Two Rungs Below

02 • The Trench Coat Man

I left my bag in my locker and gathered the books I would need for math. When I had everything I needed I began to walk down the halls towards the classroom. As I did so, it felt as though the whole school was suffocating me. I began to pick up pace, wanting to escape the scene.

I reached the doorway of the classroom, but froze as I did so. I saw Lila's desk, the one in front of mine, but it was not empty as I thought it would be. The man wearing the trench coat sat in it.

"Oliver," Dr. Geno asked from behind his desk, "is everything alright?" My conscious returned to reality at the sound of his voice. "How about you take a trip to the bathroom Oliver."

I nodded in response and exited the classroom. Class had started so the halls were empty, which was quite a relief to me.

I made my way to the bathroom, and entered the handicap stall at the back. At least in there I could have peace and quiet.

However it must have been too much peace as I dozed off during my time in the bathroom, which when you think about it is a bit odd.

My eyes opened to a view spanning the entirety of Keystone city. I could see my house, the school, the library, the strip mall, all of it.

I was standing at the top of the Keystone Water Tower. I felt someone tap my shoulder and instantly I turned around.

Lila.

"Help," she cried out as she stood in front of me.

"W-what is going on? How are you here?"

"Help." Before I could respond out of no where the trench coat man materialized behind her, and pushed her off the tower. I bolted to the rail in attempt to save her, but she kept falling.

Kept falling . . .

My body flew forward as I awoke from my dream. How long has it been? I stood up, dizzy as I grasped for foundation.

Eventually I made it out of the stall and stood in the bathroom. As I exited I noticed thar the mirror had been scribbled on . . .

It was a picture of a trench coat, and nothing more. I looked at it again to ensure it that it wad not just another vision, but it was there. It was real.

You will always be two rungs below.

I had been played, again. While I sat in a stall daydreaming I was in the same bathroom as the killer. He had been right there, he could have even come in the stall.

My first instinct was to check the cameras, but I remembered last year all of the hallway cameras had been removed and replaced with microphones due to the lack of funding when the new security system was installed.

I returned to class, while I was gone everyone had been working on an assignment, and sat at my desk. I opened up my binder and tore a piece of paper out. If I wanted to catch the killer, I was going to have to plan it out.

I drew a rough sketch of our neighborhood. If Lila were killed there would be no way for me to get anywhere near here house with immediately being taken into custody. However I could check the space in between, as well as the house I saw him at this morning.