Chapter Four

creeping death

I left my accounting class arm-in-arm with Heidi, Martha meeting up with us in the hallway.

"So, have any plans for later?" Martha asked "Killian ghosted me, so I'm free." Figures. Killian Obendorf forgot I existed after that party.

"Sorry, Bartosz and I have plans. We're going out to the caves." Heidi said

I burst out laughing. "Is he serious? That mattress has been there since the seventies. Make sure he brings clean sheets!" I wheezed "I thought he was more romantic than that."

"I think it's kind of sweet."

"You would think that, wouldn't you? You know, Ulrich Nielsen used to bring his hookups there. He was quite the heartbreaker in the late eighties."

"Can we not talk about my dad like that, please?" Martha fake gagged "I don't even want to think about that."

"I mean, he totally hooked up with every woman in Winden, and made Egon Tiedemann hate him, but I guess he kind of deserved it?" I said

The three of us laughed, exiting the school building.

"To answer your question, Martha, I'm going on a photography expedition in the woods near the caves because both my parents are working late tonight."

"Guess I will just wallow in self pity and watch Heathers: On Broadway again." Martha laughed

"You and your musicals." Heidi shook her head "I will never understand."

The boys met us out front, Bartosz immediately taking Heidi in his arms, the two promptly starting to make out. Jonas and Magnus fake gagged, causing Martha and I to chuckle loudly.

"Are you sure this guy is the one you want?" I laughed "He pissed his pants in the third grade, don't think I forgot."

The group burst out laughing and Bartosz's face went red. "That was one time."

"That was twice." Jonas corrected.

"You're one to talk, Kahnwald. Don't think we forgot that boner you got when the eighth-grade math teacher put her hand on your shoulder."

It was Magnus' turn to laugh. "God, how did we survive life?"

"You think I know the answer to that?" I quipped sarcastically

In hindsight, I don'tthink we should have all been laughing. It was the last good moment we allspent together as a group.

I skateboarded home for a quick, haphazard pasta dinner, and to check up on everybody's social lives via Instagram. The Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park lineup was coming out soon, and what better way to celebrate the end of junior year than hitting up the festival with Magnus, am I right?

After I finished, I ran upstairs to get my camera from my desk, checking to make sure I still had space on my SD card. After what happened to Zacharias, my parents weren't crazy on me going to the caves, even less crazy about me going in there alone, so I had to make sure that I was back before they were, which was going to be at least eleven.

Slinging my camera bag over my shoulder, I sent my mom a quick 'I love you, had a good day, what about you' before jetting off to the caves, hoping to catch the dying rays of the sun on film.

_____

I stood on top of the caves, the patches of rock and grass that shielded the interior form the harsh environment. From where I stood, I could see the sun dipping past the nuclear power plant. I also had the prime viewing spot for Bartosz and Heidi's candlelit dinner on the crappy mattress. And Bartosz had brought silk sheets.

"Hey lovebirds!" I shouted into the distance, near where the two were sitting at train tracks "Make sure to use protection, I don't want to be a godmother just yet!"

"Who said you were gonna be the godmother? What if we picked Jonas instead?" Bartosz quipped

"Then I'd feel bad for the non-existent kid! It would be missing out!"

"We'll be safe, don't worry!" Heidi reassured

"I love you!" I threw up some finger guns

"Love you too!" Heidi shouted back as I sauntered back into the woods for more nature shots.

I'd already been out here for ages and the cold was starting to seep through my layers. I wished I had another sweater with me. The skateboard partially sticking out of my backpack kept hitting the back of my head, making the saunter less than enjoyable. Humming along softly to an old thrash metal song, I snapped a quick photo of a rabbit using one of Uncle Z's old telephoto lenses. After he'd disappeared, mom wanted to sell the equipment, but I had insisted otherwise, going out at least every weekend to shoot when I wasn't busy.

Checking the time on my phone, I cursed. It was already 10:45. Mom was stuck in traffic coming back from Frankfurt, but according to my texts, dad would be back in twenty. Switching the camera lenses back, I hastily packed everything away while trying desperately to treat the equipment with care on compassion like Zacharias had always taught.

The skateboard ride back home was at least twenty-five minutes, so that meant I was already late and had to come up with some fancy bullshit excuse.

I tucked my skateboard under my arm, creeping around into the backyard. If I played this right, I could get back inside without dad even knowing I was gone.

I quickly scaled the trellis, tucking my fingers underneath the slightly open window to push it open and crawl inside. I tore off my Vans, ditching them under the bed before throwing my jacket over the chair as I heard my dad coming up the stairs

"Annie?"

"In my room, Dad!" I shouted fumbling with the SD card before pushing my window closed, wincing as it squeaked across the track.

Dad opened the door to my room just as I put the SD card in the computer.

"Hi honey. How was your day?"

"Fine, the usual. I have a test in accounting next week, I was thinking of organizing a study party with Heidi."

"That sounds nice." Conversations with dear old dad were usually this mundane. "Were you planning on going to that festival in Nuremberg this year with Magnus?"

"I was considering it, yeah. Why?"

"I think Black Sabbath are supposed the playing again this year, and I wouldn't mind reliving my childhood, especially if rumors of an Ozzy reunion are even slightly true."

"Once the lineup comes out, I'll let you know. Have you heard form mom?"

"No, I think she's still stuck on the freeway."

"Right. I'm going to edit some photos, and then I think I'm gonna call it early tonight."

"Sounds good. Is there any pasta left?"

"Yeah, it's in the fridge." I got out of my desk chair and gave my dad a hug.

"Thanks, bear." He said before leaving.

Curling up in my chair, I turned on my flamingo lamp and threw on a Creeper CD I bought last time I went to the mall in Berlin. As the English horror-punk music pumped out of the small speakers, I set to work editing the photos that I had just taken.

I was scrollingthrough the pictures when a blur in one of my landscape photos caught my eye.Puzzled and curious, I zoomed in on the figure, increasing the resolution tothe maximum. The picture was still foggy, but I could make out the shape of aman in a western-style hat and what looked like it might have been a preacher'srobe. That's strange, I thought. The only preacher in Winden is Peter Doppler, andhe had no business in the woods.

Flipping back to the original photo, I realized with a shock that the figure was heading straight towards Bartosz and Heidi.

I scrambled for my phone, snapping a picture of the enhanced image, quickly dialling Bartosz's number.

No answer.

He was probably on top of her, listening to her moan his name, completely vulnerable to attack. I tried Heidi's number next, only to get the same result.

"Heidi listen, it's Annaliese. I was going over some of the photos I took earlier, and I saw something really creepy heading your way." I shouted at the answering machine, speaking so quickly that I couldn't tell one word from another "I think you're in danger. You nee to call me, I just wanna make sure you guys are alright."

I hung up, pacing around my shag carpet. Calm down. You're probably just overreacting again, right?

My pessimistic thought train was interrupted by the blare of sirens and the intrusion of red and blue lights through my sheer curtains. I dropped my phone and pushed the white material aside, watching the parade of police cars heading in the direction of the woods. I grabbed my phone and dialed Martha. Ulrich was the Inspector, he had to know something.

"Martha, what's going on?"

"I don't know!" Martha said frantically. "Woller said Bartosz called. He sounded worried, confused even. I remember he said that he and Heidi-"

"Were going to the caves." I finished, grabbing my skateboard, and running downstairs. "I'll be right there, see if you can press your dad for more details."

"Annaliese Marie, where do you think you're going?" My dad shouted as I opened the front door

Hanging up my phone, I ignored him, stepping on to my skateboard and sliding down the driveway. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I'd had this feeling since that damn shadow.

I was halfway down the street when someone honed behind me. I turned around the see Hannah Kahnwald slowing down, Jonas in the passenger seat

"Jonas, what the hell is going on?" I asked, climbing into the backseat

"A concerning text from Bartosz. I think something's wrong." The brunette boy said

"Something has to be wrong, the entire police force is out there, and God knows our police department isn't very big." I said as Hannah pulled to a stop in front of the area of woods I had used to head back home only hours before.

It was cordoned off with police tape, Charlotte Doppler was doing her best to keep people away. I saw Magnus and Martha in the front of the crowd. Jonas and I rushed over to join them.

"Magnus! What's going on?" I asked, standing up against the barricade

"Something happened to Bartosz. They're sending people in to see what's going on." The tall boy responded

"We'll know what's going on soon enough." Charlotte reassured.

"CHARLOTTE! WE'VE FOUND SOMETHING!" Ulrich Nielsen shouted from further into the woods. Right near the mattress.

Oh no.

Dread seeped into my bones as a stretcher was wheeled just minutes later, the black tarp signifying loss of life. When I saw Bartosz walk out with Charlotte, tears streaming down his face, I knew that the worst had happened, but I didn't want to believe it.

"Bartosz!" I shouted, pushing my way past officers as I surged forward. "Where's Heidi?"

"She's... I can't even say it, Annaliese." Bartosz stuttered

"No. No, no no!" I shouted, running over to the stretcher and pulling the sheet back.

Heidi Vogel stared back at me, her green eyes that were once so full of life now read like an empty abyss.

I felt my legs collapse under me, falling back into Ulrich Nielsen's arms.

"Magnus!" He shouted "Take Annalise home! Now!"

Heidi Vogel was dead.