said, running a hand through his hair. “Do you know where we could find a flashlight? The lights are off downstairs.”
“They were on earlier,” Grace said , taking hold of his hand and leading him down the hall. “Let's go back to the administrative offices. Melodie could probably find one for us.”
“ Melodie is in the gym. She promised me she would call if Hope or Crystal showed up.”
“No , I just saw her in the offices a few minutes ago.”
Both jumped when they heard a loud banging noise. They both looked around confused.
“I think it's coming from downstairs,” Kyle said. Grace dropped his hand and ran back down the hall to the staircase. “Grace, wait!”
“It might be Hope,” she yelled back.
She made it to the stairc ase with Kyle right behind her. He pulled her back before she could dash down the steps. “Wait. Would you be careful? You could trip on the dress and break your neck.” Kyle peered closely at the bottom of the stairs. The bottom was completely dark, but he could just make out a foot lying on the bottom stair.
“Grace, please wait here for me,” he said gently.
Grace could tell by the tone of his voice, and the expression on his face that there was something wrong. She turned to look down the stairs, gripping the bannister tight to prevent him from dragging her back up the stairs. “Oh God, Hope,” she cried, as soon as she saw the foot. Grace sank to the ground.
As soon as Grace sat down, Kyle ra n down the rest of the stairs. There wasn't much light, but he was able to find a hand.
No pulse .
He took out his phone and opened it up, using the light from the phone to take a better look at the body.
“Grace, it's Crystal!”
CHAPTER SEVEN
G race stood at the top of the stairs, holding Diana, who was sobbing on her shoulder. Emergency technicians were at the bottom of the stairs, working on Crystal's body.
Pandemonium had broken out. The upper hallway and bottom floor were flooded with former students, significant others, and teachers. Everyone was talking at once.
Eric Collins was at the top of the stairs, trying to take control and get everyone to go back to the gym. Unfortunately, they hadn’t listened to him when they were his students, and it was clear they weren't going to start tonight, either.
Grace looked over Diana's shoulder , and saw Beth standing nearby, twisting her camera strap into knots. “Beth? Have you seen Tom or Melodie?”
For once Beth was speechless. She just wordlessly shook her head.
“Someone needs to find them,” Grace said , speaking to Beth.
“I'll do it,” Diana said , pulling away from Grace. Grace was about to object, but Diana insisted that she should be the one that told Melodie.
Grace nodded her head. Beth recovered from her shock enough to say that she would go with Diana.
Grace turned and made her way through the growing crowd to walk down the stairs and stand next to Mr. Collins. The lights were still out downstairs, but the emergency workers had set up some lighting, so that they could see better. “Can't someone turn on the lights downstairs?”
“No. The breaker isn't working. I've called maintenance. They should be here soon.” Eric Collins turned back to the crowd. Exasperated he shouted, “Would everyone stand back, stay off the stairs, and let the emergency workers do their job.”
“My friend wa s the first one who found the body. He's still downstairs. Do you mind if I go and bring him up here?”
Mr. Collins grunted and turned back to the crowd.
Grace quickly walked down the far side of the stairs, trying to stay out of the way. As soon as she got to the bottom step, she skirted away from the body, and over to the wall. It took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust. Several people had gathered downstairs and were lined up against the wall.
All eyes were on the emergency technicians and Crystal . Everyone’s but Kyle’s. Kyle was rooted to the spot, staring
“They were on earlier,” Grace said , taking hold of his hand and leading him down the hall. “Let's go back to the administrative offices. Melodie could probably find one for us.”
“ Melodie is in the gym. She promised me she would call if Hope or Crystal showed up.”
“No , I just saw her in the offices a few minutes ago.”
Both jumped when they heard a loud banging noise. They both looked around confused.
“I think it's coming from downstairs,” Kyle said. Grace dropped his hand and ran back down the hall to the staircase. “Grace, wait!”
“It might be Hope,” she yelled back.
She made it to the stairc ase with Kyle right behind her. He pulled her back before she could dash down the steps. “Wait. Would you be careful? You could trip on the dress and break your neck.” Kyle peered closely at the bottom of the stairs. The bottom was completely dark, but he could just make out a foot lying on the bottom stair.
“Grace, please wait here for me,” he said gently.
Grace could tell by the tone of his voice, and the expression on his face that there was something wrong. She turned to look down the stairs, gripping the bannister tight to prevent him from dragging her back up the stairs. “Oh God, Hope,” she cried, as soon as she saw the foot. Grace sank to the ground.
As soon as Grace sat down, Kyle ra n down the rest of the stairs. There wasn't much light, but he was able to find a hand.
No pulse .
He took out his phone and opened it up, using the light from the phone to take a better look at the body.
“Grace, it's Crystal!”
CHAPTER SEVEN
G race stood at the top of the stairs, holding Diana, who was sobbing on her shoulder. Emergency technicians were at the bottom of the stairs, working on Crystal's body.
Pandemonium had broken out. The upper hallway and bottom floor were flooded with former students, significant others, and teachers. Everyone was talking at once.
Eric Collins was at the top of the stairs, trying to take control and get everyone to go back to the gym. Unfortunately, they hadn’t listened to him when they were his students, and it was clear they weren't going to start tonight, either.
Grace looked over Diana's shoulder , and saw Beth standing nearby, twisting her camera strap into knots. “Beth? Have you seen Tom or Melodie?”
For once Beth was speechless. She just wordlessly shook her head.
“Someone needs to find them,” Grace said , speaking to Beth.
“I'll do it,” Diana said , pulling away from Grace. Grace was about to object, but Diana insisted that she should be the one that told Melodie.
Grace nodded her head. Beth recovered from her shock enough to say that she would go with Diana.
Grace turned and made her way through the growing crowd to walk down the stairs and stand next to Mr. Collins. The lights were still out downstairs, but the emergency workers had set up some lighting, so that they could see better. “Can't someone turn on the lights downstairs?”
“No. The breaker isn't working. I've called maintenance. They should be here soon.” Eric Collins turned back to the crowd. Exasperated he shouted, “Would everyone stand back, stay off the stairs, and let the emergency workers do their job.”
“My friend wa s the first one who found the body. He's still downstairs. Do you mind if I go and bring him up here?”
Mr. Collins grunted and turned back to the crowd.
Grace quickly walked down the far side of the stairs, trying to stay out of the way. As soon as she got to the bottom step, she skirted away from the body, and over to the wall. It took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust. Several people had gathered downstairs and were lined up against the wall.
All eyes were on the emergency technicians and Crystal . Everyone’s but Kyle’s. Kyle was rooted to the spot, staring
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