Finding Dave

The morning light barely touched the room as Sebastian's phone buzzed in his hand. He glanced at it, a strange feeling creeping over him. He blinked, unsure whether he had imagined the sudden shiver that ran down his spine. The message on his screen caught his attention—and his breath.

"Woah, I got a message," Sebastian said, his voice trembled, though he wasn't sure why.

Jake looked up, sensing the unease in Sebastian's tone. His heart skipped a beat, instinctively knowing something was off. "What kind of message?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

Sebastian hesitated, fingers trembling as he stared at the phone, his face pale. "It's... no, no," he whispered under his breath, unable to finish the sentence.

Andy, overhearing, turned toward them, his brow furrowing. "What happened?"

Sebastian shook his head, trying to avoid their gazes. "Don't see that," he said quickly, holding the phone close to his chest, but the others could tell he was shaken.

Jake, with a resolve that had quickly turned into an instinct, grabbed the phone from Sebastian's hand before he could react. He stared at the screen, his eyes scanning the message before his entire body seemed to go stiff.

His breath caught in his throat, and his heart raced as he saw the image—Dave, bloodied and motionless, a knife still embedded in his stomach.

"What?!" Jake's voice cracked with horror as he froze, the world around him fading for a moment as the full weight of what he had just seen sank in.

Vault's voice echoed in their group chat, filled with disbelief. "What happened?" he typed quickly.

Jake's fingers fumbled with the phone as he desperately tried to make sense of the image, but it was real—too real. The truth hit him like a ton of bricks.

"It's... Dave," Jake stammered, his voice almost inaudible. "He's... he's been stabbed."

Vault's response was immediate, full of shock. "Oh no!!" he typed, panic lacing his words. "It's an image of Dave, being stabbed with a knife. Oh God, I can't see that. Please, delete it."

Sebastian was still in shock, unable to comprehend what was happening. "Yup," he said weakly, barely able to form coherent words.

Jake wiped the tears from his eyes, his mind spiraling into guilt. "It's my fault," he said bitterly. His chest tightened as the realization hit him with brutal force. "I should've never made that stupid plan. I didn't think this would happen. I... I never imagined this."

Andy placed a hand on Jake's shoulder, his voice steady though his own heart raced with fear. "It's not your fault," he reassured him, though his words couldn't erase the growing dread.

Sebastian, ever the pragmatic one, took a deep breath, trying to regain some composure. "Call your father. Tell him about this," he suggested. "We need to inform someone before this goes any further."

Jake's face paled. "But my phone..." he trailed off, realization dawning. "It was with Dave." He shook his head, feeling helpless.

Sebastian, looking at him with newfound urgency, quickly responded. "But when he came out of the school, he didn't have the phone."

Jake's eyes widened with a flicker of hope. "It might still be inside the school," he said, a new determination rising in his chest. "Let's go there now."

Sebastian hesitated, clearly unsettled by the idea, but Jake's desperation was clear. "But..." Sebastian began, faltering.

"Come with me," Jake urged, his voice firm with resolve. "We don't have time to waste."

Vault, sensing the urgency, typed in a firm response. "Okay," he agreed. "Let's go."

The trio rushed toward the school, their footsteps quick and heavy as they moved with purpose. Anxiety swirled around them like a thick fog, but there was no turning back now. Every second mattered.

As they arrived at the school, Jake's sharp eyes caught something—something he hadn't expected but that filled him with a fleeting sense of relief.

"Wow, that's awesome," Jake murmured, pulling out his own phone. His eyes were wide with disbelief. "Look at this."

Sebastian glanced at him, puzzled. "What?" he asked, not understanding the sudden shift in Jake's demeanor.

Jake, his voice laced with excitement, pointed at the phone. "It recorded everything," he said, almost in disbelief. "The video of the killer."

Sebastian's eyes widened as the truth hit him. "Woah," he whispered. "Show me."

Jake replayed the footage, the video shaky but clear enough to make out the figure in the shadows. They watched as the killer approached the watchman, the details playing out in front of them.

Vault's voice came through, quieter now. "Is he... killing the watchman?" he asked, the tension in his words clear.

Jake nodded, his heart pounding as he replayed the video again. "Okay, look—he's left-handed," Jake said, his voice tight with focus. "And he's about the same height as us. He's one of us."

Vault blinked in confusion. "You mean... we know him?"

Jake's expression darkened. "Yes. He didn't kill Sebastian when he had the chance. We might know him."

Sebastian's mind was racing, piecing the details together. "Yeah," he agreed, his voice steady but filled with unease. "We need to find out who he is, and fast."

Jake nodded, his eyes narrowing with determination. "I know what to do," he said, his voice firm. "We need to stop this before anyone else gets hurt."