Marked

by Stephanie Arehart

  She heard it again, louder this time, and her pulse accelerated even more. Maybe the stress of a campus murder, combined with the fact that she was living with a stranger who may or may not be the murderer, was finally crumbling the Unbreakable Jenna. Rational Jenna decided it would be better to investigate further to determine the source of the noises, so she could settle down and finish her work.

  She tiptoed in the general direction of the mysterious noises, peering around each set of shelves, half expecting to see an actual monster. After creeping past a dozen bookcases, she finally found the culprit. Jenna quickly ascertained that she was witnessing another attack as she saw a young man holding a blonde girl against the shelf, with the girl wiggling and struggling to get away. He was kissing her aggressively, muffling her cries for help.

  Jenna didn’t recognize the victim, and she couldn’t see the perpetrator from her vantage point. But she was terrified, too terrified to run for help. She gasped, but mostly caught the sound before it came out by slamming her hand over her own mouth.

  Jenna frantically rummaged through her options, simultaneously looking around for something to use as a makeshift weapon. She silently grabbed the biggest book within her reach and approached the attacker. As she raised the book high over her head, the pair shifted, revealing an entirely different scene, something more romantic in nature. The girl stared back at Jenna, eyes wide with surprise. One or both of them shrieked in fear, causing the kisser to stop what he was doing and turn to face Jenna.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked breathlessly.

  Jenna turned bright red. “I’m sorry. I thought you were hurting her.”

  He cracked a smile, still breathing hard from all the previous activity. “Kind of the opposite of hurting.”

  The couple started laughing, and Jenna joined in with her own nervous laughter. Their merriment quickly died down, and the man cleared his throat as a signal for Jenna to relocate. She apologized again and quickly walked away, returning to her stacks of books. I have to quit letting this paranoia get the best of me.

  Jenna took the strange encounter as a sign that she needed a break from her intense work, so she elected to call it a day and go find some dinner. She quickly took half the books from her stack and re-shelved them. As she was filing the last book in place, she heard a short grunting sound come from directly behind her. Jenna spun around, feeling like she was going to jump out of her skin. But instead of frisky teenage lovers, Vivian was standing there, wearing a strange grin.

  “Why are you sneaking up on me?” Jenna asked angrily.

  Vivian’s weird expression turned into a look of confusion, then a scowl. “Well, Barbie J, aren’t you jumpy? And rude.”

  “I’m not jumpy or rude. I just don’t like to be stalked.”

  “Paranoid much? Christ, I wasn’t stalking you. You really are full of yourself.”

  “If you aren’t stalking me, what are you doing here?”

  Vivian casually glanced around the library before answering. “Last time I checked, this is a public place. And, contrary to your opinion of me, I’ve been known to enter a library or two. Yes, Barbie J, I even read on occasion.”

  Vivian grabbed her chest for dramatic emphasis. Jenna stared at her with a look of contempt.

  Vivian continued, “Okay, well then. I was just going to invite you to a party tonight, but never mind. Keep on being a loner, Barbie MD.”

  She walked away without waiting for a response. As Jenna watched her go, she considered her options. If she let Vivian go to that party on her own, Jenna would be much safer. She could possibly even enjoy an evening without looking over her shoulder all night. On the other hand, if she just let Vivian head to a populated gathering on her own, someone else could end up getting hurt, or worse. The responsible, AKA Jenna, thing to do would be to attend the party with Vivian and keep an eye on her all night. She rationalized that it should be safe, after all, being around lots of other people.

  If nothing else, it’ll definitely give me a chance to learn more about this evil weirdo, up close and personal.

  “Hold on,” she called after Vivian. “Let me put the rest of my books up, and I’ll come with you.”

  She looked over at the table and saw that it was empty.

  “I already put your stupid books up for you. You’re welcome. Now let’s go.”

  Creepy.

  For some reason, that strange gesture concerned Jenna a lot. She questioned how long Vivian had been in the library watching her. And she wondered what Vivian was thinking after seeing all the books she had in her stack. Jenna’s mind raced, trying to remember exactly what titles she’d pulled. The last thing she needed at this critical stage was to have Vivian figure out what was going on, to ruin the investigation before it was complete. She felt like asking Vivian what she’d seen, just to get a definitive answer, but quickly talked herself out of it. Instead they walked in quiet, speaking volumes about Vivian’s opinion of her research.

  Jenna finally broke the silence. “Where are we going, anyway?”

  “Right, I’m guessing Barbie J is anal about plans and schedules. First we’re going back to the room for a bit, then we’ll head to the party. It’s just off campus, but walkable.”

  Jenna stopped in her tracks. “Wait, we’re going back to the room? Now? Together?”

  “I assumed you’d want to change clothes and fix your hair and make-up, you know, you being you and all, caring so much what others think of you.”

  “No, I’m fine the way I am.”

  “Wow, okay. You really never cease to surprise me, Jenna.”

  “Did you just call me by my name?”

  “Yeah. Don’t get used to it, though. I’m a bundle of surprises.”

  That’s an understatement.

  Jenna didn’t know how to react to that statement, but she suppressed the thought of it in case her facial expression would give her away. She continued to follow Vivian in silence, just trying to keep track of where they were going, causing her to lament how much easier this trek would be if she was already comfortable getting around on campus. She regretted not taking the orientation more seriously.

  By that point, the sun was beginning to set. Jenna began to question whether there was an actual party starting at such a late hour. It also didn’t make a ton of sense that Vivian would invite her to go anywhere together, especially spending all that time and effort to search for her at the library.

  Maybe this is the same method she used to lure that other girl to a remote area for her murderous crime. Am I the biggest idiot or what?

  “How much further?” she asked with the impatience of a small child.

  “Actually, we’re here.”

  They stood on the sidewalk in front of a small, almost dilapidated house. It looked abandoned in a sense, certainly not the scene of a party of any kind. Jenna sensed the worst, that her instincts were right. Her stomach growled loudly, providing a convenient excuse for her to abort the plan and get out of Dodge.

  “Oh my gosh, I just remembered,” Jenna said. “I haven’t eaten a thing all day long. I think I’ll just go grab a quick bite and meet you back here.”

  “Don’t be silly. I’m sure they have food inside.”

  Vivian grabbed her hand and started pulling her up the walkway. Jenna panicked and twisted her own wrist downward and in, hard and fast, causing Vivian to release her grip.

  “Ow, what the hell?” She rubbed her wrist like Jenna had broken it. A small group of people brushed past them in the direction of the door. One of the girls stopped to check on Vivian, making sure she was okay. In that instant, Jenna realized that there was indeed a real party happening at this creepy house, and she’d freaked out for no reason. Because of her overreaction, Vivian ended up garnering attention from strangers, while Jenna came across as the malicious one.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” Vivian told the partygoers, before quickly dismissing them to retreat inside.

  As the door open
ed, Jenna caught a glimpse of the crowd as techno music wafted outside. The party scene was a reminder of her inability to judge people and situations, as well as a trigger for her fears of meeting new people. She decided to summon all her courage and fight through the new experience.

  “I’m sorry,” Jenna offered as she brushed past Vivian to go inside.

  She waited just inside the door, trying to get her bearings. Vivian stepped in and stood next to her. To an outsider, the pair looked to be good friends.

  “Where’d you learn that move?” Vivian asked as she continued rubbing her hand and wrist.

  “I took martial arts. Black belt in karate.”

  “Okay, I’m going to assume that was to protect yourself from all the ass beatings you were getting by being such a bitch. Don’t ever do that to me again, got it?”

  Vivian’s statement was full of menace, but Jenna found her backbone. “Don’t ever grab me like that again, and I won’t have to. Got that?”

  Vivian nodded. The pair reached a silent understanding and delved further into the house, immediately feeling the vibe of the scene. There was a heavy fog in the air, which Jenna quickly identified as some kind of incense. Though she’d been a good girl in high school, she’d certainly known of kids that weren’t destined for medical greatness. The party wasn’t the first situation in which she’d been offered illegal substances. Peer pressure was just never a thing for her, as Jenna always had an intense focus on the future. Her willpower was made of steel.

  They separated for a while, so Jenna continued to walk around and observe the party landscape on her own. She slipped through the crowd like a silent, invisible invader. Vivian reappeared out of the haze with a couple of drinks in hand, offering one to Jenna. Without hesitation, Jenna accepted the drink and smiled to say “thank you.”

  She’d seen people in movies holding alcoholic drinks to fit in at parties, so it wasn’t a foreign concept to Jenna. For some unknown reason, she felt the need to impress Vivian. Surprisingly, she found herself to be naturally skilled in pretending to drink while secretly pouring a little out here and there. Just as she was about to empty her cup into the nearby sink, she caught Vivian’s gaze from across the room. Her roommate seemed to be staring at Jenna with dead eyes, like she wanted to tear a hole right through her.

  Jenna reacted with a smile and tipped her glass, downing the entire drink in one attempt. She coughed as the heat filled her chest. Vivian appeared to laugh as she approached, watching Jenna gasp for air, clearly demonstrating her lack of experience with alcohol.

  “Something’s wrong,” Jenna coughed.

  “No, something’s right, something’s finally right. After all these years of being a prim and proper Barbie, looks like someone’s finally going to have some fun.”

  With that, Vivian turned and disappeared back into the smoke and the crowd. Jenna’s vision started to blur slightly, and her legs felt wobbly like Jell-O. But then her initial feelings of confusion and anxiety slowly dissolved into warm sensations of relaxation. She felt good, better than good.

  So this is why people drink. I had no idea what I was missing all this time. This is so much better than meditation. I wonder if Dad knows about drinking.

  Jenna felt herself start to laugh, but it wasn’t something she was controlling. The alcohol was commanding her, and it felt so freeing to give up that responsibility. It was as if she was watching herself from someone else’s viewpoint. Maybe, since she already had her career all mapped out, just maybe there was room to let loose occasionally.

  Chapter 4

  Light streamed through the windows, filling the bedroom and bouncing off the mirror like a high-powered laser. Jenna slowly roused from the deepest slumber she’d ever known, yet she didn’t feel refreshed and clear-headed. Quite the opposite.

  She methodically looked around the room, trying to orient herself. Some things looked familiar, but she quickly realized this wasn’t her room back home. She focused on the bed next to her, at what appeared to be a pile of dirty laundry.

  What is that? A hand?

  Jenna pieced things together and realized she was in her dorm room, so she concluded that her crazy roommate must be under the heap of clothes. She was disappointed in herself. After all the precautions she’d taken to avoid being alone with the psycho, one bad decision could have gotten her killed.

  She stared at Vivian’s pile, trying to look for signs of life. Gradually she noticed that the clothes were ever so slightly rising and falling in slow rhythmic breathing. After getting confirmation that Vivian was, in fact, alive, Jenna attempted to cobble together the events of her night of new adventures.

  After a couple of minutes of mental flexing, she vaguely remembered talking to some man on the phone about Vivian’s birthmark being fake, and she recalled her trip to the library, consuming all those books and articles, and of course finding that naughty couple.

  Nothing rang a bell after that point. Jenna wasn’t sure where she went between the library and home, or even how she got home at all. After lying there for another half an hour, struggling to jog her memory, she decided to give up and see if it would just come to her.

  She rolled out of bed and found that she was still fully dressed, which was probably a good sign, considering. Luckily, she had come to college fully prepared, having created a small bag with everything she would need to get ready in the mornings. She found her get-ready kit and headed to the bathroom, slouched and clutching her bag for extra security. On the way, she passed a couple of early risers, two morning people.

  Probably cheerleaders. Ugh.

  Both girls smiled at her, so she prepared to squeak out a “good morning” greeting. But before she could execute, the girls both got horrified looks on their faces and rushed past her. She heard one of them mention something about something drinking too much and “one heck of a hangover.” Jenna was a little embarrassed about her appearance, but she had no idea it was that bad. The extreme reactions from those girls didn’t help her nagging feeling that everyone could tell what she did last night just by looking at her. Ironic, since even she didn’t know exactly what she’d done in her compromised state of mind. Though she didn’t care too much what two strangers thought of her, Jenna made a pact with herself to never drink again, to ensure she stayed on the right path. No more bad decisions.

  She arrived at the bathroom without further incident, taking a slight pause and a deep breath before opening the door. Inside, she was pleased to discover that she was all alone. The giant bathroom reminded her of a place where she used to take swimming lessons as a young girl.

  On one side of the room, there was one long row of sinks, with small mirrors above each one. The other side contained a couple of stalls for toilets and a row of showers, each with its own white plastic shower curtain. Design selections were mainly white and chrome, giving the large chamber an industrial vibe.

  Jenna selected a sink in the far corner, away from the view of anyone who might arrive in need of a shower. She hung her bag on the hook next to the sink and went to work. Finally getting the nerve to look in the mirror, she immediately noticed that her hair was a complete disaster. Carefully she worked her brush to tame the beast on top of her head. Her hair was so tangled and matted that her face was barely visible, which was probably a good thing. She tried to stay calm and go slowly to avoid damaging her magnificent hair.

  It took several minutes, but she was able to get her hair back in line. She quickly noticed how puffy she looked, but she wrote it off due to lack of sleep and whatever was in her system from the previous night. While she acknowledged that she was an amateur with alcohol, she still couldn’t believe that one drink could have such an impact on any person.

  Even though she wasn’t a heavy makeup girl, she found herself having to wash a caked-on mess off her face. She decided that Vivian probably did it as a joke after she became intoxicated, since it was clearly her roommate’s signature style. From the looks of it, she’d cried at some point durin
g the night, but that mascara appeared to be waterproof.

  After rubbing lightly for a few minutes without success, she became more and more vigorous in her attempts to clean away the evidence of her sins. Her skin was turning red from all the friction and pressure when she finally stopped to take a closer look. In addition to smeared dark mascara all over her face, it seemed like she also had dark circles around her eyes. Jenna felt anxiety start to creep in, so she took a step back, using deep breaths and starting her meditation techniques to relax herself.

  She quickly summoned tranquility and glanced back at herself in the mirror, now getting a full-length view. Jenna gasped aloud as she saw her clothing for the first time. Her white t-shirt was covered in what appeared to be blood, or something equally dark and messy. Instinctively she grabbed the bottom of her shirt and yanked it over her head, slinging it to the floor in front of her as if it were evil. She scanned down her body and saw more dried blood, or whatever it was, on her pants, though not as obvious since they were already dark. Jenna wasted no more time. She stripped down to bare skin and stood there shivering in shock, her clothes in a pile in front of her.

  What did Vivian do now?

  Hearing voices in the hall, she made a quick decision to grab her clothes and hide. She jumped in the shower and pulled the curtain shut before turning on the water. Holding literal dirty laundry in her hands, she stood there, letting the warm water run down her back. She stared down past her feet, watching pink water circling the drain, running down and away.

  Magical.

  By now, she could hear at least two other girls in the bathroom with her. They were talking to each other about a soccer game they wanted to attend later that afternoon. The louder one kept complaining about needing to have lunch with her parents to get money.