User: infinitywordlover

The world has gone mad...well at least the five of us have.

Our night had gone by unbearably slow, and it was only with several cups of instant coffee had I managed to stay awake. When I say awake however, I don't mean entirely lucid and capable of good decision making as can be demonstrated by the following:

Someone had thrown up in the hall, and others had just lounged around revealing their inner talent for singing Taylor Swift songs...opera style... but I'm not going to name names.

Later in the night, the boys had somehow ended up having a chip eating contest(Don't even ask why) and they got so involved in it someone had ended up in tears(Don't ask who... In fact, just don't ask about it at all).

Dani and I on the other hand were no better, although we were slightly more emotionally controlled it I should say so myself. We had decided early on to try some new hairstyles on each other to pass the time, and I think we might have invented a new braid. Of course it wasn't exactly an attractive hairstyle, but to us at the time, it was a masterpiece.

At last the sun inches its way over the horizon washing the world in it's pale, watered down light, and melts the shadows away taking the monsters that hid within them away them. Relief fills the air like a beautiful fragrance, and the corners of our mouths twitch as if considering a smile.

Outside in the hall, the PA crackles to life, and Ms.Blackwell's voice echos through the dorm,colored with strain and fatigue. Empathy flickers through me at the sound of her voice, as I can almost feel her hopelessness. I can't even imagine trying to run a school, desperately trying to keep my family's legacy alive while everything is falling apart at the threads.

"The Painter has been caught, and is now in the custody of the police," she says, and I breathe in relief, but she's not done. "However, we believe there is a third murderer on campus. We do not believe he or she will attack during the day, but I urge you to be vigilant and if anything suspicious occurs, contact authorities immediately. Thank you."

I lean my head back against the bed frame, and close my eyes enjoying a brief moment of peace where I don't have to worry about dying, but of course the problems never really end.

"Now I have to return all the stuff I 'borrowed' from the police without them noticing," I groan and glare at the lone can of pepper spray that sits on the floor as if it had personally committed a crime against me.

Leo winces sympathetically. "Don't worry you can leave it here for now. It will be easier to lug everything across campus after dark anyways," he says almost instantly and I smile at him gratefully.

A yawn burst through my chest, and I realize that I seriously need some sleep. Stumbling over to the door, I mumble an incoherent good-bye and dash out into the crisp morning air. The wet grass soaks deep into my socks but I barely notice as my attention is fixed solely on the promise of a nice soft bed...

......

Not even bothering to change my clothes, I flop onto the bed and fade into darkness.

A second later however, there's another loud crackling from the hall and Ms.Blackwell's voice pounds once more against my ear, except this time, instead of being filled with exhaustion, it's filled with disgust.

"Students and Staff, I am pleased to announce a School Dance for tomorrow night in the Courtyard," she says, but sounds anything but pleased. "You may dress formal, and have dates and do everything else you high schoolers do at these things."

To say that I was surprised would be like saying that Mount Everest was only a small hill. Clearly the Administrators of the school had not even had an ounce of sleep and as a result were a bit loopy.

We were all a little loopy this morning.

But seriously, was Ms.Black INSANE?!! I hope she knew that another gathering of children would only end up in another mass murdering. And besides, weren't school dances meant for celebrations? What exactly did we have to celebrate? A dozen or so murders and counting? This was only going to end in disaster.

But apparently, some people don't really care, and a ginormous wave of squeals rise into the air shattering against my eardrums. Loud thumps echo all around me from all sides as my excited neighbors jump up and down knocking a couple flakes of plaster down from ceiling in a dry, white rain.

How could they forget about everything that had happened and squeal for something as mundane as a dance?! Did they not remember all the other times we had been stuffed together in one location?

My gaze falls on the other side of the room where the yellow tape marks Beth's death, and I sigh heavily. Of course they could forget. They didn't have a constant reminder of death across the room from them.

A pang of regret stabs through me as I realize Beth would have loved to go to a dance. But she was gone...forever. She would never go to a high school dance, or marry, or get a job, or even graduate high school. All of a sudden the finality of her absence hits me.

Somehow, unconsciously, I had been expecting to see her pop up with her classic grin still plastered across her face,to hear her laugh ringing in my ears, but now I realize that she really was gone.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. "I'm so sorry it had to be you."

Tears trickle down my cheeks as suddenly guilt coats me in a sticky blanket. Why was I still alive when she was dead? What had I done that she hadn't?

"You don't deserve to be dead. You were so sweet, so kind, and I hope you're happy wherever you are," I cry but there's no reply. Gently, I lie back down on the bed, the tears still flowing down my face, but the exhaustion is too strong and the darkness swells to envelop me.

"Ari!" The door shudders as someone pounds on it with an excited impatience."Open up!"

My eyes flutter open and it takes me a minute to orient myself. The sun shines brightly through the curtains of my window, and I squint in confusion. What time is it? I glance down at my watch, and my confusion only grows as I see the numbers listed there: 9:00am. I had slept through the entire day AND night and into the next day.

"Ari!" The door shudders again, and reluctantly, I leave the warm folds of my bed for the door.

"Did you hear about the dance?" Dani asks excitedly as she steps into the room not even waiting for an invitation.

I raise my eyebrows sarcastically. "I think someone in Canada didn't hear that squealing fest...Of course I heard!"

"Ok great! Are you going?"

I suck in a breath as my eyes lock on the neon yellow tapes. "Nope."

She turns to me at my less than enthusiastic tone, and her glowing expression falls into concern.

"What's wrong?"

"Dani, you have to be smart enough to figure it out."

She stares at me for a moment, and then nods defiantly. "If you mean the fact that someone is going to die at the dance, then yes I do know."

I stare up at her astonished. "If you know then..."

"We deserve a little fun, we're still teenagers after all."

"But..." I gesture to across the room. "If we die, it's permanent, Dani. We're not coming back! This isn't a game." Frustration boils through me. Why couldn't she see that this could only end badly?! Didn't she even care that she could die at the dance?

She shakes her head sadly and locks her gaze on mine.

"You can't let it control you! Don't you see Ari? This is what the murderer wants! They want us to be scared, so scared that we can't even be happy! If you don't go, you're playing right into the murderer's hands! Besides, would you rather live a short life happy or a long life miserable?"

I consider her words for a moment. Instinctively, I would choose the long life, but slowly I realize that she's right.  "Short life happy."

"Exactly," she says her mood lifting again. "Now come on! Don't make me drag you out of here," she threatens and I don't doubt for a single moment that she would do it.

"I don't even have a dress!" I complain, as we walk up the stairs.

"Uh...yes you do!"

"What?" I stare at her confusedly.

"Remember your bridesmaid's dress from Jemina's wedding last year?"

"Well I didn't pack it."

"That's what you think," she says, and I stare at her suspiciously as a barely suppressed devilish grin spreads across her face.

"Well, I packed it!" she sings triumphantly. "I knew you would forget SOMETHING, and Sophomores are allowed more luggage than I could ever use so that day I was over at your place, I just took the liberty to pack your dress."

"Wow, thanks!"

"No problem. Just make sure you remember it, next time we're in the greenhouse."

I roll my eyes. "Fine, I'll do the weeding. You can do the watering."

"Excellent!" she cries, and flings open the door to her room. Joan is sprawled lazily across the bed, and she leaps up the moment we enter. "Let's get ready girls!"

Already, a whole collection of brushes, and powders are laid across the bed just waiting to be put into use. I had never been the makeup sort of girl, and now I flinch away nervously from the sudden onslaught. Firm hands press against my shoulders stopping me from making an escape and they maneuver me in front of Joan.

Her eyes glint with excitement as she takes out yet another bag of make-up. Seriously, how much make-up did she have?  "So,what look are you going for?" she asks.

"Um...I don't know," I search my head for a way to say, 'no makeup at all' but with one look at Joan and Dani I can tell they're having none of it. Sighing, I decide to minimize the damage.  "Nothing too overboard. My dress is blue..."

Joan snaps her fingers sharply cutting me off, and beams with enthusiasm at me, which I can't quite tell if that's a good thing or bad thing. "I know exactly what to do!"

Quickly she begins to apply the first of many layers of powder, and I have to resist the urge to sneeze. Her fingers move expertly across my face, almost blurring as she switches brushes and powders.

Finally, half-an-hour later, and several snappish, 'Stop moving's and 'Stay still's later, I'm done much to the relief of everybody in the room. If I am honest to myself, it doesn't look half bad. I have on some bold mascara, silvery eyeshadow, and an obligatory lipstick that I'll wipe off later when they aren't looking.

Joan then turns her attentions to Dani, who has already managed to put her hair into curls, and begins to do her makeup.

I watch wide eyed and awed, as she turns my cousin into a masterpiece, adding winged eyeliner, and gold eyeshadow, managing to highlight just the rights spots, and darken other spots so that she looks like she stepped straight out of a magazine.

But if that was impressive, it's nothing compared to Joan doing her own makeup. She barely even glances at the mirror, and yet her hands fly across her face with confidence, putting on fake rhinestone lashes, eyeshadow, and glitter on her cheeks.

So entrancing is her work that it's only with great effort that I manage to tear my gaze away from her to curl my own hair, and pin the sides up in an elegant half up, half down style.

After that, we each take a corner of room to change into our dresses. Mine is a floor length shimmery chiffon dress that flows from a deep indigo blue at the chest moving gradually into a pale, aqua blue at the bottom.  A single, rhinestone strap holds it up against my skin, and a short slit opens slightly above my knee revealing the black open-toe heels Dani had lent me.

Dani's dressed in a short, puffy white dress that shows off her toned legs perfectly, and reflects her outgoing nature. Sparkly silver pumps grace her feet finishing of the look.

Joan is the boldest of us all, dressed in a puffy, sparkly, coral dress. Sheer sleeves travel the length of her arms, and she has on white and gold heels to match the rest of her outfit.

We all look fantastic if I should say so myself.

Dani looks around at the three of us and grins. "Now let's have some fun girls!" she cries linking her arms us, and leads us out the door, but I can't quite bring myself to do it. Anxiety knaws at my stomach, shifting between nausea and pain. I know something bad is going to happen. It's inevitable.

Music pulses heavily under my feet, jolting my nerves with each thump of drum. It shocks upwards through my legs, and up into my torso, until it reaches my heart bullying it into obedience until they beat in sync.

On the good side, as Dani notes, there's no trouble at all trying to find the courtyard as we only need to follow the noise and the shaking of the ground.

"I'm not sure if this is just the music or if an earthquake is happening right now," Dani says.

"All I know is that if it is an earthquake, we're walking straight into the middle of it."  In more ways than one, I silently add. We are walking straight into disaster, and although this one was slightly less "natural" than an earthquake, it was just as deadly. Someone is going to die tonight. The only question is who.

She doesn't miss my tone and purses her lips displeased, but she doesn't argue, instead turning away to glare murderously at the library.

A wall of tension seems to fall between us, spiked and pronged with anger, frustration and fear. It pushes against us, and although she stands less than an inch away, a chasm a mile wide separates us.

Uncomfortably, Joan coughs and stares attentively at her heels trying not to get involved. I stare upwards at the sky, and smile at the brilliant colors. Streaks of soft pink twirl with hot fiery oranges and violets, and a small, crescent moon is slowly chasing the golden sun down into the mountains.

I glance at Dani about to say something about it all, but she's looking determinedly away from me, clearly refusing any conversation.

A sick feeling rises up inside of me. I hate it when we argue as nothing ever seems right in the world when we do, so thankfully, we don't do it often. My mind trails through the memories of our childhood, and I realize that even as little children, we rarely fought, and when we did it was always over the same thing.

Dani had always been brave and daring, ready to take on any challenge whether that may be swimming across a lake, or climbing an especially tall tree; and I had always been more reserved, cautious, and I would like to think, wiser.

She would always want to try something risky, and I would try to hold her back. Then in turn she would try to convince me to do it too. We would argue and yell, each trying  and then we would stomp away in a fit of temper until we could no longer stand it anymore and make up.

We stay silent for a couple moments longer both trying to outlast the other, but finally I realize that any of us could die in the next few hours or so.I didn't even want to think about any of us dying but if one one of us did I didn't want them to die with anger still in their hearts. Life is too short to hold grudges, and there's no point in being angry. We are going to the dance whether we like it or not, I realize and there's nothing I can do about it.

"I'm sorry Dani. You're right. We should go to the dance and have some fun," I manage to choke out. She sighs, and relaxes.

"I'm sorry too Ari. I should have paid more attention to your concerns."

They're simple apologies, nothing too emotional or intricate, but they are enough. The wall melts away, the air seems to lighten, and the world rights itself. I give her a quick hug, and Joan sighs in relief.

A second later, loud yells echo behind us lifting away what tension is left, replacing it with bemusement.

Leo and Adam come puffing up the hill behind us, waving their hands for us to stop.

"Hey wait up!" Adam yells.

"We were going to ask you to the dance..."Leo says.

"But we didn't want to pick favorites."

"So we're going to ask all of you! As a group."

There's a spluttering noise from my left, and I turn to see Joan shaking her head in disgust.

"I am NOT going with my cousin, thank you very much! Besides, I'm already going with Bryn."

"Fine.  Anyways, we've got even better news!"

"You may have noticed that we may appear slightly bulkier than you last saw us, but contrary to popular belief, we have not worked out or ingested a lot of junk food."

I raise my eyebrows disbelievingly at this, and Dani coughs something under her breath that sounds suspiciously like, "Chip eating contest."

Adam launches a glare at us, and quickly says," We, being the geniuses that we are put on this!" He jerks his shirt collar down a couple inches revealing a thick layer of black, bulletproof material: one of the bullet proof vests we had left over at Leo's place.

I nod impressed, wishing that I had thought of it earlier. Even Dani's sarcasm is momentarily quieted as she regards the vest with envy.

"Dang it! We should have done that!" I cry, and they smirk.

"Good thing for you, we brought extras."

They hand us each a weapon, me ending up with a can of pepper, and Joan and Dani getting tasers. However, soon another dilemna presents itself: we have nowhere to put it. Well...except for...

Joan makes a twirling motion with her finger at the boys motioning for them to turn around, but they don't get it, so she does it again more insistently this time.

"Turn around," she hisses. They do, although still quite bewildered.

Quickly, I stick the pepper spray into my dress, and see the other two do the same thing with their tasers.

"Try not to taser yourself will you," I mutter to them, and they grimace at the thought.

"Hopefully...

"Ok, you can turn back around now!" Dani announces, and they do with considerably more understanding in their eyes.

"Did you just stick them in your--" Leo can't seem to finish the sentence so Adam does.

"--Brassiere?" which he apparently thinks is less awkward to say than just plain old, 'bra'.

"Yes, you got any better idea? I thought not. Now let's go," Joan says briskly and they nod, although still flushed a bright shade of red.

--------

When at last we reach the courtyard, I flinch as the music reaches an almost unbearable volume. Flashes of brilliant light, sweeps across the ground chaotically in shades of lime green, deep fuchsia, and electric blue. Other than that, all is dark.

I exchange glances with the others anxiously. It's clear from their eyes that they can see the same thing I can. This is the perfect place for a murder. The music and chatter is so loud that a scream would be easily lost within it. Everyone is moving in chaotic patterns, jumping and dodging around, and they can barely see two feet in front of them.

"Where do you want to go?!" I yell at them over the noise.

Several suggestions are shouted back, but in the end we end up by a light pole on the edge of the crowd. A string of colorful lights circle up the side, and it wouldn't easily be missed, making it a safe rendevouz point.

Dani, Joan, and Adam are immediately off to get drinks leaving Leo and me behind to guard the pole but it quickly becomes rather clear that no one wants our spot, and boredom sinks in. They seem to be taking an unreasonably long time, and after checking my watch for the third time, Leo speaks.

"What's taking them so long?"

"I dunno, maybe they got lost."

"We chose this pole so that they wouldn't get lost."

"Oh right. Well maybe they got stuck behind the crowd." I gesture at the quickly filling courtyard, and indeed it's quickly beginning to resemble a jar of tightly packed, colorful sardines. He nods.

"Well, there's no point really waiting anymore so..." he bows mockingly to me extending a hand. "Would you like to dance?"

I grin at him "Of course."

Ignoring the jittery, fast beat of the music, we dance around the courtyard slowly to our own rhythm. All around us, our classmates hop and leap in their own versions of dance, and the lights dance alongside us, flashing disconcertingly over everyone's faces so that they're barely recognizable. Leo's face for example, is now a dark shade of chartreuse making him look like an alien, and then switches into an alarming shade of pink.

"That color really suits you," I joke, trying hard not to think about the feeling of his hands on mine for that would mean blushing to the same shade of pink as the light gracing his face. He stares at me uncomprehendingly for a moment before understanding sparks in his gaze.

"Haha, very funny. Maybe I should wear it all the time."

"You should. It's quite unfortunate that our uniforms aren't that color," I sigh.

"Such a tragedy...maybe I'll just paint myself that color and that'll take care of everything."

I laugh, and he twirls me around smiling.

"Do you think we're going to die?" I ask after a while.

He shrugs. "Eventually we all will."

"No. I mean tonight."

He jerks to a sudden stop, and I stumble into him caught off guard. His expression is dark and unreadable, and he sighs heavily. It's a defeated sound, filled with the uncertainty of the future and the exhaustion of constantly looking over the other shoulder for danger.

Finally, he says, "We might."

It's a piece of honesty in a sea of lies, and somehow it comforts me even though the words themselves do not.

For so long, we had lied to ourselves, convincing our souls that murder only happened to 'others' not to us. We had built up a shield of false reassurances, but it was becoming harder and harder to keep aloft.

And now my shield comes crashing to my feet, but it's not horror or fear that comes rushing in, but relief and determination. Relief that I would no longer pretend that everything would be alright, and determination to do everything I can to save myself and everyone I love and care about.

"Thank you," I breathe, and his eyes swirl with confusion as we shift back into movement.

"What for?"

"For telling the truth."

He nods, and doesn't question any further.

Our joking demeanor is gone now, and we spiral around the floor, our bodies taut with adrenaline ready to run the second danger shows itself. We watch out for each other, gazing out into the crowd over the other's shoulder, and keeping each other safe.

As the song ends, we walk back over to the others, only to find that Joan is gone.

"Where's Joan?" I ask.

Adam squints nervously into the crowd, and waves a hand at it. "Somewhere in there. She disappeared when we were getting drinks. "

"Oh."

I gaze into the roiling mass of people, searching for a flash of sparkly coral, the color of her dress, but it's impossible with the lights distorting every color in sight.

"Found her!" Dani shrieks a second later, and points through a gap that had just opened up in the crowd. Joan and Bryn stand on the other side of the gap talking. Adam growls slightly and makes a threatening step towards them as if he's going to confront them, but I jerk him back.

"She'll be fine! He's her date."

"Exactly. He better not do anything to her."

"He won't," Leo says. "I'm his cousin, and I can vow for him that he treats all his girls with respect."

"I still don't like this. What if he's the murderer?"

So this is what it had come to, paranoia so deep that we are starting to suspect our own friends. The murders were tearing us apart.

"Adam, we spent the entire night with him two days ago. Don't you think he would have killed us if he really is the murderer?" Dani says convincingly.

At last he gives in, sighing, but he still glares protectively towards the dancing couple. We fall into a short silence just staring at them, before Dani speaks again.

"Oh I nearly forgot! Here are your drinks!"

I take my red colored drink from Dani, and sniff it suspiciously. To my right, I see Leo do the same with his drink.

"It's not drugged or poisoned if that's what you guys are wondering," Dani says. "I already drank half of mine and I'm still fine."

"Well, it could be a slow working poison," Leo challenges.

She rolls her eyes. "I don't think so. The murderer hasn't shown any talents in ways of subtle killing. I don't think they have patience for slow poison."

"You're probably right."

I take a cautious sip, and then a larger gulp realizing how thirsty I am,before downing the whole cup. 

"Well someone's thirsty," Dani notes.

I smile. "Let's go dance!"

"Yes, lets!"

A while later, after I've lost sight of the others, there's a tap on my elbow. I whip around nervously expecting to see the murderer leering behind me with a bloody knife, but instead only see Adam.

"Hey I got you a drink."

"Oh thank you," I say accepting the small cup gratefully. Dancing is more dehydrating that you would think.

I hand the empty cup to him when I finish, and he tosses them into the trash. "Do you want to dance?"

"Sure!" I smile at him and he leads me deeper into the crowd and begins to jam out to the music.

Laughing, I let myself get lost in the music, pushing the murders to the back of my head. Dani was right, we're still kids and we deserve a break.