'Did you hear the rumours?'

'I heard she was abducted.'

My eyes flicked behind me, surveying the canteen. It was a quiet and kind of dull Tuesday. I'd spent the whole weekend locked in my bedroom, thinking about the events that took place on Friday. Once I'd convinced myself I was sane I decided to leave my room and spend some time being social.

Today I was seated with Collette, who was munching noisily on a salad and holding a gossip magazine in one hand. All around me people were whispering and it was hard not to notice. During my hiatus in my dorm room, a girl had gone missing on campus. This kind of thing didn't happen very often.

It took all of a day to instate a curfew. A poster was across the way with the girl's face on it. She looked pretty and well-liked judging by the picture chosen. It was her with a smile and a her arm round another girl. Her face had been conviniently circled in each poster.

I floated to my last lecture after lunch and ignored Liam's requests to do a ghost hunt in SpringWood. He couldn't help it. He had no memory of Friday night. My mind was in and out of my lecture, vaguely wondering if what I had experienced was a dream or reality. Once my lecture was over I made my way to the dorms.

The curfew would start at seven. People were still wandering round, but it was only four forty. I wanted to have a shower and think about everything that had happened. I walked into someone and looked up, only to realise it was Hunter. Would he talk to me?

"Watch it." Victoria was with him and he trailed after her.

I was forced back into reality. I wanted to scream, but couldn't. I strolled across the quad and something else caught my eye. A guy was standing by the far wall. I frowned at his familiarity and walked over before I could stop myself.

"Keith?" I asked, and he glanced at me.

Recollection lit up his features, "Junko, what're you doing here?"

"I go to college here. Why're you here?" I asked.

Keith looked uncomfortable for a moment and it didn't seem like he wanted to tell me what he was up to.

"Apparently something has been abducting students. This college and another were hit over the weekend." He replied.

Something? That sounded ominous. I looked around the campus. The wind had picked up and was cutting across the quad.

"What if it's a creeper? Shouldn't we leave it to the police?" I pointed out.

"Two girls have been spirited away. Chris doesn't think it's a local creeper."

Ah yes, to be reminded of his boss made my entire body break out in a nervous sweat. The guy terrified me beyond belief. I wanted to help, but I also didn't want to get on Chris' bad side.

"Can I help?" I asked.

"Well, it's kinda against the rules, but you can see them too so it might come in handy." He replied.

I fist pumped and he chuckled. I reminded myself I was in public so weird behaviour wouldn't be tolerated.

"We'd need to clear it with Chris," Keith continued, then noticed my face become pale. "Or we could not tell him and sneak around."

I liked that idea better. We could sneak around until we were inevitably caught and then face Chris' wrath afterwards. My heart thudded at the thought.

"Ok, where should we start?" I asked, brushing aside my terror.

"You're gonna pretend like my boss doesn't scare the hell out of you." He chuckled.

Yeah I'm totally gonna do that. There was still the question of the curfew. I wouldn't be able to get out the front of my dorm so I'd have to climb out my window.

"It's like a kamikakushi." I said, and Keith frowned. "It means to be spirited away by gods."

"Ha, Gods don't have time for that trivial shit." He replied.

"O-ok, good to know," I said, slightly perplexed. I still had no idea what Keith was. "Meet me tonight at the 24 hour cafe down the street."

"Fine by me." He replied.

*******************

It dawned on me at around quarter to seven that I was breaking so many rules. I peeked out my door to see Alison, the dorm's mother, standing by the entrance. She'd already prevented a couple of people from leaving. She was no match for my stealth though. I closed the door and slipped on my black hoodie, perfect for sneaking.

I locked my door from the inside. My hands trembled as I did so. I'd never broken rules like this. I crept to the window and opened it. It only went up half-way, but that was enough for me. I slipped my legs out first until my toes touched the grass. My head went next and I glanced around. No sign of any teachers. I closed my window so it was ajar. I could prise my fingers under and slip back in undetected.

I walked quickly and kept looking behind me. I didn't want to be caught and I also didn't want some creeper following me. I followed the road down towards the cafe at the end of the street. It was popular student hang-out, not that I went very often. There were students already inside so I wasn't the only rule breaker.

I entered the cafe and sat down at a booth, picking up the menu and staring at the desserts first. Pecan pie sounded yummy. They had all the desserts as colourful pictures taken professionally. It was all so tempting.

"Shouldn't it be dinner before dessert," A voice spoke from above me.

I yelped and snapped my head round. Standing above me was Chris. His dark eyes analysed me. I immediately felt on edge. Why was he here?

"U-um, hi." I blurted out.

He chuckled and slid into the booth opposite, locking eyes with me and making me ten thousand times more freaked out.

"You don't seem very good at following instructions, Junko." He grinned, resting his chin on his palm.

My eyes went to his hands, they were huge, bigger than mine. He could smother me with them. There were also tattoos on his knuckles, colourful ones.

"What?" I said, because I'm so articulate.

"You're breaking curfew, interfering with a mission, again and you're clearly incredibly articulate." He smirked, raising a brow at me.

Did he just read my mind? I gulped and was relieved when a waitress appeared and filled the coffee mugs on the table.

"I'm trouble." I replied, pulling a mysterious face. I probably looked like an idiot.

"No, you're not," He chuckled then. "I'll allow you to help though."

He was allowing me to help? Really? I must have looked stupified because he laughed and I couldn't help but think he had the most amazing laugh. I mean, Hunter had a cute laugh, but this was something else. This was better.

"Sorry, I'm late." Keith had appeared. He looked a little on edge when he saw Chris and I.

He slid into the booth next to me. Chris tapped a button on the device on his wrist. I heard Tris say hello and I smiled at her chipper tone.

"Tris, what information have you obtained?" Chris asked.

"Right, here goes," Tris said, clearing her throat. "Both abductions happened over the weekend within hours of eachother. Both girls were last seen on their way to their respective dorms."

"Any other history of abductions?" Keith asked.

"This is where it gets weird. Apparently, around 30 years ago two girls disappeared around this time, same type of incident, and it happened 30 years before that. There are records of this going back as far as the 1700s." Tris continued.

"Something is feeding on them." Chris added.

A shiver chased down my spine. I glanced around Keith and looked at the cafe patrons. A group of girls were seated across the way. They were talking and laughing animatedly. A couple was seated in the far corner. Their hands were interlaced and they were talking in low voices.

"I want this thing found with no casulties." Chris said.

No pressure then. I glanced at Keith. He nodded and I did the same. With me involved there probably wouldn't be any casulties. I couldn't fight so my safety depended on the person next to me.

"Is there any possiblity this could be a student?" I asked.

"Good thinking, Junko. Nice to hear you again." Tris said, sounding happy.

I stayed and listened to them talk. It felt surreal being here. I wondered if Collette should know what was happening, but I didn't want to worry her. I barely noticed that we were leaving and Keith was nudging my arm.

"Let's go." He whined.

"Oh yeah, ok." I replied.

The streets were dark when we got outside. Chris turned to face the two of us.

"I'll make sure Junko gets home safely." He said, and I felt sick with nerves all of a sudden.

I glanced at Keith and he grinned, clearly not getting what my issue was. Fine, go, leave me with your boss. Someone who liked me one minute and hated me the next. Although this could give me a chance to do some sleuthing.

"See you tomorrow, Junko." Keith said, and he was gone in an instant.

I was left with Chris. He motioned for me to follow. Walking in nervous silence seemed like fun. I glanced up at him.

"So, I never asked what you guys are." I tried to brooch it with confidence.

"Why don't you help Keith with this mission and then you can ask what we are." He replied.

Thanks for nothing. We got to my window and i paused, glaring up at him. His lips tugged up slightly at the corners, like I was amusing to him.

"Still not gonna tell me." I snapped.

"I suspect Keith or one of the others will since they find your company interesting." He replied, shrugging.

"And you don't?" I shot back.

"I can take it or leave it." He said, raising a brow at my pout.

I turned and prised my fingers under the window and lifted it carefully. I hopped up onto the ledge and climbed through, turning to say goodbye. He was gone. Seriously? What a jerk.

Notes