Haunteds

Chapter 14

I don't think karaoke's going to happen because when we came down, Major Coleman was back. Almost everyone was here. Leo and Eris brushed past us down the stairs. I was about to say hi but they look like they didn't appreciate being woken up (everyone had to be present for the meetings) so I change my mind. With everyone down, Major Coleman started. He told us that only Kent's parents were informed about his death. And that the whole thing is not made public, of course.

"So, does that mean that our parents have no idea what we just went through last night?" Eris said.

"Correct," he confirmed. "And they never will."

"Unless we die," I said to myself in a low voice. Unfortunately, we huddled in a small circle, so even a slight mutter like that was loud enough for all to hear. Major Coleman gave me a look as did my dorm mates as if checking to see if I was being sarcastic or it was a genuine concern. I don't even know myself, to be honest. The words just came out of my mouth before I even realized. "Which is why you were given your duties," Major Coleman said.

Demi raised his hand, even though it's not protocol. "What do you think happened last night?"

"I don't know," Major Coleman confessed. "That's what you're all here for, remember?"

Indigo stepped forward. "What did you tell Kent's parents...about how he died?"

"There was an accident," Major Coleman said. "And their son was an unfortunate casualty."

After he said that, many of us started murmuring in disagreement. And by the looks of his face, I don't think even he buys what he just said. "That's it?" I asked, waiting for more explanation. "And they believed that"?

"Who knows?" he said. "But until you kids found anything that would suggest otherwise, then that's the story."

"What about the cultists, sir?" Cato asked. "Could it be them?" The cult went out with their leader during the Massacre fifty years ago, so there's just no way unless of course, Major Coleman drops another bomb on us.

"Considering that no cultist and their activities had been reported these past decades, I would say that is not the case here," Major Coleman said.

Just as I thought. But is what I have any better than that? I glanced at Cana. She nodded at me. I took that as her way of telling me to speak up, to tell them what we know. "Major, you said that CCTV cameras surround this place?" I asked.

"I did."

"You also said that we write down whatever we saw, no matter how insignificant it may seem."

Major Coleman raised his eyebrow. "What's your point?"

"Oh, um..." Suddenly, my lips quivered. I felt hesitant to tell them. Then I realized why. I was about to tell everyone who is already doing their best to keep it together that none of us is safe. And that is if I'm right.

But what if I'm wrong? What if I told them my ridiculous theory, only to discover later on that it was something else entirely? Wouldn't I just freak them out over nothing, not to mention make a gigantic fool of myself? I'm still embarrassed about the way I handled things last night. Wouldn't want a repeat now. But Major Coleman did say that we should make note of whatever happens. So should I consult Major Coleman first about this? That way I won't be the one starting the unnecessary panic around here.

Cana elbowed my ribs when I had just resolved to keep this a secret. I shot her an annoyed look which she returned. In the end, I yield.

Just start from the beginning. You've got this. I told myself. I balled my hands in my pockets and took a deep breath. "I think I can explain what happened last night."

The moment I said that, it got so quiet that I'd just noticed the pinging of the machines coming from the arcade room. I can almost feel everyone was holding their breath, waiting for the next words that will come pass my mouth. "I have reason to believe that it was the Shade that did it."

I told them everything. From our pretend investigation to my conclusion I just told Cana.

"And to prove this, you want to see if the piece of wood that killed Kent came from the same tree," Major Coleman said.

I nodded.

"Did any of you actually saw the Shade sliced down the tree?" he asked.

Nobody answered. I shook my head. There was strange, prickly feeling running on the back of my neck, growing stronger by the second. I'm sure everyone was staring at me now, anxiously waiting to hear the next set of words of my ridiculous claims.

"We couldn't see it. The Shade floated behind the trees. We never saw it again last night," Leo said.

Major Coleman nodded and kept quiet for a second. "Eyes and now the ability to touch," Major Coleman finally said. "And the tree fell right after you've heard Mr. Donovan screamed?"

"I still don't know how the Shade did it. But who or what else would want us dead last night?" I said. "Besides, you said the sensors didn't detect anyone last night, right?"

"Correct." Major Coleman said.

"But I thought that we agreed earlier that you need a chainsaw to cut down a tree that smooth," Cana said. "And even with that, it would take at least a minute to penetrate through the tough bark."

"But according to you kids," Major Coleman said. "The tree fell instantaneously."

"It did." Cana said. "So, even if someone did manage to slip past all that security while lugging around a huge and totally obvious chain saw, they just couldn't have done it without any of us noticing."

Demi looked confused. "Why would someone even break into a military base just to cut down a tree at night?"

"No motive, no means...I just can't see any other explanation." I said. Part of me was hoping that Major Coleman or my dorm mates would tell me that I was just imagining things or must have drawn a false conclusion. Oh, how I wanted to be proven wrong now.

"Hmm," Major Coleman pondered for a while, absorbing all the information I'd just thrown at him. "So in summary, U.V. lights are still fatal to the Shade. And assuming Mr. Donovan truly did just get in the way, then that means the Shade still do NOT go after other people except haunteds. If the Shade can touch things, that would also suggest that the Shade have a physical body, no?"

"That could be the case, but we have no way of proving it." I said.

"Was Mr. Donovan really just an accident?" Cato said.

That got everyone's attention. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"The Shade hid behind the trees, a behavior not noted before. But it didn't cut down the tree right away. It waited. And what did Mr. Donovan do, Vergil?"

I tried to recall what happened. "He asked for my pen and—Oh."

Cato nodded at me.

"What is it?" Cana asked me. "What's he talking about?"

"You think it lured Mr. Donovan?" I said.

Major Coleman eyes opened wide. "That would suggest that the Shade possesses a degree of intelligence?"

"Cutting a tree down to make weapons, luring Mr. Donovan to his death," Cato summarized. "It IS intelligent."

"Hmm," Major Coleman said, lost in his own thoughts. "No one could have anticipated such drastic changes. Not after years of being consistent."

"Especially Mr. Donovan," Cato added. "He never felt his life was in danger. None of us did."

Major Coleman turned to me. "And you said you have no idea as to how the Shade cut the tree down, along with Mr. Donovan?"

I nodded.

"Well, the only thing left to do is to test your theory."

"Test it, sir?"

"Of course, it wouldn't mean much if we didn't test your theory, now would it?" Major Coleman said. "Tonight, you will observe the Shade once again, and confirm everything we've discussed here. And don't worry, you kids won't be alone."