The morning after the party ended,Joyce woke up with a bad feeling in her stomach. She knew something wasn't right. She turned on her TV to find her school being broadcast on the news. "Oh my God!",she thought,"What the hell happened there?!" She watched in horror as a picture of Professor Jones came up on the screen,and they announced he was found dead. "How could this have happened?",she thought,"Cathy is locked up tight in prison! She couldn't have done this...could she?"

A few seconds later,Joyce heard a knock at her door. "Come in!",she yelled. Kenny walked in and sat next to her. "I see you heard about the Professor.",he said. Joyce's face was turning pale. "Yes.",she replied. "Well,at least they cancelled school until further notice.",said Kenny trying to cheer her up. Joyce was not amused. "Kenny,a man is dead. I'd rather go to school than have seen that happen. How can you be so insensitive? What if I'M next to die???",said Joyce trying to hold back her tears. Kenny gave her a hug. "It's ok Joyce. I wont let anything happen to you. I promise no one will hurt you.",Kenny said trying to reassure her. Joyce looked up at him and said,"If Cathy is still locked up,who could have done this?" "I don't know,Joyce,but I'm sure they'll get caught very soon.",said Kenny.

Brett sat on the couch watching his television in disbelief as they carried the body of his dead teacher out of the building. "Who could have done this? Cathy is locked up,and she didn't even HAVE him for a teacher! There's just no motive there!",he thought to himself.

Jake was watching the news report about the murder and started to worry about Joyce. He decided to call her to make sure she was ok. The phone rang 3 times before Joyce finally picked it up. "Hello?",said Joyce in a weak voice. "Hey babe",said Jake,"Are you ok over there? Want me to come over?" Joyce didn't want him to come over,Kenny was still there,and she knew how jealous Jake was. She wondered what Kenny was doing there when he should be with his own girlfriend. "I'm fine Jake,really I am. Don't worry aout me.",said Joyce trying to hide her true feelings. Jake could tell when his girlfriend was lying. He knew her too well. "You don't sound ok to me,I'm coming over there. As soon as I get a shower and dressed,I'll be right there.",said Jake. "You really don't have to do that,I'm fine.",said Joyce. "No,I think you need me there. It's no big deal,you live across the street,remember? See ya in a bit. I love you!",said Jake as he hung up the phone before Joyce could argue with him about it.

Joyce turned to Kenny and said,"You'd better go home,Kenny. Jake is coming over,and you know how jealous he is..." "I understand",said Kenny hanging his head. He wanted to be the one to comfort her,but he knew he had to step back now. "I'll see you later,Joyce.",said Kenny as he walked out the door.

Jake was drying off after his shower when he heard a noise outside. He opened the bathroom door and looked around. "Hello? Mom is that you?",said Jake. No answer. "I must be hearing things.",he thought. He wrapped his towel around his waist,and started combing his hair. He heard another noise. "I know I heard something this time!",he thought. He opened the door again and looked around. He saw nothing unusual. "Jake",he said to himself,"You're totally losing it!" He finished combing his hair and walked out of the bathroom to get some clothes on. He walked toward the closet and opened the door. Upon opening the door,a ghost masked figure lunged forward and stabbed Jake in the chest. Jake tried to scream,but the knife had punctured his lung and he could barely breathe. Jake tried to grab the knife from the figure,but was only stabbed again. This time in the heart. He saw everything fade to black and he fell backwards,dead.

Joyce was sitting on her bed waiting for Jake to come over,when she decided to call over there and see what was taking him so long. There was no answer. She looked outside to see if he was on his way. No one was out there. She started to worry and thought she should go over there. "I shouldn't go out alone. Jake wouldn't want that.",she said to herself,"I'd better just stay here." "I'm sure he's fine.",she thought,"I'll just sit here and wait." Joyce fell asleep waiting. She didn't wake up until that evening when she heard some commotion going on outside. "I wonder what's going on out there.",she said to herself,"And why didn't Jake show up? It's not like him to not show." She looked out her window and gasped in horror when she saw 3 police cars in Jake's driveway and his parents outside crying their eyes out. "Oh my God!",Joyce yelled,"What's going on!" Joyce ran outside and headed for Jake's house. A police officer stopped her. It was Officer William's former partner,Officer Marsh. "What's the big hurry little lady?",he asked. "I'm not a little lady! I am Joyce! Jake's girlfriend! Is he ok?? Please say he's ok!",Joyce said as she began to cry. She could tell by the look on the officer's face what he was about to say. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this,Joyce",said the officer,"Jake was murdered earlier today." Joyce dropped to her knees,her eyes filled with tears. "Please tell me this is a joke! I can't handle losing him!! It's so unfair!!",screamed Joyce,"Who did this to him??" The officer patted her on the back trying to comfort her. "A witness told us they saw someone in a Father Death costume sneaking around the house. They called us,but we got here too late. I'm so sorry. We'll catch whoever did this.",said the officer reassuringly. Joyce stood up and looked at the officer. "How can this be? Cathy is locked up! Who could have done this?",said Joyce wiping tears from her eyes. "Cathy is still locked up. She's the first suspect we thought of. Apparently,she isn't alone in her killing spree.",said the officer.

As Joyce was talking to Officer Marsh,Kenny ran up to her and gave her a hug. "Oh,Joyce I'm so sorry about what happened to Jake!",he said as he hugged her. The policeman looked Kenny over and said,"What's your name,son?" Kenny looked at him and said,"My name is Kenny. I'm a friend of Joyce's." Joyce looked at Kenny and asked,"So,Kenny,what are you doing here? I thought you went home?" "Oh,I did go home...I just uh figured Jake would be gone by now,and I could come back over to uh protect you..",said Kenny,"Uhh could you please stop starin' at me sir? You're making me nervous!" The officer just stared at Kenny. "Son,I think you and Joyce should come back to the station with me.",said the officer.

At the police station,Joyce,Kenny and Officer Marsh sat down to talk. "OK. I know you both knew the victim. I want to know if you can give us any leads as to who might have killed him.",said the officer. Joyce was still crying. "I don't know who would do such a thing to him! As far as I know,Jake didn't have any enemies!",said Joyce. "Beats me why anyone would want to stab a guy in a towel.",said Kenny,"I can't think of anyone who'd want him dead either." Officer Marsh looked over the police report on Jake's death. "Son,how did you know Jake was killed wearing only a towel? That isn't mentioned anywhere in the police report.",said the officer. Kenny began to sweat. "Uhhh well Joyce talked to him on the phone,and he told her he was getting a shower...so of course he'd be in a towel,right?",replied Kenny nervously. Joyce looked at Kenny in horror,"I NEVER told you he was getting a shower before coming over!!",she said in a shaky voice,"OH my GOD!! You killed him didn't you?? WHY??" Kenny squirmed in his seat. "No!! I didn't do it!! I'm innocent!!",shouted Kenny. Officer Marsh reached for his handcuffs and got up to put them on Kenny. "Kenny,the evidence here is very strong against you. I took the liberty of looking over my partner's notes when he interviewed you the first time. It seems that you mentioned owning a Father Death costume. Much like the one the killer had on. We found it stashed in the bushes in Jake's yard. I'm willing to bet the costume is yours. You can save us both a lot of trouble if you just confessed.",said the officer. "I didn't do it!",Kenny yelled. "Can you explain how you knew Jake was killed in a towel then?",said the officer. Kenny stretched his arms out. "Ok ok I did it. At least let me tell you why while you cuff me.",said Kenny with a sigh. Joyce was horrified. "Kenny,how could you?",cried Joyce,"Why did you do it?" Officer Marsh put the handcuffs on Kenny and read him his rights. Kenny looked up at Joyce and said,"I did it for us. I wanted us to be together,and he was in the way. I'm sorry,Joyce." "You are one sick individual Kenny. I hope they lock you up for a long time.",said Joyce. "Are you finished talking,Kenny?",asked the officer. "Yes. Let's go now.",said Kenny as he stared at Joyce with his eyes full of tears. Officer Marsh escorted Kenny out of the room to put him in a cell. "It's all over now,Joyce.",said the officer,"We got him." Joyce got a ride home from another officer and slept good that night knowing that this big nightmare was finally over. The very next day,the front page of the newspaper read "Cathy Constanzo escapes from prison".

THE END?