Requiem of Humanity

by Catherine Stovall

  The first to reach her was Aaron. He had been heading for the west lot to find her and Soborgne, hoping to steal a kiss from the little red-headed beauty. He grabbed Jenda and pressed her tight to his muscular chest. He started to ask her what had happened when he saw the car. He held Jenda out at arm’s length as she sobbed and mumbled, “Blood, it’s blood. Oh, God there’s blood on the car. Soborgne’s gone and there’s blood on the car.”

  Other students and faculty were starting to gather. Questions were coming at Jenda so fast she couldn’t understand them. The faces were all a blur. She heard someone ask where Soborgne was. She heard someone else say it was probably just a joke. Soborgne was known for her morbid sense of humor. She wanted to tell them that her friend wouldn’t frighten her this way. She wanted to tell them that she couldn’t find Soborgne. She wanted to but she couldn’t. She was unable to focus and could not make herself respond. Her throat was dry and her tongue felt thick. She was shivering so hard that her teeth were chattering. Someone called the police and she could hear sirens not far away. The last thing Jenda remembered was a warm soothing hand on her face telling her it would all be okay.

  4

  Jenda’s first thought when she opened her eyes was to wonder why her room was painted white. Why in the world would her mom do that? Jenda’s room had been Pale Rose trimmed in Meadow Trail Tan ever since she finally talked her mom into letting her move from the smaller room down the hall from her parents to the largest upstairs bedroom when she was fourteen. The beeping of a monitor near her bed told her where she was. She wasn’t at home. She was in the hospital.

  Jenda focused for a moment on why she was here. Then it all flooded back to her in reverse motion. She remembered someone telling her it would be okay, the warm comforting hand on her face, and then Aaron was there. That’s when the full memory hit her like a giant semi-truck. The car, Soborgne’s car had been covered in blood. She had been the first to see it. She had screamed and then had run, falling into Aaron’s arms before she’d passed out.

  Jenda tried to sit up and look around. She had to know if they found Soborgne. The dizziness hit her hard as she tried to rise from where she lay. Then Jenda heard a woman’s voice. “Now, Jenda settle back. Just lay back down. That’s it. Take deep breaths. You’ve been through quite a shock, you need to rest.”

  Jenda stared up at the woman, dumbfounded. “Where’s my mom?”

  The woman looked hesitantly at the door, “She’s right outside, sweetheart. She’s talking to a couple of gentlemen. Give me just a sec and I will get her. Just lie still.”

  The woman hustled her round body towards the door. Just before she opened it, she glanced back at Jenda; apparently making sure the girl was indeed lying still. Jenda wanted to defy her but the dizziness held her down. Instead of tempting the nausea and dizziness to return, she lay back on the pillows and waited for her mother.

  In no more than thirty seconds, Janine flew into the room. Motherly concern propelled her like a rocket to her daughter’s side. She approached so fast Jenda thought she might run straight into the bed before she stopped. Instead, she came to an abrupt stop beside Jenda; arms outstretched and hands fluttering as if she wanted to grab the girl up and hold her like a baby but was too afraid to touch her. Jenda began to cry at the sight of her mother and the woman’s indecision completely evaporated. She sat gingerly on the side of the bed and held Jenda in her arms whispering all the comforting words she could muster.

  When Jenda’s tears finally subsided enough that she could speak, her first question was about her friend. “Mom, did they find Soborgne?”

  Her mother could not meet Jenda’s eyes. Her hands shook as she attempted to smooth Jenda’s hair. “No baby, not yet but they are looking very hard. I’m sure this is just some terrible prank and Sobo will come bouncing in any second.”

  Her mother was lying. Jenda knew it was a lie. Of course they hadn’t found her. Jenda had a sick feeling that they would never find Soborgne. Her mother was trying to comfort her but Jenda knew that her dearest friend would not be coming back. “Did the police say if that was blood on the car? Has someone called Mrs. Maria?” At the thought of her friend’s poor, erratic mother Jenda tried to rise, desperately looking for her cell phone.

  Janine quickly but gently embraced Jenda again, trying to still the girl’s movements. “You’ve been through a terrible shock, Jenda, please lie still. The police called Maria, and I spoke to her just a little while ago. She and Jim are waiting at home in case Soborgne turns up or calls. She’s very frightened but she’s okay.”

  Her eyes were wide and full of fear as she asked again, “Was it blood, mom? Was that blood on Sobo’s car?”

  Her mother looked away again, pretending to examine the various monitors and their readings. This time the entrance of two uniformed officers saved her. “Excuse me, Mrs. Myer. I’m sorry. I know this is difficult for you and Jenda, but it’s best if we talked to her while the incident is still fresh. If not, important details may be forgotten or left out.”

  This was the older of the two police officers. He was probably in his late forties, with graying hair, and glasses. He looked like he still kept in shape, but like most men that age he had begun to go soft around the middle.

  “Jenda, this is Officer Dupree and Officer Jansen. They need to ask you some questions to help find Soborgne.” Jenda’s mother was eying her carefully. Her training as an RN never really turned off, and she was mentally checking for symptoms of shock or trauma in her daughter.

  “Of course,” Jenda’s response was weak but came quickly. “I don’t really know how much I can help but if it will help you find her I will do anything.” The desperation in her voice did not go unnoticed by anyone in the room.

  For two hours, she talked to the officers. She told them how Soborgne had gone to her car and did not come back after lunch, she explained about the text messages she had sent, and the call to Soborgne’s mother. She told them that the car had been fine when she had gone to the lot between classes to check on Soborgne. She cried helplessly as she told them about the final scene in the parking lot.

  “Jenda,” Officer Jansen, the younger of the two, spoke in a quiet and soothing voice, “I know you don’t want to think about it, but is there anything you can remember seeing missing from the car? Did you look inside? Did Soborgne have a purse, money, or any other possessions?”

  Jenda told him that Soborgne never carried a purse. Most of the time she just shoved any cash or credit cards into Jenda’s. She also told him how she had not gotten close to the car. The sight of the blood had stopped her. She hadn’t gone any closer than ten feet. Then she asked the officer the same question she had asked her mother. “Was it blood?”

  Officer Jansen gave her an odd look and hesitated longer than Jenda could stand. “Was it blood on the car, damn it?” She never raised her voice and she never cursed but her patience was gone. She was desperate to know if her friend was safe or if this was some kind of sick joke.

  Janine instantly moved around to position herself in between her child and the officers. “Look, I understand you’re just trying to do your job, officers, but she’s been through a lot today. No one wants to help find Soborgne more than Jenda does, but she needs to rest. I think that’s enough questions.”

  Jenda could not understand why they would not answer her. She had a right to know. She answered every question they had asked, she had relived that terrible moment in detail for them, and she had even provided them with the names and numbers of all her and Soborgne’s friends.

  “No, not yet,” she yelled. “Not until you answer me.” Her demands were quickly turning into tearful pleas. “I need to know, okay. Just please, please tell me.” Her voice cracked and she began to cry for what seemed to be the millionth time.

  “Jenda, please calm down.” Officer Jansen patted her on the shoulder. “It was blood on the car but you need to understand that it doesn’t mean it was Soborgne’s blood. It could be animal blood and
we won’t know until the lab results come back. Now honey, I got one more question for you and then I’m going to let you get some rest. Is that okay?”

  Jenda looked up at the man, really noticing him for the first time. He was tall with terrifically tanned skin. His hazel eyes were full of compassion and he held a polite but sad looking smile. He probably wasn’t much older than Jenda herself, maybe twenty-four or twenty-five. Jenda nodded that she understood and that she would answer his question.

  “Can you think of anyone, anyone at all who might want to hurt Soborgne? Has anyone made any threats towards her or has anything unusual happened lately? Have you noticed anyone strange watching or following the two of you?” The smile was gone now and he was back to being all business except for the compassion in his eyes. They met Jenda’s and she knew that she could trust this man. She only wished she knew something more.

  “No one has threatened her or followed her that I know of. I am sure she would have told me. The only person I know who doesn’t really like Soborgne is Bridgette Olsen, but that’s because Sobo broke her nose once a long time ago.” Jenda shook her head at the frustration and the headache that was building just behind her eyes. She reached her hand up to whisk away an errant curl from her face but Officer Jansen’s hand caught it first. He gently lifted the curl and tucked it behind her ear. Realizing what he had just done his face colored slightly and he quickly stood up and moved away from the side of the bed.

  “Did you see Ms. Olsen at school today?” Officer Dupree asked.

  “Yes, I saw her a few times after lunch. She’s in my history class and my gym class.” Jenda didn’t much care for Bridgette but she knew the other girl would not be capable of touching blood let alone dumping gallons of it on Soborgne’s car. Just in case, Jenda told the police about what happened between her and Bridgette after gym. More than a little embarrassed by her own behavior, she blushed bright pink. Officer Dupree only took down some notes but Jansen was smiling at her and that smile made her blush even more.

  “Okay. Well, thank you ladies. If you can think of anything else please don’t hesitate to call.” Officer Dupree and Officer Jansen both left their cards with Janine and hurried out of the room, leaving Jenda to worry even more now that her biggest fear was confirmed. It was blood on the car. Even if they didn’t think it was Soborgne’s, it worried her immensely. There was some psychopath who had drained a ton of blood from someone or something, who may be holding her friend captive or worse.

  Jenda was whisked from the hospital by her parents and ushered into her room. She lay on her bed for most of the next three days barely eating and barely sleeping. She cried and worried. She shut off her cell and refused any calls. She called either Officer Dupree or Officer Jansen daily to find out if they had found any new leads. To her disappointment, they never had more answers, only more questions. As the hours turned to days, Jenda’s initial thoughts replayed themselves repeatedly. She knew they would never find Soborgne.

  After three days, Janine became hysterical. She was afraid for Jenda’s state of mind and worried sick over Soborgne, whom she had grown to love. Neil was her constant support, but even he was concerned about Jenda’s health. The girl looked sunken and deathly pale. Her eyes were rimmed in red from crying and purplish bruises surrounded them. The lack of sustenance was causing her to lose weight. At anytime of the night they would hear her crying softly or pacing the floor above. Jenda hardly spoke more than a yes or no and that was only to answer a question that was repeated several times. She would speak only in a whisper and would never raise her eyes from the floor. It was as if Jenda was already mourning her best friend.

  On the sixth day of Soborgne’s disappearance, Jenda was lying on the couch staring at the ceiling. She wasn’t thinking, she wasn’t moving, she was barely breathing. Janine had insisted that she come down. Her mother was kind and didn’t try to force Jenda into going to school or even communicating but she refused to let the girl stay in her room all day again. As Jenda lay there staring at nothing she heard her mother answering the front door. There was a familiar voice and the sound of someone crying.

  It took several minutes for Jenda to process what she was hearing. Since Soborgne had disappeared, she walked in an almost impenetrable fog that most of the world could not find its way through. When she finally realized what was happening, Jenda quickly rose from the couch and wrapped her robe tighter around herself. She stood in the doorway to the entrance hall in mute understanding. There in the hallway was her mother embracing Maria. The two women cried in earnest as Soborgne’s stepfather stood teary-eyed with his hand resting on the small of Maria’s back.

  Jenda made a small shuffling sound with her slippers to make them aware of her presence. The three of them looked up all at once. Jenda was instantly taken aback by Maria’s appearance. Soborgne’s mother had always taken extreme measures to look young and vibrant. She had often bragged that in a few short years people might mistake her and Soborgne for sisters. Today, Maria looked haggard and twenty years older than she did a week before. She wore no makeup and her hair was a wreck. Her clothes were wrinkled, as if she had worn them to bed.

  The sight of Jenda tore through her best friend’s parents like a whirlwind of pain. Maria’s face crumpled, the heartbreak clear in every line. Jim tried dutifully to blink back the tears but they streamed down his rough cheeks despite his efforts. In three quick steps, Maria had Jenda in her arms, holding her tightly. Jenda began to sob madly. Despite the heart wrenching agony that was ripping Soborgne’s mother apart, she still attempted to comfort her daughter’s closest friend.

  After a few moments, the group slowly trudged through the house and into the kitchen. They spoke softly about trivial things while Janine prepared a pot of coffee. Maria dabbed her eyes continually with a handkerchief she had fished from her purse. Jenda felt so out of place here. They treated her as if she was one of them, as if by circumstance she had become one of the adults. She almost smiled at how Soborgne would have cracked a joke about it all. She had constantly reminded Jenda that, with her worrisome personality, Jenda had become an adult before she had even gone through puberty. The smile died before it ever touched her lips though. The thought of Soborgne reminded her of why they were all sitting here at the breakfast nook looking as if hell had taken over. Fresh sorrow wrenched through her. She had never known that a person could hurt so much without bleeding, without dying.

  With the coffee served, Janine joined the table. Silence filled the room, thick and heavy like the fog that constantly surrounded Jenda. She thought to herself that this was what it must be like to be in a soundproof box. There were no sounds of traffic, of birds chirping, or even a distant barking dog. It was as if the world stood still and waited alongside her to hear the news Maria brought.

  After what seemed like an eternity to Jenda, Maria finally began. Her voice quivered and she stopped several times before the first few words were uttered. At last, she spoke the words Jenda both dreaded and needed to hear more than anything.

  “Officer Dupree called this morning. The lab results came back on the…” Maria paused and wept for a moment. Her head bowed and frail shoulders trembling, she grieved openly. Then finally, she raised her head, her face was grief stricken but a look of determination shone in her watery eyes. She began again, slightly clearer than before, “The results came back and it was Soborgne’s blood they found on the car.” It came out in a rush; if she didn’t say it all right then it would never be able to pass her lips. All her strength dissolved in the last words. She fell against her husband’s chest while she held onto Jenda’s hand.

  The tears flowed like waterfalls from every eye at the table. Janine came around and wrapped Jenda in her arms while the girl wailed in agony. The pure sorrow in the room contrasted so much with the bright sunshine streaming in from the patio doors onto the honey-yellow walls and white marble tile. Jenda understood what this meant. She knew how much blood had been on the car, she had seen it with her own eye
s. No one lost that much blood and lived. Jenda could remember reading somewhere that a person could only lose about 2.4 quarts of blood before dying. Was there more blood than that? To her it seemed like there were gallons of blood on the car but it could have been less. Her mind was racing trying to explain it away, trying to find hope. The haze was lifting and the numbness was fading away. She hurt more than she had ever hurt before. She wanted the foggy unfeeling world back; she did not want to face what Maria was saying now.

  The police tried to console her but did not want to give Maria and Jim false hope. They told her honestly, there was little chance of Soborgne being alive. They had found no evidence of a struggle, no fingerprints, and no clues. The writing on the windshield gave away nothing. Their theory was that the attacker drugged Soborgne and killed her inside their own vehicle. They suspected the person then poured the blood on the car and then carried Soborgne’s lifeless body in their own vehicle to a different location for disposal. They had combed the woods and roads around the school for miles in a search mission days before and they were now using cadaver dogs to try to locate any possible remains.

  Jenda was rocking back and forth quickly in her chair with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Her hair stuck to her face as the tears streamed. She wanted to close it all up inside her, wanted to turn it all away. She tried, but it was too much pain and misery for her tiny heart to hold. She could not imagine a life without Soborgne. She had been so alone before that first day when they became such good friends. Now she would be all alone again. She would never hear her best friend’s laugh, never hug her, or fight with her again. She could not be gone. How could someone take away such a vibrant and special life?

  Her screams shattered her own hearing. Deafening silence engulfed her. The darkness was flooding in again. She could not stop herself and no longer cared too, she welcomed it now. She pressed her hands to her temples and squeezed, trying to stop the flood of images in her mind. She saw Soborgne smiling, laughing, and dancing in the grass, and then blood on the car, blood on the pavement. The images swirled together until they mixed up inside her head. Soborgne’s smiling face dripped with red. Then Soborgne again, images from a week ago when they had gone to Chicago for the weekend. She was standing in front of the mirror at Saks but across the mirror was written that horrible curse, “She Will Rise”. On and on Jenda screamed as the horrors played in her head.