The coming Wednesday rolls around, and by the trio’s account, some progress has been made. Thanatos types away at his computer, reading and rereading the notes he’s taken the past five days. So far, his amateur helpers have done a better job at narrowing down potential victims excellently while he himself waits for Sibylla’s own discoveries.

Rebecca has been using her Party Planning Committee duties to keep an eye on Angie and other potential victims she’s managed to recruit. So far, according to her accounts, they all seem fine save for the usual mid-term exhaustion that’s beginning to set in. Angie helps with as much enthusiasm as possible, but that doesn’t sooth his nerves.

Jonny, on the other hand, has had a more hands on approach. Patting the backs and shoulders of classmates and friends, he’s managed to eye their reactions. So far, there’s been no dice. The good news, Jonny told him this morning, is that one of Kelcey’s friends still had a bra that she left in their dorm room before she “moved out,” presumably on accident. When Jonny asked, he learnt that it had been left there before any of the tutoring sessions took up her evenings.

“It’s a distinct behavioural change,” he mutters to himself. Jonny sips his energy drink from his place on the floor, humming in question. Thanatos sighs. “It still bothers me why any of them would suddenly decide why they need to be tutored. They were both model students, so something had to have happened.”

Jonny offers him the drink can for a sip, but Thanatos, visibly disgusted, holds up a hand in polite decline. Jonny shrugs. “Well, maybe they were just worried? Like, dude, the pressure in this place is huge.”

Thanatos shakes his head. “It’s too specific to just be that.” He swivels in his chair and rests his elbows on his knees. “We have two, potentially three girls that fit a distinct victim profile all following the same behavioural pattern a month prior to each of their deaths.”

“So. . . someone could be changing what they do by force?”

“Possibly.” He runs a hand through his bangs. “Grab me the bra.”

Jonny does as asked and hands his roommate the black, lacey bra but not without a red face and holding it with only two fingers. Thanatos rolls his eyes and examines it. Jonny stares at his lap the entire time.

There’s nothing notable about it. It’s just some affordable, padded thing. It’s nothing Thanatos hasn’t had to handle or even buy for his sister before. He holds it out to Jonny. “You’re going to have to get used to touching it. It’s an undergarment, not a rotten piece of food.”

“I know that!” He snatches it back. “I have sisters too, y’know! But this kinda thing is private!”

Thanatos squints. “How’d they even give this to you?”

At this, Jonny flushes harder. “I said Kelcey told me to grab stuff she left behind. I even faked a text convo and everything.” Thanatos raises a brow, and Jonny curls in a little further. “And I said I’d do them a favour later.”

“Sure, sure. . . We can use it, regardless. The citrine my sister gave you will be useful in that endeavor as well.”

Jonny tilts his head. “Yeah?”

Across the campus, a loud bell tones once, and both boys rise from their seats. “We’ll take care of it tonight. I’d ask one of your teachers about pendulums today, if you have the chance.”

With a grin and salute, Jonny nods. “Yessir!”

----------------------------------------

The sun sets on Waurelt’s campus, and Thanatos gives a curt wave to Jonny, Edward, and Mason as they bound off towards the boys’ dorm, bellies full, past Thanatos’ seat outside the cafeteria. He “needed to think,” as he told the three of them, but there he sits with his phone on his lap, earbuds connected, watching some dog video while he shoves mashed potatoes in his mouth. There wasn’t much thinking to be done, rather he needs to investigate alone for a while; the noises are beginning to get to him.

Engaged in the video and rather bland food, he jumps in his seat when he receives a tap on his shoulder. Looking up, he quickly pauses his phone and takes out a bud. “Miss Matthews, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Winnie smiles and nervously waves her hands. “Oh, uh, nothing! I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” She glances away and then back. “Are you okay?”

“I’m as okay as ever, thank you.” He pauses in thought, and he hears her swallow. “Actually, Miss Matthews, I was wondering if you’d accompany me this evening through the school again.”

Her flush pales, and she shakes her head. “I would love to, believe me, but I have tutoring tonight. I was on my way there now.” He frowns. Tutoring?

“Tutoring?” he asks, curious. She nods.

“Mid-terms, and all.”

“I see.” His appetite vanishes, and so he begins putting away his things. “It is rather late, though. Be careful.”

Winnie’s smile comes back full swing, and she fiddles with her hair. “I will be! I’m stronger than I look!” She makes a one-two punch, and it makes Thanatos huff, involuntarily, with laughter.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“I believe you.”

Thanatos closes his take-out box and throws it into the nearby trash bin. He starts heading in the direction of the boys’ dorm. He gently pats her back as he passes, and she jumps, but only in surprise.

“Take care, then.”

“You too!” she calls, waving.

With a keen ear, he waits for her jog away to grow quieter, before he turns right on his heel and begins to follow. Thanatos’ mind runs in circles. He checks his phone: 7:00 p.m.

He remains close enough to see her even as she turns corners. Eventually, they end up in a classroom on the east-side first floor. Thanatos’ heart picks up, but he carries onward even as the sun vanishes over the horizon, and the only lights that fill the halls are dusk peeking between the curtains and classrooms with teachers grading papers inside. Some even give him a brief glance from their ajar doors, to which he responds with a courteous nod.

At the far end of this hall, Winnie knocks on a door, and after a brief moment, she’s let inside by someone Thanatos can’t see. When it shuts, he stalks towards it and presses his ear to the door. He bites his lip. The voices are definitely Winnie’s and a man’s, but they’re far too muffled behind these thick, old-fashioned doors. He can only catch about every fourth or fifth word; it’s not enough by any means.

He reaches into his bag without looking, feeling around for something, anything that could help him, but damn him now for not being prepared for once. His earbuds? He could certainly place one under the door and press record, but they’re cheap things, and the sound quality has always been shit. Plus, they’re wired, and he doesn’t feel like curling up in front of a door. There must be something he has on him to help. . .

“Hey, your phone’s buzzing,” says a voice next to his ear, and his breath hitches. “But you’re too busing being nosy to notice.” She giggles and pulls back as he whips around to catch a glimpse.

Thanatos sighs in relief. “You’re Sibylla’s roommate, Angelica Waterson.” He pauses to think, pulling out his indeed buzzing phone. Sibylla’s sent photos and frantic messages, and he swipes, unlocking his screen. He frowns.

“So, I was right! You’re her brother.” Angie laughs behind her hand. “She talks about you so much, loves to brag.” She pokes at his cheek, and he shuts his phone off, backing up into the door with an audible, soft slam. “Why the long face?”

“It’s nothing. I—”

He’s tripping backwards when the door behind him opens, but a hand between his shoulder blades catches him. He cranes his neck back. Mr. Thompson stands with a curious, concerned eye.

“Ato?” asks Winnie, voice shaky, from behind him. “What’re you doing here?”

“An excellent question,” says Mr. Thompson. Thanatos quickly composes himself, tucking his phone into his pants pocket.

“It’s getting darker sooner now.” He gestures to the windows of the classroom. “I wanted to make sure she got here alright.”

Mr. Thompson smiles, and he pats Thanatos’ shoulder only to receive a wince in return. “What a good man.” He circles behind Winnie and gently pushes her forward. “You can walk her home then.”

Winnie doesn’t resist, but she does protest, “But, sir!”

“It’s alright, Winifred. I forgot to tell you about the schedule change anyway, and you’re doing just fine. We can meet again this Friday if you’re that nervous about midterms.” He pushes until Winnie is out the door, standing between Thanatos and Angie. Winnie attempts to speak again, but an obvious hard stare from Mr. Thompson shuts her mouth. She holds herself and looks at her feet.

“Yes, sir.”

Angie takes advantage of the open doorway and cheerily saunters inside, winking at Thanatos. “My turn! Gotta keep those grades up, y’know! Would you tell the student council president I can’t make it to Party Planning tonight, Miss Secretary?”

Winnie nods. “Of. . . of course.”

With a final look, Angie closes the door loudly, and the sound of it locking has both Thanatos and Winnie taking a step back. Winnie grabs his hand, and begins to pull. He frowns.

“I can’t believe you followed me!” she exclaims, hushed enough to keep it private but loud enough to squeeze at Thanatos’ chest. He plants his feet down, and it yanks her backwards with a squeak.

“I was being honest, Winifred.”

Winnie squeezes his hand tighter, and she rubs at her eyes. He doesn’t make a move to let go. “Did. . . did you hear anything?”

“No. I had just gotten there when Miss Waterson snuck up on me. I bumped into the door when I turned around to see who it was.” He focuses on breathing, keeping his posture. She eyes him, and then their hands, and she quickly pulls it back.

“I. . . I see. I’m sorry.” She holds it to her chest. “Thank you, anyway, for the thought.”

Thanatos nods, and he digs in his pocket. He frowns, scrambling through all his pants and coat pockets. He even digs through his bag. Winnie steps forward.

“What’s wrong?”

“My phone. . . I must have dropped it back at the classroom.” He turns around to head back, but once again, Winnie grabs at his hand.

Winnie tugs. “Can’t you get it tomorrow?” He shakes his head.

“With my profession? We both know I can’t.”

She lets go and sighs. “Then, I’ll go with you.” Her hands wave in panicked motions. “S-So you don’t get lost!”

Thanatos eyes her, but he gestures onward, and so they return to the area. At his insistence, they agree to look for it separately, and Winnie shuffles away awkwardly to check around the hallway. He, on the other hand, heads straight to the opposite door Mr. Thompson and company had previously used, the one at the other end of the classroom.

Kneeling, he pulls out his phone and hastily checks Sibylla’s messages again. “It’s her after all. Nice work, Sib,” he whispers, cracking a confident grin. Quickly, he dismisses all the notifications, changes his passcode, and sets the phone to voice record. He locks it and slides it just underneath the door.

He rises and rushes back to Winnie. “Any luck?” he asks, and she shakes her head.

“No, I’m sorry. . .”

Thanatos scratches his neck. “Neither could I, so don’t fret about it. Perhaps waiting until the morning would be best, as you said.”

Winnie looks around. “Really?”

“This school does have a lost-and-found, doesn’t it?” She nods, and he shrugs. “Then someone will pick it up and turn it in.” He casually slides his hand in hers and starts walking, and she follows clumsily at first. “I’ll walk you back to the dorms.”

Winnie giggles and gently squeezes. “Do you know how to get there?”

Thanatos hums. “Perhaps you should take the lead again.”

So she does, and without much time at all, he bids her good night at the girls’ dorm entrance. He instinctively reaches for his phone, but finds his pockets empty for real this time. Sighing, he shuffles back to his own dormitory.

“What took you so long, dude?” Jonny laughs as he opens the door for him, and Thanatos’ beeline for his desk sours his roommate’s good mood. “Dude?” He shuts the door so he can lean over Thanatos’ shoulder.

Staring at his corkboard, Thanatos grabs a red pin. “Hold this.” He points to Winnie’s photo, and with his index finger, Jonny does as asked. With deft hands, Thanatos ties a new red string from Mr.Thompson’s red pin, and he leads it to Winnie’s orange one. He switches the orange for a red and ties the string tightly to it. Jonny bites his lip, and Thanatos leans back in his chair.