Graffiti

As the sun peaked out from beyond the horizon, Ari laced up her running shoes and stepped out into the crisp pre morning air. The world around her was just beginning to wake up, and she relished the stillness and serenity that enveloped the streets.

With each stride, she felt the rhythm of her body aligning with the beat of her heart. The pavement beneath her feet seemed to carry her forward effortlessly, as if it were urging her to embrace the freedom and liberation that running brought.

As she jogged along, she took in the sights and sounds of the awakening world around her. Birds chirped in the trees, their songs filling the air with a sweet melody. The gentle breeze brushed against her face, carrying with it the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass.

Ari's mind remained fixated on the previous night, she knew in that moment her sloppiness almost cost Jessica everything all over again. And it wasn't as though she could just rely on someone else's imaginary friend to come in and save the day every time she was caught off guard. The scar on her hand was a stinging reminder of her resorting to tactics she used during her first mission.

As she continued her morning run, the woman noticed the vibrant colors of the world coming to life around her. The soft pink hues of the sky as the sun rose higher, the vibrant greens of the trees swaying gently in the breeze, and the bursts of colorful flowers that lined the sidewalks. It was as if nature itself was applauding her dedication and rewarding her with its breathtaking beauty.

A beauty that became strikingly familiar as she came as she recognized the road she was running down. She had absent-mindedly found herself on the path to her high school.

Ari stood at a distance, gazing upon the familiar facade of her old school. Memories flooded her mind as she recalled the countless hours spent within those walls, the laughter and friendships that had been forged, and the lessons that had shaped her into the person she had become.

As Ari observed the school, she couldn't help but notice the changes that had wrought. Maybe time had taken it's toll or maybe it's the revelation of what happened to an innocent child within the walls but the paint on the walls had faded, the playground equipment showed signs of wear, and the grounds seemed less meticulously maintained. It was a stark contrast to the vibrant and lively place she remembered from her adolescence.

She couldn't help but sigh, looking on at the image of her adolescence be permanently tarnished by knowing the unspeakable that Jessica and who knows who else had to endure in the school. As she let herself sink into misery fabricated in her mind she was tapped on the shoulder.

"Hey you" Clarissa said as Ari turned to face her. "Oh, wait what are you doing here?" Ari asked as Clarissa's face dropped. "No not like being a bitch just... I didn't know you were local" she continued as Clarissa perked up. "Oh I'm not. Just had to come here for something" Clarissa said holding up a duffle bag.

"Wait how did you even know this was her school?" Ari asked pointing at the school. "Oh I remembered the name on the arches, looked the school up and drove down on my bike" Clarissa said pointing at a motorcycle.

"So what made you come here?" she asked Ari. "I don't know... I went to school here, kinda just found myself running here on my moring jog" Ari said with a shrug. "Morning? It's like five AM" Clarissa said with s chuckle.

"Well I almost messed it all up back there, I couldn't stay in bed this morning" Ari said as her face dropped. "Oh don't worry about it, we all screwed up at some point in the 4th Dimension" Clarissa said as she readjusted her duffel bag. "What's in there by the way" Ari said pointing at the duffel bag.

"Oh well you and me both know there's a pedo working here so I figured everyone else should know too" Clarissa said as she dropped the bag and opened it, pulling out cans of spray paint and a large stack of papers.

"Lol so what's the plan" Ari said with a mischievous smirk on her face that matched Clarissa's. With a knowing nod shared between the pair of them Clarissa passed Ari a can. "So the guy's name is Landon Peters. I'm thinking, 'Landon Peters is a pedo' in big bright letters, what you think?" Clarissa said as she shook a can in her hand. "Oh can't go wrong with a little alliteration, I'm in" Ari said as she shook her can and put her hood up. Following suit Clarissa covered up and they got to work.

With a nod of understanding, they began their artistic and evangelic endeavor, their hands moving with practiced energy, the cans hissing and releasing a burst of vibrant hues onto the walls and pavement. The scent of fresh paint filled the air, mingling with the energy and spite that radiated from the women.

Their movements were fluid, their strokes purposeful, as they danced across the wall, each spray of paint covering a new space of the school property in truth. With a final few strokes they stepped back and admired their work for only a second before Clarissa pulled out a stack of papers.

Looking at them, Ari's skin crawled looking at a picture of Landon with a wide grin on his face. Looking into the black and white eyes on the poster she saw the monster she stabbed to death in Jessica's psyche. "Yeah I hate the guy too. Let's make sure everybody sees what he really is" Clarissa said handing Ari a staple gun. Working in unison they covered the wooden street lights in posters leaving no empty spaces.

"Think we made it obvious enough?" Clarissa sarcastically asked with a chuckle as they looked on at the message written on every nook and crevasse of the school walls and the street lights covered in posters with Landons face. "I mean what are the odds there's a second Landon Peters who looks like that bastard" Ari said as her stomach growled.

"Pfft someone not eat yet?" Clarissa asked. "I mean it is five AM" Ari replied. "Well I've worked up an appetite, how about you" Clarissa said motioning towards her motorcycle. With a shrug of her shoulders Ari followed her to the bike before the pair motored down the road.