Ch. 2: iLose a friend
May 15, 2010
Sam Puckett was about to be late for school as usual. She felt it necessary to make a pit stop at the apartment of her best friend and co-host of the popular web show iCarly, Carly Shay. Carly and Freddie had already left for school together, as they often did. Ocassionaly, when Sam was on time the three of them went together, but as usual, Sam didn't get out of bed till the absolute last minute, leaving no time to even grab a bite to eat before leaving her house to go to school. She arrived at Bushwell Plaza within 5 minutes of leaving her house. She ignored Lewbert's normal griping and rushed to Carly's apartment. She knocked on the door as hard as she could and soon after Spencer, Carly's older brother and guardian answered.
"Hey Sam, shouldn't you be going to school right about now?," Spencer asked wearily. "No chiz," Sam replied. "I didn't have time to eat and I'm hungry!" the girl impatiently yelled. Spencer thought quickly, understanding the situation. "I haven't went grocery shopping yet this week, so here's five bucks so that you can pick something up at school," he replied. Sam wasted no time in snatching the five dollar bill out of Spencer's hand. "Hello, Mr. Lincoln," she exclaimed as she turned around and went back the way she came. She had about fifteen minutes to get to school, so she figured that she could stop at the Groovy Smoothie and pick up a ham and cheese bagel on her way. Little did she know, at the same time, Gibby was leaving the Groovy Smoothie, and walking into a trap.
As Charles Gibson, known to most as Gibby passed the alley to cross the street, he was bumped by Sam running in the opposite direction. As he was getting up, he was suddenly grabbed from behind and his assailant slit his throat with a hunting knife. The unknown person wore a black ski mask, and before leaving the scene, the person placed a single blond hair on Gibby's body. Sam, having got her food, ran back the same way toward Ridgeway High School. She did not notice Gibby's body, as the killer concealed it behind a nearby dumpster. She unthinkingly stepped in a mud puddle, leaving a shoe print in her haste to get to school on time.
"911 emergency respose," the operator answered soon after. A barely recognizable voice simply said, "I'd like to report a murder at the corner of Liberty and Ash" and hung up. About ten minutes later, there were police everywhere around the Groovy Smoothie. They pretty much informed the owner, T-Bo that he was closed today, so that their crime scene wasn't contaminated. Detective William Sharp was leading the investigation. "What have we got," he asked two officers who had discovered the body.
"Sir, we found a single hair on the body, probably the killer's. The victim was an approximately fifteen year old boy. His id identifed him as Charles Gibson." The female officer also spoke up. "Sir, I just found a shoe print heading east. I'd say someone left here in a hurry." "Take a photo, FBI will make a plaster cast when they get here," the detective replied. At the same time, the ski masked individual had picked the lock on the back door of Sam Puckett's house and left a bloodied knife in her room. He also placed a piece of paper on her dresser before leaving.
Carly Shay had just got to her locker after first period and was relieved to see Sam coming. "Have you heard the news?" she asked hastily. Sam just stared wide eyed at her best friend. "Dude, I just got here. Traffic on 8th street was horrible." Carly took a moment to compose herself. "Principal Franklin just called an emergency assembly. He said something major has happened to a student here." Sam didn't really register the excitement. "So, we'll go. I've actually avoided detention for two weeks now," Sam replied happily. "Wow," Freddie Benson said walking to his friends. "That's a new personal best for you, Princess Puckett." Sam glared at the boy threateningly and simply said, "Watch it, Fredweird!" Freddie took the hint and opened his locker to retrieve a text book.
"I'm looking for Detective Sharp," a raspy voice said to the police station phone operator. "May I ask who's calling," she replied. "I think Samantha Puckett is his murderer," the voice simply said before hanging up. Not less than ten minutes later, Detective Sharp was told that they now had a suspect. "Listen up," he gruffly told his team. "An anonomous caller named one Sam Puckett as our possible murderer. She has a record, 3 assaults in two years. She is sixteen years of age and attends Ridgeway High School."
The kids were filling into Ridgeway's auditorium as quickly as possible. Ted Franklin stood on top of the stage, microphone in hand. He had no idea how he was supposed to tell his students that one of their own was viciously murdered that very morning. "Settle down, everybody take their seats," he began sternly. Carly, Sam and Freddie all took seats in the front row. "Listen, guys," Principal Franklin began. "There's no easy way to tell you all this, but Gibby was killed this morning on his way to school." The entire auditorium went up with people gasping and crying. Carly's face fell, and Freddie and Sam pulled her in for a group hug. Sam didn't look sad, however. Her's was a look of pure undiluted anger. Someone had killed a very dear friend of hers, and that person was going to know pain on several levels.
"We are telling his parents as we speak, and I'm going to organise a candlelight vigil this weekend." Principal Franklin was relieved to see his students settle down for the most part. "Why'd this happen," Carly asked sadly. Principal Franklin couldn't answer one of his favorite students, so he gave her a comforting look. It meant to say "Everything's gonna be okay," but instead it made her cry. Sam was the first to hug her "Easy, Carly," she said, trying to calm her down. "In light of this tragedy, we're gonna let everybody go home early today and start fresh on Monday," Principal Franklin said.
At that very moment, Valerie Greene was retrieving a library book from her locker when she was stabbed several times in the back by the another person in a ski mask. As she fell to the floor, feebly clutching at her locker door, the killer dropped a piece of paper that had Sam Puckett's name clearly written on it. The killer then nonchalantly walked away, and stoping at locker 32, the person picked the lock and deposited another bloody knife inside before leaving the school. Thomas Howard was the first teacher to discover Valerie's body, and he quickly went to the auditorium to tell his boss, Ted Franklin. The kids were about to be released when he entered and went to the stage to whisper the news in Principal Franklin's ear.
"Why's Mr. Howard here," Sam asked. "How should I know, Freddie replied. "You probably pranked him again and now you're gonna get detention," Freddie jokingly replied. Sam jerked the boy by his collar and replied in a threatening voice, "I didn't prank Mr. Howard, Fredwina. The only teacher I've pranked this week is Miss Briggs." Freddie was not expecting this turn of events, and even Carly stopped crying to look at Sam as if to say, "Why?" At this moment, Principal Franklin followed Mr. Howard out. "What's going on," Freddie asked as he passed. "Everybody stay here," was all he got as an answer. At the same time another 911 call had been placed, and Detective William Sharp and his team were in route to Ridgeway High School.