Author's Note: This was the hardest chapter I've ever had to write. Warning: If you have a heart, you will need LOTS of tissues!

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“This is Louise Bonnie of Bowl Valley News. I'm currently outside the home where a murder occurred sometime in the last 24 hours. No news yet on-wait a moment. Yes, we're just getting more information now.”

The reporter spoke loudly to be heard above the large crowd.

“The victim is a 24-year-old male. He was found in his bed with multiple stab wounds to the chest. The investigation continues. I will be here for the duration to report as more information comes along.”

The reporter sighed, drinking from a water bottle and whining to her cameraman. The crowd around them was nervous and excited. Several officers kept the news crews and bystanders behind yellow tape. On the other side of the tape sat someone familiar with the victim.

Heather sat, her face made of stone. No emotion could currently show. That line of feeling was frozen from shock. Nothing made much sense right now. She was still trying to understand what was happening.

Nearby Jenifer was talking to the police. She was also in tears as she answered all the questions the police had.

“No. I don't know of anyone that hated him. He never mentioned his personal life...”

“Ma'am. Think really hard. Even the smallest of clues can help. Any other relatives?

“No, it's just us. Or was. Oh god, I can't believe this.”

Jenifer broke, sobbing into the policeman's arms.

Heather noticed movement and gazed blankly towards it. Tes was back. Tes came straight for her, sitting beside her and locking her arm around Heather's shoulder.

“I don't know what to say.” Tes cried.

Heather felt her mouth open and close. No sound emerged.

“I don't know...hic... I don't.” Tes began to sob, matching the ferocity of Jenifer's.

There was nothing to say. Even so, there was one person that couldn't seem to stop.

“It's curious how nothing was stolen. Does this mean this is an act of hate? If so, just what kind of actions warranted this horrible murder? More, after the break.”

Heather glared at the reporter, wanting the earth to open up and swallow her whole.

Two investigators walked by and she caught the tail end of their conversation.

“Don't know. The girl that discovered the body is in shock. Once that wears off we can ask some real questions.”

Heather clenched her teeth. More useless questions. How could she put into words what she herself didn't understand! All she could do was sit and remember everything she saw.

#

Friday 25th October 2042 8:32PM

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Aleric, open up! I got some dinner.”

Heather waited outside Aleric's front door. She was anxious, wanting to talk about the game so far. For Aleric's day off from school, she had had to wait until classes were over to come talk to him. He must have been playing all day too, since he didn't answer any of her texts.

“Aleric! Hey!”

“Shhh!”

Across the fence boundary Aleric's elderly neighbor frowned at her. Heather scowled back and pointedly raised her voice.

“Aleric, come on!”

“Hmmph.”

The elderly lady walked back into her own house. Heather smiled, then turned to the front door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“...”

She tried the door, finding it open. “I'm coming in.”

She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. The house was dark. The quietness was a bit creepy.

“Aleric?”

She set the dinner, carried in a plastic bag, onto the table outside the kitchen.

“Not here.”

She checked the front room.

“Any body home?”

She made her way upstairs. “Maybe he's asleep.”

She went to his bedroom door, finding it slightly open. She knocked softly as she entered.

“Aleric?” She whispered.

She spotted him on the bed, the VLAM on his neck.

“Oh, so you played for last night and all of today. Man, did you even eat anything?”

She stomped over to the bed. “Wake up!”

“I brought food. Let's eat. Aleric!”

She sighed. “Oh. To wake one from VLAM sometimes requires physical stimulation. The things you make me do.”

She pushed his chest and shook him, “Wake up you...what?”

She pulled back, her hand coming back with something flaky.

“Man, this better not be what I think it is. This had better not be your man stuffs.”

She quickly turned the light on to check, feeling a bit grossed out.

On her hand was not what she thought. It was flaky and red.

“Is this blood?”

Looking to Aleric, she saw a strange darkness spread over his shirt and some of the bed.

“Aleric?”

She crept closer, suddenly afraid to find out. She swallowed, reaching down. The darkness looked suspiciously like... “Blood.”

It was then she noticed that he was not moving. His skin was pale and a bit sunken. Most of all, the VLAM light was dark.

“No.”

She shook her head, rejecting what she saw.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no.”

She had to do something. Anything.

“Hah.” Her eyes quickly stung as she gasped for air. “H-help. Need help.”

Her mother's voice rang in her head from long ago. Dial 911 in case of emergencies.

“Phone. My cell...”

Heather fumbled in her jean pocket, pulling out her cell. She had try the password a few times, her hands were starting to shake.

“9-1-1.” She held the phone to her ear as it dialed.

Ring-blip.

“Salt Lake 911, where is the location of your emergency?”

“U-um.”

Heather scrambled her brain, but all the came up was that scene.

“The-there's been, I mean, blood. There's blood.”

“Remain calm, ma'am. Please tell me how we can get to you.”

“He's dead. Oh my god. He's dead!”

“Ma'am, tell me the address.”

“Uh.” Heather blurted out the house's address.

“Stay on the line ma'am. I'm sending someone there right now.”

“Okay.”

Heather held the cell to her chest as she stepped toward the stairs, then back towards the bedroom.

Unsure where to go, she stood there, trying to think.

“She said to stay. Stay on the cell. Oh!” She whipped the phone to her ear. “You still there?”

“Yes ma'am. The police are on their way, along with an ambulance.”

“W-what should I do?”

“You should go outside and wait for the police to arrive.”

“Okay.”

Heather sniffed, wiping the tears away. She made her way outside and sat on the curb. She stumbled into a few things on the way. Her brain cleared of all thoughts. In her mind's eye, all she could see was white clouds.

A few minutes passed what was to her like hours. She hugged her knees, slightly rocking.

“Gotta wait right here. What's taking them so long?”

Eventually the sirens did come. The noise pulled neighbors out of their homes. The police came straight to her.

“Miss, is this the house where the call was from?”

“Yes.” She muttered. Somehow, they heard her.

“Alright. You stay right here. I'll come back to you.”

The officers went inside the house with guns drawn but raised. Spectators could hear yelling, and then silence. A long silence drew even Heather's glazed eyes towards the front doors.

Eventually the pair of officers came outside. One came to her directly. The other spoke into his mic and started keeping people away.

“Miss, did you know the victim inside?”

She nodded.

The officer sat down next to her.

“My name's Officer O’Donnell. What's your name?”

“Heather.”

“Do you have anyone I can call for you?”

“Call?”

Who? Her oh-so-understanding parents? No. What about Jenifer?

“Call Jenifer.”

“Can I have the phone number, Heather?”

“Xxx-xxx-xxxx.”

“Alright, wait here Heather. I'll call her here for you.”

Officer O'Donnell walked a bit away and pulled out his own phone. In seconds he had dialed the number and had Jenifer on the phone. Heather could hear it clearly.

“Is this Jenifer? Yes, I'm Officer O'Donnell of the Salt Lake Police Department. There's been a crime at the location. Yes. Heather told me to call you. You live here? Alright, please come. Ask for me when you arrive.”

He hung up, then came back to Heather.

“She's on her way. Are you related to the victim or Jenifer?”

She shook her head. “B-best friend.”

“I see. Heather, we'll need you to answer some questions later. I know it's hard, but try to compose yourself okay? It will help us catch the guy that did this.”

She nodded mutely. The officer walked away and started talking to other officers. More police cars showed up and a yellow tape fence was raised.

Heather clutched her chest. It was so hard to breathe. A giant boiling knot was stuck next to her heart. It wouldn't go away. She couldn't stop it.

Her mouth opened and closed, the air trying to escape. “Hah..Hnn.”

The tears gathered, starting to drip.

“Heather!”

Small hands griped her shoulders and shook her. She looked up.

“Tes.”

“What's going on? I came and saw all the police.” Tes looked around. “Where's Aleric?”

“Tes!” Heather's face scrunched, her tears colliding at her chin as the knot finally became unleashed.

“Heather, what's wrong?!”

“A-Aleric's dead!”

“What?” Tes looked up. Two men carried something on a stretcher. His face was covered, but that hair and sweater she gave him was familiar.

Tes let go of Heather and began walking toward the stretcher.

Heather released her anguish, screaming up at the stars. An officer came to her, trying to console something that couldn't be consoled.

Tes took unsure, shaky steps towards the figure on the stretcher.

“Aleric?”

“Hey!” An officer reached her, grabbing an arm.

“Aleric!” Tes raged, understanding. “NO!” Her chest burst and she felt herself collapse onto the lawn.

“No!” Her own tears rushed forth as she clawed forward, restrained by two policemen.

“What?!” Jenifer's voice rose. Just inside the yellow tape an officer approached her. O'Donnell told her personally.

“I'm sorry for your loss.”

“That can't be. Not Aleric!”

Jennifer grabbed onto O'Donnell's uniform. O'Donnell hugged her close, understanding her loss. “Noaaaaagh!” Jennifer cried into his shoulder. For a long time she remained there.

#

Friday 25th October 2042 10:11PM

The questioning was brief and to the point. Jenifer answered many of them. Some questions only Heather could answer. She recounted as best she could. After a while Jenifer came to the girls.

“I'll be going to a hotel until the investigation is over. Tes, your parents are here to pick you up.”

Jenifer hugged Tes tight. “I'll come see you later, okay?”

Tes nodded, then walked silently to her parent's car.

Jenifer watched her leave, then approached Heather.

“You too. You can call me whenever. I'll come see you too.”

Heather shook her head. “I can't...I can't...hic.”

Jenifer jumped to hug her tight. “Oh, honey, I know. I know how hard it is. Right now you have to take care of yourself. I called your parents. They're here to pick you up too. It's not safe to walk home right now.”

Heather stood, Jenifer hugging her all the way to the car. She opened the car door and sat in back, mindlessly buckling herself in. She stared at the back of the driver's seat. She didn't want to deal with her parents right now.

Jenifer squeezed her hand, then let go and closed the door. As soon as she stepped back Heather's father drove them away. Her mother sat in the front passenger side. It wasn't even two minutes later they began what they usually did.

“I'm so glad you're safe, honey. Think how this could have been you.” Her mother warned.

“Dear, you shouldn't spoil her. She needs to learn to follow the rules. This wouldn't have happened if she did.”

“You're right. I do spoil her too much. I should have known this was going to happen.”

“We'll change her school. Don't need those rumors.”

“Yes. No need to have further instances like this. It's better to stay away from those kind of people.”

“Aaaaaaaaah!” Heather screamed. She unbuckled herself and leaped out of the car. She fell, skinning her knees on the asphalt. She stood and raced away from the car.

She ran. Between houses, through yards, and took shortcuts. Her parents could not follow her in a car. She ran generally away until she came to a canal. She climbed down the slope to sit on the side, out of view.

“Aleric!”

Her eyes tears up again. That boil began to grow until it leaked out. “Sniff.”

“Oh, Aleric...”

Her arms drew up, burying her head. She sat there and cried. No one bothered her, or no one passed by. Either way she was closed to the world. She'd lost a main piece of it.

Crickets kicked up a fuss, beginning noises all around. She looked up, seeing a pitch black sky with few stars left. She stood, taking a deep breath. It was hard, but she found the energy to make her way home.

She came up the steps. The front door was open. She locked it behind her. She ignored her parents who were waiting, heading down the immediate hall to her room. She closed her bedroom door. She kept the light off, curling up on her bed.

#

It was dark. Everything was black. She could walk freely in any direction. In one point was a small

light. She ran towards it.

The light grew, showing someone standing under the light. She was facing his back. He looked back and grinned.

“Aleric?”

He took a step towards the darkness.

“Wait!”

She reached out, running into and past the light. His figure remained out of reach. The darkness grew thick, making his outline barely visible.

“Don't go! Stay!”

He disappeared.

“Noo!”

Heather jumped out of bed, suddenly awake. “Aleric?”

She looked around, seeing her familiar room.

“He's gone.” He wasn't coming back. Ever.

She slowly sank onto her bed. The tears came back.

“Heather, you going to school?” Her mother's voice rang from behind the door.

“Leave me alone!”

School could screw itself.