Into the Mist

Chapter II

Friends, Just Friends

For the average student of Sycamore High School in Bridgton, Maine, the school day had just ended. A long and arduous day filled with simple but seemingly complex algebraic formulas, mountains of English writing assignments and papers to procrastinate on, and enough science vocabulary to be stacked to the moon and back. To some, this was a release from torment, to others an invitation to even hasher outside lives with jobs, family, and misunderstanding. But one factor remained throughout the populous exiting from the prison-esque public school- that the school day had finally ended.

Somewhere in the obnoxiously small boat of “work waiting ahead at home” sat Amber Simmens, a new senior living within walking distance of the institution. It was a curse which all those with an incredible intellect were familiar to- AP Psychology, AP Calculus, AP English Literature, the works. Begrudgingly, she traveled the paved footpath from her school to her new home, but not alone today.

With the young and charming student walked two of her close companions of which she had met in the last three weeks. One, Faith Summers, an only child who stood a tad taller than her with the help of her billowing blonde hair. Her bright green eyes and yellow dress reflected a homey southern look which she had attained from her years of caring for various animals on her father’s equine ranch a mile from the school. The other, Roxanne Drayton- daughter of local artist David Drayton- took on a more confident and competitive appeal, essentially tomboyish in nature. She showed her cut athletic body through tight black yoga pants, and a sky-blue tank top. She wore several long rainbow skrunchies and cut-out rainbow stockings on her legs and lower arms, and an exposed stomach was hidden behind a zipped-up denim jacket.

“Yo, Summers!” Roxanne called to her friend in an obnoxiously loud voice. “When are you gonna stop by my place for some soccer practice? I can’t use the field on weekends, you know.”

“…I-I’m not so good at soccer.” Responded the quiet woman in the yellow southern dress. “…I’m scared that I might get hit in the face with the ball… like I always do.”

“Aww, come on! That had to be decades ago! When are you gonna get over your fear of athletics?”

Amber Simmens shook her head in frustration. Figurative wording always got her riled up, being the grammar Nazi she was.

“…First off, Roxy, she’s only 18 years old.” Amber began. “Second of all, you realize that you’re just doing more damage by pressuring her into doing what she doesn’t like to do. Who knows? She could have had a traumatizing experience from early in her childhood, something she just can’t ever grow out of. It’s very rude to rush into a complex emotional situation like that.”

“…U-um actually, that was last year…” Faith confessed. “…I-I’ve been afraid of anything larger than a kick-beanie ever since that incident.”

“Faith, this isn’t army training…” Roxanne tried to reason. “You’re just trying to kick a ball into a net. It’s easy once you get the knack for it.”

“No, in correction, you will be just trying to kick the ball into the net, while I’ll be cowering in the corner of the goal frame.” Faith countered. “I’m just not going to do it, and that’s final. I think you’re great at what you do, and you don’t need someone like me to slow you down…”

“Grooaan…” Roxanne grumbled, putting an actual word to her emotion.

“Aaaanyway…” Amber began, rolling her eyes at the tomboy beside her. “Faith, how were things at the animal shelter going last weekend?”

“…Oh… not too good.” admitted Faith, twiddling a lock of her hair in her fingers. “I was really hoping that my favorite little pit bull might get adopted by a family who said they might be interested in him. He’s so sweet, but I guess he got scared at the sight of new people.”

“What happened?” asked Amber.

“He… he just started barking and snarling like crazy once they came into the kennel to see him. He scared them out of their previous interest in him.”

“Eh, no big deal, right?” Roxanne chuckled. “Guess they can’t handle a real dog like that, huh?”

“Roxanne, it’s a really big deal!” Faith protested, a sad expression creeping onto her face. “If they don’t find a home for him in two weeks, they’re going to kill him!”

“Faith, I had no idea… I’m so sorry.” Amber consoled, placing a hand on Faith’s shoulder.

“Dude… bummer.” Roxanne sighed, scratching the back of her head. “Wait a second… Hey, Ambs!” Roxanne interrupted. “Isn’t that…”

“Roxanne, that was incredibly rude!” Amber spoke before Roxanne could finish her sentence. “Faith here was speaking, and about something deeply important to her at that. And here you go just shooting your mouth off yet again…”

“Oh sticks and stones Amber.” Roxanne defended, grabbing the top of Amber’s head, placing it in a headlock to point her in the direction of where she wanted her to look.

“AAAH-! Roxanne!”

“Shhh!” she commanded. “Isn’t that the guy you keep ogling over? You know, the cop guy?”

Indeed, Amber Simmens had been pointed in the direction of the rookie cop from the television earlier that morning. He was dressed in a white police uniform with black pants and a utility belt at the moment, standing just outside of a white squad car, lights flashing behind a pulled-over pickup truck. Silencing Amber with her finger over her lips, the two could just make out what was going on the other side of the street.

“…Sir, I’m issuing this traffic citation to you for running a stop sign three blocks back.” the young cop, Seymour Reiley, spoke to a disgruntled white man in his forties driving the offending pickup truck. “Failure to pay the county court by the allotted due date will result in greater legal consequences.”

“Come on, I didn’t see the sign! The branches are in the way!” the offender protested.

“Sir, the sign is bright red. Against a green background. Even through branches it should have been obvious.” Seymour explained.

“Well, I ain’t paying!” the offender continued. “And I don’t like your tone!”

“Sir, I assure you that I do not have a tone right now. This is purely policy.” Seymour tried to reason. “Everyone must abide by the same set of laws in order to ensure the safety of the community.”

The truck roared to life as the throttle was pulled. Soon, the offender screeched off leaving a trail of diesel smoke behind.

“Yeah? Up yours, buddy!”

Once the smoke cleared, the rookie cop coughed out his next few words.

“…Ugh, you have a nice day too, sir…” Seymour grumbled as the truck drove off toward the school. Closing his citation booklet, he began to travel back to his car.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the road, Roxanne and Amber both watched the young police officer collect his belongings. Of course, Roxanne was the first to speak after witnessing the display.

“He is cute…” she whispered. “I can totally see why you’re so obsessed with the kid.”

*CHOMP*

“OW!” Roxanne exclaimed as Amber bit the finger which had previously silenced her. “Not cool, Ambs!”

“Serves you right for being an ass.” chuckled Amber.

“Well, you’re still obsessed with the kid…” Roxanne grunted, massaging her finger.

“Roxanne, I am not obsessed with him.” Amber refuted. “I don’t even know the guy!”

“Well, I think you should go and get to know him!” Roxanne suggested with a devious expression.

“W-What?!”

“You heard me! Go talk to him before he drives off!” Roxanne furthered, shortly before shoving he friend into the road in the direction of the officer.

Surely enough, Amber fumbled back onto her feet. Shortly thereafter, and quite predictably, another vehicle blew its horn at the girl as is screeched to a halt.

“S-Sorry…!” Amber yelled back. “Sorry, sorry!”

After a rather obscene hand gesture and another horn blast, Amber scrambled to the squad car, hoping that Seymour hadn’t seen her embarrassing moment. Almost on cue, she was greeted by his voice.

“Whoa, You alright?!” he questioned.

There it was. That voice which flowed over her. His voice was both sweet and mature, with a very noticeable accent of cute trepidation.

“I-I-I-I…!”

“Hey, hey, slow down!” he tried to calm, placing a hand on her shoulder and kneeling to meet her at eye level. “Take a breath!”

“…uhm… I-I’m sorry, did I startle you?” Amber finally spoke. “I-I didn’t mean to get in the way of…”

“Naah.” the officer answered. “I just didn’t see you coming is all. You’re not hurt are you? That Honda nearly flattened you.”

Amber took a moment to assess her body for damage, only to find that she had indeed just dodged a car-sized bullet. No scrapes, no bruises, just a bit shaken up.

“…No, I’m fine.” she sputtered. “Just a little bit shocked is all.”

“I’d say! You were almost road kill!” Seymour laughed. “Anyway, glad to see you’re alright.”

“T-thanks, Officer Reiley.” Amber continued.

Seymour had noticed the subtle curvature of Amber’s body, also taking in the violet and pink streak in her long brown hair. He had thought she looked familiar, but now he could finally put his finger on it.

“Say… I know you!” he announced. “You’re the daughter of Nigel Simmens, that new lawyer who just moved in. It’s Amber, right?”

He knew who she was! He even knew her name!

“Y-Yes!” Amber answered as calmly as she could, her insides knotting around themselves as she stood shaking on the spot. “That’s me…”

“I thought you looked familiar. I remember your family coming into the station before you moved in on my street to get some paperwork done.”

“Wait, you live on my street?” Amber questioned. “Why haven’t I seen you around for the last few weeks?”

Seymour shook his head.

“We live two blocks down from you, on the opposite side of the street. We probably leave and come home through different routes.” he explained. “Other than that, I pretty much know where everyone lives in the neighborhood. N-not to be creepy, or anything.”

“No, no… It’s fine!” Amber giggled. “I-I mean, I moved into your neighborhood, so naturally you might have, um… taken notice.”

The two shared a moment of awkward silence as Amber patted the ground with her shoe, hooking into the blacktop with her toes. Meanwhile, Seymour shifted his focus to a pretty birdie in a nearby fountain.

“…Um, well, it’s been nice meeting you, Officer Reiley.” Amber spoke. “…Um… Officer Reiley?”

“O-Oh, sorry…” Seymour stammered, snapping back into reality. “I-I was looking at that bird in the fountain over there. The pretty blue one…”

“Oh, I guess that is a… pretty bird.” Amber chuckled. The way he handled the moment of trepidation between the two was rather cute, much to her surprise.

“Oh, yeah!” he answered. “Our olice department is actually putting on a public awareness block party this evening in the neighborhood. You should come stop by!”

“…Really?” Amber questioned. “What’s it all about?”

“Well, we need to inform people of the recent murders and kidnappings going on.” Seymour explained. “If we can put on a big social event, people will come in droves, and we can get our message across.

“...I see.” Amber continued. “I guess that if I do go, we can get to… know each other better. I’m sure it will be fun!”

“I’m sure it will be! I’m actually the tumbler crank for the prize roulette. We’re raffling off a bunch of prizes. Other than that, we’ve got plenty of coupons and gift cards from local stores and restaurants to compete for.” Seymour added. “I… hope we can meet up there. If you’re interested, it’s at 4:30 in the first cul-de-sac of the neighborhood.”

“You know… I think I might just be there!” Amber spoke, rather excited at the news. “I guess I’ll see you there, Officer Reiley.”

Seymour couldn’t help but feel elated at her courteous rendition of his name and position.

“Just Seymour, thanks…” he offered. “…Officer Reiley is kind of my dad’s title more than it is mine.”

“…Okay, Seymour.” Amber corrected. “I’ll probably be there around five… Will all of the events still be going on?”

“Sure, we estimate a two to three hour event.” Seymour answered. “I have to be there until the raffles are done, and we have 40 spaces right now that can be signed in…”

The conversation was cut off by a loud crackle from the CV radio in the nearby squad car, easily head through the open door on the driver’s side.

Bridgton dispatch- we need available officers to 10124 Jefferson. We have another 2502 (a) Outside of gas station. All available units report. Repeat 2502 (a) probable homicide, massive blood loss from neck.

“Oh, shit… um, I need to take this. Why don’t you head on home now, I’ll see you at the party later.”

“Okay… I’ll see you then…” Amber had barely been able to get a farewell in before the squad car sped off, sirens blaring. Turning around to look for her friends, however, she swore she could feel something.

Something just… observing.

“Woohoo!” hooted Roxanne, currently laughing hard enough to cause stiches, while Faith simply stood hiding behind her long hair, blushing at the sight before her. “Way to go Simmens!”

“O-Oh, be quiet you!” Amber demanded.

“Hahahaha…” Roxanne finished, regaining her composure. “Yo Amber, I gotta get Faith to my place so she can babysit my baby brother. I’ll see you tomorrow at school!”

“Yeah, yeah… just go jump in a lake why don’t you?”

“At least I’m a good swimmer!” Roxanne shouted back, taking her blonde friend by the wrist and yanking her along with her.