I wrap my arm around Kendra, giving my best smile for the picture, the man behind the camera’s gaze lingering on me for a quick second before—
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“CLICK.”
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The camera flashes, blinding me temporarily, like it burnt 2 giant holes into my retinas. Other from the dark voids I see the photographer immediately packing his equipment up, barely showing any emotion at all. He keeps glancing at me and only me, no one else on the field. I basically push it away, walking towards the school to get out of the sun that’s burning the back of my neck.
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I hear a soft deep voice. “Ruth, can I get a photo of just you on the field?” he asks. I feel pressured to say yes because he’s already setting his camera back up.
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“uh.. sure,” I reply, walking back towards him. He wipes down the lens while I stand in front of the camera. He places his eye to the camera, then again I’m blinded by the unnecessary light. Without another word he takes his equipment and walks away, my hand raised above my eye, blocking the sun as I watch.
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Making my way back to the air-conditioned school, wiping the sweat from the top of my lip, I smell the turf and Gatorade on the back of my hand. As I step into the school, feeling relieved and sheltered from the burning sun—
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“where were you..?” Janie asks, a small hint of concern playing on her face.
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“I was just taking a picture.. for the yearbook,” I reply, rubbing the rest of the sweat off my neck.
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“You were taking one alone?” she asks curiously, her eyebrow touching the bangs covering her forehead.
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“well yea, he asked me to,” I reply, not bothered, fanning my red pigmented face.
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“Don’t you think that’s weird?” she scratches the crown of her head.
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“A little bit. But I didn’t question him..” I reply, now thinking about the reasons he would want a photo of me alone.
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We both start walking slowly down the crowded hall, rows of lockers on both sides of us.
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“Maybe he likes you,” she says, a small smile playing behind her lips.
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“he doesn’t even know me,” I reply with an eye roll, opening my locker, the hinges squealing, grinding against the cold blue metal frame. Swinging my back pack over my shoulder.
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“What if he’s like a secret admirer? I bet he takes photos of you when you aren’t looking,” she says, obviously joking with a small snicker.
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But I kept a straight face. I didn’t like the idea of that, squeezing the strap of my back pack in my hand as we walk down the hall.
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“wait did you hear what happened to Lucas turner?” She stops and turns to me.
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“no I didn’t, what happened?” I reply, stopping alongside her.
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“The exact thing that happened to kaity, winston and those other kids,” she says, genuine concern displayed on her pale ghosty face.
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“He was murdered?” I say a little too loud, surprisingly no one else hearing me over the loud chattering.
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“Yea with no leads. Again,” she scoffs, annoyed.
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“that’s terrify—” I’m cut off.
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“moms waiting for us Janie hurry up,” a smaller girl exclaims, rushing to the student pick up door.
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“Well I’ll see you tomorrow,” Janie yells back at me, shoving her binder in her backpack as she runs to the door.
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I make my way to the busses, crowds of kids boarding the buses lined in a row. Getting on the bus, the hot smell from the sun shining on the blue vinyl seats. My backpack hitting the seats on each side of me as I make my way near the back, sitting alone, staring off out the window as the bus door hisses and closes.
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I can’t help but think about what Janie said, my face full of disgust just thinking about some guy having a picture of me.
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After a bit the bus comes to its first stop. I watch as the kids get off and run up to their houses, checking the mail before walking in. After a few more stops it’s finally mine. I walk down the narrow clearing and step off. Looking back at the bus before it sets off, I open the picket fence gate, it’s always been utterly loud, and approach my house, walking in, leaving my backpack in the mud room along with my beated up converse.
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“The house is empty, mom must still be at work,” I mutter to myself.
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I decide to take myself to the local park like I usually do, going to the kitchen for a quick snack before I leave. I reach for the bowl placed perfectly in the middle of the kitchen island, eyeing each apple to find one with no rotten dark marks.
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Before making my way back over to the door, putting my shoes back on and leaving. I get my bike that’s propped against the side of the house, walking it to the sidewalk before getting on, the air blowing my hair in my face, smelling the shampoo I used just this morning.
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The sound of the summer wind blowing through nearby trees, it was an easy bike ride. The park being just one block away, the willow trees limbs swaying, just barely touching the smooth surface of the duck pond, making ripples.
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Next to the pond a young woman sat on a crimson red blanket, rocks laid on each corner to keep it from blowing away. Another woman around my age is getting her photo taken in front of the serene pond, her mom nearby playing fetch with their dog.
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I prop my bike against the bench closest to the water, laughter filled the summer air from the children fresh out of school playing at the park. Just watching the ducks trail after one another in the water relaxes me, gives me a sense of peace.
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I pull out my apple, taking a bite with a soft crunch. The sun sets rather quickly, drifting under the trees, setting a warm glow over me and the water. I decide to ride back home, setting off on my bike. Through the neighborhood I can smell the nice warm meals being made. I get back home, some lights on in the house, the loud gate sighing as I wheel my bike into the side yard, setting it back in its original spot.
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Then returning to the front yard and going inside, the fresh smell of linen and laundry detergent filling the house.
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“hey honey I’m doing laundry if you need anything washed,” a small voice coming from the warmly lit laundry room.
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“I don’t think I do, thank you though,” I respond, taking my shoes off at the entrance.
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“I’m gonna do my homework,” I say, making my way to my room with my backpack in hand, basically dragging it along the tiled floor.
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Opening my bedroom door, closing it behind me. I immediately get to work, pulling the papers out of my bag and setting them on my wooden beaten desk. Looking down at the paper I hear the gate opening, the loud hinges catching my attention.
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“I guess I didn’t close it all the way and the wind blew it?”
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The work is relatively simple, just a few equations. While sitting there thinking, I swear I caught a glimpse of a flicker just through my sheer curtains, my eyes stuck at my window to see if maybe I was seeing things.
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“Maybe lighting?” I mumble to myself, even though it was far too low to the ground for it to be lighting. Just a lie I tell myself so I can sleep soundly.
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I finish my work and shove them back into my bag, my eyes still steady on the windows that filled my room with moonlight. I close them just for the night. I crawl into bed, the springs in the mattress crunching under me. Laying there with my eyes fixed on the ceiling before slowly falling asleep, my eyes fluttering close.
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I’m abruptly woken up by the alarm screeching in my ear. I sling my arm over onto my nightstand and turn the alarm off. Laying in bed for a few seconds, rubbing my eyes before sitting up. I slide my closet open, picking clothes to wear today before going to the bathroom, turning on the shower, adjusting the warmth of the water. Sticking my hand under the water sends shivers down my spine, basically fully waking me up.
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I set my clothes on the bathroom sink and get in the shower, the steam fogging up the mirror. When applying soap in my hair I couldn’t even bother closing my eyes, still wondering what that flash was last night. Spreading my fingers through my silky hair, the water hitting the tub like rain on a metal roof.
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After the shower I brush my teeth, spitting my mouthwash in the sink. I grab my backpack that was propped against my desk leg and walk into the kitchen. I hear a bunch of little clinks and crunching, my mom pouring her a bowl of cereal.
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“well good morning,” she looks up from her bowl with a smile.
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“Good morning.” I go over to the cabinet and grab a bowl.
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“You didn’t eat dinner last night,” she says, her eyes following my movements.
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“Oh yea I guess I was tired after homework,” I reply, pouring cereal into a small glass bowl with a tiny chip on the rim, and follow that up with milk.
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“well you better eat supper tonight, I wanna go out,” she picks the spoon up to her mouth with a crunch.
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“I will, I promise we can go out to eat,” I swirl my spoon around my bowl before eating. She looks back down at the food in front of her.
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After enjoying the cereal I put my shoes on, tying the laces.
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“love you, have a good day,” she kisses my cheek.
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“Love you too,” I respond, smiling ear to ear.
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Stepping out of my door I see the bus just down the road, kids stepping on. The morning dew sat on the grass, getting the fabric on my shoes wet. I notice the gate is closed, which is odd because I swore the wind was blowing it last night. The bus stops right in front of me, the doors opening just before I step on.
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I smile at the driver but the paranoia has already set. I kept thinking of the flash, the gate randomly making noise, and what Janie said.
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I sit next to Janie, her face looking out the window before focusing on me.
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“Hey Ruth,” she says softly.
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“Hey,” a simple response.
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“I had such a weird night,” I follow it up, her face showing a bit of concern.
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“Why, what happened?” she asks so sincerely.
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“Well first with the photo yesterday then last night I saw a flash outside of my window and I swear I heard my gate open,” I reply, a worried look on my face.
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“Are you sure it isn’t just anxiety?” she asks, the concern leaving her freckled face.
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“Maybe, but what if that dude is stalking me like you said?” I respond, looking at the back of the seat in front of me, fiddling my thumbs.
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“that was just a joke, I didn’t mean it,” a quiet laugh slipping from her lips.
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“Yea I know but i kinda believe it,” I reply, looking back at her.
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“I think I’m gonna go to the dark room at school and see if I can find the photo, I don’t want him having it,” I follow up.
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“well be careful.. I have math first period or I would go with you,” she responds, looking out the window, noticing we’re arriving at the school, picking up her bag.
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“Okay, I’ll see you at lunch.” I stand up in the isle, the rest of the kids getting off the bus. We follow along before hopping off.
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Immediately I make my way through the school, the sound of walking echoing through the halls. Down the hall I see it, a silver label just beside the door.
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“photo development room.”
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Carved into a small plaque.
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I silently open the door. It’s dark besides the dim glow of red. Before anyone gets there I go through cabinets, drawers, boxes. Rummaging in everything to maybe find it, and finally I notice a large book. A yearbook. “Year” carved and scratched at, the word “fear” just above it spelling “fear book.”
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To my horror the pages are filled with photos of many students, a lot of them dead. My heart sinks. I realize I’m holding evidence. I notice familiar faces and names. It’s kaity. A picture of her at school posing for the camera, a picture of her off campus at a cafe, and another photo of her at home in her kitchen. My eyes widen at the rest of the photos. A picture of the back of her head and finally a picture of her dead.
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That’s the pattern on all the pages, I notice as I flip through. Picture of them at school, then in public, then at home, then behind them, and the last photo of them is a picture of their body.
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My flipping stops, my fingers trembling.
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“ruth,” a page read out.
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I see the photo of me alone on the field. But then I notice a picture of me at the park, sitting on a bench eating an apple. I could feel my blood pumping through my throbbing chest and head. The next photo was of me at home, doing homework… following the same pattern.
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Before I could even register the fact that I’m being targeted, I can feel a warm breath on my neck—
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followed by a
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“CLICK”
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and a flash that filled the dark room….
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and then Add to home screen.