Phoenix's Wolf

Chapter 4

“Ms. Casey, Phoenix, I am so sorry for the tragic passing of Helen. She was a very bright student. She was the top of her class. She will be very missed,” the principal, Mr. Jenkins, said as he moved back behind his desk as Casey and Phoenix sat in the chairs opposite his, after Casey had filled him on the news that Helen had been found deceased.

“Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Jenkins. Were you able to pull any footage from the cameras that might help shed some light on what happened to her after school today?” Casey asked.

“I have pulled the footage of Helen in the science building after the last bell, but unfortunately, I don’t think that it will be very helpful. She was alone in the hallway. It does show her going into a classroom that is being used for storage at the moment,” Mr. Jenkins said as he pulled up the video. “However, it does not show her coming out of this classroom. But that isn't strange as that room has an access door to the outside. We will be using this room for Agriculture next year once the remodel of the science building is complete.”

“Are there any cameras outside the science building that would have caught her leaving out the door of that room?” Phoenix asked as her mother watched the video closely.

“No, the cameras outside of the building are being repaired. The last bad thunderstorm struck some of them and it knocked out all of the outside cameras,” Mr. Jenkins explained. “Do the police have any idea as to what happened?”

“Well, the police just got to where Helen was found. I was coming here first to look for her, thinking that maybe she had stayed later than football practice ran. Maybe getting more help for one of her classes. My husband, Shane and Helen’s father were the ones that found her. I was hoping to see if I could help give the police a direction to go in. Like maybe she left with someone that she wasn’t supposed to. I hope that makes sense,” Casey explained, standing. “Do you mind if we go have a look at the classroom that she went into? Just to give us peace of mind that this wasn’t foul play?’

Mr. Jenkins seemed to hesitate just before he answered, “Yes, of course. I can take you there now.”

Casey gave her daughter a knowing look as they both stood and followed Mr. Jenkins out of his office and through the double doors that led out into the courtyard between the administrative building and the science building.

“Did Helen ever come to you about being bullied or someone making her feel uncomfortable? I remember closer to the beginning of the school year, she was wanting to change out of one of her classes,” Casey asked curiously as they neared the science building.

“No, ma’am. Nothing comes to mind. I will investigate the schedule change for you to see if she gave a reason. I am afraid that I will have to wait until tomorrow before I can do that as the guidance counselors have all gone home for the day and they handle the schedule changes for the students,” Mr. Jenkins answered as he pulled the door open to the classroom that Helen was seen entering in the video. “Here we are.”

As soon as they stepped through the door, all they could smell was bleach. The door to the hallway was wide open. Phoenix looked around suspiciously. She eyed something peculiar on the floor by the dry erase board wall at the front of the room. She casually walked over to it as she took out her phone and snapped a picture of it.

“The janitor must have spilled a bottle of bleach or something in here. That is super strong,” Mr. Jenkins noted as he propped the door to the outside open to let the room air out. Phoenix stepped out into the hallway and noticed that to her right was the teacher's lounge where she had thought the muffled scream had come from. This sight made her heart ache for Helen. It had to have been her that she and Jakon had heard earlier.

“Phoenix, honey, is everything okay?” Casey asked her daughter as she stepped out into the hallway with her. She followed the direction of Phoenix’s eyes and immediately understood the forlorn look on her daughter’s face. “That’s the teacher’s lounge you were telling me about, isn’t it?”

Phoenix only nodded, unable to speak because of the lump that had formed in her throat.

Phoenix, we don’t know that that is what we heard. Deep breaths. You are getting worked up. Don’t wake up your wolf here. Jakon sent in what he was hoping was a calming voice.

SHE IS DEAD, JAKON. ONE OF OUR OWN HAS POSSIBLY BEEN MURDERED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT AND ON THE SAME DAY THAT WE HEARD WHAT WE BELIEVE TO HAVE BEEN A MUFFLED SCREAM. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN? Phoenix sent angrily.

I know where you are coming from, but the last thing you need to do is reveal your wolf to the human that is escorting you around the school. Just breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Tonight is the Shift Moon. We can go for a run then, but you must get your anger under control. It would be easier for you to accidentally shift when you get angry, especially with the energy of the shift moon growing stronger as the sun goes down. Please. Jakon sent almost urgently.

Why do you even care? Why are you suddenly acting like you care about me all of a sudden? You have been the biggest jerk since you came to live at the packhouse up until the last Shift Moon. Just leave me alone, Jakon. She sent and she tried to block him out. The block didn’t work but Jakon didn’t push the issue. He didn’t want to get her worked up more than she already was.

“Phoenix, do you want to go sit in the car for a few minutes? I am just going to finish up here with Mr. Jenkins and then I have to meet your father at the hospital,” Casey said, worriedly. She leaned closer to Phoenix so that she could whisper in her ear. “You are growling, honey. Try taking deep, calming breaths.”

Phoenix hadn’t even realized that she had begun to growl, but now that she was aware of herself, she could feel that her teeth had elongated and her nails felt like they had started to turn into claws. Her fingernails were breaking the skin in the palms of her clenched fists. She didn’t say anything, just headed down the hall and through the double doors that she had left out of earlier in the day. She headed for her mother’s car in the front parking lot.

As she rounded the corner of the Admin Building, she stopped short at the site of a small group of guys that she recognized as the school wrestling team gathered around her mother’s car. A couple of them were leaning against it. She knew that her anger was not reeled in enough for her to face a group of humans, so she ducked back around the corner and watched them closely.

Jakon, are you still at the school? Phoenix sent reluctantly.

Are you? Jakon sent back, sarcastically. Phoenix made a mental note to punch him when they got back to the packhouse.

Yes, you i***t. But are you? It looks like the entire wrestling team is surrounding my mother’s car. They are acting weirdly. I think they are trying to either break into it or put something in it. Phoenix sent as she saw the driver door suddenly pop open, to quiet cheers from the gathered wrestlers.

“Hey, what do you guys think that you are doing with my aunt’s car?” Jakon asked as he appeared from around the opposite corner of the Admin Building.

“Mind, your business Jakon. This doesn’t concern you,” One of the bigger guys said. He was holding a metal pipe, that he slapped against his free hand threateningly at Jakon.

“I think it does. Or maybe you didn’t hear me the first time, that is my aunt’s car. So, I suggest you boys go play elsewhere and leave it alone,” Jakon said, not backing away from the boy with the pipe.

“Or what?” the boy asked. He continued to step closer to Jakon. Once he was within arm’s distance, Jakon snatched the metal pipe out of the boy’s hand and hit him across the face with it. Then he waited for the others to attack. But to his surprise, they didn’t jump to defend their fallen friend. Instead, they all ran away.

That was weird. Why would the wrestlers back down from a fight like that, Phoenix sent stepping from her hiding spot as the boy that Jakon had hit with the pipe ran away.

“I don’t know. But, I do know that I don’t like it. Where is your mother?” Jakon asked, turning to face Phoenix, the pipe still in his hand.

“Science building with Mr. Jenkins. She is taking pictures to show the cops,” Phoenix said. As she was talking, she noticed that Jakon looked like he was starting to sway. “Jakon, are you okay? You don’t look so good.”

Before Jakon could answer, his eyes seemed to roll back in his head, and he collapsed onto the concrete sidewalk.

Phoenix rushed to him as she also pulled out her phone and called her mother. “Mom, get to your car, quick. Something is wrong with Jakon. We need to get him to Doc, now!” Phoenix almost screamed into the phone.

Hang on Jakon. Please. Help is coming she sent frantically as she knelt down and put his head in her lap.