Abegail O'Rourke's Story

Clarkson was a small town and today was like any other. Schools began in six days. Already people were arriving to drop off their kids at the university. Children played in parks, enjoying the last few days of freedom before the routine of school began.

Boats were docked in the bay. Some were pleasure vessels and some were working ships. The bay itself was calm and smooth, a reflection of the bright summer day.

In the police station Muriel Henderson sat teary eyed at the officer’s desk. Her husband had gone off looking for pheasant and hadn’t come home in three days. The officer was writing notes on the report but he was flustered. Bob Henderson wasn’t the first person to go missing in Clarkson, just the most recent.

Over the last year a number of people had gone. Some came back, a little worse for wear and often with no memory. Some didn’t and it was assumed they simply took off for a new life. A few had been found dead. One was an apparent suicide and the other unsolved.

It had made things trickier for the officers in the somewhat quiet, picturesque town but they had so far managed to keep the public calm.

Right now, Officer Pricard was doing that with Muriel. He was talking as soothingly as he could while getting all he could from her.

At the university the campus was bustling. Tours were showing new students around. Some were looking to find their classes, prep for the first day.

In their offices professors were settling in and preparing for the new term. Abegail was in a new office, something that bothered her more than it should. An upgrade, nicer view and bigger window. A private bathroom too. Yet the red headed Irish woman was grumbling to herself as she put books on a shelf. She was a creature of habit, tradition and routine. This move had not been her idea.

In a dark room, away from the summer day a young man sat, a book in front of him and blade in hand. He had work to do.

Abegail stood at the front of her class. Soon the room would be full of students. A large chunk of them would fail. Most would assume it was an easy credit. The few who really wanted to be there were her only bright spot. She would rather be researching, writing papers but that didn't pay as well as teaching. If she only had to teach third and fourth year classes it would be fine. By then all the students who were just there for the hell of it would be weeded out. Then there were real discussions. The reality was that all professors had to teach the first and second years.

And so she waited, counting down the minutes.
***
He walked through the campus. People everywhere. He could smell them. His hand twitched in his pocket, fingers flexing around an imaginary blade.

There were things he needed to do. He needed patience. There were still pieces he was missing for the next part. Some had already taken their place but the over all plan was no where near complete.

He entered the class, following in a few others. The place was fairly empty. His eyes fell on the red headed professor. He wanted to feel her under his blade but he needed her like this for now. She knew things, things he needed information about.

He sat and watched the others enter. He began to label them in the order of which they would be his next victims.
*****
The doctor sat in the chair and looked at Hans.

"How are you feeling today?"

The shadows of the room moved, shifted but the doctor didn't see them, didn't notice. He wasn't ready, wasn't open to them but soon everyone would see, everyone would hear.

The shadows whispered to the other man. He knew them. He wanted to be with them.

Abegail watched the students file in. She shuffled papers and checked some things. She hated this feeling, the anticipation to begin. It made it feel more and more like they didn't really want to be there. If they did wouldn't they be eager to sit? Eager to let her get started?

She chastised herself because she knew that wasn't how it went. Even her, in a field she loved had to drag herself into class some days. She remembered many a first day where she wished she could have just skipped the lecture.

Abegail took a sip of her coffee and waited.
***
Him...him...no, her and then him.

This was fun. He mentally catalogue them all. He rated them on how good their skin looked or how easy it might be to skin them. How hard they would be to take down or how easy...

Too easy wasn't a challenge and lacked a thrill for him. Yes, they would need to go too at some point but for now there were plenty that would put up just enough of a fight to make it fun.
*******
"Can you tell me who you were talking about with the nurse? What did you mean there were more of them and they were here too? Can you explain?"

The doctor kept his voice level and even toned. He could see the way Hans looked around.

The shadows moved closer. They reared up behind the doctor. They knew the man could see them. They enjoyed this game, the fear. They fed on the fear.

They watched him lunge towards the door.

The doctor and the nurse jumped. They hadn't expected Hans to run. "Stop him!"

Orderlies appeared at the door and tried to block the man's exit. "The crazies always try to run." One orderly grumbled.

The nurse pulled a syringe out. The doctor nodded. "Hold him down."

The orderlies tried to get a grip on Hans as the nurse advanced.

The shadows moved up the ceiling. Soon they would act again but not yet.

Soon.