Stuck in a Rut.
By Rosalie Redd

Casey Church is a normal 13 year old girl, full of hopes and dreams and fears and anxieties. But in a world where there hasn’t been a girl born in over a century, what is normal?

Chapter 18.

I walked through the hallways, reaching my locker. It was morning, just before first period. I had my hood drawn up, and was trying to not garner any attention. That wasn’t an easy task, as even in loose sweats people were noting my ass. I grumbled and dialed the combination. When I opened the door, an envelope fell out. I picked it up and stuffed it in my pocket as I gathered my books for first period.

I stopped off at the girl’s bathroom. Yes, to my dismay, my status meant that I was instructed to use them from now on. In the stall, I sat and peed. Urgh… yeah, with my plumbing reorienting itself, I had to pee sitting down, in case my immature female urethra decided to dribble. After finishing, I opened the envelope and found a key, and a note.

I read the note to myself. ‘Beware the spider, spinning its webs. It has 8 eyes to watch you, though 2 look away. It has 8 arms, but 2 will not kill. Still, be wary for it has plans for to kill you, just like the butterfly. Your safety lies hidden in a box. Remember 228 will protect you from your fate. Look for when the 2 eyes are upon you, for they are the chance to flee. Don’t bank on an easy time, your safety could depend on feeding the beast’

I looked at the note curiously, and then pocketed it and the key. I got up, washed my hands and went to class as if everything were normal.

I reached the class and looked around. Marcia was in her spot, looking around and whispering. The brunettes were flanking her on either side. Looking at them, They had to be sisters. I don’t know why I hadn’t noticed that before. The small, black haired goth girl sat off to the side, reading a book and pointedly not looking at me.

I sat down and did my best job ignoring Marcia and her goon squad, though every now and then I felt the impact of some small object or another. Mr. Hedges entered and things settled down. I listened to his lesson on the annexation of the Sudetenland by Germany. Class let out, and I hustled on to the next class.

When lunch came around, I sat in the normal spot, waiting for DeShaun. Unfortunately, Marcia came over and sat down in his usual spot. Her thugs were as usual on either side of her. Goth girl wasn’t with them.

I looked at her and sneered. “Where’s your little shadow?”, I asked Marcia, even as I stared at the brown-eyed sister.

“Hmm? Oh her. She has a different lunch period. You don’t need to worry about Luna. She’s just a sad little sheep that I’ve herded to my flock. The three of us are the ones you need to worry about, that is of course if you don’t break up with DeShaun and leave him for me.”, Marcia said, poison dripping with each word.

I looked at the sisters. “What’s with Thing 1 and Thing 2? Can’t they speak?”, I asked with a smirk.

The blue-eyed one glared at me and lunged, but her sister grabbed her and held her back.

“Amy, stand down.”, Marcia said, and the blue-eyed one gave a ‘hmph’ and backed off. Both girls were taller than I was, since I was still shrinking. I smirked at Amy, and she stepped forward again, but her sister held her arm out to block her.

DeShaun arrived right then and motioned for me to follow him. I didn’t like that they had taken our spot, but I was already tired of the drama.

I looked at him and whispered. “Do you have class with any of them the next couple periods?”, pointing my head subtly at the evil slut-gang.

“I have May in 5th period. But 4th is free. Why?”, he asked.

So the other sister is May. Hmm. How totally twinsies. I sighed. “Look this over in your pest-free period and give it back to me in Home Ec.”, I said, slipping the envelope to him. I kept the key in my pocket. “There was also a key, but I’m going to hold on to that”, I stated.

I slipped the envelope to him under the table while the goon-squad was looking away.

After lunch, I dodged the crowds and got back to my locker. There wasn’t anything new or unusual this time. I grabbed my books for next period. Turning, I saw the little shadow trailing me. She must have seen that I had noticed her, because she ducked behind some taller kids and disappeared.

When it came time for Home Ec. I arrived slightly early. DeShaun was there. He was looking over the note and thinking. I sat down beside him, and gave him a peck on the cheek.

“What do you think?”, I asked him.

“I don’t like that bit about the ‘butterfly’ it’s obvious to me who that means.”, he said. “the spider bit got me though.”

I looked at him. He was cute, and smart enough, but he was like a broken street fighter game, no guile at all. “There are 4 of them. That makes 8 eyes and 8 arms. Saying that 2 arms and 2 eyes aren’t involved means we might have inside help. Possibly the person that left the note and the key. We have to figure out how the key fits into all this.”, I said, with a sigh. We both sat and thought about it as class began.

I survived the rest of the school day with nothing else strange or unusual going on. I sat out front of the school waiting for Mom. DeShaun had practice and would walk home after.

Mom and I headed to the hospital to visit Janie. I was nervous because of what had happened with Janie’s Mom, but I was doing my best to stay upbeat. I walked out of the elevator, and down the corridor to Janie’s room. I was greeted by Janie’s Mom, who quite suddenly wrapped me up in a hug.
To say that I was shocked would be putting it mildly.

“Oh, Casey honey, I’m so sorry for all the hurtful things I said. I was hurt, and lashing out. You didn’t deserve it. But I have wonderful news! Janie is awake! She asked to see you earlier. I told her you were still in school. Go on in!”, Janie’s mom said in an overjoyed voice.

I ran in as quickly as I could. Janie lay there in the bed. The bandage was off from her forehead, and they had removed the patch from over her eye. Her eye was swollen and black, and she had a nasty gash across her forehead. Her arms were still wrapped, but they were no longer restrained.

She called over to me in a weak voice. “Casey, Casey my love. I’m sorry. I’m sorry if I worried you.”

I gave a dismissive wave, indicating it was no big deal. “I’m fine, but more importantly, what happened to you?”, I asked.

She looked at me with her good eye, and spoke. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember much. I had gotten home, and was unlocking the door. I felt someone come up behind me, and they slammed my head into the door.”

I nodded. Janie was at the end of the cul de sac, and the high bushes around her yard would provide ample places to stake an ambush, and would block the view of any possible observers.

Janie continued talking. “I’m told that I was dragged into the kitchen. I was unconscious, thankfully, so I don’t remember them cutting my arms and wrists. Someone smeared my blood on the edge of the counter to make it look like I had hit my head after I had fainted. The door was cleaned up, so sign of blood was found on the door. They tried to make it seem like I tried to kill myself.”, she sobbed.

I stroked her head gently. Poor Janie. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” I said in rapid succession.

She looked up at me with that big crystal blue eye. “About you and DeShaun? Don’t be. I knew that you two would become boyfriend and girlfriend. Just remember. I’m still your girlfriend too, ya know.”, she said with the faintest hint of a smile.

I laughed and looked back at her. “Sure thing, now you just have to become his girlfriend too, and we can cause the school gossip mongers all sorts of fun.”

She looked at me and the smile returned. “Don’t think that I haven’t thought about it. We’d have to figure out the sexual logistics though.”, she said.

I looked at her and swallowed some saliva wrong, and began to have a massive coughing fit.

Janie laughed and smiled, and then winced a little when she laughed too hard.

I spent an hour talking to her, just little stuff really. I knew she wasn’t ready yet to hear about the note.
Still, it was obvious that she was the ‘butterfly’, and I was determined to find the proof that Marcia had done this.

All too soon, the time to leave was upon us, and I said my farewells, and gently kissed her cheek.
I was determined that they would pay.

DeShaun was home from practice, and had fixed dinner. I was surprised. The burgers were delicious, and the seasoned fries were perfection. He was attractive, kind, and could cook? I would never let him get away.

Mom and Dad retired to the couch to watch TV after dinner, leaving DeShaun and I alone in the dinning room to study. I had a light workload today, so I finished quickly. After a while DeShaun closed his books, and asked to see the letter again. We sat and read it again and again, looking for hidden meaning. Stumped, I took the key and walked into the living room.

“Mom, Dad”, I said. “Someone left this key in my locker. And I’ve been trying to figure out why.

I think it has something to do with why Janie was hurt.” I explained about the note, and let them see it.
Dad made several noises while reading the note, mostly angry ones.

Mom took the key and inspected it. “I think I know what this key is for. Tomorrow, before your appointment, we will swing by the bank.”, she said.

“The bank?”, I said questioningly.

Mom looked at me. “If I’m right, this key fits a safe deposit box at the bank over by the grocery store. The clues are in the message. It mentions the word Safety twice, as well as it being in a box. The part about 228, that has to be the box number.”

“Ah!, I get it. And the part about feeding the beast… that has to refer to the Cub Foods grocery store. The closest one happens to be next to Wells Fargo Bank!”, I said in a moment of enlightenment.

DeShaun put his hand on my shoulder and gently patted it. I put my hand on top of his, and gently caressed it. Dad cleared his throat, and we quickly stopped, both of us blushing that we had been caught in the display of affection.

We had the solution. Tomorrow we would go and find out what was going on. There was someone out there that knew what was going on, and I would find out who. And once I go the whole truth, I would make that twisted psychopathic bitch Marcia wish that she had never been born.

With Janie okay, and with my new determination, I knew that tonight I would sleep well. And I did. Tomorrow, watch out Marcia Hayes. I’m coming for you.

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