My Soul to Keep

CHAPTER 19



I walked into a nightmare. Not literally, but close. It was two days before Halloween. By some miracle, Halloween ended up being on a Saturday this year. The dance was tomorrow night. Friday night. Everyone should be happy and excited. Instead everybody seemed to be shuffling through the halls like zombies. Nobody smiled. Nobody talked. Something was very wrong.

I shrugged and went straight for my locker. Jeremy was at his grabbing his trig book. "Hey, Jeremy."

"Hi, Connor."

"Dude, you too? What the hell is going on?"

He turned toward me and gave me a shocked look. "Where have you been? Don't tell me you didn't hear…"

"Hear what?"

"Dude, you may want to sit down. Where were you last night?"

"I went to the mall, ran home, and did homework and played video games. Why?"

"Holy cow. How the hell do you tell someone something like this? Last night there was an accident…"

"What kind of accident?" I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I quickly looked around for Jessie. Before Jeremy could continue I saw her father's Escalade pull up to the curb. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her door open and her slender foot step out onto the curb. At least it wasn't Jessie. "What happened?"

"You know Stacy Wolf and Kristina Rutherford? You should, they're in your homeroom."

I nodded. Of course I knew them. We'd been going to school together for the past three years. They were very nice. "Yeah, are they okay?"

"No. They're not. They walked home from the library last night and…and…"

"And what?"

"Something attacked them. Some sort of wild animal. They didn't stand a chance. Dude, I heard from some kids who found them…Their necks…their bodies…"

"Are they going to be okay?" I already knew the answer.

"They're dead. There was blood everywhere. Animal control is looking for a bear. That's what they think did it. It's the only thing they can think of that could almost completely chew a head off."

Last night's pretzels started to rise up and escape. "Jeremy…"

"I know. Everybody is severely about to lose it. To lose somebody to a car accident is one thing. To have two of your friends eaten…"

"What are you two talking about? The girls they found last night?"

We both turned and saw Jessie standing behind us. "Yeah."

"I knew them both. A little. I feel horrible."

"Everybody does. They're supposed to be bringing grief counselors in to talk to everybody who knew them."

I just couldn't believe it. What were the odds of a bear wandering around, hungry enough to attack two kids in town? I hoped they caught it soon. "That really sucks. Are they going to have a service?"

"Tomorrow. We're going to have a candle light vigil before the dance."

"They're not going to cancel it?" I was shocked.

"No, they said it would help with the healing process. I think it's going to suck."

I looked over at Jessie and she seemed to agree with Jeremy. "Maybe they're right. It would help to remember the good times." I said it, but it's just because I didn't want to give up dancing with Jessie.

"You're probably right," she said and gave me a smile.

Thank God.

* * *

I guess Coach Cobb didn't want another dodge ball debacle. He actually brought us out to the field for PE. I didn't see any footballs or baseball bats so maybe he was pissed off enough to just make us run.

"Ladies and gentlemen, for the past ten years our Track and Field program has had nothing but losses. We are the shame of the tri-county area. Today, for class, we're having open tryouts. Of course by open, I mean that you are required to try out. If you show any hint of talent, congratulations. You're on the team."

There was a collective moan from the entire class. I wanted to be on the track team like I wanted to date Clarisse. Not at all. I looked around at everybody in their gym shorts and T-shirts. The jocks seemed to be shrugging and saying, "What the heck."

The other ninety percent of the class looked like they'd just received next of kin notifications.

"Line up! We're going to start with sprints."

Coach cob walked to the other end of the short track. He grabbed the stopwatch on its string around his neck and yelled for Brian Anderson to start off. Brian was a god amongst jocks. His last name also started with the letter A. I wondered if we were going in alphabetical order or ability order.

He took his place at the mark and the coach shouted, "Go!" Brian took off like the wind. He ran by Coach Cobb who thumbed the watch in his hand and smiled. I guess he made the team.

"Adrian Zelesky, you're up." I turned and saw another of the jock set stroll up to the mark. I guessed we weren't going in alphabetical order.

The ten athletes in the class went and earned smiles from the coach. I guess he had his team. He called me next. I fully expected to be third to last. I looked up at the coach and gave him a look. "Come on, son. Let's see what you got."

I sighed and took my stance at the mark. As soon as he said, "Go," My body surged forward. I kept forgetting my body could do things I didn't expect to be able to do. Panic struck. The last thing I wanted to do was be stuck running track for the rest of my days in High School. I willed myself to slow down. Still, I didn't want to look like I wasn't trying. "Hey, why is Connor jogging," would be bad. It might piss the coach off, too. That never ended well. I skirted the line between trying and not trying. I figured that would be good enough. As I passed Coach Cobb, he looked at the watch with disbelief in his eyes.

I guess I went too slowly. He must not have bought it. Crap. I wondered what my punishment would be. Pushups or sit-ups, either way it would suck.

I turned in a circle and jogged back over to the coach to accept my fate. "Sorry, coach," I said and waited for the endless tirade of how I would never make anything of myself if I didn't try.

"You've been holding out on me, son. Congratulations. You beat Brian by a full second. You're on the team."

Crap.

"First practice is Monday after school. Bring your running shoes."

I nodded and headed over to the group that had already tried out. Again they looked at me like they wanted to kill me. Right at that second, I actually thought about letting them.

* * *

The bell finally rang. The occupants of Mr. McBride's chemistry class let out a collective sigh of relief. One more day of school, the dance, and then the weekend. More importantly, Halloween weekend. Everybody says how Halloween is for little kids. That is so untrue. Show me a High School kid who doesn't like free candy and I'll show you a diabetic.

I stood up and stretched. I looked over at Jessie. There were three students at every lab table. This was the one class I didn't get to sit with her. She ended up with Jeremy and Beth, one of the vampire twins. I kept a close eye on her, but she acted like a normal High School girl when she wasn’t trying to bite my face off. I grabbed my books and walked over to their table.

"Hi, Connor," Beth greeted me with a smile. I shivered when I saw her fangs. I blinked twice and if I concentrated, I could see her human-seeming.

"Hi, Beth," I said and started helping Jessie gather all of her things. "You ready, Jess?"

"When you are. Thanks, sweetie." I blushed and tried not to do a little happy dance that she called me sweetie.

The rest of the class heard her and let out a, "Ooooh." So much for the happy dance.

We exited the class and hit our lockers. Most of us had combination locks, but being blind, Jessie used a keyed one. She pulled the key out from inside her shirt and felt around for her locker.

"Two to the left, Jess," I said to help.

She smiled and the jealousy I had been feeling toward her key, dissipated.

"Do you have any plans tonight?"

"I'm sure I could clear my hectic schedule. What did you have in mind?" I leaned in close to hear her.

"Well I was thinking we could go back to your house. We do have that horrendous chemistry paper due."

"What chemistry paper?" I started to panic.

"Exactly," she said.

I chuckled as she grabbed some things out of her locker, shut the door, and locked it. She had a truly devious mind and I enjoyed every minute spent with her. When I wasn't making an ass out of myself.

"Come on, we'll see if we can catch a ride with my dad."

"Want to walk instead?" I really didn't want to get into a car with Mr. James.

"Oh, quit being a baby. He likes you! He just doesn't know it yet.