“-and remember to stay vigilant. The campus police are still working to figure out the growing number of missing persons. If you have any information, please contact them at-“
I tune out the school radio as I put on my headphones. The campus had the broadcast on 24/7, blaring from the speakers and becoming an annoying buzz to the day. Since the start of the semester, 12 students had gone missing. No trace of them or any of their belongings; it was like they’d never been on campus in the first place.
I readjust my bag on my shoulder as I walk through the campus. It was getting late, and I needed to hurry if I was going to get back to the dorms by curfew. With the uptick in missing students, the mandatory curfew was just one of the procedures the school put in place to hopefully keep us safe. Just the thought of that makes me laugh.
As I’m getting ready to cross the street, a bright orange muscle car pulls up in front of me. Sitting in the front seat is one of the seniors from my class, Derek. I take my headphones off and give a slight wave in greeting.
“Yo, Paige! It’s getting late, why not take a ride to the dorms with me?” Looking around, I see no one else nearby. I shrug nonchalantly and approach the passenger side.
“Thanks, Derek. I appreciate it.” He flashes me a smile that seems a bit forced, eyes flitting over my body as I get in.
The car smells like blood.
I place my bag at my feet, its contents shifting and making more noise than I’d like. As Derek starts to drive he comments on it.
“It seems like you have a lot of heavy stuff in that bag; need some help getting it to your room?”
The car smells like blood.
“No thanks,” I say softly. “I can handle it.” Derek’s hand grazes my thigh as he goes to shift gears; his car has an automatic transmission.
The car smells like blood.
I try to not show how I flinch away from his touch, how his small gesture makes me want to sink in on myself. I feel like I’m suffocating in the seat, so I take off my jacket.
The car smells like blood.
Derek can’t help but turn to look at me as I remove the jacket. I can feel his eyes on me. I can see that damn smile start to creep back onto his face. I hear him take a quick inhale before he quickly turns forward again.
The car smells like blood.
I notice that his hands are gripping the steering wheel to the point of his knuckles turning white. His shoulders and jaw are tense, and his eyes are wide. He suddenly turns off campus and starts to head towards the park.
“Are you okay, Derek? This isn’t the way to the dorms.” As soon as I start talking, his whole body tenses up more. He doesn’t answer me, he just keeps driving.
The car smells like blood.
We sit in silence. I figure there’s a reason we’re going to the park. The campus police have a mobile station there, there’s a spot to feed ducks, and there’s a koi pond. Maybe he wants to spend some time outdoors before curfew.
Derek pulls up to the lake and parks. His eyes are still wide and glued forward. He refuses to look at me. I get out of the car, grabbing my bag and closing the door with a bang. I stretch and take a deep breath when I’m out of the car, enjoying the fresh air.
The car smells like blood.
Wait.
I’m not in the car anymore. So why can I still smell blood?
“Woops,” I mutter to myself, looking down. My bag lays at my feet, a small knot of rope sticking out. As I’m looking down, I see the source of the blood smell: my shirt is covered in it. “Totally forgot about that!” I said as I turned back to Derek’s car. “That’s why I was wearing the jacket.”
Opening the door, I grab my jacket from the floorboard. “My bad,” I say to Derek. “I don’t like to make a mess, but it seems like it was necessary this time.”
12 students missing. 12 students with track records of hurting others and getting away with it. 12 bodies to never be found.
“Well,” I whisper to Derek. “Make that 13.”
Derek doesn’t answer. The car smells like blood.