F L I C K E R: Unsolved Case

Chapter 13: The Photo

     "Do you have an idea what's happening?" Lukey leaned against a wall fidgeting with their fingers.

     "No clue. However, I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that Vinny said something rude and Vinnae spiraled and it all escalated from there..?" Wow man. Austin literally just recapped the whole situation without being involved. Bravo! Great detective skills.

     "I hope they get over it soon so we can figure out all of this. It's getting on my nerves how dramatic those twins are," Lukey sighed and threw their arms up against the wall, causing a picture frame to fall and shatter on the ground. A lot of glass shattering in this house.

     "Watch out!-" Austin pulled Lukey's arm away from the wall to avoid being cut by glass again.

     "Hey..wait a minute," Lukey bent down to analyze the photo. "Isn't this..."

     "Vinny?" They both said out loud. Who put that there? What a stalker!!

     "That's really weird.. It seems old?" Lukey scratched their head.

     "Yeah, it is pretty odd," Austin bit his lip and took out his phone to take a picture.. "Damn it," Austin groaned. "It's dead."

     "Let me check mine," Lukey dug into their front pocket of their overalls and fished out their phone. "Mine works," they handed it to Austin.

     "Thanks," Austin snapped a picture of the photo and handed it back to Lukey. "Excuse me a moment.. I need to use the bathroom," Austin paced down the hallway and up the stairs. Something tells me he isn't looking for a bathroom- but that's just me.

     "Babe, it's okay. You can come out," Austin switched the light on to another bedroom. The dim light revealed a beautiful woman with silky dirty blonde hair half-up styled and wavy bangs on the left side. She wore a vibrant red corset and an elegant sheer white dress with a soft red rose starting a high slit in the dress. Who is this woman? Austin, you're so devious! What are you hiding?!"

     "Are you sure?" The woman stepped out further into the light.

     "Charlotte, you don't need to worry. Nobody followed me," Austin stepped towards her, reaching out to hold her gently. He pushed her bangs behind her ear and tenderly kissed her. He slid his hands down to her waist and caressed her while lifting her up. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder and legs around his back. She giggled while staring into Austin's mysterious baby blue eyes. Austin sat down on the bed and readjusted the woman to sit comfortably on his lap.

     "Why are you keeping us such a secret?" Charlotte asked. Fine. If you want me to use her real name you should've just asked!

     "Because, it's too late to reveal you.. If I do, people will think I've been hiding you for the wrong reason and I could lose you.. Please, I was going to reveal you at the party before everything else happened."

     "What happened..?" Charlotte stroked through Austin's jet black hair. Is it just me, or does it look like this woman is about to give Austin a lap dance? Whatever. It's probably just me.

     "A bunch of murders.." You see.. I would let Austin finish, but we already know what he's about to say. So let's just zoom forward, back downstairs!

     Lukey rolled their eyes and got their phone back out to gaze at the photo.

     "They look like they're around 16.. Not that long ago," Lukey sighed. After a minute of staring, they felt butterflies. They looked around the hallway to check if Austin was going to ever come back. Seeing that the coast was clear, they stared at the photo again. They blushed and grinned. "Wait a minute..what am I doing? Vinny isn't even hot. Pft, they're dumb too," Lukey wiped the grin off their face and turned off their phone.

     Shortly after, the door handle turned and the door opened to reveal Elizabeth, Vinnae, Charlie, and Vinny.

     "Are you finally done?" Lukey stared at them.

     "Yeah.. Where's Austin?" Vinny scanned the hall.

     "He left to go to the bathroom..but we did find something," Lukey opened their phone and showed the group the photo.

     "What.. the hell..?" Vinny snagged Lukey's phone from their hand to get a closer look. "Is this Me?"

     "Looks like it," Lukey took the phone back.

     Vinny was about to open their mouth to talk, when footsteps were heard from the distance. Austin, perhaps? Did he finish plowing Charlotte? Wait. Who am I kidding, I can look to see who it is myself! Urgh, fine. I won't. But who is it?!

     A girl ran into the crowd, she had dark skin and shiny black hair in the same style as Elizabeth's.. Space buns, half-up, half-down. She had a short-sleeved white shirt and a pink short lengthed plaid dress, complete with a gold necklace.

     "Hiya! I've been trying to find you guys!" The girl shouted.

     "...Who the fuck are you?!" Vinny exclaimed.

     "..oh. I'm sorry! I forgot my manners. My name is Jamila!"