T.A.R.S. to find out what was going on. May, though a little freaked, nodded and left the locker bay.
Marc, Casey, and Lucas joined Mari, Sherry, July, and me to the RPD. I explained to them that they didn't need to, but they insisted. On our way there, we were joined by Sky. He didn't say much on the way to the RPD, but he listened when we told him what we found in our lockers.
The RPD was unusually quiet that day. Casey and Mari led the group to the S.T.A.R.S. room, unaware that two tall figures were following them. By the time they noticed the figures, it was too late. The two figures clad in S.T.A.R.S. uniforms walked up and grabbed the two at the same time. The two let out terrified screams at the same time, causing everyone except for them to laugh.
I took a look at the figures, both men. One had red hair and green eyes while the other had brown hair and matching eyes. The red haired man I recognized as Casey and Mari's older brother, Matt. The brown haired man I only knew from the picture Mari got that day.
"Matt! Rick!" They called at the men.
The men laughed and released the twins. They asked the large group of us where we were going. I explained that we needed to see all the other S.T.A.R.S. members about a former S.T.A.R.S. member that was threatening some of us. Matt looked a little suspicious, but not Rick. He just told us to continue. At least he looked concerned.
The large S.T.A.R.S. room was almost filled. Billy was talking and laughing with Rebecca, Chris, and Jill. The second the large group walked in, Barry looked at the group and said loudly, "Hey, it's the little ball of energy!"
Chris looked over and smiled, "Well, I'll be damned. How are you doing, July?"
July gave him a large smile and answered in a happy voice, "I've been doing really really good. The only bad thing is school. It's really really boring, but at least I get to be on the track team again. My sisters also think it's good because then I can burn off all my energy that I have."
Billy looked at me and asked, "What are you doing here, Lilie and…Lilie's friends?"
"We got a problem. Girls, show them your letters and photos." I said. Mari, Sherry, July, and I handed Billy and Rebecca our letters and photos. Chris, Jill, Billy, Barry, and Rebecca paled as they read the letters and the writing on the back of the photos.
"I don't believe it…" Jill started.
"Wesker…he's still alive." Chris finished.
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A/N: Okay, that's chapter 2. Soon all the action will start, but I hope you guys liked this chapter. R/R if you want, but don't flame me please.