Thrill Killing

CHAPTER I

TRIGGER WARNINGS — Mentions of drug usage.

TOMMY

          Soft, almost deaf, pitter-patter of thin drizzling rain created background noise, harmonizing with the varied tempos of students walking up to the entrance of the simple-looking private school that they all attended. Loud chatter between friends acted as the vocals for each group’s song. Ruffling his thick blonde hair with his free hand while his other clasped onto the umbrella which kept him dry, a teenage boy who appeared to be in his 11th year was loudly talking to his friends who walked with him, their umbrellas rubbing slightly together as they walked in a cluster. They all burst out laughing at something the blonde had said, clearly enjoying themselves.
    “Was he mental or something? Who would ever come up with an idea like that?” the fluffy-haired brunette questioned, wiping a tear from his eye.

    “He might have actually been,” the blonde laughed, “The kid looks like a secondary schooler and yet he still tries to buy alcohol!”

    “Good on him though for being confident enough for that,” the third one— the one with buzzed brown hair— added on, “He was stupid, but still.”

    “Anything interesting happened to you over the weekend, Jack?” The buzz-cut kid shrugged.

    “Nah, nothing really,” Jack replied, “My parents were busy either listening to it on the TV or reading it in the papers about the recent killings. A serial killer being on the loose? Pretty scary stuff.”

    “Way to bring the mood down,” he frowned. Jack laughed a little.

    “I’m not too concerned though. Besides, the bodies turn up too far away from here to worry. The English Channel is an hour or so away, Tommy.”

    “Yeah, but still. You should at least be a little concerned; right Toby?” Tommy replied.

    “I think I’d only really be scared if body’s started showing up in our town. Then I’d be freaking out,” Toby said.

    “No common sense from either of you two!” he huffed.

      The boys entered the school, the chatter volume instantly increasing tenfold. Their closed umbrellas dripped water onto the floor, joining the other small splatters that caused their shoes to create occasionally annoying squeaks. They lightly shook off their umbrellas, trying to get them as dry as they could before putting them into their book bags.
    “This thing better not ruin my things..” Jack muttered to himself, “I’d think I’d lose it if it did.”

    “Tommy! There you are!”

The three turned almost in sync to look at the guy who just called for Tommy, seeing a guy with styled brown hair parted to the side. He had a relieved smile on his face as he got to them, having just run over.
    “What’s going on, Freddie?” Tommy asked, slinging his bag back onto his shoulder.

    “You must have done the homework for English over the weekend, right?”

    “‘Course I did! What do you take me for?” he replied. The cocky smile barely lasted for a moment before it dropped. “Wait— Don’t tell me—”

    “Do you think I could borrow yours to copy it down?” Freddie asked, “I ran out of time so I couldn’t finish it! You’d be doing me a huge favor!”

    “Can’t you just ask to copy down Charlie’s?” Jack butted in, “He’s way smarter than Tom anyway.”

    “Hey!” Tommy blurted, hitting Jack’s arm. He winced slightly, laughing a little as he held the hit spot.