Hushed

Chapter 17: A Picture

    "What did you do to him?” Polly asked when she approached my chair. Thirty minutes has passed and Harvey still hasn’t come back.

    “I didn’t do anything,” I said, I’m not in the mood to talk; I just used up all of my energy from talking to them. It’s saddening how my energy drains so fast but also really nice since I have a reason not to talk to people.

    “Tell me what you did or God help me, I will,” she said but I interrupted her.

    “What will you do?” I asked and stood up. I really don’t want to talk but she’s provoking me. “I thought so,” I said and sat back down. I don’t like threatening people but I do it when I need to.

    “You won’t tell me what you did? Then I’ll see it myself,” she said and walked out of the room. “Sure.” I’m really not in the mood unless they give me something that would energize me.

    "What is she talking about?” Max asked, since I told Mr. Belen that Harvey cheated, he moved him to Max’ seat so now Max sits behind me.

    I was about to answer him when Polly’s voice echoed through the halls, screaming.

    Everyone ran out of the room to check on her. She was standing in front of the storage room, crying.

    “You did this to him,” she said as soon as she saw me. What has gotten into her? I don’t know what she thinks I did to him but I left him there right after we talked. I swear I didn’t do anything, other than slightly threaten him.

    “You’re a murderer,” she shouted as she pointed her finger at me.

    Why is my curiosity so bad to me? Harvey’s body was hanging in the storage room, his face was completely covered with blood and he was strangled with his own clothes, like I said I would do.

    The police officers made all of us stay in the room while they examined the scene. What would I say when they asked me what happened? I don’t want to tell them that Polly  is cheating on James with Harvey but I don’t want them to think that I killed him either.

    If I were to choose between ruining someone’s life and ruining mine, what would I choose? The most logical thing to do is ruining someone’s life but the most humane is ruining mine.

    But isn’t it their fault for making out in the school? If they were careful I wouldn’t have stumbled upon them. But if I didn’t just kick the door, I wouldn’t have seen them there and I wouldn’t be a suspect.

    “Everyone, as you all know, Harvey is gone and we found out something that could lead us to the killer, so if everyone could just take your bags out,” Mr. Belen said, two police officers were standing behind him, one of them is Detective Howard.

    “What are you guys looking for?” Cain asked as he sat beside me. “A picture, we were informed that he has this with him everywhere he goes but we couldn’t find it anywhere.

    I took my bag from my seat and placed it on my desk. It’s open. I looked inside and saw a picture of a little boy holding hands with a woman. Who placed it here? What would happen if they saw this on me?

    Max suddenly stood up and approached Mr. Belen who’s standing in front of everyone. After a few seconds, Mr. Belen glanced at me and shook his head but I didn’t hear what they’re talking about. Did he see the photo on my bag? Did he tell him that I’m the killer?

    Max walked back to his seat, staring at me but before he could even get to his chair, he fell down, making me fall from my chair, along with my table. I don’t know how he did it but he did.

    I recovered from my fall quickly to hide the picture from showing. I don’t want anyone knowing about the picture.

    “Sorry,” he said and went back to his seat, without helping me pick my thing up but its fine since he wouldn’t be able to know about the picture.

    “Your bag,” the officer said, they’re already on my seat. I’m doomed; I haven’t even found the picture yet.

    The officer rummaged through my things and surprisingly, moved on to Max. Did they not find anything?

    “Why do you have this?” the officer asked and when I looked back, he was holding the picture.