The Class Capsule

Callous leather gloves grasp my throat, forcing me down. I grab at the wrists, but they’re strong. They drag me to the edge of the scaffolding, and with one violent shove, I fly. Wind thrusts against my body. My chest. My hair. I'm face-to-face with the theatre stage.

Darkness becomes me!

As my Jimmy Choo’s echo through the quad, heads slump, and tears stream. There are no inappropriate comments about my legs or breasts. All it took was for Audrey to die to tame these disassociative teens. My life could have been much simpler if I had known this earlier.

I enter the main hallway and slow my pace to focus on the whispers. Suicide. Attention seeker. Her lover killed her. My muscles tense at the last whisper.

Headmaster Clinch spots me and throws his hand in the air, jiggling around like a belly dancer. A slender suit steps out from behind him. He raises his caterpillar eyebrows and smirks. “Miss DeMurer, I'm Detective Bran. You’re helping me with my interviews. Please follow me to the library.” 

Detective Bran couldn’t have known I was close to Audrey; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been invited to monitor these interviews. He pauses at the library entrance and inhales, “Hmm, I love the smell of books and deceit in the morning,” He chuckles and opens the door to reveal three students. Three of Audrey’s closest connections bar me. The secret Audrey and I share is precious and I’ll do anything to keep these kids quiet.

Detective Bran set the scene. The room is confined and dusty, with a dull glow emanating from the old globe. Audrey’s boyfriend, Brad, reclines on his chair in the centre of the room.  

“When was the last time you saw Audrey?” 

Brad glares into Bran's eyes and smirks. “That would be when I broke up with her.”

“Tell me more,” Bran pressed.

“I dropped her off at Kirra Bottlo around seven. She said she was going to drink with Celia, but I knew it was a lie.”

“Why’d you break up?”

“Couldn’t trust her,” Brad breaks eye contact to inspect something curious on the table.

“So Audrey had secrets, huh?”

I lock eyes with Brad, shooting him a warning to keep his mouth shut. 

“I guess,” his voice cracks.

Good boy, Brad. Straight A’s for you.

“Do liars make you angry, Brad?”

Brad winks at me, “I prefer straight-up people, that’s all.” 

“Where were you at 11 p.m. last night?”

“Point Danger.”

“Can anyone confirm that?”

Brad pauses, “No, sir” he salutes.

“Sociopath,” Bran mutters.

I straighten my posture, “Brad is a complicated child.” I reply in a sympathetic tone. The truth is he’s an entitled brat of a child. On various occasions, I have daydreamed of his flesh splitting between my knife.

“Did you ever hear any of Audrey's secrets in the rumour mill, ones that could anger Brad?” Oh, the irony.

“I heard Audrey say Brad was immature, but nothing extreme” I replied. Ironically, Brad, the D-minus student with multiple concussions, discovered our secret. He was ruthless when it came to Audrey - reading her messages, tracking her location. I’ll deal with him when the time is right. 

I have never understood Audrey and Celia’s friendship. They were like yin and yang. Celia’s icy blue eyes dart around the room while she fidgets with a gold bracelet identical to hers. It’s Audrey’s bracelet! 

“When did you last see Audrey?” 

Celia scrunches her perfect porcelain forehead, “Yesterday, at school, and we were texting.”

“What did you discuss?”

“She planned to go to Brad’s and then to school.”

“Why was she coming here?”

“The stupid class ritual.” Bran leans on the dusty desk. “Ritual?”

“Well, like a geo treasure hunt app to celebrate our time at Coolangatta High.” Bran scrunches his forehead in confusion, so Celia drops the teen lingo. “OMG! It's like someone places a box. Then, they pin the location with directions on what to do when you find it. We’re gonna bury it and dig it up at our twenty-year reunion. Like a capsule.” 

Bran softens his voice, “Where’s the box Celia?” 

Celia pokes out her bottom lip and replies in a ditzy tone, “Above the scaffolding, in the theatre.” 

Bran clenches his fists. “What did she put in the box?” He huffs his words. 

Celia squeezes her eyes shut before answering, “Nothing. It was supposed to be a video.”

“Did Audrey meet Brad at the school?” 

Celia’s eyes perk open. “Brad,” she chuckles. “The only person she would meet that late is a lover, silly.” 

Bran exhales, “That’s all, Celia.” 

I turn to Bran. “How did she know Audrey was meeting someone late at night and she has Audrey’s bracelet?” He ignores me.

I can smell Perry from the hallway. He's a gully of BO and grease—Audrey's number one stalker.

“I heard you liked to keep tabs on Audrey. Follow her.” 

Perry fumbles with his asthma puffer before inhaling. “Yes, Detective, sir. I wanted her safe.” 

“Were you watching Audrey last night?” Perry’s eyes widen. “Were you in the theatre?” 

“No, I never went into the theatre. I waited in my car.”

“When did you start following her?”

“At Brad’s house, they fight a lot. He was aggressive last night and followed her to the school. He saw Celia’s breakdown as well.”

Bran raises his hands. “Hold on, boy. You're saying Brad and Celia were at the school?”

“Yes, sir, Celia was yelling at Audrey.” Bran rubs his chin, “Hmm.”

“Wait, you don’t think Celia—? No! Brad was angry and he followed Audrey. ”

“Your extracurriculars have been helpful, Perry, but I’d suggest you keep to video games from here on in. That’ll be all.”

Celia strides back into the room with the posture of a ballet dancer and the grace of a mechanical housewife. She’s no longer a typical teen grasping for attention. She’s collected. Her eyes are grim and unreadable. 

Bran tilts his chin, inspecting Celia's new facade. “Celia, you left out details about when you last saw Audrey.”

“Honey, you didn’t ask the right questions.” 

“You’re right, Celia. I should’ve been more specific.”

“Be careful what you wish for detective,” she winks. “Also stop calling me Celia! She's taking a break. My name is Clea!”

“Okay. Clea! When did you last see Audrey alive? And why do you have her bracelet?”

“Last night at school. That's when I took the bracelet back. Audrey’s not one to share shiny things.” Celia leans towards me, twirling her finger, “Or her playthings. So we played a game… Can the queen bee fly? If she flew, she would get her bracelet back.” She giggles like a child. “Surprise, I won!”

“Why, Clea?”

She grins “Well, I saw the video she recorded. She thought she could reveal my secrets. Degrade me! Stain my reputation! She didn’t love me. She didn’t love anyone but herself; everyone else was disposable. I was sick of living in her shadow, and she would have used that video to cut my neck. So I beat her to it, I broke hers.” 

Celia stands and poses like Harley Quinn. “You're welcome, Miss DeMurer.” 

Everyone was shocked by Celia’s breakdown, but I knew she was destined for restraints. I saw a darkness in her, the same darkness that lingers in me. I guess a psych ward is better than prison. 

Clea hid the proof of my relationship with Audrey, so for now, I’m free. A psychotic teen holds the key to my future. Excellent!