Where Fires Dare to Burn

Chapter 14 - Things That Nobody Knows

Two days later they found another body, and this time there was no concealing the wound.

Luke had always wanted a dog someday, but that morning he found the prospect just a little less attractive when it was confirmed that one unfortunate teenager's faithful companion had gone rummaging into the undergrowth in the trails not far off campus. The enthusiastic retriever had unwittingly treated its owner to a horror show.

The spooked kid had come running onto the campus screaming; screaming in extreme detail about what they had just run across in the woods. From there the news had spread across ELU like a plague until every classroom, lecture hall and bar buzzed with stories of murder, of a mad serial killer taking the brains of his victims. No matter how much Sheriff Nalen might have wanted to contain it, the secret was well and truly out.

The victim was male this time, not a student but a local; a young man named Brian Draper who'd been a barista at a coffee shop not far from ELU. What he'd been doing out in the woods, no-one knew, but it had apparently gotten him killed. Luke had no idea how the poor guy factored into this mess, but the second death finally pushed him over the edge.

Sitting with Gabi, Kenny, Aliyah and Kyan in the campus diner, he watched the news story play out, the fingers of one hand digging into his knee in frustration.

What they'd found in the library that night had been pin-balling around his mind every minute since. It might not have been proof of anything specific, but it was also far too many coincidences for him to let slide on by. Oaklynn knew about these murders, more than she would tell, and right now Luke couldn't help thinking her somehow responsible for the deaths that had happened. She could have gone to the sheriff – she should have.

But she went to Kasper instead.

"This is nuts, man," Kyan murmured, shaking his head in disbelief as he watched the report.

"Who does that?" Aliyah shuddered, picking half-heartedly at a salad. "Like, why? Why here?"

Beside her, Gabi shot Luke an awkward glance. The revelations from their night in the library hung more heavily than ever, but none of them had been able to agree on what to do about it. After all, all they really had was a blurry photo and a blog that any police officer would laugh into a cyberspace black hole.

"I heard they're doubling up on campus security." Kenny cleared his throat, leaning forward to place his elbows on the table. "Gotta say, when I hit college I thought there'd be more wild parties and not so many bloody murders."

Kyan let out a weak laugh. "I think that makes all of us."

Around them the other students in the diner were similarly glued to the news report, hushed words rippling through the groups. Part of him wished they'd shut the news off and crank up whatever generic music they could find to drown out the dread that seemed to have settled on the campus today. He sighed, letting his head loll forward and digging his fingers through his hair with both hands.

Then he decided he'd had enough.

"I've got to go," he muttered, rising out of his chair.

"Woah, where you going?" Kenny asked. He gave Luke a questioning glance; a small shake of the head. On some level he already knew.

"Just need to clear my head." He turned away, tugging the strap of his rucksack up over one shoulder. "Go ahead and order. I'll catch up with you guys later."

Before anyone could say another word he set off as fast as his legs would carry him. He swept out of the diner and into the cool afternoon breeze, tension coiling in his limbs at the prospect of confronting Oaklynn with what he knew. He hoped against all hope that there would be some sane, rational explanation for all of this, but right now he just couldn't see it. Only one person could give him that.