x
'When Caroline confessed that she and her friends summoned a demon I was skeptical. The school was already in a difficult case with students killing one another and then themselves but things got weird when Carmella threw herself off the roof with the suicide note in her hand. The police ruled the case as suicide but I noticed it was staged. Someone printed the suicide note found in her hands when she fell off the roof but nobody could tell who did it.
With the strings of murders taking place, everyone thought that it was the demon Caroline and her friends summoned but I thought otherwise. I was nearly attacked by a student who was 'possessed by the demon' and noticed one major detail about the person's eyes; they looked controlled. It was the near-death experience that made me do a little research on what a person's eye would look like when possessed. The results were the same except the eye would show a hint of life when someone is possessed and the person who attacked me had lifeless eyes. This means that he was hypnotized or tortured to do it and that explains why the murderer would commit suicide after doing the deed.
I told the police but they did not listen to me because I am a kid so I decided to look for evidence to back up my claim. I did research on hypnotism and discovered something remarkable; someone can be hypnotized by force! I thought that you only have to be hypnotized if you give your consent to the person hypnotizing you! This means earlier victims were lured into hypnotism or forced to be hypnotized.
But there is something more to the story.....
I felt my blood run cold as I read the front page. 'It looks like it was written by someone called Adrien.'
Then I remember the detective mentioned someone. 'Maybe he knew who the demon was! But why were they blank spaces on the page?'
I flip to another page and discover it was torn out of the book. 'This means someone must have gotten the book and tore up a page but why?' I sigh and put the book in my bag. 'Okay, time to get out of here.'
Silently, I creep out of the locker and make my way towards the exit but hear footsteps coming my way at a fast pace. I turn around and see a dark figure rushing towards me with a knife in its hand. I quickly sprint away from him jumping over the various obstacle that was blocking my way.
'Wait a minute, these things were not here before.' I think as I jump over another table nearly tripping over my own feet. Suddenly I hear a 'whooshing' sound and feel something scrape my arm. I ignore it at continuing to run.
'He put this to slow me down and probably get me exhausted.' I pant jumping over another chair. 'I have to admit it is working.' But as I proceed to crawl under the table, my pursuer caught my leg and dragged me. I face him just in time to see the knife aiming for my face and thanks to my quick reflexes, I dodged it and kick him in the stomach making him crouch in pain. I stand up, roundhouse kick him on the head, and proceeded to crawl under the table only to be dragged and violently tossed towards the lockers. I punch him in the face hearing something crack as my attacker held his nose in pain. Taking advantage of the situation, I kick him in the stomach, jump over the table, and race towards the exit but it was blocked by tables and chairs.
'Great now what?' I start moving the tables and chairs in front of me when my phone rang. I heard a loud growl and turn to see my attacker angrily tossing away the table in front of him like it was a fuss ball. I grab a chair and throw it at him. It was a near miss but it gave me time to run toward one of the rooms and shut the door. I look around, spot two lockers at the end of the room, open it and I stuff myself inside closing my mouth to control my breathing which was hard because I was shaking. It took a while but I calm down and look at my phone.
'He bombarded me with text messages again.' I lean back and felt something soft and mushy. So I switch on the torch and see a decomposing body of a girl behind me with a lifeless look on her face and a rope tied around her neck.
'Is this what he is going to do to me?' I examine her dress and see she is wearing a cheerleading uniform with her hair tied to a ponytail.
'What is your story?' Then footsteps were approaching my direction. I look at the body and had an idea. Quickly, I grab the body and switch places with it holding it upright to avoid stopping it from falling.
'I hope this works.' The door opened with a loud bang followed by footsteps making me shiver in fear.
'Please calm down,' I beg myself. 'Please don't make a sound.'
Then the locker to my left opened with such force that I nearly jumped. Then my locker was opened. The light was shown and a grunt was heard followed by the door slamming shut followed by the door to my right open up. Then footsteps and a slam of the door. I waited for a while making sure he was gone and call Caroline.
She picked up immediately. "What took you so long? Did you get the book?"
"Caroline helps me," I whisper shaking like a leaf.
"What is wrong?" she asked. "Are you in danger?"
"Yes," I feel a sting on my arm. "Someone is chasing me and I think it is the demon."
There was a pause at the other line before she said, "I don't think so."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"The demon only sends people to kill. He does not do it himself."
"But can you help me get out of here?" I ask looking at my hand and shocked to see blood. "I am currently hiding from him but I can't hide forever."
"Where are you?" she asked. I slowly pushed the body aside and open the locker and use the torch to look around the room.
'Wait we have two nurse's rooms?' I think as I stepped out.
"Emma, are you still here?" Caroline asked.
I shush her quickly and say, "Yes. I think I am in the nurse's room."
"Good," came the response. "Sneak out and go to the classroom nearby and you will see an open air vent. Crawl into it and keep going straight that way you will escape."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. Now hurry."
I end the call, walk over to the door and open it. After taking a peek through the empty hallway, I sprint to the classroom like my feet were on fire and hear the footsteps again so when I enter the room, I push a heavy cabinet to bar the door.
'Now where is that air vent?' I ask looking around. 'Don't tell me I am in the wrong classroom!'
I look up and see the air vent but I could not reach it. I use the teacher's table to aid my attempt in reaching the air vent but hear a loud 'bang' on the door.
'Great!' I look back and see that the cabinet was not going to hold for long so I quickly climb onto the table, open the vent, and crawled in. As I close it, my attacker finally broke through, look around the room and walk out.
'Phew!' I crawl through the vents a ray of light was seen. 'This is the exit.' I change positions and kick the cover. It opened with a huge bang and I crawl out closing it behind me.
'This leads to the school garden.' I think looking around. 'But there is no time to waste.' I run towards the school garden that had a fence behind it so I climbed over it and ran all the way home. My aunt was passed out on the couch in the room but my Uncle was nowhere to be found so I sneak into my bedroom and call Caroline.
"Emma, is that you?" she asked.
"Yeah, it is me," I respond. "I'm at home and I got the book."
"Oh thank God you are alive!" she said. "I thought you were dead."
I look at my bag which contained the book. "It looks like I am not ready to die yet."
Then I hear yelling at her end of the line.
"I will talk to you in school okay?" and with that, she hung up.
I go to the bathroom and look at my arm. 'It not so bad.' I pour antiseptic on a piece of cotton and dab it on the injury. 'It stings but it would be alright.'
Laying on my futon, I tried to fall asleep and when I did, I had a dream about my pursuer chasing me in the abandoned hallway except my movements were slow and the obstacles were harder to overcome. Then he grabbed but instead of stabbing me, a rope was tied around my neck and I was hoisted high in the air. I gasped and gagged my lungs lacked access to air when something rang causing me to wake up.
"Ugh." I look at the time on the phone. "3 AM? Who would call someone at 3 AM?"
I missed the call so putting the phone beside me, I try to fall asleep but the screen lit up. Stand up and put the phone in my bag hanging on the door on the chair next to the study table and fall asleep.
I woke up extremely late the next day and had to run to school with a piece of bread in my mouth but I was too tired to pay attention in Mr. Indigo's class no matter how much I tried to keep my eyes open. Nodding off, I fall asleep only to have a sharp pain in my head wake me up.
"Ms. Cross-wood, would you mind telling us why you are sleeping in my class?" Mr. Indigo asked while holding a huge book in his hands.
I sit up and look around as the whole class watched me. I scrambled for an excuse to tell him besides having a sleepless night because I will have to explain why.
"I was playing mobile games all night Sir."
He raised an eyebrow. "And what kind of game is that?"
I turned red. "Pack-man?"
The whole class burst into laughter and I bow my head in shame. Pack-man was an outdated arcade game and everyone knew it.
'Great now everyone knows I use a phone with buttons on it.' I think groaning inwardly.
He sighed and surprisingly let me off the hook. The lesson continued and within hours it was time for lunch and I met up with my friends on the school's roof.
"Seriously you play Pack-man?" Brianna asked munching on her food.
I nod and give a huge yawn.
"Gee you don't look so good," Ralph observed. "Is everything all right?"
I nod again and eat my bread.
"You seem quiet," Aubrey said. "What is the matter? Cat caught your tongue?"
"I wish," I reply drinking a bottle of water. "I did not sleep well last night AND I am hungry."
"Too bad the Upperclassman did not show up with a basket of food today," Andrew observed.
"I heard that he looked angry this morning," Brianna said.
"More like upset," a voice said. I look up and see Gwen holding a paper bag. "Do you mind if I sit beside her?"
Brianna moved and Gwen sat down handing me the paper bag. "Sorry but this was all I make at the moment."
I open the bag and see red velvet cupcakes. "Wow! I love these! Thank you!"
She grinned. "You're welcome. I wouldn't mind baking them for you every day. It will save you some money."
I nod and take a bite.
"Hey bake some for us too!" Brianna chirped raising her hand.
Ralph grabbed her hand and put it down. "Please ignore her. She gets greedy sometimes."
"More like all the time." Brutes interjected.
Caroline grinned. "You were saying something about the Upperclassman?"
"What? Oh right! He looked like he was really upset for some reason."
"I wonder why?" I ask handing Brianna a cupcake.
"I don't know. All I know is he was mopping around the classroom with tears in his eyes."
"He was crying?" Andrew asked.
"Why?" Ralph asked.
"No one knows." then she looks at me. "Wow! Did you get any sleep last night? You look awful."
I force a smile. "I know you don't have to remind me.
"But with the exam week rolling in you have to study and get enough sleep to study well." then she smiled. "I am not too worried though. You are a studious student after all but if you need help let me know. I am an Upperclassman and I did most of the things you did."
I chuckle and shake my head. "No thank you. I am good."
"But she's not." Ralph thumbed at Brianna. "Math is her main issue."
Gwen chuckled. "Okay but call me if you need anything." then she stood up. "I am sorry but I have to go. My class is Biology and the lab is in the second main building. I don't want to be late."
We watch her walk away then the bell rang.
"Geez! Time sure runs fast!" Brianna said.
"I'll say," I reply eating the last cupcake. "You all seem to be interested in the upperclassman. Do you know him?"
Brutes shake his head. "We are just curious about him."
"Yeah for someone who carries a zombie-like face all the time he has something going on with him," Brianna said.
Aubrey huffed. "I am not interested in him."
"I heard he is acting this way because he saw his parents die," Andrew said standing up.
"Really?" Ralph asked. "I heard he was born without emotions!"
Auber huffed again. "Don't be an idiot Ralph! There is no way someone can be born without emotions!"
"Hey, I am not an idiot!" Ralph clapped back but stopped once he looked over her.
This made her angry. "Hey, I am not the only one short among us so stop looking at me like that!"
"It's not you," Ralph replied. "What are the police doing here?"
We all looked at him and sure enough, the cars were parked outside the school's gate. Soon the bell rang and we all assembled in the gym room where the secretary made an announcement: Carl was missing.
"He was seen two days ago on the school grounds." She said through the microphone. "If anyone sees him or knows any information about his appearance tell me or call the police okay?"
We all murmured among ourselves and whispers about the curse taking him away scared me. Then she announced that the school was closing early because the police had a warrant to search the building. I felt like using the comfort room so I head there, do my business, and was in the process of washing my hands when my phone rang.
'Maybe it is Caroline. She did want to tell me something.' I take the phone out of my bag but it stopped ringing. It was a missed call from another unknown number and this time I read the messages sent to me last night.
'Good morning Emma.'
'You were having a nightmare.'
'So I called to wake you up.'
'You know what?'
'I am angry with you.'
'I searched for you all night but I didn't find you.'
'You got me so worried.'
'I nearly gave up until I saw you running home.'
'I...'
'I am not happy.'
'You promised me.'
'You promised if we should meet again we will be together forever.'
'But it seems you are breaking that promise.'
'I...I hope you are not cheating on me.'
'Because if you do...'
'I won't be happy about it.'
'No.'
'I won't.'
'And you wouldn't like me when I get angry.'
'Which is a shame because I want you to like me.'
'Why do you ask?'
'Because I love you.'
'I have fallen in love with you the minute you gave me that promise.'
'So why are you making things hard for me huh?'
'Why are you disappearing without a trace?'
'What if something bad should happen to you?'
'Then what will happen to me?'
'What will happen to the promise you gave me?'
'What will happen to our love?'
'Huh?'
'Tell me...'
'What will happen to it?'
I stop reading and proceed to delete the messages from my phone. 'This guy is delusional.'
I head to my locker to change my shoes and leave the building when someone grabbed me from behind. I squeak and look back to see it was Jake.
"Good evening Beloved." He held up the basket. "If you let me walk you home we can still have that lunch."
"That won't be necessary." Gwen appeared out of the blue. Striding up to me, she grabbed my hand. "I will walk her home Jake so you don't have to worry."
He bit his bottom lip. "But I want to walk her home!"
"Aren't you worried your Aunt is going to be angry with you?" she asked in a cool and calm manner. "I heard she has you on a tight leash."
He bit it harder once she said that and sighed. "How about we let her decide who she wants to walk her home to."
Gwen looked at me then back at Jake and grinned. "Why that's a splendid idea. So who do you want to walk home with?"
To be honest, I didn't like the idea because they were treating me like a child. You know, those spoilt ones parents love to pamper. If I had my way, I would have told both of them I didn't need an escort and go home but Gwen might be carrying the message Caroline wanted to give me since I missed her. Besides, she was way tolerable to hang out with. Kind, and considerate, knows how to hold a discussion and she doesn't make anyone uncomfortable by talking too much.
I reached out and grabbed Gwen's hand shocking him.
"Wha? Emma..."
"I am sorry Jake but I want Gwen to walk me home." And with that, I walked away from the school's premises without looking back at him.
"Umm, you can let me go now, Emma." Gwen signaled.
"Oh." I let her go. "Sorry about that."
"It's okay. I think you made your point."
"Hmm? What point?"
"That you don't like him."
I look away from her and sigh. "I know. The truth is, I do not want to enter into a relationship right now."
"I know. You are a studious student." She closed her eyes and clapped her hands together. "You are engaged in your studies."
I smile knowing that wasn't the real reason behind it. "Yeah. That's it."
"But I think you have given him enough attention for one week." Then she opened them. "Did you get the book?"
I take the book out of my bag and show it to her.
"Good. Caroline said you can read it." She said.
This shocked me. "Wait a minute, she doesn't want to read it?"
She shakes her head and walks in front of me. "You can send it to her when you are done."
"But what about you?" I ask running to catch up with her. "Aren't you going to read it?"
"Nope." She looked back at me. "Caroline said only the chosen one is allowed to read it. I hope you will find the answers and set the school free from the curse."
I take one look at the book and put it back in my bag.
Meanwhile...
Andrew was sitting on the couch watching TV when the doorbell rang. He opened it and rolled his eyes in annoyance. "What do you want?"
Jake gave a mischievous grin. "I'd like to do you a favor Andrew."183Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZdM7P6q90
