Reality Knocks

Texas Christian University is divided into two parts by University Dr., the residential side and the academic side. On one side, intellectual discussions are taking place. On the other students are worried about what will happen next on this campus while trying to focus on their papers. It should be a relatively safe environment; however, darkness lurks around the residence halls at night. Students are all locked in their rooms and all are quiet when night comes around. Yet during this week of midterms, a female student decides to go buy some coffee at the corner store around 1 in the morning due to a late night of studying.

“I’m almost back in my apartment…Almost there.” keeps telling herself

“Oh my goodness that girl looks drunk!” she says as she approaches another student.

“Excuse me, are you ok? Let me call Froggy for you!”

“I’m fine. You go on.”

“You look like you need some help. Let me help you.”

“No!” (the girls falls and busts her knee)

“You are bleeding pretty bad. I’m calling the campus police!”

“No…please don’t call them.”

“You are going to lose too much blood.” (dials the number) “Hi, this is Margot. I am currently standing in front of King Hall. A student is hurt and needs immediate help. Please send someone over --What on earth were you thinking walking alone at night and drunk? Something could’ve happened! Your leggings are all ripped and your costume is a mess. What happened?!”

“My knee….my knee. Why did his happen?!”

The police officer arrives. He comes over immediately to take a look at the wounded area.

“Miss, what is your name? Where do you live?”

“My name is C-a-r….C-a-r…”

“Miss, I know you’re in pain but I need you to spell out your name for me.”

“C-a….This hurts, I want to go home!”

“The cut is too deep. I am calling an ambulance for you. Where do you live?”

“Colby?” she said

The officer turns to Margot.

“Do you know this young lady?”

“No. I just met her.”

“Thank-you for stopping but you should be careful because it’s dark. She will be taken care of when the ambulance arrives. You can stay if you want, or head back to your place. Where do you live?”

“I will head back. I live in 343 of Maybee in Tom Brown. I know she’s in good hands so goodnight.”

Margot starts walking under the well lighted areas of King Hall. In between one set of pillars, a shadier area, a tall white figure stood. He’s a white male about 5 ft 9 wearing a black coat. He holds a notepad and a pen. He backs up as Margot comes closer. Only half his face is visible with the light where the other half is hidden in the dark.

“What is that guy doing? He looks so creepy. Should I run back to the officer? He’s been staring at that injured girl for a while now. Has he been following her? Will I make it back to the officer? He seems too focus on the girl right now, maybe I should run back to my apartment and make another phone call to TCU police. Oh God, what a night please let me make it back safely.” she said to herself

She hurries back to her apartment considering every possible scenario.

“Hi, this is Margot. I reported an injured lady in a police costume earlier. There is a guy that is wearing a black jacket that is standing between the pillars of King Hall closest to the auditorium. He’s freaky, he’s probably been staring at her the whole time and he also has notepad and a pen. I don’t know what happened but her leggings are ripped and her clothes are a mess.”

“We will take care of that right away…” (hangs up the phone)

Margot’s dormitory phone rings about half an hour later

“Hi, Margot. We apologize for this call at this time of hour, but we need to send some officers over to your place immediately for some questioning. There will be a university excused for you to miss your classes tomorrow and TCU will take full responsibility.”

“Excuse me officer but I am confused. Please explain to me what exactly is going on.”

“The individual that you identified holding the notepad was someone on the skiff, so no worries there. The problem is the officer you saw with the girl was not one of ours. Our officer that was sent was a female officer who apparently also got another report about a female student injured on the academic side of campus.”

“I am so lost. The officer was not an officer? What are you talking about?”

“He was a fraud. We have no clue where the young lady is and we need to take a police report from you.”

“I will comply.” (hangs up the phone and starts talking to herself)

“How stupid can I be? I trusted that someone in an officer’s outfit was a police. How did I not ask him for some type of identification? The girl herself was wearing a police outfit. It’s Halloween. Where is she? Who took her? I recognize that face! He was all over the library walls. I can never forgive myself for this.”

There are knocks on the door.

“TCU Police!”