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The red, white, and blue police siren whirled, the high-pitched notes echoing across the dark alleys as the police squad car tore through the city.

A slight cackle on the intercom, and then a man's weary voice broke through the static. "One victim, girl of about 19 or 20 years old... both eyes have been gouged from the sockets, and half of her face seems to be... there's no other word for it, eaten away... one arm has been stripped entirely of flesh, but the muscle remains... large hole in the victim's abdomen area... her liver and pancreas seem to be missing, but there has been no confirmation on that yet... prepare yourself, this is really grotesque..."



A loud, obnoxious buzzing broke through the layers of sleep resting on Threnody McGheorge.

"Five more minutes," Threnody murmured sleepily, slapping her hand on the snooze button to cease the consistant noise.

Her eyes had just closed again when her bedroom door slammed open, startling her to a hasty sitting position.

"Rise and shine, sunshine!" Cleopatra McGheorge, Threnody's mom, called in a cheery voice, going over to a window in Threnody's room and pulling up the shade. Bright rays of yellow sunlight filtered in to the dark room.

"Mom," Threnody groaned, throwing the comforter back over her head, "it's Saturday... I just got back last night." Threnody let the comforter fall back to her bed as she turned to glare at her mother. "I didn't set the alarm."

"Of course you didn't, dear," Cleopatra said, picking up a pair of dirty jeans fromt he floor. Straightening up, she said with a cheery smile, "I did!"

"Mo-ther," Threnody said, aggitated.

Cleopatra glanced at her daughter, eyes widened innocently. "What?" she asked.

Threnody let out a sigh of exasperation. With a groan, she put her legs over the edge of her large waterbed and stretched them out, saying, "Why did you set my alarm for 10 AM, anyway?"

"Threnody, honey, you haven't been home from college since Christmas, and you haven't seen most of your high scool buddies since Thanksgiving."

"I had Adonna come on Spring Break with me," Threnody said somewhat defensively.

"Adonna's been your best friend since you were 3," Cleopatra said as if it didn't count.

"Okay, fine, I accept that I can't ever do anything big without Adonna," Threnody admitted as Cleopatra scurried around Threnody's messy room.

"Good to know that you finally realize that," Cleopatra said, pausing her mad rush to dramatize.

"You're hilarious, Mom," Threnody said sarcastically, standing up and walking over to her dresser. She frownded. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Oh, yeah," Cleopatra said, throwing Threnody a bright yellow spaghetti strap tank top, which she caught easily. "Reenie, Diva, Ice, Adonna, and quite a few others have been calling lately, wondering when you're going to be home. I called everyone up yesterday afternoon and told them to come over at 10:30 this morning for a day full of sun, fun, and the pool!"

Threnody heard a roar fill her ears and felt color fill her cheeks at the mention of Ice's name.

"Ice has asked about me?" she asked somewhat
breathlessy, eyes downcast.

Cleopatra stared at her daughter, amused. "Yes, dear... He's a very persistant young man."

"Yeah, he is," Threnody murmured, absently fingering the tank top in her hands.

Cleopatra gave Threnody a tender smile and said, "Sweetie, you better get ready. People will start arriving any minute."

Threnody snapped back from the reverie she was enjoying of Ice.

" 'Kay, Mom. I'll be down in a couple minutes."




"I've never seen a homicide quite like this," Office Brad O'Leery commented, trying to keep his stomach as he shuffled through the pictures of the victim for the third time.

"It's horrendous," Janice Block, O'Leery's partner, said, glancing over his shoulder at the photo of the young girl's face.

Both officers looked up as the door to O'Leery's office opened and in stepped Lawrence Auburn, shuffling papers in his hands.

O'Leery tossed the pictures aside and turned toward Lawrence, an intent look on his face.
"Any news on who she is, Lawrence?" he asked.

Lawrence sniffled and pushed his thick glasses up the bridge of his nose. "The victim's parents identified what was left of her at the morgue. We just got the confirmation call."

O'Leery leaned forward, hands clenched together in anxious anticipation.

Lawrence stopped shuffling the papers in his hands and held up a bright purple Post-It note.
"Adonna," he said. "Adonna Hendrix."




"Threnody!"

Threnody turned around at the sound of her name spoken in that high-pitched enthusiastic voice she knew so well.

Threnody grinned and yelled out, "Reenie!" The two girls squealed and ran toward each other, arms open for a hug.

When they pulled apart, Reenie said with a knowing smile, "So, how has the big 19-year-old college buff been?"

Threnody laughed and replied, "Fine, how has the lazy ass waiting for her big-break been?"

Reenie looked at Threnody and said, pretending to be hurt, "I will get my big break!" Reenie straightened up and said haughtily, "Just you wait, Threnody McGheorge! One day I'll become a big shot movie star! Then I'll be famous and you... won't."

Reenie paused and glanced at Threnody, trying to look threatening.

Threnody, the side of her mouth twitching, said, "Oh, Reenie, you shock me by how much your words hurt me."

Reenie and Threnody looked at one another for a moment longer before both girls burst out laughing.

Reenie embraced Threnody again and said, "Oh, Thren, I've missed you so much! This place just hasn't been the same without you!" Reenie pulled herself out of the reunion hug and turned around. Threnody allowed her eyes to follow Reenie's movement. Her baby blues fell upon a young man, probably around 21. His black hair looked windswept and his eyes were so dark in color it was next to impossible to distinguish where the pupil ended and the iris began. His lips were slightly upturned, giving the impression of an amused smile. His nose was a bit crooked, but the crookedness only seemed to add to his chiseled features and pale complexion.

"Threnody, I would like you to meet my cousin, Bryce." Reenie glanced over at Bryce and said with a grin, "Bryce, this is the infamous Threnody McGheorge."

Bryce extended a hand and said, his voice deep and rich, "Pleasure to meet you, Threnody. I've heard a great deal about you from Reenie and Ice."

Threnody wrapped he5r hand around Bryce's. She hardly took notice when Ice's name was spoken. "Funny," she said, "Reenie never mentioned you." She raised her eyebrows and quickly mouthed at Reenie, "You should have!"

A hint of a smile spread across Bryce's luscious lips. "She wouldn't have," he commented matter-of-factly. "We just met."

"Bryce and I just learned about one another a bit after Christmas," Reenie explained, slettping in and hanging onto one of Bryce's broad shoulders.

Threnody opened her mouth to comment when Cleopatra poked her head in through a doorway and said politely, "Sweetie, the rest of your guests have arrived. They're waiting for you out back by the pool."

Threnody motioned for Reenie and Bryce to follow as Threnody began walking after her mom, asking, "Is Adonna out there yet?"

Cleopatra shrugged. "You know Adonna, sweetie," she said with a grin, opening the sliding glass door with a flourish. "She's always late."

Threnody laughed as she stepped out into the early morning sunlight. "Never was there a statement more true," she said with a grin, a slight skip to her step.

"Threnody!"

Threnody was instantly surrounded by her old
friends, some of which she hadn't seen since graduation the previous spring.

"Threnody, baby, how you been?" Diva Jones asked, stepping forward.

Threnody's smile broadened. "Pretty damn good, sexy," she said.

Diva laughed and threw her arms arond Threnody's neck.

"Thren, I've missed you so much! You've got to promise never to leave us again!" Diva exclaimed, pulling away and turning tot he rest of the people gathered around them.

Threnody giggled and said nonchalantly, "I'll see what I can do."

Cleopatra gently pushed her way to the center of the mob and announced, "Okay, everyone, it's time for you all to go have some fun swimming, alright? Threnody will be here all summer."

A couple people laughed, and the small crowd began to disperse.

Reenie giggled and leaned a hand on Threnody's
shoulder and placed her chin on it, a large smile splattered across her girlish features.

"What are you laughing at?" Threnody questioned, glancing down at the blonde head on her shoulder.

Reenie made a small notion with her head. "Bryce," she said, burying her face in her hand to giggle again.

Threnody's eyes traveled over to Bryce, who was in a dark corner of the pool area chatting with Clementine Jackson.

Threnody raised her eyebrows and looked down at Reenie again. "What about him?" she questioned.
Reenie paused mid-giggle to spit out, "Adonna's gonna be pissed when she gets here!" Then she buried her face again, her body shaking in silent laughter.

Threnody sighed, a small laugh of exasperation escaping her lips. "You lost me, Reenie. Why will she get upset?" she asked, still gazing at Bryce and Clem in the corner.

Reenie stopped laughing long enough to say, "Ever since Bryce got here, Adonna's had a 'thing' for him... She's been hitting on him non-stop and gets pissed when any other girl goes near him."

Threnody giggled with Reenie and said, smiling, "I should have known that if i find a guy attractive, so would Adonna!"

Threnody paused and then said, choosing her words carefully, "I appreciate Bryce."

"You... appreciate Bryce?" Reenie repeated, eyebrows raised.

"Well, yeah," Threnody said with a shrug. She glanced over at Bryce, Clem inching closer toward him with each passing minute. Her gaze returned to Reenie, a puzzled expression spreading over her features. "It's weird," she said after a moment's hesitation.

Reenie slid a glance toward Threnody. "I'm afraid to ask," she said. Taking a deep breath, she inquired, "What's weird?"

Threnody shrugged. "It's just... when Bryce touched me..." A sound of frustration escaped Threnody's lips. She lifted her head. "It was the strangest feeling..." Threnody gave a slight shudder in the early morning sun.

Reenie looked at Threnody appreciatively. "Adonna said the same thing when she first met him." Reenie's gaze slid back over to Bryce, who was acting cool and confined to Clem. "That's why she likes him so much."

Threnody pursed her lips and muttered, "She's not the only one." Raising her voice, she turned back to Reenie and inquired, "Where is Adonna, anyway?"




"Are they here yet?" O'Leery asked in a low voice, pulling on his jacket as he walked swiftly out of his office.

"They're waiting for you in the lobby," Janice returned, her own voice kept low to prevent eavesdropping.

O'Leery came to the door of the lobby and glanced in.

A tall, weary looking man with graying hair was sitting in a chair next to a woman with flaming red curls. Currently, the woman's face was hidden on the man's shoulder, giant sobs wracking her lithe figure.

O'Leery turned back to Janice, his cheeks sucked in as if he had just had something sour to eat.
"I have a sinking feeling," he said, putting one hand on the doorknob, "that this isn't going to go very well."




Laughter erupted from the pool area of the McGheorge house.

"Wait, wait, I'm not finished yet!" Ice called out, waving his arms around wildly.

The crowd calmed down, although giggles continued to erupt on occasion.

Ice turned back to Threnody and took her delicate hand back into his own.

Threnody suppressed a smile as Ice furrowed his brow in concentration.

Ice leaned forward over her hand, studying it. He took his index finger and traced a short line embedded in her palm.

"Your lifespan line is incredibly short," he murmured, still staring at it. Raising his head he said with a large grin, "According to this, you should already be dead!"

The friends surrounding Threnody and Ice broke into laughter one again. Through the noise Threnody heard the shrill ring of the phone, and a moment later Cleopatra's voice calling, "Threnody! Phone!"

Threnody, giggling, said, "I'll be right back." Groans of disappointment spread rapidly as Threnody gently pushed her way out.

Her eyes again fell upon Bryce in a dark corner, a bemused expression on his face. Again, Threnody felt a strange, pleasant emotion ripple through her. Bryce's gaze slid toward Threnody. Their eyes locked. Bryce's intense gaze drew Threnody in. She seemed to loose her breath momentarily as she lost herself in Bryce's dark eyes.

An eruption of laughter behind her sent Threnody whirling back into herself.

She blinked rapidly a couple of times, clearing her vision. Bryce was no longer looking at her, and Threnody wondered briefly if she had imagined the entire thing.

"Threnody, you slow-poke! It's Mrs. Hendrix!"

Threnody shook off the feeling of uneasiness that had just settled at the pit of her stomach and jogged the rest of the way to the portable phone.

"Hello, Mrs. Hendrix, it's Threnody," Threnody said when she had picked up the other end.

"Oh, Th-Threnody!" Mrs. Hendrix sobbed, her voice almost hysterical on the other end.

Threnody's uneasiness grew as she said, "Mrs. Hendrix, is something wrong?" In response, Mrs. Hendrix let out a long wail and broke down crying. After a moment, Threnody said, "Please, tell me what's wrong." She took a glass of ice water sititng on the table in front of her and took a sip, the glass rattling in her shaky hand.

After Mrs. Hendrix still didn't respond, Threnody pleaded, her bottom lip quivering, "Mrs. Hendrix, please, you're scaring me."

"Adonna... My poor baby!" Mrs. Hendrix wailed, unable to contain herself.

"Wha... wha..." Threnody mouthed wordlessly. Her dread mounting, she asked in a fearful, urgent whisper, "What's wrong with Adonna?"

"Oh, sweetie," Mrs. Hendrix managed between sobs, "Adonna's dead!"

The glass held in Threnody's hand fell to the cement and shattered moments after she ran to the house.


***OK, that's part I... i have part II and part III actually typed out, but i dont have the time right now to put them up. PLEASE, if you have ANY suggestions or comments, email me. thanks and keep coming back for more progress on the story!