MIND

On the clock

Vanessa was crying rather loudly, scanning the room she was in. She was strapped to an old operating table which wasn't too strong to hold her weight. The room was dark, she could barely see a thing. It was like a basement and it was warm which made her sweat continuously. She struggled and wriggled trying to get free from straps that held her hands and legs in place on the table. “Please help me! Can any one hear me?” she screamed repeatedly amidst sobs.

After screaming and crying for hours, she collapsed back on the table, too weak and hungry to continue shouting or struggling. She just lay there quietly sobbing and trying to come up with reasons why her captor would want her. She was still in her thoughts when she heard the loud creaking and clanging noise of the steel door being forced open. “Hello! Is anybody there? Please help me I'm being held here” She called out.

“Nobody is coming to save you Vanessa” Dr Pearce said walking closer to her.

She whimpered on seeing her captor again. Her glimmer of hope died with his voice telling her she's doomed. His appearance now was different when he took her from her car. She noticed he was now wearing a lab coat, glasses (probably medicated), cooler and a briefcase. “Who are you? What do you want from me?” She questioned collapsing back on the table and staring at the roof. “If it's money you want, I guarantee my father can get you whatever amount you want” She added quietly sobbing.

“He might want your money but I don't. I want something else, something more important than money” Dr Pearce replied with a wry smile. He placed the cooler and briefcase down, close to the table she was on. He grabbed her face, stared at it Intently and smiled “You only have one chance of surviving but still, someone must pay with blood today and I don't mind because eventually you all will. Be it today or tomorrow” He chuckled as she wriggled her face from his hands.

He bent down, opened the briefcase and picked up a scalpel. He stood up and flaunted the scalpel in front of her eyes. Smiling broadly, he took the hem of her red t-shirt and took the scalpel to it, cutting it open from the neck to the bottom, exposing her bare body only covered by her black bra. He gently traced from her chest down to her stomach with the scalpel and then looked her in her eyes. “Don't worry, you still have until midnight” He adjusted his glass, dropped the scalpel in the briefcase and walked away. Her crying increased when she heard him open the door. She heard a faint sound of bell ringing just before the door closed.

***

Ethan handed the phone back to Dylan after listening to the recording as they both stood in front of the school. “That's so sick. What are we gonna do?" He asked as they continued their journey. Dylan glanced around and sighed.

“I don't know man. But we....” Someone cut him off by bumping into his shoulder. He turned to the person who just bumped into him “Hey watch it!” he shouted after him.

“Sorry” Dr Pearce turned back and apologized before continuing his journey.

“Dumbass” Dylan muttered before turning his attention back to Ethan “We need to figure out something before midnight and being in school almost half the the whole day isn't what we need right now. We both know whoever this person is, isn't bluffing about killing her” He added

“Yeah” Ethan replied pushing the entrance door open, walked some more before stopping and turning to Dylan “And if we can't?" He asked almost whispering. Dylan shifted his gaze to him. “And if we can't figure it out before midnight? Are you gonna give this psychopath a name of someone else he should kill?” he questioned, looking Dylan dead in the eyes with a serious look.

“Let's just hope it doesn't come to that. We will figure it out” He replied and walked away.

***

“What do you mean? Like sleepwalking?” Eva asked exchanging her books in her locker with Amy standing beside her, looking worried and scared.

“Yeah like sleepwalking, except I have never sleepwalked in my life. This seemed different. It was like I wasn't in control of my body. I woke up in the woods and...and I had blood on my hands. I checked myself if it was mine and it wasn't. I wasn't wounded. So where did the blood come from?. I'm scared Eva, I'm scared I might have done something terrible” She explained with fear in her voice.

“If you are thinking you killed someone, you didn't.” Eva locked her locker and they headed for class. “Maybe you just stumbled into a pool of blood of a wounded animal or something” She added, trying to convince Amy and herself.

They walked into their next class and took a sit next to each other in the lab. “I don't think I stumbled into anything. I Only had blood on my hands and dried up ones on my face and clothes. I didn't have any on my legs. I had to sneak inside the house so my parents wouldn't notice.” Said Amy just as the teacher walked.

“I know you Amy. You wouldn't hurt anyone, awake or otherwise”

“You all need to be careful. Go straight home after school and stay at home after dark. This town is becoming unsafe everyday. There might be a killer on the loose. The police just found another dead body in the woods....” The teacher trailed off by the students murmuring and gasping. Amy and Eva exchanged a shocked look. Amy's heart beating faster as her fear heightened.

“I think I killed someone” She whispered with shaky lips to Eva who just stared without saying anything else.

***

Deputy Camila parked in front of the Vanessa's house. She exited the vehicle, looked around before proceeding toward the house. She stopped by her car first and tried the door which opened. She took a look inside, noticing the key which was still in the ignition. She closed the door and proceeded into the house. The front door was unlocked giving anyone easy access to the house. “Hello! Any one home?” She called out loudly as she made her way into the house, hands on her sidepiece hanging on her waist belt. Having being a lover of law enforcement, Camila had always taken pride in her work. She stood at 5 ft 7", a long brunette hair tied into a ponytail that was well aligned with her oval shaped face.

She searched the house, with her sidearm drawn. You can never be too careful. With nothing out of place and the house looking like it hadn't had any occupant since yesterday, she came out of the house and radioed the sheriff. “Sir, the house is empty, her car is still parked here with the keys still in the ignition and I called the school on my way here and she wasn't in school either. I think her father was right.....she is missing”

***

As soon as the school bell rang, signalling the end of classes for the day, Dylan picked up his bag and zoomed out of the class before the other students started coming out of the class. He ran past Eva in the hallway who was looking at him weird. He sat on his bike waiting for Ethan to come out from the school. He took out his phone and Vanessa's phone and sent the recording to his phone. Her phone had 30 missed calls and 15 messages from her dad. Good thing he placed the phone on silent earlier. After sending the recording, he switched off her phone and dropped it in his bag.

He put on his earphone and played the record over and over again trying to figure out what the clue meant. Ethan came up beside him. “Any clue yet?" He asked throwing his backpack into his car.

Dylan removed the earphones from his ears. “The hint says ‘Look for the desperate doctor. What you seek might be closer than you think'. Maybe it has something to do with the hospital” He replied, tucking his phone back in his pocket. “We have less than nine hours” He added checking his watch.

“Well let's get going then” Ethan replied entering his car.

“Try to keep up” Dylan started his bike and rode off.

***

Eva approached the officer at the front desk. “Hey Jordan, is my dad still here?" She asked with a smile. The officer looked up from the computer and a smile formed on his face as well.

“Hello Eva. Yeah he just got back in” He replied

“Thanks Jordan” She clutched her backpac handle and made her way toward her dad's office. She opened the door a little, poked her head inside and saw him rummaging through some files. She walked into the office coming up behind him, she knew he was deep into what he was doing as he didn't notice her come in. “Don't take it out on the files, they are innocent” She stated, her voice startling him a little.

“Jesus Eva. You should try knocking before coming into my office, even if you are my daughter” He said turning to face her.

She saw the look of worry on his face. A look she didn't like seeing. It always ended with him coming home stressed and deep in thoughts. “We heard about the dead body. It's that bad huh?" He asked, sitting down on the chair opposite his desk.

“Not just the body. When one of the town's most respected businessman's daughter is missing, they get the whole precinct worked up. Especially the sheriff” he replied.

“Which businessman?"

“Raymond Smoak. He's on his way back to town and we don't even have a lead to pursue yet” he replied

“Vanessa is missing?” She asked surprised.

“Yeah. Yeah you both go to Sunnyvale high. When last did you see her?" He questioned.

“Yesterday when....” She stopped knowing what she almost said could have placed Dylan under the spotlight of the cops and she was gonna be sure he had something to do with it first before saying anything. “When we were in AP physics class” She concluded.

“You didn't see her leave the school or notice anything unusual about her when you saw her or maybe you saw her talking to someone?....you know the drill”

“Nope dad...and she's Vanessa, there's always something unusual about her” She replied. Sheriff Donovan sank deeper into his seat, heaving a heavy sigh and cleaning his face with his palm.

***

Dylan parked in front of the hospital with Ethan pulling up beside him also. They both exited their rides and headed straight for the front door of the hospital. “Are we gonna check this whole building?" Ethan asked sizing the building with his eyes as they made their way inside.

“Yeah. We'll split up to cover more grounds. Thinking about it, this hospital is now looking bigger than usual”

“And if we do find her and whoever is holding her captive?" He asked

“Well don't engage unless you wanna be the substitute kill. Call me and we'd find a way to rescue her without dying in the process.” he explained. “You take the top floors and I'll take this floor and the basement. And avoid my mom” He added just before they split up and Ethan walked toward the elevator to go search the top floors.

***

“What are we doing here?" Amy asked, standing on the road beside Eva at the entrance of the woods.

“I got the coordinates of where they found the body from my dad and I think we should check it out to figure out if you really did it or not” She replied, looking straight into the woods.

“Got the coordinates from your dad?" Amy gave her a skeptical look.

“Fine, I stole it from the entry log on his computer” She rolled her eyes. ”Now do you want to find out or not” She said, holding her phone in her hands for directions as she began heading toward the woods. Amy stood back for some seconds, looked around, inhaled heavily and followed. They walked deeper into the woods silently, their heartbeat rate increasing as they got closer to the coordinates. “The cause of death was the victim bleeding out. She was a teenager like us, 17 years old. She attends Crystal Prep. She was stabbed 17 times” Eva broke the silence.

“You mean I stabbed her 17 times” Amy said, sounding disgusted with herself.

“We don't know that for sure” Eva stopped and stared at her. “I don't believe you did that” She added trying to sound hopeful. She shifted her gaze back to her phone. “s**t!” she exclaimed.

“What?” Amy asked

“Signal is gone. There's no signal in this area”

“I don't think we need it anymore” Amy pointed forward. Eva followed her hand and saw her pointing to the area the policed taped off. They walked to the spot and saw some traces of blood still on the ground. They searched for a while and couldn't find anything of use.

“I guess it's just a dead end. The police must have swept here thoroughly” Eva stated

“Wait, do you hear that?” Amy said, listening Intently. Eva joined, trying to listen but couldn't hear anything.

“Hear what?"

“That music” She replied and began walking toward the direction of the music she was hearing. The closer she got the more she quickened her footsteps.

“Slow down Amy, I can't hear anything” Eva called after her, partly walking and partly running towards her. She followed Amy deeper into the woods until they came up to a cabin and Amy slowed down.

“The music is coming from inside” She said and began making her way to it slowly.

“I can't hear any music Amy. I think you are hearing things” Eva said almost whispering. They climbed the small steps leading to the front door of the cabin and walked quietly to it but the floorboard still creaked anytime they placed their foot on it. “What is that smell?" She looked around to see if anyone was watching as Amy gently pushed the door open. They both gasped Instantly on opening the door.

“Oh my God!" Amy shouted, covering her mouth as she began to sob.

“How did the police miss this?" Eva asked. They both stood there not knowing what to do as they stared at the slaughtered bodies in the cabin. There were at least six bodies in the cabin brutally murdered.

***

Dylan stepped out of the elevator and saw Ethan standing where they had split up earlier. “Did you find anything?" He asked walking up to him.

“No, nothing. You?”

“Same. I searched down to the basement and up twice and I couldn't find anything” Dylan replied with a fraustrated look. “I don't get it. Look for the desperate doctor. That's definitely hospital related” He added

“Or maybe we are just interpreting it wrong”

“Yeah maybe. We need to take a breather. Slow down and think what else it could mean. Let's go to my house, my mom won't be home till night” He suggested. Ethan nodded in agreement and they both headed out of the hospital.

***

The sheriff sat in his office in silence, watching Vanessa's dad rage on about how the sheriff's department is incompetent and couldn't find a missing highschool girl. “I swear to God Donovan! My girl better be found or I'm bringing this whole department down and I'll make sure you can't get a job in this town” He barked angrily

“It's Sheriff Donovan and I have my men out pursuing some leads. If you'll only calm down and let us do our jobs, we'll be able to work faster without you breathing down our neck and throwing threats at us” The Sheriff said

“Did you say breathing down your neck?!....you have a daughter don't you sheriff? I wonder if you'll still be sitting there so calm if it were her that was missing this instant. Find my daughter Sheriff and stop giving me excuses” He bellowed just as the sheriff's door opened.

“Sir...” Camila paused on seeing Vanessa's father. ”Did I interrupt something?" She asked

“No Deputy, what is it?” The sheriff asked

“A call just came about multiple dead bodies in the woods” She replied, glancing over at Vanessa's father.

The Sheriff stood up immediately, took his sidepiece and headed for the door. “My daughter better not be among those bodies Sheriff” He said with a hint of fear in his voice. The sheriff paused for a second and then continued his journey out.

***

Dr Pearce walked slowly around Vanessa, using the scalpel to trace lines along her bare torso. “Your time is running out Vanessa, and I can't see your saviour on sight. Maybe no one is coming to save you. The cops are nowhere to be found, Daddy is nowhere to be found, friends are nowhere to be found. You are all alone.” He stopped beside her and began stroking her hair, watching her sob quietly. “Personally I think they are all nowhere to be found because of your life choices. Maybe no one really likes you. You don't have friends because you are always a b***h to them. Daddy doesn't love you because your existence killed the love of his life. Although that wasn't your choice but it was still you”

“Please, please let me go” She pleaded with a weak voice.

“It's not in my hands to let you go. I made a deal and I have to see it through and besides it's more fun this way. Don't you agree?!”

“Please just let me go. I'll give you anything you want“ she kept on pleading

“You are already giving me what I want. You being here at this moment is what i want. So sit back and enjoy the show” He smiled and grabbed the cooler from the floor. “The ice already melted. Do go anywhere while I go fetch some more ice. I might need to start operating on you soon. So wait here and don't go anywhere” He laughed at his own joke and walked way with the cooler.

***

Dylan sat on his desk chair, tapping his foot on the floor rapidly as he listened over and over again at the recording as though a new clue was gonna pop up soon. He glanced over at Ethan who was deep in thought also on the bed trying to come up with what the hint might mean. “Damn it!" Dylan shouted, hitting the table with his fist and angrily throwing his phone on the bed.

“I'm guessing you couldn't come up with anything too” Ethan stated

“Who knows if it's even a legit hint?! It might just be a ploy to throw us off of finding her. I mean who kidnaps someone to kill and then gives you a clue to find the person?” He complained.

“Maybe this is all just a game to the person” Ethan replied. “I hate to bring it up but we are running out of time Dylan. We have just three hours on the clock and we do not have a clue as to where she is being kept or who took her” Ethan added

“Yeah I know” he buried his face in his palms

“Which means you have just three hours to decide. Have you thought about it?"

“Yeah I have Ethan. I can't just name someone else to be slaughtered. The only option is to find her” he replied. Just then the front door closed and his mom called his name from downstairs. “uhhh...bloody hell” he groaned and headed downstairs.

He climbed down the stairs to the living room and saw his mother lying down on the couch, obviously stressed out. “Hi mom. I'm actually a bit busy right now. Can we talk later?” he said hoping she'd just agree.

“Come on honey. We haven't had a chance to do our night talks since you started school. We agreed to be doing that regardless of anything. You know, about establishing a bond. Come sit honey, I could really use someone to talk to” She sounded genuinely tired.

“Oh mom” He complained, checking his watch.

“You are not gonna leave your mother hanging because of some new friends are you?” she questioned raising up her head and staring at him in the eyes. He knew she wasn't gonna drop it till he agrees and him arguing is just wasting both their time. So he gave in and slumped into the couch closer to him. “Thank you honey. So how's school?” she asked with a smile.

“Stressful. And judging by your act, I take it so is work” He replied.

“Yeah it's been stressful. Physically and emotionally. There's this couple. The husband was a Dr at the hospital before his license got revoked for selling drugs illegally at the clinic. Apparently he needed the extra money for his mother-in-law's treatment so he got his license revoked. Now they just found out that their 13 year old daughter needs a kidney and liver transplant and the news just broke them. The daughter is being held at the hospital for observation and the wife is always with her but the husband apparently disappeared the day they saw the result, only leaving his wife texts telling her he's trying to find a way to come up with the money” She explained.

“That's sad. He's right back where he started with his wife's mother” Dylan replied

“Yeah. The only difference is that their daughter doesn't have much time”

“He must be getting pretty desperate for him to disappear to find a way to look for the money maybe even illegally. I think.....” he trailed off and he squinted his eyes, sitting up instantly on his seat. “Look for the desperate doctor” he whispered to himself. “Mom, you said he was a doctor?" He questioned

“Yeah but he got his license revoked” she replied.

“What's his name?"

“Why? What happened?" She asked

“Just tell me mom” he retorted almost shouting

“I think it was Dr...Dr Gavin Pearce” She stated.

He stood up immediately “Thanks mom” he said, running towards his room. She watched him disappear with furrowed brows. She thought that was weird and just waved it off as one of Dylan's behavior.

He burst into his room “We shouldn't have just been scouting the hospital, we should have been scouting the doctors at the hospital” He blurted out as he sat on his chair and opened his laptop.

“What do you mean?" Ethan stood up from the bed and stood behind him peering at the computer.

“I think I found the desperate doctor” he said, searching the doctors name online. The results came out and he saw the head feed of a doctor Gavin Pearce whose license was revoked. He clicked on the profile and his picture popped up.

“That's the desperate doctor?" Ethan asked confused

“Wait, I have seen this face before” he leaned closer to the computer staring at the face until it dawned on him. “That's him, that's the man that bumped into me at school this morning” He said a bit excited.

“So what? You think he kidn*pped her and he's hiding her at the school?" Ethan questioned

“Look for the desperate doctor. What you seek might be closer than you think. Of course! He's keeping at her the school. She's been right under our noses this whole time. She's been closer than we thought” His eyes lit up. “Lets go to the school now. We still have two hours and some minutes” he said standing up immediately and grabbing his helmet from the table.

***

“What were you two both doing in the woods. Especially after I told you what happened there” The Sheriff asked, staring at Eva and Amy at the office. They just sat silently staring at their fingernails as the sheriff quarrelled with them. “The killer might still have been there and what did you think he or she would have done seeing you there?”

“But at least we found the bodies for you guys” Eva said calmly not removing her gaze from her nails.

“Not another word young lady. I'll get back to you when we get home and for you Amy, I know your sister would have a word for you when you get home.” He said.

A knock came on the door and Camila poked her head through the door. “Hey Sheriff, can I have a word with my sister?” She asked. The sheriff nodded in approval. “Alright, come here missy” She instructed, staring sternly at Amy who stood up reluctantly and followed her out of the office.

“You don't leave here. I still have a missing girl to find” Sheriff Donovan said and left the office, leaving Eva there.

***

Dylan and Ethan ran down the hallway of the school, searching class to class and every other room in the school. “Maybe we should split up and cover more ground. We are running out of time” Dylan stated.

“Are you crazy? With a killer here. No way” Ethan protested. They continued their search. They searched the boys and girls locker rooms and then began heading down to the basement. They got to the basement door and pushed the heavy steel door together.

“Why the hell would you use the same steel door for the boiler room and the basement. That's just creepy. This is a creepy school” Dylan stated as they successfully pushed the creeking door open.

“Help! Anybody please!" Vanessa shouted on hearing the door open.

“Vanessa?” Dylan called on hearing her voice. They rushed down the steps and came face to face with Vanessa strapped to the table, her shirt cut open and Dr Pearce standing beside her.

“Well well well. Congratulations Dylan you made it. I didn't think you would” Dr Pearce said

“Let her go” Dylan shouted.

“Oh I will. You did pass the test”

“What do you mean test?" Ethan asked

“I needed to know. Now I do” He smiled and cut the straps open, freeing Vanessa. Dylan rushed to her, carried her from the table and backed away from the Dr quickly. “Congratulations Dylan you didn't have to pick someone to die but I didn't say I couldn't. And I will, SOON. but blood must be spilled today” He said all the while maintaining a smile on his face.

“Why are you doing all these?" Dylan asked “What do you want?"

“CHAOS” he replied. “So let the game begin Dylan” he concluded and slit his throat with the scalpel. Vanessa screamed at the sight of this as they watched the Dr dropped to the floor. Dylan took off his jacket and gave it Vanessa to wear and cover her almost bare body as he carried her out of the basement.

***

The police arrived shortly after they called 911 along with Vanessa's dad. “Dad!” Vanessa called and made her way to her dad crying, he took her into a tight hug on coming down from his car.

“We'll need a statement from you two” The sheriff said, staring at Dylan and Ethan. Dylan nodded in agreement as they both leaned against Ethan's car. He looked over at Vanessa who mouthed ‘Thank you’ to him. He nodded in response. The sheriff's car door closed and he saw Eva standing there. She was staring at him suspiciously. He flashed her a smile and then turned to Ethan.

“Come on. We need to figure out who this killer is before he kills again” He said picking up his helmet.