I wake up in a cold sweat, gasping for air. My mother walks, "Bad dream?" I nod and take a few deep breaths, "I'm alright. Did I wake you?" She shakes her head, "No, I'm a little on edge too. I heard a noise and I had to check it out." She sits down on my bed, "It's okay to be scared. There are very few people in this town who aren't." You are not helping, mother. I don't interrupt. "Wake me up if you need anything," She says. I wait for her to walk out of my room and check my phone.

As if summoned by my bad dream, I get a text, "Can't sleep? I'll can help, my remedy might be too deep. Don't forget, Ruby, hush hush or you'll get my remedy." I take another deep breath and block this number. It won't do any good, he'll...she'll...it'll have a new number by morning.

My alarm goes off at the ungodly hour of 5 am, just like it does every school day of my life. I walk down stairs and find my father watching the morning news. He does that every morning, but unlike every month before this the news isn't good. It seems that every morning someone new died. Someone new was attacked. Someone new was hurt. They've yet to physically hurt me, but the texts and threats I'm receiving don't hurt any less. My father shakes his head this morning, he used to do that at bad news, but now that every thing said is bad news, he only does it when somebody died. Today, he looks extra worried. "Who?" I say. I try again after no response, "Who died?" He looks me in the eyes, "You might want to sit down." I don't. "Who died, Dad?" I repeat. "Jake," He says. I wish I had been sitting, because once I heard it, I fell to the ground.

     At that moment, my world changed. My town had been murderville for a month, but it never affected my friends. I got threats, but threats didn't hurt. I can't possibly fathom my life without Jake. Apparently I'll have to.

At some point in my hyperventilating, my family members moved me to the couch. I calm down, as calm as I can be anyway, after I drink a glass of water. "You don't have to go to school, baby," My mother cooed. "I need to go. I have to go. I can't stay home. That's the worst I could do," I say. I stand up, my legs wobbly. I walk, shaking. Up the stairs I trudge, into my room I sob. I grab my Navy sweatshirt and gray leggings. I don't bother to shower or do my hair. Changing my clothing was sufficient, at least for today. My mother insisted on driving me today, which is fine. I never really liked driving.

      I walk in the doors of my sad, dreary high school. It's a run down as ever. It's been open for exactly 100 years and hasn't been remodeled since 1989 when they removed the lead and asbestos. The main doors lead you into the cafeteria where I spot my friends sitting. Avery sees me and stands up. She runs towards me, "Hey, how are you holding up?" I shrug, holding back the tears, "We broke up a month ago. I should be fine." I wasn't and she knew that.

     "Was it something else?" She pries. "No. I mean, I failed my math test, but that's not what hurts." I say. By now we're at the table, my friends try to make me feel better. They can't though, they aren't wizards. What I need is a magic wand, to bring everyone back from the dead. I don't need to talk about it. That's never seems to help. "Do your parents know he's dead?" Jess asks. "Yeah, they told me. It doesn't surprise me that he died." I say. Jess frowns, "Why not?" I shrug. It didn't surprise me, because I felt it coming. Every murder seemed to get worse. I guess I knew Jake was the next stop. "This is awful. They need to catch this guy," Jess says, trying to make me feel better in the slightest. I see Natalie walk in. "I can't believe she came to school," Avery says. I stand up and run towards her.

      I pull her into a hug, she's one of the few people who truly knows how I feel. Natalie is...was Jake's sister. I think she's crying, or maybe it's me. No, it's definitely both of us. We stood there in the middle of the cafeteria, crying. No body cared, not once they remembered who died and why we cared.

      It's always someone crying, every single morning. Whether I see them at the graveyard, at school, on the news, or along the side of the road clutching on the hundreds of teddy bears left for the dead. It seems that every street had at least one house with candles, teddy bears, photographs and roses sitting out front. Now, it's Jake's house. My Jake. He's gone. He's really gone. My town must have purchased more tombstones than any other town. If we aren't leading in that department than we must be in the coffin department.

    The bell rings not much later and we are forced to go to class. I'm glad I didn't bother with make-up today. I trudge into homeroom. They put us in homerooms by the extra classes we take. I'm with all the yearbook and newspapers kids. I like it that way. When I walk in, four of my classmates run up to comfort me. My face hadn't had the chance to dry before more tears fell down it.

      Everyday seems to get a little colder and I'm not talking about the weather. The more I stood there, crying, the more I thought. The murders were slowly getting less random. First,  it was some lady I recognized, but didn't know. Second, was the owner of my favorite restaurant. Third, it was the school janitor who was always extra friendly to me. Then, it was my favorite teacher. After him, was my next door neighbor, who I've know my entire life. The most recent, was my ex-boyfriend. I am the only one who sees the pattern. Granted, I've never had the chance to tell anyone, but I know. I wonder who would be next. My best friend? My brother? My mother? Or would it be me? I suppose I'll find out soon.