Chapter 157 – Pounced Upon – Silver Brooks

My first ever meeting with Perri didn’t happen at school. It happened at one of our town’s passenger train stations. The cruel joke about our city’s passenger trains was that they were no longer in service. It wasn’t as economically viable to transport people as it was to transport cargo.

So, over the course last twenty years, the passenger trains were slowly phased out. The media used to make a big fuss about it and how it affected our city’s long-term infrastructure but these days it felt like everyone forgot the trains ever existed. The trains had a bad rep while they were in operation due to the nature of public spaces that wasn’t unique to trains.

I didn’t feel that way. The last time I rode on a train was as a kid. When we moved into town here one of the first places I wanted to check out was the local train station. Imagine my disappointment when I learned that the passenger trains were being phased out and rarely operated.

Perri was the one to explain the situation to me one summer night. I was exploring the city on my skateboard when I came across the train station platform and decided to have a look. Perri and Jin caught me trying to read the train schedule using my cell phone’s light to illuminate the poster. They both had a hardy laugh when I explained what I was doing.

That memory was so nostalgic to me, especially now of all times. This is where our meeting was set to take place.

It was a snowy Saturday night when I told my mom that I’d be going to meet up with my friends. She was still reluctant to let me go out, as if there was a chance that I could be abducted again. The fact that Angelica Morelli was dead didn’t give my parents any peace of mind. They felt permanently convinced that our city was unsafe.

The only way of getting permission to leave the house was by letting my mom drop me off and pick me up. This was a bit inconvenient, but not unreasonable. As if that weren’t enough, she promised to take away all my privileges if I was late meeting her outside in the parking lot of the place she dropped me off at.

It would be worth it to talk to Jin and Perri. The two became outcasts after Sam won the vote as our group’s leader. Maybe they were planning to self-exile themselves, but they didn’t have to. It was for the best that they integrated and got along with the rest of the group or the split might happen again.

I was the first to arrive at the empty train station. I was hoping the other two would arrive soon since my mother would be enraged if I returned late. We used to hang out at this train station a lot. I was sitting at one of the benches, all bundled up in my winter clothes and drinking hot chocolate. The station’s platform lights were shining brightly up above me.

This place had been renovated recently, for whatever reason. As far as I knew there were no trains that came to this station other than to pass through during traffic congestion. Maybe this was just about beautifying the city? Then again, the only people that frequently visited this place were me and the other members of Naomi’s gang.

Or should I say the other members of Sam’s gang? That was going to take some getting used to.

“You’re looking cozy over there!” Perri said as she walked up from the side.

“Perri!” I said, standing up to greet her.

“And Jin!” Jin said. “Don’t forget about me. Hey, is that hot chocolate you’ve got! Hand it over! I’m freezing!”

I gave her the drink and she slurped it down like a maniac. I had to laugh at that. I noticed that they were both carrying skateboards in their arms.

“Wait, did the two of you skateboard here?” I asked.

“Sure did.” Perri said, as she tossed her skateboard to the ground and jumped on it. “Are you telling me that you walked all the way here from your place?”

“No, no… My mom dropped me off at the video game store down the street. I told them that we’d be meeting up there. I’ll have to get back there soon or I’ll be in trouble.”

“Maybe that’s where we should’ve actually gone.” Jin said, tossing the empty cup to the ground. “My nipples are freezing!”

“Oddly specific, but alright.” I said. “The reason I wanted to meet here was because this place is nostalgic to me. This is where we met for the first time, remember?”

Perri hopped off her skateboard and laughed.

“I remember! I remember! You were trying to catch a ride on a train that never comes! When we first saw you we thought you might be a little loco. Turns out that you were just from out of town and didn’t know any better. Poor girl!”

I smiled.

“Yeah… Those were the days…”

“They were.” Perri agreed. “Back before things became…”

“Complicated…?” I suggested.

Perri nodded and walked around me slowly.

“So…?” She asked. “Why’d you call us out here? What did you have to say to us that couldn’t be said over the phone? You come to say that you couldn’t live without us?”

“I don’t want to live without the two of you.” I said honestly. “We should be back together again, same as before.”

Perri stopped pacing around and folded her arms over her chest.

“That’s not what you said to me back in the school basement.” Perri said coldly.

“That’s because you were in the limelight and acting like a totally different person. Now though…”

“Now I’m just another nobody, same as before…” She said harshly. “Is that what this is about?”

“You’re looking at it the wrong way.” I said. “Things can go back to normal again now that Sam…”

“Sam!” Perri scoffed. “As if I could ever accept her as leader! She’s only been in our group for what, half a year now?”

“She was sad to see that the two of you didn’t come to her party.” I said. “She asked me to…”

“Did she send you here?” Perri snapped in an outraged voice. “Don’t tell me you’re working for the enemy now.”

Now it was my turn to scoff.

“The enemy…?” I asked. “You’re talking about our girlfriends here.”

“Girlfriends that all betrayed me.” Perri said. “But it’s okay. We can start our own group now, full of our own people. The three of us, together… Just like you said, that’s how it should be. We don’t need anyone else, especially not people like Sam or Casper.”

“That’s not going to happen...” I said.

“Then why’d you call us out here?” Jin asked impatiently. “What a waste of time. Here I thought you were having a change of heart.”

Perri took me by the shoulders and brought her face close to mine.

“If you value the time that we spent together in the past as much as I do then you’ll know that I’m right.” She said. “You’ll know that you belong with me, not anyone else.”

“This is bigger than the two of us.” I said. “It’s about the future of our group and the future of the school. This is how we let bygones be bygones, instead of perpetuating a cycle of violence between school gangs.”

Perri pushed me away by the shoulders and shook her head in disgust.

“Listen to you,” Perri said. “You sound almost like Holly, or should I say Miss Hayfield? She’s become overly self-righteous ever since she became an official school counselor. She’s worked her spell on you, hasn’t she?”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“No!” I said defensively. “I believe these things in my heart of hearts! Things can’t go on like this if our school is going to change. That’s why…”

“That’s why I’m here!” A voice called out from somewhere behind us.

The three of us spun to see the Killing Cat standing only ten feet away from us. She was wearing her black trench coat and all black clothes. She was wearing a different mask. This one had blue eyes instead of the red eyes I saw on her last mask. She placed one index finger over the glowing stitched-mouth design on her mask.

“Oh no…” I said in a whisper as I started to back away. “This isn’t what I had in mind…”

Perri gave me a curious look, but Jin didn’t seem all too concerned.

“Nice cosplay!” Jin called out. “Is that you, Sam? Have you come to try to scare us into becoming your lackeys?”

The Killing Cat reached for the daggers on her belt. I was nervous and bracing for the worst possible outcome. However, when she withdrew her daggers I realized something strange about them. They were plastic. These were the same black ‘ninja’ toy knives that were on sale at the local shopping mall.

Both Jin and Perri laughed upon seeing this. They didn’t take the threat seriously. It helped me realize the Killing Cat’s plan. She didn’t want to kill them, but she wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with them. She had so many fake daggers on her belt that I can only assume she planned to put on a show.

“Really, Sam…? Is that the best you could do?” Jin asked in high-pitched amusement.

“You couldn’t have at least come at us with butter knives?” Perri asked. “Why go through the trouble of having Silver set up a meeting? Why create such an authentic looking costume only to pull out plastic knives? I’m pretty sure my brother has those same knife toys at home. Did you also bring the cute little shuriken that go with them?”

The Killing Cat didn’t say anything. Instead, she let a long silence hang in the air, possibly to annoy the two of them. Just when it looked like Perri was about to say something again, the Killing Cat started spinning one of her knives in her hand. This was the same exact knife trick that Holly showed me back at Autumn Eden Elementary School.

“Impressive.” Perri noted dully.

The Killing Cat kept this trick up for a moment before suddenly flicking the knife out of her hand. The change in maneuver was so smooth that all three of us were caught off guard. When the plastic knife hit Jin in the center of her chest she was taken aback a little. Perri and Jin were now legitimately impressed.

“Okay. Enough. Stop playing games with us and take the stupid mask off.” Perri said tiredly. “You sent Silver out here as bait so that you could ambush us, didn’t you Sam?”

“Sam didn’t send me!” I said. “And that’s not Sam! That’s the real Killing Cat!”

Jin and Perri both gave me a hard, disbelieving look.

“What?” Perri asked.

“Why would the real Killing Cat be out here?” Jin asked.

“This is one of the girls playing a prank, probably Casper.” Perri said. “The masks are so cheap and easy to buy after Malorie’s funeral. It could be anyone.”

Jin turned back towards the Killing Cat.

“This isn’t funny anymore!” Jin warned. “Take off the mask or I’ll take it off for you!”

The Killing Cat put a hand in front of her mouth and bobbed her head a little, giving her the appearance of laughing. This peeved Jin enough to push her into action.

“Alright, you asked for this!” Jin said as she walked towards the Killing Cat.

Jin held the skateboard in her hands firmly like a weapon and charged at the Killing Cat. The Killing Cat effortlessly ducked beneath Jin’s attempt to bat her. Jin was surprised by the move. The Killing Cat pulled out two plastic knives and held them threateningly out towards Jin.

“You think you’re slick, don’t you?” Jin asked.

Jin went in for another attack. This attack, like the last, was easily dodged. This time the Killing Cat tossed both of her plastic knives at Jin’s back as she danced around her. Then she teased Jin with another laughing expression. Jin was done playing games and tossed the skateboard down.

Jin cracked her knuckles.

“You know, I really hope you are Sam, because I’m about to teach you a tough lesson.” Jin said.

Jin went in on the Killing Cat without pulling her punches. Jin was faster and more skilled than Leigha, but the Killing Cat was too swift and nimble for her to land a hit. The Killing Cat really lived up to her cat motif, being agile enough to weave between attacks.

The Killing Cat got inside Jin’s personal space. She dodged her every attack without fighting back. It was like she was mocking Jin right in front of her face. This pissed Jin off and made her flail wildly, whirl-winding her arms like an ape. It caused the Killing Cat to momentarily back off, but Jin was leaving herself open between attacks.

She slipped up while leaning into punch the Killing Cat and the Killing Cat dashed behind her. By the time Jin turned around to face her, the Killing Cat was already in the middle of a kick. This kick connected with Jin’s head so hard that Jin’s entire body spun around as she was thrown to the ground. She was out cold.

“No freakin’ way…” Perri said.

The Killing Cat immediately turned her gaze towards Perri. Perri froze in shock. I expected the Killing Cat might make a show of force against her too, but I was wrong. She undid her mask, taking it off slowly. The face behind the mask wasn’t what I expected to see.

It was Olivia.

Or rather, this was Holly’s ‘Olivia’ disguise with a few modifications. She was wearing face paint of black ‘scratch’ marks all across her face. I wasn’t sure what they were meant to represent, but they looked like war paint. Maybe this was some sort of intimidation tactic?

“You can’t be…” Perri said. “Malorie Noelle…?”

“In the flesh.” Holly said in her deeper ‘Olivia’ voice.

She gave me a quick wink that Perri didn’t acknowledge. This was probably a cue for me to just go along with this. She was dressed like this because she wanted Perri to believe that she was the spirit of Malorie. It was a risky plan.

“I’m here because you’re interfering with my plans.” Holly said.

“What plans…?” Perri asked. “I had nothing to do with Officer Morelli. I just saw when she…”

“Not those plans,” Holly said. “I’m talking about my plans for the school.”

“What?”

“The transformation your school is experiencing didn’t happen by chance. I’ve been collecting agents to do my bidding, including your friend Silver here.”

Perri faced me with a stunned look. The way the Killing Cat worded things made it sound like an admission of guilt.

“I didn’t… I mean… I just gathered information…” I said in my defense.

“Why are you involved with her?” Perri asked, clearly horrified by the mere idea.

“She helped me on the day that Black Brittney’s gang ambushed us at the warehouse party. Leigha came after me with a bat and an old grudge. I was afraid she was going to beat me to death, but…”

“That’s when I arrived.” Holly said.

Holly grabbed Perri by the collar and thrust Perri against the nearby wall! Perri was caught so off guard that she didn’t have time to defend herself. She was wide-eyed and frozen in place, like a small animal being caught in the jaws of a predator. That’s what this scene looked like from where I was standing.

Getting this close to Perri was risky for Holly. Her disguise was nearly perfect, but there was always the chance that Perri could catch something. Luckily Perri looked too scared to be processing anything correctly and mostly just shivered in place. I had never seen her so spooked, but it was completely understandable considering Holly was playing the role of an angry spirit.

“And Leigha learned what happened to people who go against my wishes.” Holly said in a sinister voice. “The school’s history is filled with tragedy and turmoil, all at the hands of girls who felt like they could bully others into submission. Not anymore. I’ve solved this problem by spilling blood. Shall I spill some of yours too?”

Holly pulled out another knife from her belt, but this one was real!

“Wait!” I shouted. “Please, don’t hurt her!”

“I haven’t done anything to you!” Perri said. “So why would…”

The Killing Cat pressed against Perri even harder, sandwiching her against the wall.

“What did Silver say just before I revealed myself?” Holly asked. “Meredith’s School for Troubled Girls can’t go on like this forever. Silver isn’t my only agent. There are more than you can possibly realize. All of them have been working towards making the school’s future a better place. Are you going to help them, or are you going to be another obstacle in my way?”

“What…” Perri asked, straining to speak under the Killing Cat’s pressure. “What do you want from me?”

The Killing Cat pulled away with a jerky movement, causing Perri to fall down to the ground.

“Fold your plans on group leadership. Let the gang conflicts die. End this.”

The Killing Cat didn’t substantiate her demands with any other details or threats. She put her mask back on and began walking away. She stepped over Jin who was just now recovering from her knockout.

“Why should I become a follower in someone else’s group?!” Perri shouted.

The Killing Cat spun on her heels. In the same motion she drew one of the plastic knives from her belt and threw it right at Perri’s face. Perri was too slow to dodge. The plastic knife slapped Perri right in the forehead before falling harmlessly to the ground. It seemed to say that the Killing Cat didn’t care about the details, and just wanted Perri’s rebellion to end.

Perri seemed to get the picture as she sat frozen in place. I kneeled down beside her. We both watched as the Killing Cat walked off into the darkness beyond the train station lights.

“That… That was the real Killing Cat, wasn’t it?” Perri asked me in a hushed voice.

“It was.” I confirmed in an equally quiet voice. “She’s been stalking me ever since she saved me from Leigha. I honestly didn’t expect the Killing Cat to make an appearance here. She’s normally… unhinged when she has that mask on.”

Perri looked up at me with a worried look.

“Did she ask you to convince me and Jin to return to Sam and the others?”

“In an indirect way, yes, she asked me to help make peace within our group. You should know that she is very sincere about the things she said. She killed Leigha for attacking me… I wouldn’t put it past her to kill anyone else that she viewed as an threat.”

“Is she really the ghost of Malorie Noelle?”

“I can’t speak to that. I only know that this person is every bit the spirit of vengeance that the Killing Cat is in the original story. I’m begging you to make peace with the others and settle this now.”

Perri looked down at the plastic knife on the ground and sighed.

“I guess if she really wanted to hurt us then this could’ve ended much worse. We could’ve made the nightly news as just another one of her victims.” Perri said.

I reached a hand out to Perri.

“Let’s talk to the others together tomorrow.” I suggested. “Give me time to arrange things tonight. Then we’ll go and talk with Sam in person.”

“And obviously we shouldn’t mention that the Killing Cat was here and freaking knocked Jin out with a single kick.”

“Obviously…” I said. “Not unless you want another surprise visit from her.”

Perri smiled a little, but it was a pained smile. This run in with the Killing Cat forced her to put things into a new perspective, which was exactly what Holly wanted. Perri’s disagreements with Sam and the other members of our gang probably felt small in the face of the Killing Cat’s ire.

Perri took my hand and I helped her stand up.

“Okay.” Perri said. “I’ll agree to set my grudges aside, but I want you to tell Sam that it was my idea. She’ll have to owe me one for generously accepting her as our new leader.”

I smiled.

“Deal.” I said. “Let’s go to the store down the street and buy some warm drinks. I’m sure Jin could really use one.”