Ominous by Kate Brian

felt Noelle stiffen in her seat. Whispers whisked around the room.
    “Despite our efforts to increase security, and despite the police presence on campus—”
    I heard the sarcasm in his voice as he looked over at my old pal Detective Hauer, who stood in the corner in his usual uniform—rumpled blazer, creased shirt, cotton tie.
This is your fault
, the headmaster was saying silently.
I have to do this because you refused to take Astrid Chou’s disappearance seriously
.
    “Another student, Lorna Gross, has gone missing.”
    The collective gasp in the room was so predictable it was almost funny. But all I heard were the words
gone missing
. Not
been killed
. Not
died
. I felt an odd sensation that was somewhat akin to hope.
    Meanwhile, both Josh and Noelle were staring at me. Josh because, I suppose, he was starting to believe that I was actually psychic. Noelle, I’m sure, wondering how I knew it was Lorna. I touched the locket around my neck and breathed in and out.
    “The police have now launched a full investigation into both these disappearances,” the headmaster continued, raising his voice to be heard over the whispered questions and quiet sobs. “In the meantime, the board of directors has decided that, for your safety, Easton Academy will close its doors until further notice.”
    Now the noise was uncontrollable. Several students stood up. Some even made for the door. There were shouts and slams and, somewhere, an out-of-place laugh.
    The headmaster picked up a gavel and brought it down several times on the top of the podium.
    “Silence! Silence, please!” he shouted. Everyone quieted immediately. “Just give me two more minutes of your time.” His voice was uncharacteristically plaintive. Like he was begging for our patience, our sympathy, our help. He pressed both hands to the sides of the podium and bent at the waist, bringing his face close to its surface for a moment as he gathered himself. Double H was hanging on by a thread. For the first time since I’d known him, my heart went out to him. He took a deep breath and straightened up.
    “Your parents and guardians have all been informed of the situation,” he said, looking across the large, airy room. “Several students already have cars waiting for them on the circle, but please, before you leave campus, sign out with a member of the security personnel. There will be a guard stationed at the door of each dorm. I understand that the instinct is to flee, but we want to make sure each and every one of you is accounted for.”
    The students around me nodded, clutching hands, hanging onhis words as if he could somehow save them from whatever fate had befallen my friends.
    “Before I let you go, I just want to say … we’re going to do everything we can to locate your classmates and to ensure that Easton Academy’s campus is secure going forward,” he said. “In the meantime … please be safe.” There was a long, suspended silence. The headmaster’s eyes shone. “You are dismissed.”
    What followed was like a video I’d once seen of the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. The guards at the doors barely had time to get them open before a burst of humanity spewed forth. Everyone was on his or her cell phone, frantically making travel arrangements or calling parents to see if arrangements had already been made. The sophomore guy who’d been sitting next to Josh vaulted over the back of the pew when he realized that Noelle, Josh, and I weren’t moving.
    “Reed. What happened?” Noelle asked slowly. “How did you know it was Lorna?”
    “She had another dream,” Josh answered.
    “Lorna was … she was murdered,” I said slowly. I looked up into Noelle’s eyes. “By Sabine.”
    Noelle pressed her lips together and stared straight ahead. Sawyer walked by with his brother, Graham. He shot me a sympathetic look but didn’t stop. Behind him were Rose and Kiki. They paused at the end of our pew, letting the other students filter out