The school bell rang loudly announcing they had five minutes left to get to class. A stranger and his friend stood next to the front office of Brink Valley High School looking at the students rushing by to get to class. “This is it? The killer that left the body on the porch of the school, and goes to this school?” One of the men, who had dirty blonde hair, deep blue eyes, t-shirt and jeans on, and looked to be in his early twenties spoke. The other nodded. He had black hair, piercing green eyes, a leather jacket over his t-shirt, jeans, and a mysterious look on his face. “You’re saying that the killer is a kid?” said the one with blue eyes. 
“No!” The other exclaimed so loud that it got some of the students to stare as they walked to their classes. “No, Jared.” He said quieter.
“Then who else would kill anyone? You aren’t making any sense, Ashton.” Jared looked as if someone had just smashed a brick into his face and he was trying to figure out who did it.
“Do not ever call me Ashton. You sound like my mother. And take that stupid look off your face, someone might think you’re the killer.”
Jared shook his head. “What do you want me to call you then?”
“Ash. Fire and smoke. I don’t care, just as long as it’s not Ashton.” Ash looked at all of the students walking by like they were just a part of the scenery. But when a teacher walked by, he stared right at them, peering into their souls.
“You still haven’t answered my question.” Jared was clearly annoyed and wasn’t afraid to show it. The five minute bell rang. Class had now started.
“I got permission from the principal to go around the school to find the killer. Lets go.” Then Ash started walking down one of the hallways. Jared sighed then followed.
The two friends walked to the first classroom that they saw. Students sat in desks lined in rows through the classroom. A teacher with a name tag that said Mr. Hetson stood at the front lecturing the class about factoring. Cheesy math posters hung around the room and it smelled like someone had sprayed a whole bottle of air freshener everywhere mixed with B.O.. All of the class stood straight and looked at Mr. Hetson as if he were the president. As the two strode in, he turned to look at the visitors.
“Welcome! You two must be the ones investigating our...” he looked at the students. “Problem. I’m Mr. Hetson, nice to meet you.” He had a smile on that was so big you could fit a school bus in it as he held his hand out to shake Ash’s. Ash just walked by as if he weren’t there.
“Sorry,” Jared shook Mr. Hetson’s hand. “I’m Jared and that is Ash.” Mr. Hetson nodded. “We are just here to investigate. Just pretend that we aren’t here.” He nodded again, and Jared walked over to Mr. Hetson’s desk where Ash was investigating. Mr. Hetson continued to lecture as the two looked around for clues.
On the desk there was a picture of kids sitting next to each other and in another Mr. Hetson was kissing a pretty girl about his age. There was a baseball mitt next to the pictures that looked pretty well worn.
“Do you really suspect Mr. Hetson? I mean look at these pictures.” Jared picked up one of the small pictures that was on the desk.
“Everyone is a suspect.” Ash continued peering at everything in the room. He picked up a small trophy with a bronze apple on it saying The Apple Award. “Hmm. What is this?” Ash wondered aloud. Mr. Hetson passed out a math worksheet and the students started to move their desks next to each other to work on it. When he was done, Mr. Hetson walked over.
“I see you’re admiring my award.” He smiled his school bus smile again and sat down in his chair.
“Yes, what is it exactly?” Ash was now interested in what he had to say.
“It’s an award they give to the teacher whose students get the highest scores in the district. I’m quite proud of it. They don’t just give these out randomly.” Mr. Hetson was quiet for a moment as he remembered the award. He took the award from Ash’s opened hand. Ash opened the cabinet below where the award was. Surprise snuck up on Ash’s face as his eyes saw the dagger.
“Ahh. Well we must get to investigating the other classes.” Ash walked out the door after shutting the cabinet.
“It was nice meeting you, thanks for your time.” Jared said then followed Ash out of the door. As the two left, Mr. Hetson frowned. They were onto him. He’d have to get rid of them. For good.
Ash and Jared walked into another classroom down the hall. It’s walls were painted a pale shade of blue, but you couldn’t tell from all of the posters that were there.  Ash just walked right back out. “Nope, not the killer.” Ash continued down the hall.
“What? How can you tell?” Jared stayed at the door that they just walked into. Ash sighed. He rolled his emerald green eyes then walked back to Jared. He pushed the door open a little bit so that they could see the classroom.
“First clue, look at the students.” Ash pointed. Half the class was asleep, and the other half was reading the textbook. “Look at how many aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do. The teacher clearly doesn’t care for discipline or order. If the killer was her, then she’d want her class to be neat and orderly because she knew she was a suspect and that someone would be coming around to check her. She is clearly not worried about being a suspect. Next clue, look at the teacher.”
“How do you know that the killer would be worried? What if she just is a  pro at covering it up?” Jared looked at the teacher who was standing by her desk. She wore her hair down and was dressed in a long skirt and a dirty looking shirt. She seemed calm and was watching over the class.
“I know this because I’m smart, now pay attention. Her expression says that she is calm, and if you had just killed someone, you would not be calm. Her dress style also implicates that she is again, not worried. That is all I need.” Ash closed the door, and Jared looked at him suspiciously.
“Okay...” Jared looked behind himself at the door as they walked to another classroom.
After searching all of the classes they found only one suspect. His name was Mr. Rundey. As soon as they walked in, he frowned. “You don’t really think that I  am a suspect? Do you?” Ash didn’t budge.
“Yes. We do. And now, even more so.” Ash pulled Mr. Rundey out into the hallway, leaving Jared to watch the class. Mr. Rundey was a tall man about six foot one or six foot two. Huge bumps from his suit showed he had a lot of muscle, yet Ash wasn’t the least bit intimidated. “Where were you last night?” Ash’s eyes penetrated into Mr. Rundey’s.
“I had a lot of grading to do, so I stayed late. But don’t think that I was out killing someone.” Mr. Rundey looked distracted.
“Did you know the student who was killed, Michael Shoredon?” Ash didn’t back off.
“Yes, I did. And frankly, I hated the kid. He always disrupted the class and made inappropriate jokes. I’m glad someone put a knife in his back.” Mr. Rundey looked straight back into Ash’s eyes when he said that. Then he quickly turned his head. “But that doesn’t mean that I killed him.”
“No,” Ash nodded but you could tell that he thought that he had just found a new suspect. Mr. Rundey walked back into his classroom, shoving Ash out of the way. “No, it doesn’t.” Ash repeated. Then he smiled.
The rest of the day was spent talking to some of the students. Most of them just said one or two words. “ Here’s another one.” Jared led a small girl into the small room that the principal agreed to let them use. Jared pointed the girl to a chair across from Ash. She had silvery blonde hair that was down and wore a pink shirt to match her flowery skirt. She looked at the ground. She was more pale than a ghost.
“So, tell me about what happened.” Ash got her attention. She hadn’t said a word but
he already knew that she had seen something. “What is your name?”
“I’m Alexis.” The girl looked up.
“Well, Alexis, what did you see.” Jared spoke this time.
“I was walking down the hall a few minutes ago when I heard Mr. Hetson say something about taking care of the witnesses to himself. I could be wrong, but the whole day he has been acting weird. Forgetting to do things like unlock the door, teach, and correct our other assignments, which is really not like him.” Alexis paused. “He also mentioned a couple names. Jared and Ash, I think.” Jared and Ash looked at each other.
“Thank you. You have been very helpful.” Jared led her out of the door. After she was gone, he turned back to Ash. “Now what?”
“Now, we set a trap.” Ash got up and walked to the door. “Follow me.”

“So this is your genius idea?” Jared looked at Ash who was laying on top of a sleeping bag that they got for the stake out tonight. Ash looked at Jared and nodded. “You want to wait for the killer to sneak up on us and kill us?” Jared gave Ash an afraid look.
“Not kill us, obviously. But try to anyway.”
“So you don’t think that this is the least bit stupid?”
“No.” Jared sighed. He could not get this through to him. He gave up and layed back on his sleeping bag. Slowly, Jared drifted off to sleep. Ash just stared at the ceiling, waiting for the killer to arrive.
It was midnight when Mr. Hetson snuck back into the school. He wore his normal work attire so that he could be ready with an excuse if he was caught. He went into his classroom and pulled his dagger out of the cabinet. Then he went to find the two nosy investigators to take them out.

When Mr. Hetson saw Ash and Jared in the gym, he put his plan to use. He walked briskly to the door on the side of the gym where their backs were to him. He opened the door and closed it as quiet as a shadow. Mr. Hetson crept up to them until he was only three feet away.
“So you’re the killer.” Ash turned his head in Mr. Hetson’s direction. 
“Yes, and you aren’t as idiotic as I thought. Life is full of surprises.” Mr. Hetson didn’t seem the least bit phased by Ash knowing he was there. Then he dove at Ash with the dagger. Ash dodged it easily. Jared just layed in his sleeping bag asleep.
“Why are you doing this?” Ash continued dodging Mr. Hetson as he dove after him with the dagger.
“Because, some people get in the way.” Mr. Hetson then stabbed at Ash once again.
“In the way of what?” Ash would not give up.
“In the way of my other murder, that’s what. You see, I don’t like some people. They just deserve to die. Everyone has their enemies, but they’re just too afraid to kill them. I am at an advantage. I don’t mind killing people.” Mr. Hetson paused for a breath. After about ten seconds he was back at it.
“That isn’t an advantage. Its still murder. It doesn’t help you in court.” Ash wasn’t making it easier for himself.
“Well, it doesn’t matter.” Mr. Hetson said.
“Why not?” Ash looked at Mr. Hetson suspiciously.
“Because I’m not going to get caught.” Mr. Hetson dived after Ash and Jared stirred. Mr. Hetson just kicked him in the head and knocked him back out. While Mr. Hetson kicked Jared, Ash locked his arm around his neck. Mr. Hetson shook violently back and forth, but Ash stayed put. After about a minute Mr. Hetson passed out on the floor.
“Actually, you are going to get caught.” Ash looked at the man in a heap at the floor. Then he pulled a phone out of his pocket and dialed nine one one.

As the police loaded Mr. Hetson into the back, Ash smiled triumphantly. It had taken about five minutes for the police to get to the school and get Mr. Hetson to where he was now. Ash continued watching as Jared walked up to him, rubbing his head.
“I guess everything worked out, huh?” Jared put his hand down and watched Mr. Hetson get yanked into the back of the car.
“Mmm.” Ash stayed put. The cop car put on its sirens and it started its engines. Right before it drove away, Mr. Hetson looked at them. He wore a disgusted scowl. He had a long life ahead of him and he knew it. Ash smiled. One more villain out of this world.