The Right Equation: A Short Story by Tracy Krimmer

Author:Tracy Krimmer [Krimmer, Tracy]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2014-10-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOUR

Blackness filled the hall once again. "What's going on?" I panicked. "Who are you?" The last place I wanted to spend my last moments was at my high school reunion, surrounded by people who mostly made my life a living hell, with the slight exception of a (very) few people. I twirled around, as if the motion promised to bring light to the area. Someone, or something, grabbed me. Three short, earth-shattering screams later, a hand clasped over my mouth.

"Shh, Penny. It's me, Will."

I took a hold of his arm, bunching the fabric of his suit in my hand. He removed his hand from my mouth and I let out a deep breath. "Will. Thank God. What's going on?"

"I'm not sure. Everything went black right before the DJ planned on making some announcement."

I hated I couldn't see his entire face, though his voice soothed me. I still held my grip on his arm, and my back against his chest. "What do we do?"

A small light flashed again, and then remained on. Will knew how to use his cell flashlight, at least.

"Oh, thank God." My head fell back against him. The point of his chin dug into my scalp, but I didn't care. "We'll just use your phone to get us to the front entrance and get the hell out of here."

"I wish." He turned the light off and we stood in the dark again. "Doors are locked and we need power to get them open."

"Hasn't anyone called 9-1-1 to help us?"

As he spoke his voice vibrated through my head. "Nah. If it lasts too long I'm sure someone will, but it's kind of fitting considering it's a Halloween reunion. The centerpieces in the gym all have tealights in them so that lights up the space. I'm not using the flashlight on my phone too much to save on battery."

Clank! Clank! Something - or someone - knocked against the lockers in the hall. The noise seemed distant and came from the direction we needed to go. Will must have put his phone back in his pocket because I still wouldn't let go of his arm, but he slid his other hand down my side to find my other hand, taking it in his. "Quiet," he whispered. "Let's go this way."

I didn't understand why we whispered. A blackout wasn't anything to be afraid of. A crazed serial killer? Different story. Did a psychopath from our graduating class plan this? I flipped through my mental yearbook and no one jumped out at me as off their rocker. Only Mandy, really, and she wasn't a psycho, just a jerk. Without arguing, though, I let Will lead us down the way I came. He slithered through the halls like a snake, familiar with the surroundings as though he never left the place.

"Where are we going?"

"Library," he indicated in a harsh whisper as he took a sharp right.

I didn't think going to the library would accomplish anything, but, I trusted Will and his instincts. Maybe

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