The Locker Exchange

CHAPTER ONE

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DARKER.

My foot crunched a fallen brown leaf as I left the school and headed toward an empty student parking lot. It was close to eight at night, which meant my white Jeep sat alone, sun reflecting off it at low angles. There was something odd about having the light over my shoulder just before it began its descent into darkness.

The fall air bit at my heels and cheeks, prompting me to quicken my pace as I drew closer to the Jeep and tugged open the heavy door.

My backpack slid off my shoulder as I tossed it into the passenger seat and collapsed, exhausted from filing paperwork for different classes. I was an office aide at my high school, which meant I had a "responsibility" to assist. It was still only the second week of classes, and I'd been filing student schedules, requests for class changes, and the like for hours. I hadn't signed up for helping after school, though, and vowed then and there to never do it again.

I shook my head at the memory of all the forms I'd dealt with that day and reached forward to start the Jeep. All I wanted now was to listen to some music and enjoy a peaceful drive back home. Just as my fingers barely brushed against the volume dial, an ear-splitting screech shot through the air, and I recoiled in shock, my head shooting upward.

Anticipation took hold of my heart.

I waited in silence for it to come again. Maybe I'd imagined it, or, more realistically, I hoped I'd imagined it. I wasn't equipped for this kind of situation, and my eyes skimmed my car for anything I could use just in case I wasn't hallucinating.

"Help!"

The desperate, distant scream shook me into motion, and I bolted up, scrambling for the phone in my car's cupholder. I knew I should've called the police, but there had been a few incidents on the news that didn't necessarily showcase their abilities, so I dialed someone I trusted.

"Hello?" a deep voice answered. My heart was thumping so loudly I was sure he could hear it.

"Thank God." I almost gasped. "Baylor, I'm in the parking lot at school, and no one else is here, but I heard a scream and then someone yell for help, and I want to go check—"

"Stop," my older brother said sternly. Even from miles away at college, he could still command and I'd listen. "Call the police and get out of there. It's not safe."

"What if I call them and it's too late? I need to go over there now, at least to check, or I won't be able to sleep tonight. I thought I'd ask you to stay on the line with me. You know, just in case."

"Are you wearing a hoodie?" he asked finally. "Cover your face as much as you can."

Luckily, I had a spare one in the car.

My arms trembled as I hurriedly threw it on and leapt out of the Jeep. Adrenaline coursed through my blood like I'd never felt before. I'd learned about this before, the fight-or-flight response, but I never thought I'd experience it so vividly. I crept in the direction of the noise, my breathing hitched, unconsciously treading on the balls of my feet.

When I turned the corner, it was still. The football field looked empty, but my hands still quivered.

"Do you see anything?" Baylor asked quietly. His voice was calm. I couldn't necessarily say his virtual presence was soothing, but it was still better than being alone.

As my lips formed the shape of no, a sudden movement attracted my gaze. A black figure loomed at the top of the bleachers before noticing my position and flinching. Sudden panic propelled my body forward in a desperate attempt to get a better look, but the man ducked down behind the bleachers, scurrying past the fence and out of my sight.