Beguile

Chapter 5

"Uhmm.. Does your feet hurt?"

Yes!

I can seriously feel my limbs trying to break free off this body!

It felt like hours since walking on such groggy road. The people who suggested this has no plans on stopping. Although, I did approve on this little parade but so far I couldn't find any meaning for this midnight walk. I hope they will surprise us on something exciting soon.

"Not really" I lied "How about you?" I put on my best smile. I keep reminding myself to act demure, it's as if they were a nightmare that constantly whispers, that even in the brightest day they haunt me, they said that 'Girls are prettier when they keep their mouth shut'.

Warm hands amid the chilling night slowly covers my own, for a moment I gasp, but when I saw a light smile on Kurt's always-grumpy-face, I couldn't help but laugh a little. So much for being demure! "What's with the face!" I ask between tears. But the boy's smile only got deeper, his smile envelopes with silence.

"You must be cold" he lock our hands tighter, then he brought it right near his lips, then he speaks "This hand, if it becomes mine, I will never let them get cold" Then he kiss them, eyes shining and his smile deeper. I knew it, he really is a weird boy.

A loud scream echoes throughout the woods. The sound of breaking twigs upon fast footsteps became loud as my classmates run towards the voices that turned into sudden silence. I push away Kurt's hand as I try to peer forward onto the scene, but I couldn't, my body against them- even with my greatest strength couldn't move them. "What's happening?" I ask the girl I'm nearest with, I see her lips opens but she couldn't utter a single sound, and with wide eyes she trembles. 'Why? What is it!' No one is saying anything, just nothing, until a sob hics from the crowd. And the silence, became a crowd of whimpers.

I once again tried to force myself onto the scene, and surprisingly it became easier, for they flinch away from a mere touch. This time, it is easy to get to the front. They are everywhere, my classmates I mean, crouched down or silently hovering onto one of the fallen trees, doing nothing... just nothing, because we are a group of healthy teenagers met with a sack bag of a dismantled human body, and we felt so so helpless.

The sight in front of me is disturbing, and I quickly look away. It was hideous, and it's strong rotten smell made a sudden discomfort on my stomach. I tried to hold it in, I tried to be strong. I can't cry now, I shouldn't, my tears would be an insult to the body's friends- to Helen's friends.

"Don't look" Somehow, Kurt's voice made me feel assured. Even more, when he wrap his arms around me and hide me from seeing more, his strong smell of expensive perfume blocks the putrid smell, and this comfortable warmth -it's been so long since I felt so secured.

"What? What is this?" I know the voice, it's Christine's, she's confuse like the rest of us are, but unlike us, she didn't keep quiet. "But they said that she's ill, the teachers, even the dean. They.... They lied"

"No! This isn't what suppose to happen" Femi yell from the crowd. I look out from Kurt's grasp, and when I did, everyone's attention is already on her.

"What do you mean, Femi?" Another girl asks, and just like that, the crowd fell to silence.

"I warned all of you before, during the first bonfire, someone's going to die and the suspect is one of us!" She pauses, "But it's okay, the suspect has been too obvious since "

"Who is that then?"

Femi search the crowd, looking for her suspect. From this crowd that gathers in a small circle, it is expected she'd easily find who she is looking for, it's as if it was only a second when she stops. "Her" She slowly pointed at the perpetrator, and everyone followed. I didn't understand where to look until she she speaks the name, " It's Kennedy".

Someone from the crowd laugh, and the others can't help but join with a subtle snicker. "Seriously! Out of all the people here, you seriously think that the weak Kennedy is capable of killing fat Helen?" Lisa halted, "Oops, sorry Helen"

I found myself just staring to Femi. I wanted to look down, to hide from such disgusting suspicion because I am innocent. "I am innocent" I whispered, I felt Kurt's hand slowly creeping up to mine, when it met, I hold his tighter- to hide my hand, to stop them from trembling.

"N-no, everyone, it must be a façade. Look, I have a witness, Elise! She last saw Helen with Kennedy! Tell them Elise."

I look at Elise who step forward from my side, all of our attention on her. My palms starts getting sweaty when I remember that time on our first visit to the new classroom, her words and actions then were weird. I just hope my best friend would not betray me.

"Oh, did you hear us? You silly Femi, it was a joke between friends, you silly, you shouldn't eavesdrop to people's conversation."

"Femi, stop this already" Jen, her best friend, tugged on Femi's coat. But the girl only ignored her and elbowed her out, leaving Jen alone in a frightened state.

The crowd is a mess. Some cannot move on from mourning, some are scared, some are quiet, some are confuse, and some are defending themselves.

"But I saw the two of them leaving for the comfort room!" Now, Femi became desperate. Aware of the stares digging for her grave.

"Ahhh. Femi's right though"

When Eron speaks, her eyes lights up in expectant. She walk up to him, eyes sparkling as if in front of such mercy, "Right! You saw them too, right? That Kennedy is anything but good, that she lured Helen to her death. That I am right, and Kennedy should be wronged!" Eron's expression stayed the same, but everyone waited in anticipation because he holds the second smartest, because he rarely speaks but his words are credible.

"I saw them, alright" He pushed his hair up, and the hundreds of little scars on his hand and arms shines under the moonlight. His gaze met mine before he spoke "Helen was walking and you know, clearly alive when she left the comfort room before Kennedy" He only said, it was only a few words but everyone's ghastly stares digs a deeper grave for Femi. I just watch when her expectant eyes drops to a desperate plea.

"No! Why won't you believe me?!"

My classmates eyes turn to disgust, some even displayed an ugly sneer, yet so subtle and only for a moment. Then I feel Kurt's hand lightly place onto my shoulder, to protect me, to reassure, but it only fuel my confidence.

"Femi?" I speak, and as planned, everyone's attention turns to me. I need to defend myself, to speak for I am innocent. "How can you point me onto such suspicion." It was only for a moment when their faces filled with disgust turns to the imminent face of chaos.

"You're right" Natalie steps forward to face her. Gone is the sweetheart, the girly girl, and now all I see is someone who's sane enough to make a big decision. "The suspect has been too obvious" Everyone agreed at Natalie's words. Slowly, their steps advance towards Femi- and this girl, terrified by their looming figures run to the depth of the woods. The cold and the fog is disregarded as they chase her down, they all did, till only Kurt and I is left standing on the spot.

"Let's go" he pauses to reach my hand, "Let's witness on how will the sinner be condemn"