Zell furrowed his brow, feeling a cold chill running up his spine. What was this feeling he was having? He felt so strange. The skin on the back of his neck was prickling. Zell shivered, feeling uncomfortable, sitting all alone in the little café in Balamb. He was supposed to be meeting his mom for lunch, and she was late.
“Hyne!” Zell looked down at the table, and traced little doodles over the surface. I feel like someone’s staring at me. But who? The only other people here are the workers, and they’re busy doing their jobs.
That feeling came back. His skin prickling. Zell squirmed, looking around him, trying to see if anyone was staring at him. He didn’t see anyone. The waiter gave him a puzzled look, seeing his behavior, but he went back to his work, afterward.
No, it’s not the waiter. Not the cashier, nor the little cook. Who is it? I’m sure someone’s staring at me. Am I being paranoid, because of recent events?
“Zell,” a quiet, concerned female voice spoke.
Zell jumped, yelping. Ma Dincht looked at Zell in surprise, as she set down next to him.
“Are you okay, son,” she asked, taking in his uncomfortable squirming?
Zell lightly chuckled, running his hand through his spiky blond hair, “guess I’m a bit jumpy.”
“What is it dear?”
“I...I’m worried about that serial killer,” Zell looked away from Ma, biting his lip.
Ma nodded, “oh . . . I see,” she smiled a kind smile, “cause you’re . . . well,” the women paused, not used to talk about this subject with her son.
Zell smiled, “yeah.”
Ma sighed, glad Zell understood her, “I can’t say I’m not worried, because I am. You and your friends will all have to be very carful. Keep an eye on each other.”
Zell nodded, “we are. Um . . . uh, we sort of told everyone of our status so we can be sure to keep an extra eye on . . . um..”
Ma smiled, “I know what you mean. That’s a good idea.”
“It was Quistis’s idea.”
Ma laughed, “why am I not surprised. She was always the smart one.”
“May I take your order,” the waiter asked, coming up to their table? He eyed Zell for a few seconds, then focused his attention on Ma.
“I’ll take the soup of the day,” Ma said, reading the menu, “and a orange soda.”
“I’ll take that too,” Zell informed him.
“Okay, two soups of the day and two orange sodas. Coming right up,” the waiter smiled at Ma, and went and informed the cook of their order.
Zell looked down, hiding a giggle. But he couldn’t fool Ma. “What are you laughing about?”
“Ma, he was checking you out.”
Ma made a surprised face, “what? Nonsense, he’s half my age.”
Zell laughed, “nevertheless he was looking at you.”
Ma rolled her eyes, “sure, whatever you say. Now Zell, what was the reason, you wanted to see me?”
Zell gulped. I’m I really ready to tell her? That’s why I asked her to meet me. But can I go through with it?
“Honey, what’s wrong,” Ma asked, noticing the emotions in his eyes. He was scared and nervous about something. Something other then the serial killer.
“Well . . . I’m dating someone . . . ” Zell trailed off.
Ma smiled, clasping her hands, “oh Zell, honey that’s great.”
“Maybe not,” Zell mumbled.
“Huh, why ever not.”
“You might not approve of the person, and there for hate me,” Zell said, his lips trembling.
Ma was shocked, “I could never hate you! Even if you were dating Ultimecia.”
Zell snorted. No, but I’m dating the person she had Edna mind control. “But . . . ”
“No buts, I never could feel that way about you. Who is it? Is it Quistis, Selphie or that Rinoa girl?”
Zell made a face, at the mention of him dating Rinoa, “no, none of them.”
“Then who? Those are the only girls you hang out with.”
“Whatifitsnotagirl,” Zell mumbled?
Ma leaned forward, trying to hear what he was saying, “Zell, don’t slur your words, I didn’t understand what you said.”
Zell sighed. It was now or never. “Ma, it’s not one of those girls, because it’s not . . . well its not a girl,” he looked down, tears coming to his eyes. He expected his mom to be outraged and sickened.
“You’re dating a boy,” Ma whispered, her heart breaking, at the sight of her son, sitting there crying, afraid his mother would hate him. “Honey.”
Zell looked up, surprised at calm and concerned looking women in front of him. Why wasn’t she yelling, crying, whining about never having grand kids?
Ma smiled, surprising Zell even more, “I don’t think anything is wrong with that. I only want you to be happy.”
“Really,” Zell asked?
“Yes, really. I love you Zell, and I want to meet the person who has stolen your heart.”
Zell heaved a great sigh, “oh mother,” he cried, leaning over, hugging her. “I love you too.”
Ma laughed, hugging him back. “About meeting him . . . ”
“You already have,” Zell set back.
Ma blinked, surprised, “I have? Who? Squall, Irvine?”
Zell shook his head no, “no . . . but Squall and Irvine are dating each other.”
“Oh!”
“And guess what else? Selphie and Quistis are dating each other as well.”
It was Ma’s turn to look surprised again. “Gee, did Edna’s orphanage turn everyone gay,” she teased?
“Seems so,” Zell teased back, “because I’m dating . . . well I’m dating Seifer.”
Ma blinked, did she hear that right? “The little blond kid, who always made you cry.”
Zell nodded, “the one and only.”
“The man whom Ultimecia controlled?”
Zell nodded, “yes. Ma he had nothing to do with any of that,” Zell said quickly to defend Seifer.
Ma smiled, “I understand that he had no will over his actions. So he’s the one that’s making my little Zelly happy?”
“Yes! He is. Ma, I love him.” Zell looked down, blushing.
Ma smiled, “oh, Zell, that’s great. And does he . . . ”
“Yes! He told me so.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks Ma,” Zell leaned forward, giving her another hug.
Ma and Zell looked up when the waiter brought out their food.
“Thanks,” Ma said to the waiter. The waiter smiled at Ma.
“You’re welcome ma’am,” he said, winking.
Zell snickered into his drink and Ma blushed. The waiter left their check, going to wait on someone else.
“See,” Zell laughed, “I told you, he was checking you out.”
Ma blushed, “shush. I’m old enough to be his mother.”
Zell laughed, and started to eat.
The killer smirked, he had the perfect hiding spot. The killer watched as the cute blond and his mother ate. That teen was so very pure and just the sort the killer was looking for.
Smiling, the killer left the hiding spot and walked till he came to the Garden, going in he nodded to people as he walked by them. He didn’t want to be late to class.
Going into the class room, he smiled at the cute teacher. Another one of those pure wonders, he was hungering for.
“Class,” the brown-haired teacher stood up, handing out a work sheet, “you have to the end of class to finish this.”
A young girl raised her hand, “yes what is it Miss Frost?”
“Um . . . Miss Rinoa . . . ”
The killer tuned out what was being said, and instead focused on Rinoa’s face. He bet the dark-haired girl would taste extra pure. How would he do it? Stomach, throat, or something new? Decapitation, maybe.
The last thought the killer had, before starting the test was. I wonder if she’s a screamer.
“Whoa!” Irvine whipped his head around, glaring at the cadets that nearly toppled him over. “Where’s the fire,” he shouted after them?
One little girl stopped, and looked at Irvine, with panic-stricken eyes, “n..no fire!” She pointed to the room, where the girls had all ran out of, then took off.
“Huh,” Irvine slowly made his way to the room, coughing when a fowl smell assaulted his nose, “oh Hyne! What is that?” Irvine held his sleeve over his mouth and nose, entering the room.
As he walked through the small room, his eyes started to water, as the smell got worse. He finally got to the bedroom door, and knew whatever the smell was, it was coming from inside.
With his free hand, Irvine reached out, turning the nob. “OH HYNE!” Irvine fell to his knees, gagging. The smell was coming from the dead girl inside.
The girl was a first year SeeD, and she couldn’t be more then fifteen years old. She was laying across her bed, in only her underclothes. From where Irvine was, on the floor, he could see blood pooling on the floor.
Irvine stood up, his whole body shaking. He walked closer to the girl, and once again gagged. She had been bound, and gagged. Her eyes were wide open in fright.
Irvine looked around for the cause of death, and soon saw where the blood was coming from. A deep gash in her lower stomach.
The wound matched the three other wounds, so at once Irvine was sure this girl was killed by the Virgin Serial Killer.
“Oh Hyne,” Irvine moaned, leaving her bedroom. “The killer is in Garden.”
Selphie and Quistis looked up in surprise. “They coming here,” Selphie asked, meaning the cops cars that they could see speeding out of Balamb? Quistis leaned out her window to get a better look. “It looks like it . . . ”
“ATTENTION,” Cid’s voice blared over the loud speaker! “WILL SEED’S SQUALL LIONHEART, ZELL DINCHT, SEIFER ALMASY, QUISTIS TREPE, SELPHIE TILMITT, AND RINOA HEARTILLY PLEASE COME TO MY OFFICE AT ONCE!”
Selphie jumped, surprised, “what in the world!”
“No Idea,” Quistis yelled, grabbing Selphie’s hand, and pulling her out of the room.
Squall looked up in surprise, “what’s going on?” Seifer shrugged, and both boys ran off, toward the elevator.
Zell had just gotten back from eating with his mother, when he heard Cid’s message. He blinked in surprise and ran for the elevator, meeting Squall and Seifer on the way.
“Whats he want,” he asked?”
Seifer grabbed his hand, kissing him on the cheek, “we don’t know.”
Squall rolled his eyes, “do that later, come on.”
They were just about to enter the elevator when Quistis and Selphie ran up to them.
“Does anyone know what’s going on,” Selphie asked?
All three boys shook their heads no.
When they entered Cid’s office, the first thing everyone noticed was Irvine, sitting on the couch, looking like death warmed over. Squall at once ran to his side, pulling the cowboy into a tight embrace. Irvine shivered, making Squall frown.
“What in the name of HYNE, is going on,” Rinoa yelled, running into the room? Her eyes went to Squall and Irvine and she sputtered, her eyes going wide. “What’s going on,” she whispered?
Everyone looked at Cid, waiting for him to explain what was going on.
Rinoa was turning red, as she watched Squall run his fingers through his long hair. So this is what everyone meant. Ooooh, that stupid Sayuri, she knew. Everyone but me knew. HOW CAN HE DO THIS!
“Um, Rinoa,” Rinoa jumped, coming out of her thoughts, “are you okay?”
Rinoa looked at Selphie and nodded, “sure.”
“Hem, hem,” Cid set up, clearing his throat, “I thought it wise for me to inform you guys. Irvine here,” he tossed Irvine a sympathetic look, “discovered Miss Cherry Wood, in her room. The Virgin Serial Killer, killed her two days ago. We thought she went to visit her parents.”
“But that means . . . ” Quistis sputtered.
“Yes,” Cid nodded, “she was killed the day before that girl in Balamb was killed, and the police are almost sure the killer goes to Garden.”
“Oh Hyne,” Selphie cried, “he goes here!”
“Or she,” Cid said. “They still don’t know if it’s a guy or girl.”
“It has to be a guy,” Irvine spoke in a dull voice. “Cherry was almost stripped naked, and she’s a pretty big girl, I don’t think another girl could hold her down.”
“Beep . . . beep,” Cid picked up his phone.
“Okay,” Cid placed the phone back down. “They’ve retrieved her body,” he informed everyone.
“Go back to whatever you were doing before, try to be calm around the students. Be very observant. Were sure it’s either a cadet or a SeeD.”
Everyone nodded, leaving Cid’s office.
Rinoa felt her face burn, as she watched, Squall help Irvine along.
“Oh, the little witch is jealous,” the killer smirked, watching from his spot. “Maybe I should relieve her of her feelings.”
R&R Please!