Chapter 7

Thaddeus Calwell, born 12th December, 2004. Blue eyes, height 6'1.

Father, unknown, mother a health care worker.

Himself, captain of the Baseball team, heartthrob for teenage girls, an addict to marijuana, and now, a murderer. But who knew? Who knew about his dark side?

We all have a dark side, lurking with us like a shadow. Sometimes, it's larger than we are, other times, we can control it, like a shadow puppet. That's what he did.

"Thaddeus!" Lisa followed him to where he was seated, in a circle with the boys.

"There is the Mrs!" Cole joked.

Lisa forced a smile, a smile that did not hide the worry on her face. Thaddeus got up, and walked towards her, not too far away from the ear shots of his friends.

"What's wrong?" He asked like an ignorant, sexy fool. He knew exactly what was wrong.

"You were with Chris, right?" She asked, her eyes swaying.

"Umh, yeah. But I left him because he was acting strange earlier, he sounded really depressed to me." He lied.

"That's weird, because he was just fine with me earlier, he even gave me his bracelet," Lisa touched the beaded bracelet on her wrist.

"Friendship bracelets, cute!" Thaddeus sarcastically said.

"Why the hell are you being sarcastic?!" Lisa vexed.

"Trouble in paradise?" Cole joked.

"Shut up Cole!" Lisa continued with her rage. The boys laughed it off, and Cole pretended not to be hurt.

"I think I'm the only one man enough to look for him here," Lisa turned around.

"Lisa, okay we'll help you look." Thaddeus said.

The boys and the girls all teamed up and searched the woods for Christopher. Lisa went to report to Ms. Matilda. Nobody but Camilla and Roxy thought the fire deep in the woods was strange, but even they brushed it off.

"Thomas," Thaddeus whispered. Thomas left Natasha and Carl, and went to Thaddeus, who looked fishy at the back of the tool shed.

"What now Thaddeus?" Thomas asked with a sigh.

"We need to make it look like a suicide," Thaddeus said in a low tone.

"Thaddeus, you're crazy. I've known you for years, but this is really something!" Thomas got upset, "I mean a fucking murder?! All because he made a girl who's not even your girlfriend laugh! You need help, and please, never ever speak to me again."

Thomas walked away.

"I thought we were brothers man!" Thaddeus raised his voice.

"Chris was our brother too." Thomas replied and walked away. Thaddeus stood there, livid that the only person he trusted didn't want to help him anymore. So he thought of a master plan, a plan that would leave him scott free.

Little did he know that Natasha heard what Thomas said, and was already making conclusions.

"Hey, baby. Are you good?" Carl asked Natasha.

"Yeah," she came back to reality, looking disturbed.

"You zoned out just now," Carl said.

"Just thinking about where Chris ran off to." She said.

Everyone tried calling out his name, but he wasn't there. Ms. Cairo sent word to the rangers and police after midnight. Nobody slept. The mood was off, and low.

Seldom did wild animals attack people in Averone forest, leaving very little to the imagination. A missing person is usually confirmed missing after 48 hours, so, all they had to do was wait two days.

The police officers thought he probably ran off somewhere, and did got lost. They told Ms Cairo cancelling camp was unnecessary, because there was no proof of foul play.

Lisa did not speak to Thaddeus, but apologized to Cole for her rudeness earlier. Natasha and Carl said goodnight to each other, and she left with Lisa. Camilla, Christopher's cousin, couldn't stop crying. She said she felt something bad had happened to him.

Lisa tossed and turned, not having any sleep till the birds started chirping. Most people seemed to think Christopher would be back, so life continued.

Lisa helped Carl plan his perfect proposal to Natasha,and that kept her mind off things. Two days later, Carl was ready. He wore his black tuxedo, removed his wave cap, and had a purple and white dahlia in his hand.

Lisa and Cole threw rose petals along the path, and distracted Natasha the whole day. At 8 PM after all the days activities, on a starry night, Natasha wanted to take a nap on her bunker.

"So, Natasha. I don't understand why you'd do that with Carl without him putting a title on it," Roxy came to her, sitting on the wooden floor.

"If you mean show our public display of affection to each other, and make love, then you can fuck off Roxy," Natasha laughed. They had a weird friendship.

The only reason Roxy was mean to Natasha was because she was Lisa's best friend, and she hated Lisa, because she was 'a threat'. A threat because Roxy thought she was prettier than her, and if she was confident enough, would run the school with her fingertips.

"Why hasn't he asked you out yet?" Roxy asked painting her toenails.

"I don't really know, to be honest," Natasha's tone dimmed. Just as the silence was getting awkward, Lisa ran inside.

"Tasha!" She called going to the bunker.

"Sup Lisa," Natasha said. Roxy waved with a grimace.

"You have to come outside, just now!" Lisa excitedly yelled. Natasha wondered what was going on. Lisa was never this excited for nothing.

So, they went outside, where there were petals all around, and Carl, in a tuxedo. Natasha was in awe. She followed the path to Carl, who was looking the other way. Her bare feet on the moist soil.

Carl turned around. With a smile on his face. Natasha walked to him, and there was a great feeling in the atmosphere. Love.

Roxy, Thaddeus and cole came out to see, and Lisa stood there, smiling. Thaddeus stood besides her, but the two never spoke.

"You're so fucking precious when you smile. Hit it from the back and drive you wild.

Girl I loose myself up in those eyes...I just had to let you know you're mine. Hands on your body I don't want to waste no time. It feels like forever, even if forevers tonight_" Carl sang to Natasha. She blushed.

"Natasha Reginald, I don't want to give a long speech, cause I'll save that for our wedding. For tonight, I want you to be mine. So, can you please be my girlfriend?" Asked Carl.

"Yes I can be your girlfriend," Natasha smiled and hugged him.

"Aaah!" A scream was heard from near the river.

Everyone came out of their cabins, and went towards the river.

"Camilla! Camilla what's wrong? Marilyn asked. Camilla had tears rolling down her face. Uncontrollably sobbing. There was a body in the river, floating.

"Oh shit!" Thomas ran to the river.

Ms Cairo ran too, and in that very moment, no one doubted who that was. He was still wearing the clothes he had on three days ago. The torches helped all see his dead face. It was Christopher.

Camilla held Thaddeus' shirt and wept. The police officers came soon after, and he was pronounced dead. An ambulance came, and camp was over.

Everyone was shocked, sad and traumatized. Camilla couldn't take it. It was unbearable. Thomas, and Thaddeus cried too. It wasn't an act, but they genuinely grieved.

Lisa sat in the shed somewhere at the back, and cried alone. She reminisced on all the times she spent with Christopher. A beautiful, short friendship. If Thaddeus wasn't in her life, it's no doubt Lisa would have been head over heels for Christopher.

"Lisa," Thaddeus walked into the dim lit shed. Tears continued falling, and she held the bracelet.Thaddeus sat on the ground, also composing himself.

"He was here, he was alive," Lisa's voice cracked, and she sniffed. Thaddeus got up and hugged her. His shirt was wet with her tears, and the sounds of her crying broke him.

If she ever found out it was him, she would never forgive him. If anyone found out for that matter. So, he finalized his master plan.