Student's New Life

Building a routine is the first thing I have to do. The difference in location requires an alarm clock now. The sun doesn't hit right to wake me up at the right time. With the year shifting into longer days, it also gets me up too early. I have my class schedule posted by the front door so I know what I have for the next day and can set my alarm accordingly. If I have a late start, I can get my chores and errands done early in the day giving me more time in the evening to do whatever.

The first week I spent trying to get used to this new schedule and learning what I should be doing. The second week I spent acclimating to the change. I did OK but there was still an adjustment issue. During my downtime, I spent a lot of time worrying about what was going to happen. I kept working myself up for things that weren't going to happen. I mastered the illusion spell so now hiding my second tail is second nature. I have to think about it twice a day. Once when I leave for the day to enact the illusion and once when I return for the day to undo the illusion.

In the third week, things start to become routine. Morning classes are a breeze. Afternoon classes seem to be where I'm excelling. I'm doing my best to take care of myself. I'm eating well. The school has a public gym that's available to all students. It's typically empty later in the evenings. I know a few of the sports clubs and programs that use it. They have a private building they can work in but some chose to come out and be with the normal folks.

Madam Odette was letting me do my own thing. She would check in now and again, maybe twice a week, just to check in and let me know what she's heard. She and Professor Delula are getting a lot closer since I started here. I think it may be a bit of an overreach on Professor Delula's part. Using her access to student records to keep up with my classes and reporting back to Madam Odette seems a bit out of line. However! It's nice to have the support. To have someone keeping an eye on me. Madam Odette though is much more of a motivator to do well. She expects great things.

It was week four when this all fell apart.

I already had stuff for dinner so there is no need to go out and get anything. I go to the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays to give me some time to take it easy. A few evenings they have community events around the campus but not tonight! I get the evening to myself to sit down. I'm caught up on schoolwork. This is the third day this month that I've been able to just kick back and take it easy. It's a rare treat.

Nothing seemed out of place until I opened the door to my apartment. An odd smell hit my nose that made me recoil. It smelled like fresh paint. I didn't get a notice that they were doing something in the building. I set my back down as I walk into the living area. Nothing looks touched but it's definitely here. I move to the bedroom where nothing looks touched. I step into the bathroom where the smell really hits. I turn on the light and there it is.

Sprayed on the shower wall reads the words "You can't hide. -RW". RW could be my name; Red Welch. But I know that it means Reed Welch. We share a last name. This means that my move here was in vain. The entire reason why I pushed so hard was to move somewhere more secure. There's campus security. There are cameras. There are people who should have stopped him but he got into my apartment.

Do I report this? How do I go about this? Even if I do report it I don't think that will stop him. He's gone off the deep end if he's gone this far to find me. It's like Uncle Thomas all over again. I don't want to stay here. I have to get out for a bit.

My bag is dropped by the door as I walk out. I make sure the door is locked before I head down to the RA's office. He's currently in. I let him know that someone got into my apartment and what was spray painted on the mirror. His eyes seemed to bug out of his head at the news. He assured me that there is campus security and cameras. They would take this seriously. And he would have the police come by either tonight or tomorrow to take a statement, photos, and collect information.

In the meantime, he took my number for when they show up so they can contact me. He advised me to get out and calm down. Go get food. Work off the nerves. There are plenty of food places within walking distance where I can sit down. I found a place that I know is popular with the students here. It's not too pricey, has good variety, and they advertise some popular comfort foods from a lot of different places around the country.

It was a great place for this moment. I grabbed a dish of chicken alfredo. Everything was quick, piping hot, and just what I expected. My paw was shaking as I took my fork. I just keep playing that night in my mind and how Uncle Thomas was so determined. If his son was anything like him… I don't want to.

OK, I have a problem that is laid out before me. I need to bring myself down to Earth and look at it objectively. I know where I'm at. I know where I need to be. I can make a plan. I see two solutions upon immediately looking at this. I either need to make it so Reed cannot find me or get to me. Or I need to remove Reed completely. I refuse the second as I have a feeling he will keep coming. I came here to remove the threat from Madam Odette. Now I have to do something to remove the threat from me.

He was able to just walk on campus. He was able to get into my apartment with no issues. What would I need to do to prevent him from being able to do this?

I spend a few hours at the restaurant picking over my food and my brain until I get a phone call. This is what I was waiting for. The RA let me know that police were coming to take pictures and a report. He asked if I could be back within 10 minutes. It will be closer to 15.

They were willing to wait. I arrived at the building where two officers were talking with the RA. They were both in proper uniform. One German Shepherd and an Opossum. I introduced myself and gave them a quick run down. I brought them both up to the apartment where the scent of the paint had died down. The paint on the glass had dried but everything was still there. They took pictures, scraped a sample, and looked for anything that may have been left behind. They took a sample of my own fur to compare with some they had found around the place. The idea is to separate mine from the other samples to confirm if someone else had been in the apartment.

As for now, there was nothing more they could really do. They suggested I get a restraining order but that would require more evidence than what they found there. I threw the letter that was sent to me away a long while ago. That has his full name on it. It could have been enough to get it. But that makes me wonder what that would dig up. That letter was sent after the incident with Uncle Thomas. I'm sure the question of the motivation for sending that letter will come up. How would I answer that?

It's a very sleepless night. It took me a week to get used to the new noises. Now those noises are keeping me up again. Every car that rolls by, every light that moves a shadow, and every noise within the building of the other residents has me up and staring at the door. I don't know how many times I got up to check that the door was locked. I won't be able to attend classes like this today. 5 am comes around and I send an email to let my professors know that I will not be in today. "I'm too sick to attend" is the excuse I'll pass this off as.

I head back to that restaurant that I went to yesterday for a good breakfast. As I step out I think I see my answer to this problem. A place that's secure where absolutely no one who is authorized can get to. Layers of protection between myself and the outside world.

I cross the street stepping into the office taking a lost look around. There are a few guys sitting at their desks, eyes glued to a screen. It's only a few seconds before one addresses me, "What can we do for you?"

I take a breath and look at all the posters on the walls. "I'm interested in enlisting." He smiles as he points to the seat across from him. "Let's see what the United States Army can do for you."