Chapter 66 - A Scheme Covered in Blood (2/2)

”Ah!”

Lydis caught the child by their arm and gently helped them up.

”T-thank you…” The girl's mumbled voice trailed off as she hung her head. She turned around to leave but Lydis touched her shoulder.

”Can I ask you for a favor?”

For once, the girl looked up and saw Lydis's warm smile, the beauty in her red hair against the black uniform and the clear shine of Lydis's sky colored eyes.

”A-ah…”

Lydis turned the child to face her, both of her hands on either shoulder.

”Can I?”

The girl hadn't heard the question at first but she nodded furiously at Lydis's second question.

”Thank you, I, I just couldn't find out how to tell them…”

”Tell who what?”

Lydis looked left and right before pulling the girl closer.

”I saw a strange man outside the windows and he saw me too. I think I saw blood but I-I'm not sure…” Lydis pulled the girl into a hug. ”I'm too scared to be out in the open, can you tell the Horoscopes for me? They'll have an answer, they're Horoscopes after all.” Lydis gave a weak smile.

”I'll do it! I'll do it!”

”Thank you, I can feel a bit more at ease now…” Lydis smiled again before walking away from the girl. The girl looked at Lydis's receding back and to the four people dressed in white.

”Okay, I just need to tell them…”

Lydis saw the girl move towards Bianca and found Crill again.

”Back so soon?”

Lydis didn't know what happened but somehow Crill seemed less anxious. Like he was more at ease than a few moments ago. She didn't care enough to ask what but Lydis still needed Crill's people.

”Can you start spreading rumors of the killer?”

”Sure.”

Lydis was a bit surprised at Crill's quick response. There had been no hesitation in his decision. Lydis eyed him but just nodded in approval.

”Great, the contents can be a bit different but they should all center on the killer being seen around here.”

”Got it. Hey, Marr, come over here…”

Lydis watched Crill work and felt that his attitude change towards her was too drastic in such a short amount of time.

”Crill,”

”Yeah?”

”… Are you up to something?”

”No. Why?”

”It's nothing…”

”Okay.”

The kid called Marr grabbed a few and started to mingle with the other students. Talking about the killer out loud on purpose. Calling it a secret is the best way for it to spread. Soon the children were calling shadows killers, some claimed to have seen the killer. Lydis spotted a familiar girl and watched as she made her way to Bianca through the chattering kids. Bianca bent down to listen to the child and her face went pale. Lydis knew that it was time.

”Crill, the doors if you will. Also, windows are fine too.”

Crill nodded and made a few hand motions. Slum kids scattered around on the far side of the lounge area disappeared.

Suddenly the alarms on the building began to blare loudly. A high pitched whine that beeped continuously with a louder siren going off in intervals. Panic quickly took hold of everyone and all the kids began to scatter. Many chose to stick to Bianca's group while the ones unable to squeeze together ran off. The heavy shutters on the doors to the rooms fell and sealed the kids inside the room inside and kept the ones outside out.

”Ahh!” The kids saw that the windows and side doors of building were wide open. Some jumped through them but too many were scared to leave.

”The killer's here!”

No one knows who started it but Lydis recognized it as the girl she asked a favor of earlier.

”The killer's here, he's going to kill us all!”

Terror, panic, confusion.

Now, no one wanted to stay in the building. Everyone rushed to the doors and open windows, no one noticed when a tall silhouette quietly took a child away in the chaos.