“Okay, what the hell are we doing here?” Claire, Riley’s best friend, questioned. “And why now? It’s almost eight and it’s kind of dark out here, not gonna lie.”
Riley was in a small friend group in her high school, Manhattan. The group consisted of Claire, Ryan, Bella, and Riley, and everyone was very close despite previous broken off relationships.
Bella died many months ago, almost a year ago, and Claire as well as Ryan slowly got out of the grieving process after the first eight months, but Riley never really had closure knowing that her best friend’s killer was still out there somewhere.
Claire was the average teen girl, though she never really died her hair blonde like Bella did; she had long, black locks that fell past her shoulders.
Bella—on the other hand—had straight, blonde hair that she curled at the ends every morning, and after the recent pandemic across the entire world, she was one of the select teens who wore pajamas to school.
Ryan was the average jock, though he was silently nerdy. Riley never really understood how he had straight A’s whereas the rest of her classes who played sports their whole lives had B’s or below. Ryan had brown hair, though it was pretty dark so some thought it might’ve been black, and he had those odd brown eyes that also had specks of black in them.
Riley—on the other hand—was the mixed race teen in the group; she had dark brown curly hair that—for some reason—decided to be wavy some days. She straightened it most of the time, and of course curled it at the ends. She honestly hated how it looked naturally, and she had to buy expensive hair stuff in order to get those coils she really liked. Riley’s skin was a very light brown, so light that some considered her tan. She had beautiful silver eyes, as her mother once said; the eyes she got from her ancestors. And her average day-to-day clothes were skirts and a T-shirt, or jeans and a sweatshirt.
If she wore skirts, it was usually worn with leggings. She honestly didn’t like showing off her body like other girls did.
“Earth to Riley,” Claire said, waving a hand in front of her face. “We’ve been standing here for ten minutes, and it’s getting kind of chilly. What’s happening, girl?”
“Ryan was in my bedroom earlier,” Riley explained, “and as I was shoving him out the door, I found a feather in my room.”
“So, we looking for a bird, or….”
“No,” Riley answered shortly, “I looked out the window and saw a guy out there.”
Claire raised her brows. “Secret boyfriend?”
“No, I don’t even know him,” Riley said. “And can you please let me speak? Thanks.” She stared off into the distance for a moment. “He was wearing a masquerade mask, and it had like these weird horns and feathers attached to the sides, but when I was going to ask him who he was, he told me to be silent.”
“That’s creepy.”
“He pointed to the roof of my house,” Riley said, pulling out a note from her pocket, “and I found this.”
Claire read the lines of the note before pulling back. “Riley, if you get us killed, I swear to God.”
“We’re going to be fine,” Riley answered. “He told us to meet him here and he mentioned that I could bring a friend if I felt unsafe alone. So that’s a good sign, right?”
“Or because he has an entire group of strong ass men with him so they can mug us and dump us in the river.” Claire put her thumbs up. “Great job, Riley. We’re dying tonight.”
Riley just stared off in the distance for a moment. “I don’t know why… but I have a feeling he’s going to help us.”
“Why do you have this feeling? Did he say something about it?” Claire questioned.
Riley didn’t know why, but when she found the feather from his mask that flew in her window, she got a sudden assurance that she was safe… Mainly because she found the same dark feather at her father’s grave, and the other at Bella’s.
It was highly possible that this guy was the murderer… but something told her…
He was someone else.
But she didn’t know if he was harmful or helpful.
Not yet.
Claire bumped her shoulder suddenly, and nodded to the alley ahead of them when Riley glanced at her.
“Is that him?” she whispered.
Riley squinted her eyes, noticing a dark figure standing in the shadows of the alleyway, the same cloak waving around him like tides in an ocean, and the same black mask covering him from his eyes up.
The hood was always drawn over his hair, so Riley couldn’t see it’s color or style.
Riley took one step up to the man, watching to see if he stiffened or gave any signs of excitement or nervousness.
He gave off nothing, and instead, just stood there.
So she stepped up to him faster, Claire whispering in protest, “Riley!” but she heard her follow seconds later.
Riley slowed when the mysterious boy put his hand out, indicating for her to stop.
And she did.
But Claire was far behind, and when Riley narrowed her eyes to watch the boy’s blue gaze, she whispered, “You look young.”
“Riley…” he whispered menacingly, making her stare up at him when he shielded his voice with the quiet one, “you’re entering dangerous waters. You need to tread more carefully.”
“What are you talking about?” she questioned him.
“Riley!” Claire said, gasping as she continued to run to her.
“Riley,” he said, leveling his blue eyes with hers, “you’re in danger. I don’t think you understand that. You need to stop searching for the culprit.”
“How the hell did you know I was searching for the culprit?” she questioned suspiciously. “How do you know my name? How did you know where I live? And how do you know so much about me?”
“You won’t understand,” the man told her. “You’re completely arrogant, for one. And you must give up the curiosity and the guilt, for two. This obsession to find the killer is not how the grieving process works. It’s dangerous, what you’re doing. There are dangerous men wanting to hurt you, so stop being a moron and back off. That’s the police’s job for a reason, you idiot.”
“Stop being a dick, emo boy,” she said at his name-calling. “Also, why does everyone call it an obsession?” she questioned angrily. “And why doesn’t anyone understand that I can take care of myself? I have training for these situations.”
“Karate won’t be the only thing that could protect you from a gun to your head, Riley,” he stated coldly. “And the fact that you have such confidence in these things without proper training is dangerous. Stay away from the searching. The police will find the culprit.”
“You seem like you know everything!” she said to him, Claire stopping at the mouth of the alley and gasping. “Why can’t you run to the police and tell them everything you know, huh? Let them capture the killer! Who’s the moron now, huh?”
The boy’s eyes grew darker. “You’re such an idiot.”
“What?” she questioned.
“I’m not on good terms with the police, Riley. Clearly—with the mask? In fact, I’m wanted across the entire state, but they don’t know what I look like. I just wear this as a precaution.”
Her eyes grew. “What did you do?”
He sighed, shaking his head. “Stay away from this, Riley. And you’ll live; life is precious. I only take it when it’s needed. Goodbye.”
“Stop,” she stated, catching his arm to prevent him from leaving, “did you kill them? Did you kill Bella?”
“No,” he answered shortly.
“What did you do?” she questioned. “Should I trust you or run from you?”
He was giving off mixed signs.
“I’m dangerous,” he answered vaguely. “But I am your ally.”
“How dangerous?” she continued. “Did you kill anyone? Hurt them?”
He never responded.
She let go of his arm then, eyes widening when she backed away.
He just stood there, watching her next move.
Riley caught Claire’s arm.
“Ow!” she said, clearly taken off guard. “What’s going on? What the hell?”
“You’re staying at my house tonight,” Riley told her as she continued to stare at the boy. “No fighting, got it?”
“Uh, okay,” she said.
Riley started backing out of the alleyway, keeping her eyes on the boy as she pulled Claire along with her.
Her best friend just seemed to glance around nervously. “Are we in danger?”
“I don’t know,” Riley answered, “but let’s go home. Now.”
They both ran out of the alleyway, Riley pulling her phone out of her pocket and dialed 9-1-1.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
“I think I found a killer,” Riley said, “I’m safe, but I last saw him at an alleyway behind a brewery on Coal Street. I’m not sure if he’s still there. He wears a masquerade mask and a black cloak, he told me he’s on the run from the police.”
“Okay, police are on their way, can I catch your nam—”
She hung up on them, pushing her phone into her pocket.
“Why did you do that?” Claire questioned. “It would help them protect you.”
“I can’t trust anyone I don’t know,” Riley answered. “It’s too dangerous.”
And they ran back home seconds later.