Chapter four-The Accusations
1028 Words
The teachers and the principal looked at me with undisguised disgust as we waited for my parents. Two police officers stood beside the principal, their presence heavy, their eyes fixed on me as though the verdict had already been decided.
The room felt too small—too quiet, too suffocating.
A few minutes later, the door opened.
My parents walked in.
My mum rushed to me immediately, pulling me into a tight embrace as if she needed to be sure I was still there.
“Are you alright?” my dad asked.
I nodded, even though my throat felt dry.
He turned to face them, his expression shifting, hardening.
“And why,” he said calmly, “have you called us here?”
“Your son had a misunderstanding with one of the students…” the principal began carefully. “That led to her death.”
Silence followed. Thick. Uncomfortable.
“And how,” my dad asked, taking a slow step forward, “are you certain he was involved?”
“They were together before she died. And we discovered he tried to force himself on her.”
A quiet chuckle escaped my dad—low and humorless.
“Proof?” he asked.
The principal hesitated. “Other students were there. They testified.”
“They saw him do it?” my dad pressed.
“He was the last person seen with her. He is already a suspect,” one of the officers added.
“He’s a minor,” my dad said, his voice tightening. “And you’re suggesting he killed his best friend?”
“He tried to rap—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence.”
My mum’s voice cut through the room like a blade. Her grip on me tightened.
“Don’t you dare call my son a rapist.”
“Honey—”
“No,” she snapped, her eyes blazing. “Not in front of him.”
My dad exhaled slowly, then faced them again.
“When you have actual evidence,” he said quietly, “you may come back to us. Until then, do not throw around accusations you cannot prove. There is no evidence my son raped anyone, and no witness saw him kill her.”
The room fell silent.
He glanced at my mum. “Take Thae to the car. I’ll be there shortly.”
⸻
My mum didn’t let go of my hand as she led me out of the office.
The door shut behind us with a dull click.
The hallway felt eerily empty, the silence stretching too far. The sharp rhythm of her heels echoed against the floor, each step loud in the stillness, while my sneakers scraped faintly behind her.
“I won’t forgive them,” she muttered under her breath, her voice trembling with restrained anger. “Not for saying that about you.”
⸻
We reached the car.
“Get in,” she said softly.
I did, and she slid into the passenger seat beside me, turning slightly in her seat.
“Don’t listen to them,” she whispered.
“I’m okay, Mum,” I said, forcing a small smile. “I’ll drive my car home. I’ll meet you guys there.”
She studied me for a moment, something unreadable in her eyes, then gave a quiet, almost sad laugh.
“Maybe teaching you to bottle everything up wasn’t such a good idea,” she said gently. “You can talk to us.”
“I know… and I’m sorry for making you come.”
She waved it off just as my dad approached and got into the driver’s seat.
“We won’t be hearing from them for a while,” he said with a sigh.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Come on, son… you did nothing wrong.”
He started the engine.
“Dad—wait,” I said quickly. “My car. I’ll come behind you.”
He glanced at me. “You sure lad?”
“Yeah.”
After a brief pause, he nodded. “Drive safe.”
⸻
The air outside felt colder than it should have been.
I walked toward my car, the parking lot stretching out around me—quiet, empty.
Too quiet.
I reached for the door handle and pulled it open—
Then froze.
Something felt… wrong.
That creeping sensation settled over me again—the unmistakable feeling of being watched.
Slowly, I lifted my head.
Someone was standing at the far end of the parking lot.
Still.
Completely still.
Too still.
My chest tightened.
“What the hell…” I murmured.
They weren’t moving. Not even slightly. It was as if the air itself avoided them.
Then, slowly—
Their head tilted.
The motion was unnatural, drawn out in a way that made my stomach turn.
A chill ran sharply down my spine.
I let out a breathless laugh, trying to shake it off, but my fingers were already trembling as I reached for the car door.
Then it moved.
One step forward.
A faint dragging sound followed.
Not walking—
Dragging.
My pulse spiked.
Something wasn’t right.
I slipped into the car and slammed the door shut, my heart pounding as I tried to steady my breathing.
“Relax… you’re fine…”
I looked up.
And my blood ran cold.
It was closer.
Much closer.
I hadn’t seen it move.
I would have seen it.
A sharp panic surged through me. I jammed the key into the ignition and sped out of the parking lot, tires screeching as the car lurched forward.
My hands tightened around the steering wheel as my pulse roared in my ears.
Don’t look back.
Don’t—
I looked.
The rearview mirror.
And there it was.
Standing in the middle of the road.
Right behind me.
Watching.
Its head tilted again.
And this time—
It smiled.
Wide.
Empty.
Wrong.
I blinked.
It was gone.
The road behind me was completely empty.
Silence filled the car.
A shaky laugh escaped me, thin and unconvincing.
“Yeah… I’m definitely losing it…”
But the cold feeling in my chest didn’t fade.
Because deep down—
I knew I wasn’t.
- Writer
