The notary waves goodbye at me before I leave the law office in the middle of the night in numb steps. Already, everyone’s been notified there will be no classes tomorrow. At least, this means I won’t miss my courses on my last day.
By the time I get to the suite, my feet are ready to fall off and it’s 2AM. The campus’ streets are empty. I avoid the murder scene area and take five extra minutes to get to the hotel. I swipe the room card, which Derek granted me on the day I came, and walk inside. By the doorway, I deposit my spine-crushing backpack and sag my shoulders.
‘Where were you?’
I open my eyes, for the first time it feels, and discern the nebulous figure of Derek sitting at the desk, rigid in his armchair. Blackness covers him. I flick the light switch and he comes into sharp r
