Chapter Fourteen

Learn Not to Ignore Me

The next morning, the power went back in Mapleton. The sun was shining for a brand new day, but little did the people know, another human being was murdered. As the students of Mapleton High arrived, all of them were shocked because there were police cars, ambulance and media around the school.

“A man named Finn Spender, Mapleton High’s janitor, was found dead inside a janitor’s closet...” reported by a blonde girl reporter from CNN in front of her camera man, “Excuse us for those who are still having their breakfast: the janitor was brutally stabbed and was placed in a sack. His blood was found strayed from the closet up to the starting step of the stairwell. Local Detectives are now searching for forensic evidences. The question that leaves us is who would have killed him and why? And is this related to the infamous Edward Lawson murder since they were both living in the same town? Or is this just an isolated case? This is Bridget Eisenhower reporting, back to the studio.”

Richard Grayson arrived at the campus and was stunned in seeing the pandemonium. He saw his girlfriend, Brittany Schoenfield, covering her mouth. He headed straight to her and asked what happened.

“The janitor was murdered,” Brittany responded sacredly.

“What?” Richard’s eyes widened as if he saw a ghost and got quiet for a second. He realized something.

“He was placed in a sack and his blood was all strayed on the floor. Poor janitor,” Brittany added.

Richard did not respond and he grabbed his iPhone and went to the previous message of E about the janitor. He realized that it was connected. Really connected. He felt queasy.

“Are you okay, Richard?” Brittany was perplexed in seeing his demeanour.

Richard nodded fast. Then, he saw Louis walking by. “I’ll be back, babe.” He quickly ran to his best friend. “Louis!”

“Hey,” Louis was confused looking at the pandemonium, “what’s going on in here? Don’t tell me we have an E problem?”

“We do have an E problem,” Richard was catching his breath, “remember the text?”

Louis nodded and his eyes widened as he tried to utter a word but no word came out.

“The janitor is dead,” Richard cried, “I think E has given us a death note.”

“First, Edward, now the janitor,” Louis recalled, “why is he or she doing this? Do they know who killed him?”

“If they do, E would have been caught by now.”

Richard and Louis started to feel unsafe about what happened. Then, Principal Warren Murphy walked out from the school entrance with chaperones beside him carrying a podium and a microphone. He was also being interviewed as he was heading in the middle of the campus lawn. He climbed up to the podium to make an announcement. Before he start, he tapped the microphone and it made a feedback catching everyone’s attention.

“Students of Mapleton. Since we have a scene of a crime here,” Principal Murphy started, “the administration and I decided to suspend the class for this day and resumed the class tomorrow as soon as we clear things up. Thank you. You all may now go. And be safe.”

Everyone outside the campus suddenly murmured. Some of them cheered in happiness, some of them were not. “Oh come on, Principal Murphy!” Malcolm Schmidt yelled, “Drama department has a workshop today!”

“Shut up, Drama boy!” Jude O’Brien yelled back as he gave his teammates high-fives. His group were so glad that classes were suspended. Then, he huddle up with his teammates, “Boys, let’s have fun at my Lake House. Bring your girlies!”

Meanwhile, Brittany left the campus without saying goodbye to Richard. Richard didn’t notice that Brittany had already left.

On the other side, Ismail Ambani and Travis Becker just arrived. They saw their friends and approached them.

“Did Murphy just suspend the class?” Ismail asked as he got down from his Ducati motor cycle. Travis was on it. “What’s going on in here?”

“The janitor was killed,” Louis said immediately, “Finn, the janitor.”

“What?” Ismail and Travis cried in unison.

“Louis and I thought that E might have killed him,” Richard added.

“What made you think of that?” Travis asked.

Richard showed the text to Ismail and Travis. “Didn’t you guys receive this message last night?”

Travis and Ismail shook their head no.

“I think E sent this before he or she killed the janitor,” Richard explained, “it’s like a death note.”  

“Do they know about E?” Travis quickly asked.

“No,” Louis said. 

“Shhh, Mr. Jones is coming,” Richard warned.

Brent Jones was heading toward the direction of the boys behind Travis’s back.

Travis made a quick glimpse and started to blush.

“You boys better go now. We’ll just update you,” Brent Jones said as he placed his hands on Travis’s right shoulder.

Travis started to get uncomfortable. He blushed even more. His eyeballs were moving in different directions.

“Be safe, you guys,” Brent advised. Then he gave Travis his last look.

Travis pressed his lips as Brent walked away.

“Thank you, sir,” Louis said.

“You okay, man?” Richard asked Travis.

“What?” Travis pretended to not hear.

“You’re red,” Ismail said.

“No I’m not,” Travis denied. “I just--- uh, unwell. That’s all.”

“You sure?” Ismail asked. “Why didn’t you tell me this a while ago?”

“Guys, let’s just stay first in my house. Let’s talk there.” Travis changed the topic. He quickly climbed up on Ismail’s Ducati while watching Brent Jones walk ahead.

Ismail started his motor engine as Louis rode on Richard’s SUV.

Then, they all went to Travis’s.