A MORNING LIKE NO OTHER.!
545 Words
The morning sun crept through the curtains, casting a soft glow in the room that felt it odds with the growing sense of dread inside. Africa and Leah had hardly slept, each waking at intervals throughout the night to check their phones, only to be met with silence. When the alarm finally went off, it was a relief to have a reason to get up.
Africa: Leah, we have to start looking for Jessica. She didn't come back, and we still haven't heard from her.
Leah: I know. Let's check her usual spots on campus first, and if we don't find anything, we can ask around.
They quickly got dressed and left their hostel room, worry evident in their hurried steps. As they walked through the campus, their eyes scanned every face, hoping to catch a glimpse of their friend. They asked around, but no one has seen Jessica since the previous night.
Africa: This isn't like her at all. She always texts back, even if it's just to say she is busy.
Leah nodded, her own anxiety mirroring Africa's. As they made their way to the cafe where Jessica was supposed to meet the stranger, Africa's phone buzzed with a notification. She glanced down, her heart skipping a beat. It was a message from one of her classmates, Lisa.
Lisa:(text) Did you hear about the girl they found at the Airbnb downtown? it's all over social media. So scary!
Africa felt a chill run down her spine. She quickly opened her social media app and was met with a flurry of posts, all talking about the same thing.
Africa: Leah look at this
Leah peered over Africa's shoulder, her face growing paler with each word she read. The posts were all about a gruesome discovery at an Airbnb apartment. A girls body, dismembered and headless, had been found early that morning.
Leah: this can't be real it has to be some kind of sick joke.
Africa: I........ I don't know. Let's keep looking for Jessica. Maybe she stayed with someone else and just hasn't seen our messages.
As they continued their search, they overhead snippets of conversation everywhere they went. It seemed the entire campus was buzzing with the horrifying news.
Student 1: Did you hear? they found a body chopped up in pieces. it's so awful
Student 2: Yeah I saw. They said the head was missing. Can you imagine
Africa's heart pounded in her chest, and she exchanged a fearful glance with Leah. They both had the same unspoken thought:they needed to find Jessica, and they needed to find her now.
Their search led them back to the common room, where a group of students had gathered around a TV. The local news was on and the story dominated the broadcast.
News Anchor :..... found early this morning in a rented Airbnb apartment downtown. Authorities have identified the victim as Jessica Jane, a University student. The body was discovered dismembered, and the head is currently missing. The police are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Africa felt her legs give away, and she collapsed on to the nearest chair. Leah stood frozen, her hand covering her mouth in shock.
Leah: Africa, this can't be real. it just can't be !!!!
- Writer
