Handsome Lying Jerks

Chapter 22

 Chapter Twenty-two

Pathetic Secret

“Another killing spree ensued last night: two teenagers, a boy and a girl, both students of Mapleton High, were brutally killed in an isolated timeline. The police are refusing to release the names of the victims as ordered by both of the victim’s parents,” a lady newscaster from a local news show reported. “Officer Adam Shay, Mapleton’s Chief of Police, said that the teenage girl’s assailant was caught red-handed after he was found by the police lying beside her corpse. The killer was identified to be the teenage girl’s boyfriend who is also a student of the same school. Officer Adam Shay said that the boy looked confused and was denying that he did not commit the murder…”           

“I still can’t believe why your friend would kill his girlfriend,” Richard said as he sat on the stool in front of the bar. He was carrying his black mug filled with black coffee. His friends, Louis, Travis, and Ismail were all in his kitchen watching the news.           

“...meanwhile, the teenage boy’s killer disappeared in a sea of identity,” the female newscaster continued. “The boy was killed minutes later after the corpse of the teenage girl was brought to the state hospital.”           

“So, Quentin killed Malcolm?” Ismail clarified while the newscaster was still reporting.

“No, shhh,” Louis hissed.            

The segment was showing closed-up photos of Jenna Lucas and Malcolm Schmidt with their eyes censored with black rectangles. “Officer Shay also stated that the teenage boy’s assailant may be different from the teenage girl’s. Investigators inferred that the assailant might have some accomplices who have killed the previous murders in Mapleton.”

 “I’m sure that he’s E,” Ismail concluded.

“We’re doing our best to solve this crime and to capture these killers,” Officer Adam Shay stated in the screen as he was being interviewed by the newscaster. “Right now, our prime suspect is denying everything even though all his prints matches the murder weapon. So far, we don’t know what their motives are.”

“Why is this happening to this town?” the newscaster left a question. “Mapleton, be safe and may God bless us all. Back to you, Steve.”

“I wish we could help,” Louis said.

“There’s nothing we can do,” Travis butted-in, “we’re the main target, remember?”

“If we’re the main target,” Ismail argued, “we’ve been killed by now.”

“E is saving the best for last,” Travis claimed. “And I think we’re the last.”

“We just need to be safe,” Richard sighed.

Knowing that another serial killer was still on the loose, people in Mapleton were really terrified. Some parents did not allow their children to come to school after the news was reported but others let their children attend class because classes were not yet suspended. The Police Department started rounding streets to make sure everything and everyone was safe. On the other hand, Louis, Richard, Ismail, and Travis were allowed by their parents to attend school.

That noon, the cafeteria was not as lively as it used to be. Going inside that cafeteria was upsetting and the ambience sure was uncomfortable. Some tables were empty. Students and crews were upset and petrified at the same time. But the drama department was way more than that. They were melodramatic due to the death of their president, Malcolm Schmidt. He was such a huge loss.