Glare: Common Ground

Previously on The Glare Series:
Glare: Common Danger

The school was horribly dark.
Sir Nickie, our Literature teacher, gave us an excuse pass that will allow us to stay until 10:00 P.M.
He's very influential and responsible so a lot of the staff trusts him.
He's good with the students too.
"The security guard will lock up the doors at around 7. If you see them, just show them the pass. Don't stay here too late. Good luck." He exited the building and strode forward to his shiny black Toyota parallel parked in front of the school.
As he drove away, Me and Darcy walked on to the library. We met Heather on the way. She was with her friend, Clara.
"Hey, you guys gonna be fine with us in the library?" I asked. They both nodded.
"I'm sorry Heather dragged you into this." Clara blushed and smiled shyly. As far as I can remember, this has been her reaction to anything I said. It didn't really take more than one conversation to put 2 and 2 together.
"Well-" Heather puts her hand around Clara's shoulder. "It just so happens that her parents are out of town and that she ASKED me if she could join us." Clara became even redder. It makes me wonder how these 2 are even best friends. Heather is spontaneous and boyish at times. Clara is what you'd call a girl among girls.

                                                                             ~X~

 It was 30 minutes shy before 6:00 but it had became oddly dark out so fast.
Maybe it's cause December just rolled in.
The library was a big space with numerous bookshelves that towered students.
Carl was sleeping while Patricia was sprawled at a table reading an article in the newspaper about some girl jumping in front of another girl who was about to be publicly executed.
It was all over the news last night. I don't bother with the details and usually hear them second hand from Heather.
Apparently, the girl tried to take the blame for the culprit's murders, but the true culprit appeared out of nowhere and took the brunt of bullets. Heather tells me this was a long running case but I didn't really pay attention.
What caught my attention last night was me prying bullets off of Matt's body while Heather continued to watch the news, not helping AT ALL.
"Oh, that was all over the news." Heather starts. Patricia nods and shows her another article.
"Yeah, and this one." She points to page 4's headlines.
'Man and Woman found dead in Apartment 64 of San Francisco Sunshine Apartments.'
Oh, this I heard of. Our history teacher in class says she knew the woman.
"The woman was found dead in her bedroom with a rose on her hands. She was stabbed directly on her chest. Then the man was found hanging on some sort of torture device hung outside the window. The body was so mutilated that they couldn't identify who it was until they found his wallet. They also found a knife in the body with the girls blood on it and his fingerprints on the handle.
The police are still looking into the man's murder, but can't seem to pin it on the woman's husband. There were no traces of his presence in the room and when they found him, his alibi checks out."
Patricia laid the newspaper down on the table as she finishes reading, waking Carl up with the force of her palms. Darcy was eating a lollipop.
"Why are you so caught up on cases like this, Trish?" she asks. The strawberry scent of the lollipop was making me hungry.
"Cause it's an adventure." says Patricia and smiles. "You know how much I enjoy mysteries. Not that I enjoy murders though."
There was a shrug and everyone prepared for a boring night.
I just hope Matt's behaving himself at home.


                                                                             ~X~

2 hours rolled by and the librarian finally left. We were getting hungry and the project was half done anyways, so we decided to take a break.
"I'll go pick up some food in the cafeteria. Lunch lady Olly said she'd leave us with some dinner on her way out." Carl got up and left the room.
Heather and Clara were silently fiddling with their phones.
Girls, I thought.
"Hey Darce. You watch Catching Fire yet?" I asked.
"Like hell I'd miss that movie." She was a hardcore fan.
As seconds turned to minutes, I felt a pang of boredom and let my head slowly lay on the table. Darcy hands me a piece of candy. It was coffee flavored, my favorite.
"Can't have you snoozing." I smiled and popped the candy in my mouth. Then a bloodcurdling scream gets everyone on their feet.
"Why is it always the scream?!" says Clara. Then, as if on cue, the lights all turn off, one by one.
The electricity was gone.

                                                                             ~X~

"Ian, I'm scared." Heather clutched to my arm like a leech. She was scared. I could barely see, but I could hear Patricia, Darcy, and Clara's breathing.
My phone was an old model and would probably have been laughed at in 4 years, but the good thing about this phone was that it had a built in flashlight. At the expense of battery, we had a source of light that could light our path. I know this school like the back of my hand, but in the dark, I'm terribly useless.
"Everyone hold on to someone and don't let go." Darcy commanded. We silently held each other in a straight line as we headed for the exit.
Outside, the moon gave enough light to let me turn off the flashlight.
The closest exit out of here was in the south wing. So we began to trudge left when Clara tripped on something.
Or someone. Carl was on the ground, with blood dripping from his left temple.
Clara was about to begin a scream, but Darcy pushed a handkerchief on her mouth.
"Quiet!" She hisses.
Clara, sobbing with fear, slowly got up and removed the cloth from her mouth.
Patricia rushed over to Carl and placed a finger on his neck.
"He's still alive. But he's bleeding, badly."
I half expected her to say he's dead, but like I said. Movie Cliches aren't always true.
"Someone give me cloth. Anything!" Heather dug out a big bandage from her purse. It was part of that mini medical pouch I got her on her birthday. She was oddly thrilled.
"Can't believe I actually get to use this." Patricia slowly placed the bandage on Carl.
"We have to get help. Someone call 911." We all grabbed our phones, but something was wrong.
There was no signal. None at all. The payphones nearby were cut too. There was no way of communication.
"We're going to have to get out of here." As we trekked to the south exit, a horrible sight makes us stop in our tracks. The doors... They were all locked with chains. The security guard, Reks was on the ground.
It was Darcy's turn to check his pulse.
"He's dead" She says and shuts his eyes. Reks wasn't a great guy, but he sure didn't deserve this.
Clara desperately tries to shake the chains loose. It was futile.

                                                                             ~X~

After the initial 5 minute panic, we had to do something fast. Carl could end up like Reks at any second.
Heather was on the verge of breaking down. Darcy was staying strong. Patricia was obviously doing her best to make this all work. And Clara.... Well she's not crazy yet, but she's definitely in panic.
"We're going to have to split up." Darcy suggests. "Trisha and I will take Carl to the clinic. You 3 try and find an exit." She grabbed the ring of keys in Reks' belt and took out the one labeled, CLINIC. I grabbed the whistle from Reks and tossed it to Patricia before they could leave.
"If anything happens, blow on this whistle for as long as you can. Oh, and..." I grabbed one of Reks' pistols from his left hostler and tossed it Darcy. "If anyone tries to attack you, don't hesitate to pull the trigger." I unstrapped the second pistol and tucked it under my shirt. They gave a nod, tossed me the other keys and disappeared into darkness.
I searched Reks for anything else we could use. A flashlight, a baton, and an extra magazine with 7 bullets. I hand Heather the baton and the flashlight, and hid the keys and magazine in my back pocket."Ian, are you sure you can use that?" she asked and pointed to the gun.
"I've had my share in the shooting range with dad." I learned how to shoot for a lot of reasons. Reasons I can't explain. I never thought I'd shoot again.
But if it comes to that...
I have to let go of all mercy and be that kid who grew up in the wrong side of town.
I have to be cruel.

-Whats my story if it doesn't have traces of violence. Enjoying I suppose? This is where the story gets darker. Hope you enjoy
~S and D

Read the Fourth Part of The Glare Series Here!
Glare: Common Hysteria