CHAPTER ONE
From the books he’d read, those who sought revenge rarely were the better for it. It didn’t fill the void in them. It didn’t diminish their suffering. It often led to their self-destruction.
He didn’t care.
Hatred had grown to consumed him and vengeance was all that was left to express it. Civil ways to resolve his pain had decayed into dust months ago.
Soon his acts would lead to his infamy, but he wasn’t after the fame. He wanted to bring to light those events others had tried to keep hidden.
If that meant many would die so that he could kill a few, so be it. The fog of war allowed for such imprecision.
In one months time he would fill the streets with rivers of blood.
He didn’t care what happened to him after that.
As he scratched another day off his calendar, counting down to the moment he would exact his revenge, it wasn’t lost on him that he could be causing the same anguish in others that had led him down his own lonely path.
It reminded him of a phrase his mother liked to say.
“Life wasn’t fair.”
The man knew death wasn’t either.
CHAPTER TWO
This wasn’t the first time Gabby Wells had snuck her way through Safety Harbor High unnoticed. It probably wouldn’t be the last. Heck, she could do it blindfolded.
Actually, she had, once. But that wouldn’t help her now. Not today.
Down the long, empty hall, the gray cinderblock walls resembled a prison and the harsh florescent lights cast a light green hue. Flanked on either side by two-tiered lockers, classroom doors interrupted the repetitive design and windows resembling square portholes peered in on the students and teachers.
All was quiet, except for two grumbling figures ducking behind a large trash bin at the end of the hall.
Traversing the school unseen during seventh period was difficult, especially on a Friday. Impatient students, struggling to maintain focus during their last period would let their minds and eyes wander. They’d gazed into the halls, longing to be on the other side of the door, and daydream about a life outside of school.
Gabby wouldn’t normally risk getting caught navigating the campus when she should be in her history class.
Well, not again.
But today was different. The stakes were high and the clock was ticking.
She slid out from behind the trashcan and glided up next to the first door, motioning for Emma to join her.
Emma.
Her best friend was now her biggest obstacle. Gifted with the agility of a lead anchor, Emma plodded up behind her. She might have been funny, spontaneous, and wild at parties, but today, Emma was a liability. With so little time, Gabby couldn’t give her a crash course on avoiding areas of high visibility.
“We should head back!” Emma said, her gaze darting down the corridor.
“Lower your voice,” Gabby said. “We’re almost there.”
Detention today would be worse than expulsion. Okay, maybe not that bad, but pretty close. Today was the last day of Gabby’s freshman year and no one, especially Gabby, wanted to have to stay after school when that final bell chimed.
Which was why, in situations like this, Gabby preferred to work alone. Why she would have today, if she had a choice. But she didn’t. And, whining about it wasn’t going to help.
Bobbing and weaving through the hall, Gabby and Emma found their way to Mr. Thompson’s office.
Gabby tried the knob.
It was locked.
“We’re toast,” Emma said, glancing down at a man’s wristwatch in her hand. “And we’re down to ninety seconds.”
“Plenty of time.” Gabby said as she knelt in front of the door.
“What are you going to do?”
“What I always do,” she said, pulling a pair of bobby pins from underneath her fashionably tattered baseball cap. “Improvise.”
If Gabby had a vice, it was her love of hats. She didn’t remember when her affinity for them started; she just knew she looked better wearing one.
Plus, they were a great place to hide things.
She wiggled the bobby pins in the lock like a skilled thief, feeling for the tumblers, while Emma peered over her shoulder.
“You really have to show me how you do that,” Emma said.
“I don’t think so. You are many things to many people, Em. You’re smart, a great friend, and you tan really easily, which annoys me to no end…”
“But?”
The tumblers fell into place and made a satisfying click. Gabby swung the door open.
“But you can’t keep a secret to save your life,” Gabby said.
They entered and Emma closed the door behind them.
“You’d better hurry,” Emma said.
“I’m on it.”
Gabby slid Mr. Thompson’s worn chair up to his wooden desk. She clicked on the monitor and woke the computer from its sleep. Like Thompson’s desktop computer, the high school was way past its prime.
Gabby didn’t complain.
Older technology meant easier access.
With a quick crack of her knuckles, she began to hack into Mr. Thompson’s computer while Emma stood on her tiptoes and kept watch through the small window.
“I can keep a secret, Gabs,” Emma said.
“Like how you and Jake are dating again?” Gabby asked as she typed.
“We’re not dating. We only went to the movies. And got something to eat. And made out for a while in his car. I guess some would call it a date, but I wouldn’t. I didn’t. I don’t.”
Gabby chuckled and raised an eyebrow.
Emma bit her lip. “You had no idea, did you?”
“Nope. But I do now.”
“Don’t tell anyone, okay? Everyone hates Jake after what happened.”
“And so should you,” Gabby said. “Most people don’t like getting duct taped to the school fence. I know I didn’t.”
“I’ve forgiven him. You should too.”
“Forgiveness isn’t my strong suit. You know that. Besides, Jake’s not worth the effort.”
“He is to me,” Emma said, glancing at the watch. “We’re down to sixty seconds.”
“Almost done.”
Crunch time. Gabby loved it. That was when things got interesting.
Thompson’s computer hummed as Gabby scanned the files. She examined one directory after another until her mouse hovered above her target.
A folder labelled Final Exam.
A few keystrokes later, the test printed out behind her and she held it out to Emma with a flourish.
“Your skills are both impressive and concerning,” Emma said.
Gabby smiled and folded the test, stuffing it under her cap.
“We’ve only got twenty-five seconds left,” Emma said.
“I hope you’re wearing running shoes.”
They ducked and dodged through the corridors like pinballs bouncing from one bumper to the next. Adrenaline pumped through Gabby’s veins and her smile filled her face. When everyone else panicked, she felt calm.
For Gabby, chaos was comforting.
They sprinted past the principal’s office and burst into the auditorium — running straight into Mr. Thompson’s class.
Thompson stood in front of the students, his arms crossed.
“Ladies,” he said. “What a surprise.”
“Hey, Mr. Thompson,” Gabby panted.
“Do you have something you’d like to show me?”
Emma swallowed hard.
Gabby reached under her hat and removed the stolen test.
“Is this what you’re looking for, Mr. T.?” she asked.
Mr. Thompson snatched the paper and scanned it closely, jutting out his chin as he read each page.
Gabby surveyed the class, trying to gauge the tension in the room. Hoping for some support, she held her gaze on her friend Hamilton.
Time stopped when she looked at him.
He didn’t know that. No one did. That was okay, for now. She wasn’t ready to tell him things had changed for her. There was plenty of time for that later.
Mr. Thompson sighed.
“Well, Hamilton?” he asked.
Hamilton looked at his vintage watch and smiled.
“One minute, fifty-eight seconds,” Hamilton said. “She did it.”
The class cheered and Gabby bowed.
Mr. Thompson held up a single finger for silence and the buzz in the room quickly diminished.
“I am a man of my word,” he said. “Pizza is on me.”
The cafeteria staff brought in boxes of pizza as Emma returned Mr. Thompson’s watch to him.
“I never doubted her for a second,” she said.
“I bet,” Thompson said with a smirk.
As Gabby watched her classmates devour their year-end pizza, she allowed herself to enjoy the moment. There were so few times she felt like she belonged and this was one of them.
She felt a firm hand on her elbow.
“Well done, Ms. Wells,” Mr. Thompson said. “I guess everything I’ve heard about you is true.”
Gabby blushed.
“I hope not everything,” she said.
“I’ll know better than to challenge you again.”
“Good idea. The odds were definitely stacked against you.”
“Confidence,” he said. “I like that. All said—the cost of a pizza party was worth knowing what you were capable of, Ms. Wells. I’ll have to keep that in mind next year.”
“What I’m capable of, Mr. Thompson, is worth a heck of a lot more than a pizza party.”
(more chapters coming soon)
