Hi everyone, with editing going extremely smoothly, and to my surprise, quickly, it is time to share my preview of this story with you. I am currently aiming for a holiday 2021 release, but as things are constantly changing in today's world, I may have to change that date. Like most movie and game companies I want to make sure I deliver this story at it's best so you can be as immersed in this universe as I was as I was writing it. Please note that this preview may NOT be final as I am still editing the book as a whole and still plan on future revisions but this version matches the current outlook I'm intending to deliver.
This is a work in progress: Contents of this preview may change from this post and to the books launch. This is also a work of fiction, any names, places, events, that are in this preview are purely coincidental and do not reflect upon any of the aforementioned.
Hope you enjoy!
CAUSE OF DEATH - PREVIEW
BY: Luna Eclipse
Prologue
Everyone always says, “make your senior year count because it's the last hurdle to adulthood. Enjoy the year and make kick ass memories. Memories you'll take with you and as you go off to college and start your next adventure”.
My senior year didn't go that way.
I remember my senior year like it was yesterday, but it was full of horrific things that still makes my skin. I guess I should start at the very beginning. It was a semi-chilly day in the middle of October. I was the quarterback for my high school varsity team, the Chicago Mastiffs and my best friend Fuji, had just earned us the championship trophy by scoring the winning touchdown. It’s the first championship our school had clutched in fifteen years. With the high of the win fresh in our minds, we headed back to school where we knew the faculty was preparing a celebration for us. After all, just making it to the championship game alone was a milestone for the team.
During the bus ride back, we decided that we would prank our teachers and classmates. Everyone but Fuji, would walk into the cafeteria with super depressed and solemn expressions, making them think we'd lost the game. A few minutes later we'd have Fuji come in carrying the coveted trophy. After all, he's the one who won it in the first place so it's only fair he'd get to do it. it was also his first and only season he'd get to play with the team since his parents moved to Chicago from Shinjuku, Japan at the beginning of the year.
It didn't take long for us to get back to school so we put our plan into action. We walked into the room while Fuji waited outside. Our heads were hung low, and everyone groaned in disappointment. It took me everything I had not to smirk and give the whole thing away.
“It's okay gentlemen. I just want to remind you all that just making it to the game alone was a great achievement for you all.” The Principal said as he approached us.
“We know sir. But for many of us this was our last game. Our final chance. It just kinda sucks you know?” One of the guys said with a slight sniffle. The friggin dude honestly deserved an Oscar for that one.
“I understand but all of you seniors still managed to get scholarships to the colleges of your choice college because of the way you all played this year. That's nothing to sneeze at since normally only two of you would get scholarships. So, no more feeling sorry for yourselves alright? Enjoy your party and have some fun. You all earned it.” He added before he turned away and headed to the snack bar to pass out plates of food.
“Alright everyone, turn those frowns upside down and get this party started because we're officially CHAMPIONS BABY!” Fuji shouted thrusting the trophy into the air and everyone stood silent in shock, (and maybe annoyance) for a moment before they joined in with the cheers.
Fuji handed the trophy over to the principal who was completely dumbfounded while Fuji wore a giant shit eating grin.
“But you guys said...”
“Fuji scored the winning touchdown tonight in the final few seconds. If he had fumbled the ball, we would've lost.” I explained. “We thought he should be the one to present the trophy to you. However, we also wanted to play a small prank too.”
“Senior Prank Day isn't until June, Bradley and my heart is getting weak in my older years.” The principal said with a stern face he couldn't end up keeping near the end. “Teenagers, too damn sneaky for their own good. Well then, attention Chicago Mastiffs! May I please present to you, your 2003 varsity football champions!” He shouted and everyone cheered again before returning to their food and conversations.
We celebrated until around six P.M. when the sun was starting to go down. Fuji and I were sitting at a table discussing our plans for the upcoming weekend. A new fighting game was coming out and of course, being the boys we were, had to spend the entire weekend destroying each other, and other players online. After school let out, we would go over to our game store to pick up the game, and the corner shop down the road to pick up cases of energy drinks and a crap ton of junk food before locking ourselves in Fuji's room for the weekend. Eventually, Fuji's mother texted him to head home since it was getting late. As he headed out, he clapped a few of our teammates on the back and even as walked out of the room, he shouted the classic, “I love you guys, goodnight!” as he left.
I didn't know it at the time, but that day, one of the happiest days of my life thus far, would also end up being the worst day of my life. That day, would be the last day I would see my best friend, partner, and brother alive. It would also be the start of the most chaotic senior year anyone has ever had.
My name is Bradley Crawford, and this is the year I would avenge my best friend's death.
Chapter One
It was a bright Friday morning in the windy city of Chicago, Illinois. Joggers, Students, workspeople, and elderly couples were walking through one of the busiest and beautiful parks central Chicago had to offer. Thousands of people constantly passed through the popular area daily, but nothing would prepare any of them for what they were about to encounter.
As a jogger ran through the park, utilizing the trails that ran between the tree line and created a beautiful assortment of colors from the fall leaves. Brilliant colors of red, yellow, orange and a few stray green leaves decorated the multiple oak, maple, and pine and were illuminated by the rising sun, accenting the colors as the rays bounced off the leaves. The jogger’s head was completely blank thanks to the music playing in his earbuds. So, they weren’t paying attention to the pathway ahead of them, knowing the trail inside and out since they ran it multiple times a day. They knew where every tree stump was, where every pothole was, so there were next to no obstacles that could stop him. Therefore, when the jogger's foot got caught on an obscure object, they fell hard onto the dirt path, scrapping the palms of their hands slightly on the jagged path.
“What in the world?” The jogger mumbled, looking back at what managed to trip them.
A leg was sticking out from one of bushes wearing a pair of blue jeans. A small part of the jogger wanted to be upset that their work out was interrupted, but once they realized that the leg belonged to a younger person, and that they were barely on the trail, he doubted that the person the leg belonged to was homeless. The jogger had seen their fair share of drunken/stoned college and sometimes high schoolers walking down the pathways trying to avoid the police that patrolled the park. Therefore, assuming that this person just didn't make it home before passing out.
With a sigh, the jogger grabbed his CD player from his backpack, turned off the music and stared at the leg with slight annoyance. A part of them wanted to call the police, but they knew what it was like to be a teenager/early college student. Having found themselves passed out a few times on the parks benches and being awakened by passersby’s or the police when he studied in New York City, decided they would pay it forward now.
“Hey kid. Up and at'em, it's time to sober up my friend.” The jogger replied, gently nudging and tugging on the teen’s legs to rouse them, but never budged. “Come on, it's daytime now, time to get moving before the police show up. Then, you'll really be in trouble. You should've slept most of it off by now.” They added, pulling again a few more times with the same response.
Since the person still refused to respond to the jogger, even just a groan to assure the jogger that they were still alive, the jogger decided that enough was enough and reached into their backpack to pull out a worn cellphone.
“Alright friend, I guess you'll just have to wake up in CPD.” They added before dialing the police department when they noticed something odd.
The ground underneath the teenager was stained red with blood that was starting to glimmer in the early morning sun. Although they knew touching a potential crime scene was a bad idea, curiosity killed the jogger and they moved some of the branches out of way. What awaited them, turned their blood ice cold.
The leg the jogger tripped over belonged to a teenaged boy who was lying face up on the grass, draped over the lower branches of the bush. A couple of them broke under his dead weight. In one of the boy’s hands laid a small handgun with the barrel of the gun pointed towards his temple where a gunshot wound could be seen, blood pooling underneath him from the wound as he bled out.
“Oh dear, God.” The jogger gasped, before calling 9-1-1. “Hello, yes I'm in the middle of the park on the running trails. I think I found a boy who committed suicide.”
XXX
Every morning as students entered the home of the Chicago Mastiffs, three students always waited outside by a large oak tree. Watching as the other students slowly, and tiredly, entered the many halls of their school. Bradley Crawford and Carter Denmark, boyfriend and girlfriend, waited for their best friend, Fuji Takahata while holding hands and laughing at little jokes the two shared while Brad ran his fingers through Carter's blonde hair.
Brad was a senior and the quarterback of the football team. He was also currently one of the champions of the varsity football team having just clutched the trophy the night before with his team. Since they were celebrating the win, Brad wore his home uniform and had his letterman jacket that had his last name and player number, #16, written on the back. He had light brown hair that was kept short and slightly spiked, and his brown eyes usually shined with excitement even in the early morning hours.
His girlfriend Carter who was also a senior, was a perfect complement to him. She wasn't like typical high school girls who were obsessed with being the popular girl or lying to try to fit in. She was very down to earth and was her own being instead of trying to fit in. She was still popular, mostly because a lot of girls were obsessed with Brad since he was the quarterback, but she never once considered herself a popular girl. She had bright blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore colorful, stylish, shirts and jeans with little bit of make up to cover that stubborn teenage acne but never anything obnoxious. She wore a light jacket that particular day that didn't really defend her from the chilly air, so Brad wrapped her up with his letterman jacket to help keep her warm and she smiled beautifully at him.
The two remained oblivious to everything around them until two students passed them that managed to catch their attention.
“I never thought I would make it to school on time. I don't know what happened, but the police ended up closing the park downtown. I had to take the transit line to make it on time.” One of the kids said.
“I know, my end was closed off with police tape. A couple other people on my bus were talking about it too. If tape wasn’t closing off the entrances, policemen were blocking the park off.”
“Probably a druggie passed out again.”
“Doubtful. They ain't gonna waste their time and block off the entire park just to arrest a druggie.” The other said as they finally went inside.
“You know, they're not the only ones I've heard talk about that today.” Carter replied as she pulled her hair up into a bun. “I wonder what happened that made them close off the entire park.”
“I'm sure they're just doing some kind of police training session and people are just blowing things out of proportion. I mean, officers have to get experience chasing baddies from somewhere.” Brad said. “Pay enough money these days and people can do whatever they want.” he added as the warning bell rang.
“I'm surprised Fuji's not here yet. He doesn't walk through the park normally, does he?” Carter asked.
“No. I mean, sometimes he does on the way home since it reminds him of the parks in Shinjuku, but never in the morning.” Brad said. “I'm sure he just overslept since we were all so hyped up winning the game yesterday. He’ll turn up in a little bit.” He added, although he couldn't help feeling the same weirdness Carter did.
By the time lunch period rolled around, Fuji still hadn't shown up, making Brad an official nervous wreck. He had tried texting and calling both Fuji and his parents multiple times that morning to check on him, but no one answered. It was as if they had disappeared off the face of the planet. It was unusual for them because they were essentially a huge family. Therefore, when someone texted or called one another they were usually quick to respond.
Fuji Takahata had been friends with Brad since they were young. The two were paired together during a global pen pal program when Brad and Fuji were in the third grade. Fuji lived in Shinjuku, Japan until the previous summer when his father, Hibiki Takahata, was transferred to the American branch of his company. Instead of Hibiki coming to America on his own, wife Koriko Takahata and Fuji since they would be moving to Chicago, and they were essentially one huge family because of the boys’ bond. Knowing the boys would love to enjoy their senior year together, it was an easy choice to make. So the fact that neither Fuji or his parents weren’t responding to his messages and calls were very concerning.
As Brad slowly ate his piece of pizza while staring at his cellphone, the overhead speaker dinged, grabbing everyone's attention since the speaker rarely turned-on during lunch break. That is, unless someone was in trouble for some reason and had to go to the principal's office.
“Attention everyone. At the end of our lunch break, please gather in the auditorium for an emergency assembly. Teachers, please report to room 205 immediately for an emergency meeting. Thank you.” The principal announced before the speakers went silent along with the room. However, the silence only lasted for a few seconds before everyone started gossiping about the reason behind the impromptu assembly and meeting.
Of course, there were a few who were excited to get out of their next class depending on how long the assembly took. (Mostly those who didn't study for their upcoming tests). Few theorized why there would be such an assembly. For Brad, the news of the assembly, only increased the sense of dread he was developing.
Brad knew that his fear was more than a little on the crazy side. After all, maybe Fuji had caught a cold somehow and his parents took him to the doctor. After all, it was the middle of October, the weather was changing left and right from warm weather to ball freezing cold weather and vice versa multiple times a week. That would certainly explain why they weren’t answering him. He would just have to wait until school got out so he could go to their house and check on them.
After lunch ended, Brad headed to the auditorium and sat in the back of the room. He watched as the other students started to enter and take a seat in the folding chairs. As they did, Brad started to make some observations and slowly started to piece things together. The curtains on the normally open stage were drawn closed. The set the drama team was working on wasn’t even showing on the stage. Police officers were scattered around the room holding clipboards and legal pads. Teachers carrying tissue boxes were also scattered around the room and the school counselor, along board members, were standing with the teachers, each having their own little notebook or notepad. The principal stood in the front of the room in front of the podium, talking to an officer who was writing down what Brad presumed to be a statement.
Once like it seemed like everyone was in the room, all the teachers and officers decided to get everything started. The principal approached and pulled out a few postcards from his breast pocket.
“Good afternoon everyone and thank you for joining me today. Before I begin, I'm sure you are all figuring out that today's assembly isn't like one we've had in the past. I'm thankful to have the community here today to help with what I'm about to tell you. As many of you are aware, this morning on your journey to school, there was an incident at the park, resulting in it being closed and forcing you to take alternate routes to school. I regret to inform you that this morning, Chicago PD was called to the park to investigate a body that was found on the trails of the park. That body belonged to our dear friend and senior, Fuji Takahata. His cause of death is preliminarily declared as a suicide by GSW. The park will remain closed for the next few days to allow CPD to continue their investigation.” The principal said and Brad felt his heart drop into his stomach and his stomach rose into his throat.
He ran out of the auditorium and straight to the nearest bathroom, not even caring which one he ran into. Going into the first open stall and hurled everything he had in his stomach into the disgusting toilet.
“It can't be true.” Brad whispered in-between bouts of illness. “I know Fuji, he would never do something like this.” He added before he hurled again.
“I finally found you.” Carter said calmly as she started to rub his back before he hurled again. “Just let it out.” She added.
“You shouldn't be in here.” Brad moaned. “But thanks for being here, Cart.”
“You're the one who shouldn't be here. After all, you picked the woman's room. However, considering the situation, I'll spare you the humiliation and won't scream or call you a perv.” She added with a small smirk.
“Gee how considerate of you.” He laughed weakly as Carter handed him her water bottle to rid his mouth of the fowl taste his stomach caused. “I'm sorry, I just lost it after the principal said Fuji's name.”
“Oh, trust me, if you took a second to look at my make-up, I did too.” Carter said. “I won't lie, if you didn't need me to be strong right now, I'd probably be in that stall vomiting right now. I'll mourn when I know you're okay. After all, you were closer to him than I ever was. You've known him since we were in elementary school.”
“You, are simply amazing.” Brad smiled.
After making a few more offerings to the porcelain god, Brad went over to the sink to wash his face. As he wiped the left-over stomach acid from his face, Brad finally caught a glimpse of Carter in the mirror.
Her face clearly showed how upset she was over the news but was keeping a calm and straight face for her boyfriend's sake. Her eyeliner and mascara were running down her face leaving tear tracks in their wake. Her usually rosy cheeks were completely pale, and the whites of her eyes were blood shot from crying. Brad cleared his throat and grabbed a fresh piece of paper towel from the dispenser and wet it with a small amount of soap and water before gently dabbing Carter's face. Cleaning the destroyed make-up off enough to make her look presentable and salvageable should she decide to reapply it before leaving the bathroom.
“They're closing school for the rest of the day. Counselors and other mental health workers are coming in for students to talk to and some of the cops want to interview some of us to create some kind of profile since they're still investigating...” Carter explained but unable to finish her sentence. She couldn't bring herself to say Fuji was dead.
“'Investigating'. What a joke. From the way the principal talked it already sounds like they slammed the book shut since they let him publicly announce the cause of death. I refuse to accept it Cart, Fuji would never do such a thing.”
“I know. I know you've known him longer than I did, but I know he wouldn’t kill himself. We'll just have to hope the police will find something in the park that will change their mind.” Carter said.
“I... I want to check in on Ka-san and Oto-san. You said school was dismissed right?”
“Yeah, but do you think they'll be home right now?” Carter asked. “I would assume they'd be at the police station right now.”
“Oto-san’s probably with the police, but I don't think he would want Ka-san to see Fuji like that. The funeral is going to be hard enough on her as it is. If they didn't clean him up yet because of the investigation, I wouldn't want her to see him like that either.”
“I suppose that's true. Do you want me to come with you?”
“No, I don't want her to be too overwhelmed, but I'll make sure to pass your concern along to her. Why don't you see if you can hear what people are saying? You know how we teenagers love to gossip. Maybe someone will say something that the police missed in this 'investigation' of theirs.”
“Okay.” Carter replied as Brad kissed her on the cheek.
“Thanks, Carter.”
“Just doing my civic girlfriend duty.” She smiled as they walked out of the bathrooms. “However just remember, if you go into the girls’ room again, all bets are off and I'm going to be questioning this relationship, Bradley Crawford.”
“Fair enough.” Brad laughed, thankful that while Carter was devastated by the news as well, went above and beyond to put a smile back on his face. Knowing that Fuji would haunt them both from beyond the grave if they didn't.
That was just the type of friendship the three of them shared.
XXX
Brad arrived at Fuji's house within a half an hour since he didn't have to deal with the usual rush hour traffic. Fuji's family lived in one of the few gated communities in Chicago thanks to his father, Hibiki’s line of work. The entire area was large and had a peaceful feel with various gardens of multiple types of flowers and trees that Fuji's mother, Koriko, took care of. Brad loved walking through the community until he got to Fuji's house simply because he got to experience the love and care that she put into the flowers and trees. After all, Shinjuku called Koriko a Master Botanist for a reason.
When Brad finally arrived at Fuji's house, he knocked on the door so Koriko could have a few minutes to compose herself. Koriko slowly opened the door, as if she were afraid to see who was behind the thick red wood. As soon she realized it was Brad, she started to cry and threw herself into his awaiting arms.
Brad gently led Koriko inside the house and closed the door behind him with his foot. He guided her over to the couch in the living room and the two sat there for a while, with Brad holding Koriko close to him as she cried.
“Ka-san, I'm so sorry.” Brad whispered to her once she started to calm down a bit.
“Thank you, Brad.” She spoke. “Please tell me you know he...”
“I know Ka-san.” Brad interrupted so she wouldn’t have to say it. “Fuji would never do that. The police are wrong. Something happened to him in the park. Even Carter agrees.”
“Sweet child.” Koriko added with a small smile. “Is she okay?”
“She's upset, just like we are. She wanted to come with me but she sends her love to you and Oto-san.” Brad said. “Speaking of Oto-san, where is he?”
“He’s with the police.” Koriko said. “Between officers telling me my son was found dead, asking me and Hibiki all sorts of ridiculous questions, I wasn’t able to help anymore. They had to have paperwork done and while I’m good at speaking English, I’m still learning how to write, and I couldn’t bare to…see him like that. To see him lying on a metal table or body bag.”
“I know what you mean Ka-san, I keep thinking it's just a bad dream. That we're on some kind of reality TV show and Fuji will walk through the door with Oto-san with the same shit-eating grin he gave everyone last night before he left school.”
“If they do, I'll kill them both.” Koriko said firmly.
“With your slipper Ka-san?” Brad asked.
“Duh! Those boys’ and their stupid pranks! Sadly, I know that they would never pull a prank like this one.” Koriko said sadly. “I think I will make more tea. Please, wait here dear.” She added as she went into the kitchen, with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
Brad always had highly respected Koriko, and that simple action only increased that level of respect. After all, hours ago Koriko was told that her only son, her pride and joy, was found dead. An apparent suicide. Yet while any other parent would be riddled with grief, just because Brad was in the room with her, she tried to pretend like it never happened so he wouldn't have to go through the pain alongside her.
Moments later, the front door opened and Hibiki walked into the living room. His eyes were completely bloodshot, swollen, and his face was all puffy from the tears and stress. His black hair was ruffled and askew from running his fingers through it as he endured identifying his son's body and answering multiple questions about his son.
“Oto-san, welcome home.” Brad greeted.
“Oh, Brad. I didn't notice you were here. Thank you and thank you for keeping Koriko company.”
“As soon as I heard from the Principal I headed straight here. I couldn't not come.” Brad added as Koriko returned to the room and noticed her husband was home.
“Hibiki, was it really?” Koriko asked with a whisper, and he walked over and pulled her close to him.
“I'm sorry dear, he's gone.” Hibiki replied, causing Koriko to cry again.
“Oto-san, I'm so sorry to ask this, but are they really writing this off as a suicide?” Brad asked.
“For now, yeah.” Hibiki sighed. “They showed me a picture of the crime scene. They say he shot himself in the head and fell into the bush he was found in. He had one of those hand sized revolvers in his hand pointing right to his temple. He wasn't found until this morning when a jogger tripped over his leg. I just don't understand, where on earth did he even get a gun from. We don’t own one and I know your family doesn’t either. So, who could he have stolen or borrowed it from? More importantly than that, he never once showed any of the signs and they never found a note on him. They said he'd probably hid it somewhere so no one would find it until it was too late. They wanted to search his room this afternoon, but I asked them to wait. Give us time to process, plus I can’t bring myself to go into his room yet.”
“Let me do it, Otosan. I know Fuji didn't kill himself. He wouldn’t. I know I won't find anything like a suicide note, but maybe I'll find some kind of hate mail or something that would prove or lead to the fact that he was murdered. I know that won't change anything, but at least we'll be at least closer to the answers we deserve.”
“Brad, my boy, you are truly a bright soul. I know Koriko and I aren't your real parents but I'm so thankful to Kami that your elementary schools brought you two together and that you kept your friendship alive over the years. You've done a lot for this family, but we can’t ask you to do that.”
“Just because Fuji’s gone, doesn’t mean our family bond is instantly broken. Fuji will always be my brother just as I’ll always consider you two my second parents. We’ll always be a family. That’s why I know they’re wrong. I can help you guys so we can all have the peace of mind we deserve. The police have to find the truth.” Brad explained.
“Alright, my boy. Go ahead and let us know what you find.” Hibiki smiled before Brad headed down the hallway to Fuji's room.
Fuji’s room was a very decent size thanks to an addition Hibiki and Brad’s father, Lewis, built for the two boys. Brad even had a similar sized room at their house. The rooms had two beds, dressers filled with clothes, two identical desks so they could work on their homework assignments, and a multitude of shelf space the two shared to decorate their rooms. The two boys knew all of their secret hiding spaces where they hid anything they didn’t want their parents to find like their skin mags, and the M rated games they swindled from their local game shop. (After all, what seventeen-year-old kid didn’t hide those kinds of stuff from their parents?)
However, no matter how hard Brad searched, he couldn't find a suicide note, hate mail, threat letters, bullets, holsters, nothing. Brad knew he wouldn't find a suicide note since Fuji couldn't have killed himself, he did hope he would find something else. If he did, that would clear Fuji's name with the police and help them point the case in the right direction.
Brad kept searching until the sun started to set. He was determined he missed something. Maybe Fuji put the notes somewhere else, knowing Brad knew him so well. Eventually Koriko came to Fuji's room, her face held a neutral expression and her heart filled with love that she was blessed with two wonderful sons. Even though Brad wasn't hers biologically, the fact that he was willing to search Fuji's room to clear her son's name, so she and her husband wouldn't have to dig through and remember they he wasn't going to ever play, or sleep, in that room or their home ever again made her smile sadly but with admiration.
“Brad sweetie, it's getting late and you have school in the morning. Hibiki's going to take you home now.” Koriko replied. “If you want to come back, you'll always be welcome.”
“I'm sorry Ka-san, I didn't find anything. But I'm not giving up. I'll never give up.” Brad whispered, causing Koriko's heart to break again.
“It's okay Brad.” Koriko said, wrapping her arms around Brad and tucked him under her chin as tears started to run down Brad's face. “Thank you so much for doing what you could. I know Fuji's looking down at you with admiration and he appreciates it so much.” She added and the two stayed in their room, grieving their family member as Hibiki watched and his wife and son from the doorway.
XXX
The next day, during their lunch break, Brad and Carter went into the library to get away from their classmates who were constantly trying to hound them to get information for their little rumor mill. Of course, there were a few who came up to them to offer their condolences, but the majority were being typical teenagers. Brad and Carter were reading old law books, trying to find a way to legally prove their theory and launch their own investigation. As they read, they were generally left alone until a girl sat down at their table and cleared her throat.
Paige Smathen, a senior was labeled an unusual outcast by her student body. Paige had a supernatural ability. She was a psychic, but not a typical one. She couldn’t read futures or speak to the dead as a medium, she only saw deadly events. She managed to predict a large-scale earthquake that would’ve killed some of her classmates if she didn’t say anything when they were elementary school. Due to her unusual abilities her classmates couldn’t understand, they started to become afraid of her abilities and gave her the nickname Death Omen since anytime she usually spoke to you, she had seen that you were going to die.
Since receiving the nickname, she always dressed in dark clothing and decided that it couldn't hurt her any more than it did to read her favorite occult books, tarot cards, and stayed to herself to spare herself the pain of anyone teasing her or having her classmates run away from her expecting her to say, “you're going to die if you don't do this”. So for her to sit down with Brad and Carter, shocked the two of them beyond words.
“Uh, hi Paige. How are you?” Carter asked.
“Look, I just want to make this extremely quick and clear. Firstly, I do want to offer my condolences. I wish I were able to warn Fuji.”
“Warn him? Paige, did you see Fuji dying?”
“I did. I saw it just after he left the party. I tried to catch up with him, but I was just so out of it after having the vision that by the time I could try to catch up with him, he was gone. I never realized it was gonna happen that night. I intended on warning him yesterday when he came to school. When they told us what happened yesterday, I was dumbfounded. I usually have more time.” Paige said.
“So, it wasn't suicide then, was it?” Carter asked.
“No. He was murdered. I have no clue who did it, I just know that Fuji was walking through the park to go home, someone snuck up behind him, grabbed him around the neck, and after struggling for a bit, the killer pulled the trigger. The only, hopefully, consolation I can give you is that he went instantly. He didn't feel any pain from the bullet, he was just scared when someone grabbed him. I know it's not much, but hopefully it's something.”
“We appreciate it, Paige. Thank you. I'm sure his family will too.” Brad said.
“Based on your reading materials, you guys came to the same conclusion. I feel responsible for not being able to stop Fuji or warning him. I want to offer my assistance in any way I can. Normally the police listen to me when I tell them about my death omens, but they wouldn’t this time. Hopefully, we can find another way together. If, that is, you accept my offer to help?”
“We'll take any help we can get and I'm sure Fuji would never blame you for what happened to him. Grab a book, we have to find ways to legally prove and research our case so nothing can get thrown out.”
Paige smiled slightly as she reached over to grab an old book, glad that the two didn't blame her and that she was able to redeem herself in one of the ways she thought she could. The group of three would prove to the world that Fuji Takahata was murdered. Even if it was the last thing they did.
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