Chapter 6: The Hatted One

She’s not here. She didn’t come here with Merideth like I thought she would, a mysterious hatted person thought to themselves as they wandered the hallways of the rec building. She must still be in her room.

It was only about six pm, just half an hour after the storm started. The power had just gone out a few minutes ago and the hallways were dimly lit with eerie blue light. Most of the residents had retreated to their dorm rooms, but there were still a few roaming about.

“Merideth! Merideth! Merideth! Where are you??” A woman called out from around a corner. Intrigued, the mysterious hatted person followed the sound of her voice, passing a corner and spotting the slender dark-skinned woman.

She was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, possibly dressed for the gym. She had a thin green dragon tattoo swirling around her right calf up to her thigh. The hatted one approached her calmly, but she returned a dirty look, attempting to turn the other way.

But the hatted one stopped her, lightly gripping her arm. “Wait, please? You’re looking for Merideth… right?” They asked in a low, calm tone.

Roxanne then threatened them, demanding that they release her arm.

“You need somewhere to stay the night, right? I know a room that’s available… I just need your help with something…” The hatted one requested, seeming sincere.

Roxanne agreed that she needed a room, and the hatted one continued.

“Does Merideth spend a lot of time with Josephine…? How well do they know each other?” The hatted one asked with a very ominous voice as they led Roxanne down the hallways towards a room.

“If Merideth ain’t with me, she’s usually with her, but I know Josi is usually hangin’ out with that boy, Kairius or whatever his name is. They know each other pretty well though. Been friends for a couple of years I think.” Roxanne answered calmly.

“Thank you, Roxanne…” The hatted one said. “That’s all I need to know.” They then opened up a dorm room door and gestured for Roxanne to enter.

“Thanks,” she said. “How do you know my name though?”

“Merideth told me,” they lied, closing the door behind them and proceeding down the hallway.

The hatted one then disappeared into the veil of the storm, engulfed in darkness.

Later…

The hatted one stood outside of the Morris Wells Residence Hall where Josephine and Merideth lived. They stood out in the pouring rain and wind, watching one of the main entrances like they were waiting for someone to exit.

They waited for nearly an hour, unmoving, and undisturbed from their post like an ambush predator patiently stalking their prey.

Kairus is still working in the Cafeteria… I know she will come, the hatted one thought to themselves as they continued to stare blankly at the door, completely unbothered by the harsh weather all around them.

She’s alone and afraid… she has to.

Despite spending over an hour getting pelted by rain and blasted by roaring wind, the hatted one remained still and calm. They knew exactly what they were after and would not let anything get in the way of their goal.

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After just a few more minutes, a slim figure emerged from the automatic doors and came darting out of the building at a very fast pace.

They continued to fast walk through the night, splashing through puddles and darting through the streets.

This was the hatted one’s target, and they moved quickly, following the slender figure from a distance, and watching it as it approached the cafeteria.

For a brief moment, the long-haired figure looked directly at the hatted one. Alarmed, the hatted one quickly ducked and dashed behind a tree, out of sight of their target. That was close. She almost saw me.

The girl they were following then quickened her pace and started running quickly and disappeared into a building. Though the hatted one had briefly lost her while hiding behind a tree, they knew exactly where she was headed.

Like I thought… the cafeteria.

The hatted one then continued to wait outside of the cafeteria, staring through the automatic glass doors from a distance. They breathed heavily, struggling to maintain oxygen as the wind nearly asphyxiated them.

But the hatted one didn’t care. They were interested in one thing and one thing only, Josephine. So they ignored the rain, ignored the wind, and ignored the fact that they could hardly breath. And, it was getting cold.

Their body was covered in goosebumps as they shivered beneath their coat. The temperature had dropped by over twenty degrees since the early afternoon, but it wasn’t freezing, though the hatted man appeared as he was.

They shook violently, tapping their feet over and over again with a high cadence. They bit their lip and stared intently at the door with their eyes squinted like they were struggling to read their sociology professors’ tiny handwriting on a white board from the back of the lecture hall.

Josephine… Josephine… Josephine… wherefore art thou, my beloved Josephine? Can’t you see how important you are to me? Just come outside… I have something special for you. Don’t let anyone intervene… on our love for eachother, the hatted one began to poeticize their thoughts in a very strange but passionate manner.

If you’d only accept me, let me into your life, to become a part of you… we could be amazing, you and I. This is how it’s meant to be. Won’t you understand if I take you away this very night? Put you in my car and we could drive away together into the storm and out of the storm…

My Josephine… What a beautiful name… The hatted one continued to romanticize, conjuring up their own strange Josephine obsessed fantasy story.

Should I sneak up on her and grab her when Kairus isn’t looking? Could I be that quick? And would she understand after? The hatted one contemplated and strategized. What if she screamed and Kairus caught me? What would happen then?

The storm raged on as two silhouettes began to approach the cafeteria doors from inside. The hatted one stared intensely as a slim feminine figure appeared behind the glass and the doors opened.

She stood out at the entrance staring in the hatted one’s direction. After a moment, she seemed to notice them, but they quickly splashed into the deep flood beneath them, disappearing from view.

Laying nearly submerged in the flowing rain water, the hatted one remained still as he listened to the faint chatter in the distance, unable to make out many of the words.

I must get her tonight. I have to.

Splash! Splash! Splash! The sound of two people running through a flooded street echoed through the hatted one’s ears, and he knew that they were on the move.

I can’t lose her. Now’s the best time… They pushed themselves up from the ground and started running, shadowing the two figures from a distance, but attempting to get closer without being seen.

But, the lightning strikes didn’t help. They nearly revealed the hatted one’s position, so they had to think quickly, hiding behind vehicles and trees whenever they could.

Flash! Lightning exploded, illuminating the whole scene in a brief but vibrant flash, and thunder roared, cracked, and bellowed in the background. And in that moment, the hatted one’s eyes locked on to Josephine’s, but she was too far away to read her expression.

Oh no. Did she see me? The hatted one stopped and hid behind a car, giving up on his pursuit. I have to find out. They concluded as Josephine and Kairus escaped into a car and drove away.