Jenny rolled out of bed when her alarm went off. It was early November and it felt like there was too many days until Thanksgiving break. She stretched and turned off the alarm and turned on the news as was her habit each morning as she started her day.
“…record breaking storm.” The announcer finished saying. Jenny didn’t really register yet what it said as she yawned, pulled on her robe and slipped her feet into her slippers. Moving slowly, she went to get her first cup of coffee for the day. She loved that her coffee maker could be set up the night before and be waiting on her when she dragged herself into the kitchen. She poured her cup, added her creamer and took her first sip. The tv was still playing in the other room, some commercial for insurance. She took her cup to the door leading to her balcony and stepped out. It was cold, much colder than she had expected. It finally registered, there was snow everywhere. At least a foot of snow had fallen and the whole world was quiet at the moment. The cold and snow and the quiet filled Jenny with joy. She loved the snow. She suspected this meant a snow day.
Whirling around, Jenny was like a little kid again, listening intently to the tv while scrolling on her phone to her school districts website to see if they were closed for the day. If they were suppose to shift to E-Learning, there’d be a problem. She hadn’t brought anything home to do that with. She thought about the fun she was going to have if only - YES! Her school district was announced.
Jenny set down her coffee and rushed to her room. She pulled on the warmest clothes she could find and headed outside. She loved the snow, and the winter. She started her morning by building a snowman. By the time she finished kids from the apartment complex were flooding outside. She quickly organized fort building and a snowball fight ensued. The other team crushed hers, and their fort fell into a collapsed mess. I guess that’s what happens when twenty kids versus one teacher and two parents.
The snow continued falling all day. By evening, Jenny was rosy cheeked with the cold and looking forward to a roaring fire, hot cocoa and some dinner.
She hoped it kept snowing. One glorious day of snow just didn’t seem like enough.
Carolyn ran wildly through the fields behind her grandparents house. It had been a horrible day today. Social Media was lit up with false accusations and doctored photos. Who could hate her that much? She collapsed against a huge weeping willow tree. She was panting hard, trying to see through her tears that soaked her face and blurred her vision. How had this become her life in one short day?
Dylan got up and started her routine. Today was the day. She was tired of being pushed around. She was seen as an outcast. She had a complicated home life. Her father was in jail and her mother was stretched thin. Dylans younger brother was a handful. He has all kinds of neurological problems, behavior issues and trauma from before he came to be her adopted brother. She was tired of feeling like he got all the attention. She missed time with her mom. She missed her dad. Her mom tried, but Bryan was always a limiting factor for everything in their lives. She was a good student, but didn’t have many friends. She was afraid to bring anyone home to her messy house or troubled brother. She didn’t want to make things harder on her mom even though she encouraged her to have friends - go out, invite them over or whatever. Mom just couldn’t keep up with everything and Dylan didn’t like feeling like she had to be the other adult in the house. It wasn’t fair.
School was hardly better. She tried so hard to fit in, that she ended up not fitting in. Her mom was right, not that she would ever tell her that, but maybe she did try to hard. But today that was going to change. She was done being the one that was made fun of and dumped on each day. She did what she needed to and knew everything she needed to know. She had bided her time and watched those around her. As people spoke and gossiped like she wasn’t there, she began to know everything. It was intoxicating. She knew that she was no longer going to be the one everyone pointed and stared at or ignored completely. Today her new blog was going to go live. She just needed to stop at the coffee shop on the way, it would blur her online fingerprint and keep her anonymous. Today, she’d begin to get her revenge.
By lunch, the whole school had shared the newest gossip blog: The Assassin. The first article had come out, with pictures to boot. The pictures were blurred so as not to be sharing pornography, especially nude minors, but everyone could see the face. Carolyn Maxwell, the most popular girl in school was splayed on the top of the article that read:
Carolyn - She who is worshiped by all. As you can see from the picture above, she sure is
worshiped by someone. Carolyns family is no longer the wealthy socialites she’d have you
continue to believe. The IRS has been paying awfully close attention to her father’s financial
dealings. If her best friend E is to be believed, Carolyn is in the family way. What will she do now?
Who is the father? How can she support someone with her family in ruins. This blogger wont
rest until they find all the answers. Until tomorrow, The Assassin
The whispers were awful. Carolyn had only told one person any of these secrets. She couldn’t believe that her best friend would write this. There was no real clue who the Assassin was, but he or she certainly assassinated Carolyn that day. Maybe She is still alive, but she wishes she wasn’t. Only time will tell how many more people will fall pray to The Assassin.
Sarah was out and about for her daily run. Everyday she followed the same path. Today, she found her favorite trail closed . She get into her car and headed out to the state park. After parking, Sarah took a moment to look at the trail map o she'd been here before but not very often. Heading out on a medium intensity trail, Sarah really got intothe pounding rhythm of her feet against the pavement and the relentless boat to her favorite work out songs. Sarah ran her best and hardest. By the end of her hour long run, she felt the burn in her legs and knew that maybe she should run here more often.
He stood just off the trail. He had followed her on the trail. She was beautiful, all blonde hair, long legs, athletic frame and breasts that he couldn't wait to touch. As she got into her car, he got in his. She would be his, and he would start his pursuit now.
Sarah did one final stretch before climbing into her car. She felt great and couldn't wait to run there again. She headed directly home. As she drove, she mentally went through her agenda for the day. She had a client for a potential ghost writer job in about an hour just enough time to slower and prepare for their meeting. Glancing into her rearview mirror, she felt a ripple of unease. She could swear that the car behind her had followed ever since leaving the state park. The car was easy to spot as it was an older yellow Jeep. Being a single woman, Sarah decided caution was needed. Changing direction she headed to her brother's house. He would be out of town, but she would feel better going somewhere other than home.
Pulling into the driveway of the modest home her brother owned, she parked and headed into the house immediately. From The front door, she watched as the yellow Jeep parked in front of the neighbors house. Whoever it wasthey did not get out of the car. With her time to her meeting shortening, she hopped into the slowest grabbed a change of clothes she kept there. Fortunately she also carried her laptop with her everywhere because she never knew when inspiration might strike.
After her meeting, she geared out the window and so that the Jeep was gone. Telling herself it was just a coincidence, she locked up her brother's housed headed to her car she shook her head at her own unease.
The next morning, she headed back to the state park. As she stretched, she carefully looked over the vehicles parked in the lot. She saw the old yellow Jeep that she thought she'd seen yesterday. Yet another ripple of release assailed her. Deciding to take a different path today then yesterday. She started out on an easier trail hoping there would be more runners on it. She listened to her music, trying to lose herself to the pounding rhythm of her daily run. She struggled to find her stride S and continued to be uneasy at the lack of runners on the path. Turning around to end her she early, Sarah was startled to see a man remind behind her, he seemed like any other runner. With an uneasy but friendly nod, Sarah headed back The way she came.
Before she knew what was happening, she was on the ground, pinned down her face smooshed into the dirt I making breathing difficult. She tried to kick backwards but she couldn't connect. She tried to scream, but found all she did was choke on the dirt. Hands grasped and tore at her clothes. Managing to pull one arm out, she managed to grasp some dirt and throw it behind herself blindly. Miraculously, she heard his cry as she managed to score a hit. The pressure lessened just enough to slide herself out from under him.
He roared in outrage at her audacity- didn’t she know that she belonged to him? How dare she defy his will? Pulling out his favorite hunting knife, he attacked again. She would pay for her defiance.
As she lay there, looking up at the canopy above her, she wished she'd listened to her unease. She prayed no one else fell victim to this crazy man she had never met.