The girls stood patiently while the photographer adjusted his lights. He walked to the side of the balloon arch and began moving the lights. As he moved one light something large fell through the curtain. The girls turned and saw it was a bloody body. All three began screaming as the photographer backed away in shock.
"It's Dustin! Oh my god it's Dustin!" Chevonne screamed.
Other students attracted by the screaming came to see what was happening and began yelling and running as well. The girls began hurrying away from Dustin's dead body as a few teachers ran over to see if there was anything could be done for Dustin.
The gym had turned into complete chaos as students were yelling in a panic, several teachers began trying to get the students to exit the gym. Chevonne looked around and couldn't find her group in the chaos. She looked back at Dustin, seeing blood everywhere and saw Mr. Hart checking him over but shaking his head. She choked up knowing her friend was dead.
"Chevonne, you need to clear the area." Mr. Layfield told her.
She turned and hugged him, feeling upset. "It's Cody's brother!" she cried, her princess roses caught between the two of them.
Mr. Layfield realized she was upset and patted her back, looking around at the chaos. He spotted her group in the midst.
"Reigns! Orton!" he waved at them.
Roman heard his name and saw Mr. Layfield waving at him. He hurried over and saw Chevonne upset.
"Take her and get out of the gym. The police are being called. Don't leave her, she is upset." He instructed nudging Chevonne towards Roman.
"Chevonne, come on. What happened? Kristin came over screaming that Dustin was dead. Coach Simmons and Mr. Anderson had to drag Cody outside." Roman said as they headed towards the door among the crowd.
"Where is everyone?" she looked around.
"We'll find them, I promise." They made it out of the building to the parking lot. Several students were also outside, many still in a panic.
"Stay here. No one leave the premises, the police have been called." Mr. Austin yelled.
"Just try to stay calm!" Mr. Flair yelled.
"Are you okay?" Roman turned towards her.
"No….no….Dustin…." she started crying again.
Roman hugged her and looked for the others. He saw Randy with Lilian running towards them.
"Chevonne, are you hurt? What happened?" Randy asked.
"I'm not hurt." She managed to say.
"Roman!" Jimmy yelled as he ran over to them, Naomi with him, also in tears.
"Are you guys okay? Where is Jey and Alicia?" Roman asked.
"I don't know. Ted and Kristin are somewhere with Cody and Brandi. What the fuck happened?" Jimmy said. "Naomi is too upset to talk."
"Chevonne is upset too." Roman said.
"We should look for Cody, he must be beside himself." Lilian said, sounding much calmer than her face showed.
"I'll go look for them." Randy said. "You guys stay here. Roman take care of my sister. Lilian stay with them, you will be safe."
Roman nodded as Randy took off in the crowd. Lilian tried to comfort Chevonne and Naomi. Roman noticed Chevonne was trembling. He knew it was emotions and not cold but took his jacket off and wrapped it around her.
"You sure it was Dustin? I mean so much happening at once, are you sure?" Jimmy asked Naomi.
"It was him. I saw his face." Chevonne said, lifting her head off of Roman's chest. "Why was he there? Who would kill Dustin?"
"Calm down. I don't want you to make yourself sick. I know it is upsetting." Roman rubbed her back.
"Jimmy! Roman!" Jey ran over to them, Alicia close behind him. "Are you guys okay? I lost you in the mess. How are the girls?"
"We're all safe, but the girls are upset. Randy went to find the others." Roman said.
"This is insane. A death at our prom? And Dustin?" Jey asked as he checked his brother and Naomi.
"I don't know what is going on." Jimmy said as they heard sirens in the distance.
Randy came running back over to them, he had Ted and Kristin with him. Cody and Brandi were close behind.
"Okay, we are all here now. We should stay together." Randy said.
Cody was beyond distraught and nothing Brandi could do was calming him down. Kristin was still crying with Ted trying to keep her calm.
"What happened? No one will tell us anything?" Brandi asked.
"We….they were doing our photos and….when the photographer moved his equipment….Dustin fell through the curtain….blood everywhere." Chevonne managed to choke out.
Cody grabbed her and turned her towards him. "Are you sure it was him? Are you sure? Did you get a good look?"
"Easy….we're all upset here." Randy pried his fingers off her.
"Oh Cody…I'm so sorry." Chevonne cried.
Cody sat down on the curb, feeling ready to pass out. Randy and Brandi tried to comfort him. Police cars pulled into the parking lot. Officers rushed out of the cars and hurried into the school as an ambulance pulled in as well.
"I need to go in there. He's my brother." Cody stood up.
"Stay here man. Let the police handle this." Ted pulled him back.
"Attention students!" they heard Mr. Flair speaking into a bullhorn. "We are working to contact all of your parents. You may not leave until your parents come here and the police release you. The police will need to speak to some of you. Please stay calm. I know this is upsetting but we are doing everything we can at the moment."
"This can't be real." Cody said.
(10pm)
The police had the students moved into classrooms to question them and wait for parents. The gym was completely closed off as the police and EMS were in there working and investigating. The local Walkerton police had called in the state police to assist them as they were overwhelmed being such a small force.
"Okay kids, one more time. You saw Mr. Rhodes outside the gym before the prom began?" Officer Lesner said.
"Yes, he had missed seeing us before we left home." Randy said.
"He was my brother. He wanted to see us." Cody said.
"Most of us had known him since we were kids." Chevonne said.
"And then you left him in the parking lot and went into the prom?" Lesner said.
"Yes." Ted said.
"Did you see anything or anyone out of place?" Lesner asked.
"No." Brandi said.
"The parking lot was full of people. Parents, students, limos….we weren't really looking." Jimmy said.
"Did any of you see Dustin during the prom? Did he come in or anything?" Lesner asked.
"No…we thought everything was fine until….." Cody said.
The door opened and the kids looked up to see their parents rushing into the room. They all jumped out of their seats and ran to their parents.
"Are you kids okay?" Sika asked.
"We're fine dad…but…you know." Roman said as his dad hugged him.
"Chevonne…my baby are you okay?" Judi hugged her.
"Mama…Dustin…" Chevonne hugged her tight.
"Randy, thank god." Bob hugged him. "Your sister?"
"Chevonne is okay…shook up but okay." Randy hugged his mom.
"I am so glad you kids are okay. My boys." Mrs. Uso hugged the twins.
Fatu hugged the boys and hugged Roman. Mrs. Reigns checked on Chevonne. All the parents checked the kids and quietly looked over to where the Rhodes family was crying and hugging Cody.
"Wait, where is Brett?" Ted Sr. asked.
"Brett? What do you mean?" Teddy asked.
"Brett decided to go to the after party with you kids. He had already left the house." Mrs. DiBiase said.
"We haven't seen him." Kristin said.
"What? We have to find him!" Mrs. DiBiase became frantic.
"Stay calm. I will report him missing. I am sure that he is just lost in all this chaos. He is probably in another room." Ted Sr. said. "I will go speak to the officer. Let them know we have another child here."
Ted Sr. went to speak with Officer Lesner. As the parents remained hugging their children, trying to comfort them. Cody was nearly hysterical.
"They should call a doctor for him. He is gonna need sedated." Elaine whispered quietly looking at Cody.
"All the kids are upset. Maybe we should speak to the paramedics, see if they can give us anything." Mrs. Reigns said.
"Chevonne, how are you holding up?" Bob asked her.
"I don't know." She said. Randy hugged her.
Ted Sr. returned to the group, speaking quietly with Teddy and Kristin and the Tynes family.
"When can we take the kids home? I think they need to get out of here. Naomi can't take much more." Fatu said.
"This makes no sense. Walkerton has always been a safe town." Mrs. Uso said.
"And to go after Dustin? He has no enemies. He is one of the sweetest guys around." Elaine said.
"Judi, I want you and Chevonne to stay with us tonight." Bob said.
"That's probably best. The kids are gonna need support." Judi said.
A few moments later Officer Batista entered the door and motioned to Lesner. They spoke quietly for a few seconds.
Lesner turned to the group, "Mr. DiBiase, can we speak to you privately?"
"What's going on? Did you find Brett?" Mrs. DiBiase asked.
"Please, may we see you in the hall?" Officer Batista asked.
"This can't be good." Elaine whispered.
The DiBiase family walked out into the hallway with the police. The others stayed in the room quietly comforting each other. Randy handed Chevonne off to Roman. Lilian's family was trying to help calm Naomi down.
Suddenly they heard Mrs. DiBiase screaming in the hallway. Kristin ran to the door and opened it. Randy and Chevonne hurried out behind her. They found Ted Sr. hugging his wife while Teddy struggling with Officer Batista.
"What's happening?" Kristin asked hurrying over to Teddy.
"What's going on?" Randy asked.
Teddy let go of the officer and turned to hug Kristin crying heart wrenching sobs. Roman appeared at the door with the twins.
"What the hell is going on? There is only so much we can take!" Randy was frustrated.
"Brett's dead!" Teddy choked out.
"What?!" Randy yelled.
"No, no, no. Not Brett. Not another one." Chevonne fell into Roman crying.
The parents crowded into the hallway to see what was happening. Kristin's parents immediately going to Kristin and Teddy.
"What happened to Brett? Just what is going on around here?" Bob asked the officers.
"We found the killer…..who we're pretty sure is the killer, but we're sorry…we found Brett DiBiase deceased." Officer Batista said.
"How? This isn't happening." Alicia was upset as she clung to her father.
"Who have you arrested? Who did all this?" Jey yelled.
"Calm down. We understand you're upset." Officer Lesner said.
"No we won't calm down. We send our kids off to the prom and end up having two murders!" Sika yelled.
"Do any of you kids know Luke Harper?" Officer Batista asked.
"The weird kid? He did this?" Jimmy asked.
"We can't be sure right now but….he was found near where Brett DiBiase was found." Officer Batista said.
"Well what has he said? Luke is strange but…." Lilian said.
"Luke Harper is dead. Officers found him in the far parking lot. He tried to run and when officers cornered him, he drew a knife and attempted to charge officers. They fired in self-defense. Brett DiBiase was found dead in his car near where Harper was found." Officer Batista said.
"But that doesn't make sense…none of us have a gripe with Luke." Randy said.
"He is….was strange but we never had problems with him." Jimmy said.
"Everything is still under investigation. We will contact all of you later for further statements." Officer Lesner said.
"Can we get the kids out of here now? I don't think they can take much more." Fatu said.
"The Rhodes family and DiBiase family needs to stay. The rest of you are free to take your kids and go." Officer Lesner said.
The kids stood for a few moments quietly hugging each other and trying to offer comfort to Cody and Ted. The couples quietly said goodnight; not the end of the night any of them had expected. Finally the parents escorted their distraught children out of the school building. In front of the school there were police cars and ambulances. State police cars were there because the Walkerton police department was so small.
Chevonne stopped walking, staring at all the flashing lights. She looked at the other students walking out with their parents. She seemed to be in a daze.
"Baby….we're getting you out of here." Judi told her.
"We need to get a doctor for her?" Elaine asked.
"We'll give her a sedative to help her rest. Randy too." Bob said.
"Come on. We'll get you kids home." Judi took her hand. Chevonne nodded and walked with them to the Orton car.
(Midnight)
Bob pulled the car up in front of the Orton home. He parked the car. Randy and Judi helped Chevonne get out of the car.
"Come on kids, let's get you inside. You both need to try to get some rest." Elaine said.
They walked inside the house. Bob turning on lights and making sure the doors were locked.
"I am going to see if I can find some sleeping pills. Chevonne, why don't you go on upstairs and shower. You know where everything is and you have your own clothes in the room you stay in when you're here." Elaine said.
Judi wrapped her arm around Chevonne and started walking up the stairs with her. As they reached the top of the stairs, Chevonne suddenly collapsed.
"Bob! Randy!" Judi yelled.
Both men hurried up the stairs seeing Chevonne on the floor.
"What happened?" Randy asked as Bob lifted Chevonne off the floor.
"She passed out. I don't know what happened." Judi said.
"Randy go get the smelling salts. I'll get her to her room." Bob said.
Bob carried Chevonne to her room and laid her on the bed. Judi hurried in behind them. Randy came running in with the smelling salts. Bob cracked one and held it under Chevonne's nose.
She opened her eyes, coughing at the smell.
"Easy…you're okay." Bob sat down beside her as Judi climbed on the other side of the bed.
"What happened? I remember walking in the front door…from there I am blank." She said.
"You fainted. Looks like tonight just finally caught up with you and you passed out." Bob said.
"Do you want to see a doctor?" Judi asked.
"No…I just feel so….I can't find the words." She said.
"You're in shock. In time your feelings will become more clear…less jumbled." Bob said.
"Our lives will never be the same…..I just…" she was at a loss.
"You need some rest. We all do." Judi said.
Chevonne nodded. "I better go shower. I just feel…..I can't explain it."
"Come on, I will help you get your things. Then you are taking a sedative and getting some sleep." Judi said.
Author's Note- Thank you Raign for continuing to review. Plenty more story to come readers. Hope all are enjoying. All feedback welcome.