THE COMMUNITY CENTER

The next day, my parents and I slowly walked inside the community center.

There's a boxing ring with some equipment around and the office.

"This community center brings back some memories, doesn't it, Fern?" My Sheriff Dad said.

My Mom chuckled softly. "Yeah, it does."

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked my parents.

My Mom looks at me. "Your father taught me how to kickbox."

"He did?" I said, surprised, gently folding my arms.

"Yeah, he did. He said that I punched like a girl." My Mom said with a chuckle.

"But I showed her a few moves and she whooped my butt a few times." My Dad said.

My parents and I exchange chuckles with each other.

"This community center has been nothing much for a while." My Dad said. "No one barely comes here."

"I have an idea for the community center." I said.

"Okay, what is it?" My Mom asked.

"We can name this community center in the honor of Joaquin Smith, Mandy Griffith and Arnold Marks. You know, their last names?" I suggested.

"That's thoughtful of you, Carmina." My Mom said.

" 'The Smith-Griffin-Marks Community Center?' " My Dad said. "I like it. And it's a good way to remember them."

My Mom, Dad and I exchange small smiles at each other.

"I have to go to the Special Agents Ops, I'm almost close to solving the case of The Red Mask." My Mom said.

"How about the three of us get dinner together at Rochelle's later this evening?" My Dad suggested.

"Sure." I said.

"Alright, love you guys." My Mom said and slowly walks away.

"Love you too, Mom." I said.

My Dad and I looks around at the community center itself.

"This place can use a bit of cleaning." My Dad said.

"Yeah, a little bit." I said.

My Dad looks at me with a worried expression on his face, which I notice.

"Dad? What's with the worried look on your face?" I asked, becoming worried myself.

"Your mother has been working on her case involving The Red Mask serial killer, it's gonna get ugly sooner or later." My Dad said.

My Dad and I exchange worried looks at each other.

My Dad walks up to me, taking out a sig Sauer pistol from his holster belt and hands it to me.

"Dad?" I said.

"I know you're a young adult, Catty, but I need you to be safe. And I hope you don't use it, but if you need to." My Dad said.

I gently takes the sig Sauer pistol from him.

"Yes, sir." I said to him.

My Dad and I hugs each other and gently pulls away from the hug.

"I'll see you later at Rochelle's." My Dad said and walks away.

I look at the sig Sauer pistol in my hands.

Catty (VO) My Dad is right. Things are gonna get bad.

🔵🔵

THE CLUBHOUSE

Later that day, Sebastian and I slowly wanders around in the hallway. I'm eating a bag of Cheetos puffs.

"So, your Dad gave you a gun?" Sebastian asked, bewildered.

"I know, Sebastian. He and my Mom have been working on her case The Red Mask." I said.

"Gosh, what has the small town Providence come to?" Sebastian said.

"Exactly." I agreed. "By the way, can you guys meet me at the community center?"

"Yeah, sure." Sebastian said.

"Alright." I said.

Sebastian and I share a kiss and he walks away. I slowly walks up to the staircase and gently leans sideways on it.

Jade and I exchange tense looks at each other. She does a small fake wave. I just give her a small fake smile and a middle finger.

And Jade walks away.

🔵🔵

THE COMMUNITY CENTER

That late afternoon, Sebastian, Grayson, Leigh Ann, Sasha and I are cleaning up with brooms and dustpans.

"So, is your Mom getting close to solving the case of The Red Mask serial killer, CP?" Leigh Ann asked.

"Yeah, I think so." I said. "From the clues that she's gathered so far, she's getting closer."

"Well, that's good. Because when this Red Mask serial killer crap is over, all we have is our junior prom." Grayson said.

"I agree with Gray." Sasha said.

Suddenly, we hear a noise from the office. Sebastian, Grayson, Leigh Ann, Sasha and I exchange looks at each other.

Taking the broom with me, I slowly walks up to the office door.

And a pistol is cocked at my forehead temple.

"Peek a boo." The Red Mask serial killer said in a deep voice modulator.

shortly after . . .

Sebastian, Grayson, Leigh Ann, Sasha and I are looking at The Red Mask serial killer with the gun pointing at each of us.

"So, who dies first?" The Red Mask serial killer said.

I then, remember the sig Sauer pistol that my Dad gave me.

"You're a killer that deserves to burn in hell for all you've done." I said.

The Red Mask serial killer aims their gun at me.

"Catty?" Sebastian said, worried.

"It's okay, I'm not scared." I said, eyeing The Red Mask.

The Red Mask chuckles. "Some hero you are."

The Red Mask and I exchange tense stares at each other and The Red Mask takes off running.

"Call my Dad." I said, taking off running after The Red Mask.

"Catty?!" Sasha exclaimed.

Sebastian, Grayson, Leigh Ann and Sasha runs after me.

         Now, outside of the community center building, I run after The Red Mask with Sebastian, Grayson, Leigh Ann and Sasha runs after me.

"Mr. Beckett? Catty has eyes on The Red Mask. Sebastian, Grayson, Sasha and I are with her." Leigh Ann said on the phone.

I stop running and takes out my sig Sauer pistol and shoots a bullet into The Red Mask's left thigh, injuring them and The Red Mask falls on the sidewalk.

I slowly walks up to The Red Mask, creating a distance.

The Red Mask looks up at me and gets back up to their feet with a bleeding gunshot to his left thigh.

"Who are you?" I asked as Sebastian, Grayson, Leigh Ann and Sasha scurries up to me.

The Red Mask just looks at me wearing their red ghostface mask, pullover hoodie jacket and a Velcro jumpsuit.

"Isn't that the question weighing on everyone?" The Red Mask said in a deep voice modulator.

And The Red Mask scurries away. I try to go after the serial killer, but Leigh Ann gently puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't, Carrey. At least, you can graze The Red Mask." Leigh Ann said.

🔵🔵

PROVIDENCE POLICE STATION

That evening, Sebastian, Grayson, Leigh Ann, Sasha and I are sitting on the couch in my Dad's office with the door closed.

"What the hell were you thinking, Carmina?!" My Dad said, worried.

"I had The Red Mask." I said.

"You could've gotten hurt or worse." My Dad said.

"I grazed The Red Mask with a bullet to the left thigh." I tell him. "You were the one who gave me a sig Sauer pistol in the first place and you said to use it. So, I used it on The Red Mask."

"How heroic of you, Carmina." My Dad said.

"She saved our lives, Mr. Beckett." Sebastian said. "She boldly drew The Red Mask's attention from us to herself."

"With a loaded gun that The Red Mask could've used if they wanted." My Dad said.

"I'm sorry, Dad." I apologized to him.

"I know." My Dad said. He sighs to himself. "There's been enough deaths in this small town already. There can't be another. Or any of yours."

"We understand, Mr. Beckett." Sasha said.

"Alright, you guys go home." My Dad said, opening his office door.

Sebastian, Grayson, Leigh Ann, Sasha and I gets up and walks away, walking out of my Dad's office.

🔵🔵

ROCHELLE'S DINER

Later that night, my Mom, Dad and I are sitting across from each other with our plates of dinner food, bread basket of garlic buttered bread and drink glasses of sweet teas.

"Carmina?" My Mom said.

"Dad told you." I said.

"He did." My Mom said. "You should be focused on your junior year at the academy, not getting entangled with The Red Mask."

"How can I or the others at Providence Academy, focus on our junior year when there's a lunatic serial killer?" I asked.

"I know, sweetheart, but us parents wants our children to finish your junior year and then, there's junior prom, so, that's something to look forward to." My Mom said.

"Yeah." I said.

"What your mother is trying to say, is that we both love you very much. We're not upset, we're just worried that you took a dangerous risk of putting yourself in front of The Red Mask's gun."  My Dad said.

"How did The Red Mask get inside the community center anyway?" My Mom asked.

"Don't know." I said.

"But other than that, your father and I are glad that you're okay." My Mom said.

My Mom, Dad and I exchange small smiles at each other. We gently holds each other's hands on the table. And then, we gently pulls our hands away and we continue eating our dinner in a booth table.

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