Targets

• Emme David, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2022

She knows my secret. She knows. She will tell everyone. And I’m not ready for it. I can’t seem to forget what Rachel told me yesterday. Why does she have to be so clever? The headmaster even praises her! I can see it clearly, and she sure will remind me of it today.
“Better head off, Mitch!” Dad yells to me.
I can’t worry now, though. School time.

After a long drive, I finally see Rachel at the school gates, trying to blackmail me into doing the job with me.
“I won’t tell if I can help you, Mitch!” she whines.
“And how?” I ask.
To my utter disbelief, Rachel knows more about it than I do. But she still threatens to post it. I know she wouldn’t, but it’s better to play the safe route.
“Fine, you can help.” I sigh.
And we head off to class.

Miss Gold is an old woman. She knows every nook and cranny of this school. Perfect victim. I tell Rachel afterwards what to do. She nods as I think. I can’t afford her to screw up. I hope it’ll go well…

At midnight Rachel and I get going. We set it all up and it goes well without a fuss! She might be good at this. She’s intimidating.
“Done?” I ask.
Rachel nods and we run out of there before anyone can see our faces.

The next day Miss Gold doesn’t turn up to school. Nobody knows anything of course, although the headmaster seems a bit worried. I think I know why. Was it Rachel? Anyways, today I didn’t find a target. It was a normal day. But I think I have one in store for tomorrow night, a perfect one!

At school the next day, I could feel eyes on me, behind me. A man. Anyways, I soon explained our next target, Lily, who’s been here forever, and at midnight we headed out to her house. Unexpectedly though, the man who followed us, followed us! He also starts claiming that he knows our secret. I can’t see what the guy looks like though. Too dark.
“I know what you’re doing!” he yells.
“What do you mean?” I ask, trying to be quiet.
“YOU’RE MURDERERS!!” he yells.
This can’t be happening. He already called 000. Rachel and I quickly did our job and left him. We escaped just in the nick of time.
“How did that guy know…?” Rachel stutters.
“I collect information on this school to steal it better, and I only accepted you because I knew that you have information from the principal. You only found out because you investigated why people disappeared. Sadly, you told Principal Ted. He was the man who tried to stop it. You just couldn’t see because it’s dark.” I explain, knowing I have her.
I start to torment Rachel. I need that school. It’ll be mine. I’ll get it, as long as Lily didn’t hear or see the assassination from her bedroom window…