In the middle of the night when the full moon was rising, I was laying on my futon thinking of the events that happened today.236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hsPZ1Io2R
'Caroline told me the answer to my questions are in the school if I come at night.' I turn and lay on my back. 'But is it worth the risk? What if I get killed too?'236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vckv3CwjR
My eyes were getting heavy and my vision getting blurry, I sigh and give in to the sleep but my phone's ringing tone snapped me awake.236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjg93Z1z94b
I answer it. "Hello?"236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIijNUcZRq
I hear breathing at the other end.236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tOA3xdeK1
"Who is this?"236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34IYti2pos
The breathing intensified and the call ended. Looking at the screen, I see it was an unknown number that called me.236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFkjePfFZa
'Was this some kind of prank?' I ask while putting the phone away. 'Who calls someone in the middle of the night?'236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWOcZILglP
I shut my eyes and try to get fall asleep but my phone rang again; this time with a message.236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgFslXfggo
'Good evening.'
I cock an eyebrow.
'How are you?'
'What happened in school was crazy right?'
'Okay, this is creepy.' So I type back.
'Who are you?'
Within a few minutes, there came a reply. 'Your...your boyfriend.'
A chill went up my spine.
'The one you promised to be with if we met again.'
'Promise to be with? What on earth...'
'Gah! I am so happy we are texting for the first time!
'This is amazing!
'I thought you would find me creepy and ignore me!'
His words made me realize my mistake so, I block the number and delete the messages.
'Maybe someone is playing a prank on me.' I sighed and closed my eyes.
My Aunt screaming at someone was the first thing that woke me up. Rushing out of my room, I see two policemen leading her out of the apartment in handcuffs.
"Let go of me! Do you know who I am?" she screeched as she was being dragged away.
"That's a nice way to greet an officer." a familiar voice said. I turn to the right and see the owner of the said voice was an old but well-built man with grey hair and a well-trimmed mustache. He wore a suit with a cowboy hat and had a stone-cold expression indicating that he has seen a lot of things no one wants to see.
"Good morning Ms. Cross-wood," he said tipping his hat. "I am Detective Walsh. Do you mind coming to the station to answer a few questions?"
I nod and ask for permission to change my clothes. He agreed and a few minutes later, I was riding in the back of the police car on my way to the station.
Tension hung in the air as we approach the building because this was the last time I came here three years ago.
'They ruled it out as an accidental death so why am I here?' I thought.
Parking in front of the building, the Detective led me inside the interrogation room. People stared at us but I ignore them because this wasn't the first time. I just hoped this would not spike up rumors that would ruin his career.
The interrogation room was cold and eerily quiet. Sitting on a chair at one end of the table, the Detective took the other seat at the other end and fiddled with something before talking to me.
"I know you don't know the reason why you are here Ms. Cross wood so do not stress yourself," he said with an air of authority. "I just want you to answer my questions truthfully do you understand?"
I nod.
"Now, let's start with the basics. I already know your name so can you tell me who your parents are?"
I look down. "My parents' names were Anna and Daniel Cross wood."
"'Were'? What happened to them?" he asks
"They died when I was seven years old sir."
"How did they die?"
"The... they were shot by a masked burglar." my lips trembled. "I... hid in the closet when they were killed so they did not see me but I saw them and..."
The traumatic events flashed before my eyes and each moment weighed heavily on me; my dad yelling, the gunshots, my mom screaming... I burst into tears in front of the Detective. The door opened and he handed me a box full of tissues with a bottle of water.
I thank him and tried to calm down while I dab my eyes dry.
"I am so sorry to hear that Ms. Cross-wood." He said still maintaining that air of authority with little sympathy.
"It is okay," I say still taking in deep breaths.
There was a pause that lasted for several minutes before he talked.
"Where did you live when they died?"
"I lived in Spice City."
"So you are staying with a relative now?"
I nod in response, "Yeah I live with my aunt."
"So she is taking care of you?"
"Yeah," there was another awkward silence as he sighed and adjusted himself on his seat.
"Okay. Let's cut to the chase," he said. "How long have you known Brian?"
I shrug. "I never knew him."
"Did you know him through various means online?"
"No, I haven't."
He looks at me straight in the eye twitching his mustache. "Are you on Facebook?"
"No sir."
"So you never talked to him through Facebook on the day he died? Asking him to come to school in the middle of the night for something 'special'?"
The stunned look on my face said it all. Sighing, he leaned back on the chair and muttered, "Not this again."
Then someone knocked on the door and a man entered the room holding some papers in his hands. He handed them over to the Detective who looked at them and growled.
"Tell me you are joking," he said out loud. The man shook his head and left the room leaving me confused and him angry.
"Is something wrong?" I ask with concern.
"I am sorry Ms. Cross wood," he said standing up. "You are free to go but if you have any information regarding the murder please call the police."
The way he said it was almost mechanical; like he had rehearsed it but his tone indicated he was angry with someone or something.
"Sir, is there something I need to know?" I probe.
"Nothing," he said turning his back on me.
Sighing in relief, I stand up and head to the door.
"Apart from the fact that you were nearly framed for the murder."
This made me pause midway and look at him. "What?"
"Someone is trying to set you up kid," He finally faced me. "The information I received just now shows someone set up a fake Facebook profile in your name to communicate to the deceased before he died."
What he said was enough to get me shivering like a leaf. "Someone was trying to set me up?"
"I advise you Ms. Cross wood, to watch your back out there," he said.
"Even your closest friends can be your worst enemies." then he turned away from me, "As far as I know, that school is a Murder House."
I walk out of the police station in shock. 'Someone was trying to set me up? Why?'
Then I remember the incident with Valarie walking away in anger and start walking home in fear. In the crowded streets, I could hear footsteps coming my way but when I look back, I see nothing. Stopping at the convenience store on the way, I buy a bento and once I get home, I eat it and gather my dirty laundry. To the Laundromat a few meters away from my apartment building.
Listening to the sound of the washing machine, I let my mind wander to my new friends. 'They are nice. Too nice. Caroline said they do not talk about the curse the school carries because it drives new students away but what grounds did that excuse have?'
I arrive at a disturbing conclusion. 'What if one of them did it and...framed me for it? They are the only people who might have known something about me.'
I shake that disturbing thought off my head and finish my laundry. Once I was done, I go back to the apartment and was in the process of putting my clothes away when someone called.
"Hello?"
"Hello Emma? It is Brianna."
I sigh. "Hi, Brianna how are you?"
"I am fine. Hey, you don't sound good. Is something wrong?'
"No everything is fine." I lie.
"You were asleep?"
"No."
"Okay?" she sounded unsure of my answer. "Do you want to come over to the arcade with us?"
My mind quickly flashed back to that incident where I suspected them to have killed Brian and it made my stomach churn again. "Umm, I don't know."
"C'mon. You can just watch us play the games. We are worried about you! Please?" she whined.
I rub my head to ease the throbbing. "Okay, I will be there."
She hung up and mentally kick myself in the butt. 'What if this was a bad idea or worse a trap?'
I snap out of it and finish my task. Once it was 2 PM, I hear a car honk and see Andrew's car waiting for me outside. With my Aunt not going to be home for some time, I lock the door, head downstairs and enter his car.
"Sorry I am late. I took a nap and overslept." He said once we were on the road.
I say nothing and stare at the phone in my hand. 'I can remember being teased for having a phone like this.' a warm smile came on my face. 'I begged my Aunt to buy me a new one but she refused so I asked the Guidance Counselor instead. She convinced me to work hard to save up money for college instead with the words, 'Education was more important than having material things'. Looking at this reminds me of her in a whole new way. I will never forget that sweet lady.'
Then it brightened up with a message.
'Who is that boy?'
'Why is he with you?'
'Why are you in entering his car?'
'Are you two in a relationship?'
Instinctively, I look behind me and see nothing but a bunch of cars driven by unhappy drivers and shiver. Blocking his number again, I mute my phone and look out the window.
"Is something wrong?" Andrew asked as he turned round the bend and parked near the Café.
I repress the urge to open the door and run out to the open road with a smile. "Everything is fine."
"You are here!" Brianna cheered the minute I stepped out of the car.236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLr518lcph1
"Yeah." I glumly reply.
"So are you feeling better now?" Ralph asked.
'Not really,' was my initial reply but I say, "Yeah. Turns out this event scared me."
Brianna smiled. "Do not worry. Everything is going to be fine you'll see."
I look at their faces but couldn't find anything wrong and that did scare me because I didn't know if they were guilty or innocent. 'Did they do it or... no, there was no way that they could have done this. I mean, I just met them a few weeks ago and they have been of great help to me so there is no way they could have done this right?'
"Caroline is missing." Brutes said adjusting his glasses.
My heart sank. 'Did the curse get her too?'
"Umm, none of you have seen her have you?" I ask timidly.
The look on their faces turned grim.
"I will call her," Andrew dialed her number but she did not pick up.
Aubrey scoffed and folded her arms. "She is always late!"
"But we all know the reason why." Brutes said quietly earning a glare from Brianna.
Well, I didn't. "Why is she late?"
All eyes were on me as tension hung in the air. Andrew was the first to take his eyes off me by staring at his phone while Brianna sighed.
"Did she tell you anything?" she ask. "About the demon stuff?"
I nod.
"Well, she told us too." Brutes said.
I was confused. "What do you mean?"
"She told me how she and her friends summoned a demon that began to kill the students in the school after the first murder," Brianna said keeping her face grim. "None of us took her seriously especially when we heard she was emotionally fragile."
I was shocked. "Emotionally fragile?"
Brianna nodded, "We did not know her well back then. All we knew was she was a creepy girl following an upperclassman around like a puppy. No one knew the kind of relationship they had but when he fell victim to the curse she began to act strangely; isolating herself from everyone in school and muttering something to herself. I was the first to walk up to her asking if we could be friends because it was dangerous to be alone in that kind of environment and she agreed but went on and on about curses and stuff like that. We stuck together throughout our junior years in school and every new person she meets, she tells them the story about the curse making everyone avoid her."
As I listen to Caroline's story, pity flooded through me. Then I felt ashamed for thinking they were the ones responsible for the murder in the school. The reason why they were acting like nothing happened is that they were trying to help her emotionally so that when reality sets in, she won't have a mental breakdown.
As we wait for her, I seize the opportunity to use the Wi-Fi service the café provided to look up more information on the school.
'I should have done this before I transferred there.' Within a few minutes the information popped up but it was nothing useful. Just an article saying the school had bad Feng Shui.
'Bad Feng Shui.' I turn off my phone. 'Is this the reason why the students kill themselves? Is this why it is haunted?'
Then Caroline walked in holding her coat. "S...sorry I am late."
Ralph smiled. "At least you are here now."
"Next time tell us when you are going to be late!" Aubrey said with a huff. "We do not have all day you know!"
Caroline glared at her which was odd. I have never seen her glare before.
"Now that we are here, let's head to the arcade!" Brianna said. "I heard they have a new game which is really popular."
Andrew groaned. "What is the use of going to the arcade when you can come over to my place and play video games for free?"
"Yeah right, the last time I played at your house you charged me twenty yen!" Brianna accused.
Andrew laughed. "It was a joke and you fell for it."
"You owe me."
He scoffed, "Yeah right."
I look at the comedic duo and giggle especially when Ralph says that the incident took place a year ago. In the end, we agreed to go to Andrew's place after we tried out the new game at the arcade downtown. It was only a few miles toward the Northside of town so we take a taxi there.
The arcade was a swanky place filled with different kinds of games with a prize booth. To be honest, this was the first time I have entered an arcade in my life. Playing the games I could afford and listening to the new Nightcore song that was out, we checked out the new game that Brianna was talking about.
"Tada! What do you think?" she said presenting it to us.
It was a Dance Machine and Ralph was irritated. "A dance machine? That was what you dragged us here for?"
"Ugh. We should have just gone to my place." Andrew said in anger.
"Now we have to watch her dance on that thing." Brutes added in dismay.
"And we all know her. She hates losing." Aubrey sighed. "I am going to get some snacks. Call me when you are done."
Brianna on the other hand was hyped about the new dance machine but when she played it, she lost. So she tried again and again but she lost.
"Come on sis let's go," Ralph said as he watched her play for the third time.
"NO!" she grunted making her steps match the arrows on the screen.
Unfortunately for us, she lost.
"No no, no!" she cried as the words 'You Lost' appeared on the screen.
"Brianna give it up," Andrew whined.
"You are not the athletic type anyway." Brutes added.
"No!" was her reply as she dipped her hand into her pockets for more loose change. This time, Andrew yanked her away from the machine.
"Put me down!" she screamed.
"Give it up Brianna," Andrew whined struggling to hold her.
"Yeah, that machine is going to get the best of you anyway," Ralph added.
"I won't go home a looser!" she yelled as he carried her out of the arcade.
A few minutes later, we were in Andrew's house watching him play Resident Evil Biohazard. It was a horror video game as you can guess from the title.
"Well that was revolting," I said as Brianna walked me home.
"I will say," she said laughing. "You were screaming at every jump scare that took place in the game."
"And my scream made Andrew fail twice," I add laughing at myself.
Brianna grinned at me. "I think the best option is for you not to come with us when we are playing 'The Evil Within' or 'Alien Isolation'."
"Nah," I look down. 'Caroline did not scream at all while Andrew played the game. She remained eerily calm during the whole gameplay and I heard her whisper, 'I have seen worse' at one part during the game where Andrew fought Jack Baker during what looked like a butcher's place. I wanted to ask her what she meant but I skipped the idea.
Footsteps were heard as we walked. I stop and turn around to catch whoever it was but see no one.
'That is odd. I could swear....'
"Hey Emma! Are you coming?" Brianna asked.
"Oh yeah, I am!" I jog to where she was. Nothing more was said or heard as we continued our journey.
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