The school was steeped in sorrow, the loss of a student found within all fragments of the community. Deep misery embedded on all students faces, a whole environment in mourning. As if to coincide with the melancholy atmosphere, the weather took a cool change, students walking under an overcast sky, mere days ago filled with intense sunshine. Classes had resumed the day after Mr. Raz's speech in the auditorium. They weren't like before.

I wasn't sure anything could be.

"What I don't understand," Collin started, mouthful of chips we'd found after sneaking out to see him the night after Sophie's death. "Is how nobody has connected these murders yet. Like, think about it. There's a killer on the loose, and nobody knows about it."

"Except us." I responded, exhaustion encasing my words.

"Right, but why does everyone remember Sophie's death, why not the others?"

It was a question I pondered regularly. What was different about Sophie's death? Why was she the person that everyone remembered? Why not Markus? He had an influence way beyond that of Sophie's. Why wasn't he remembered like she was?

𓆙

The library was cold as I sat down, literature work before me, attempting to decipher the prose of renowned poets of the twentieth century.

I was alone, my oversized blazer enclosing my body, as I tried to conceal heat, the lack of warmth the school uniforms provided no help whatsoever.

I worked in silence for a few minutes, before the quaintness of the library was interrupted by a random student.

"Guys!" The student shouted, voice projected loud enough, I swore it could have burst my eardrums had I been close enough. "The news is here! I think we're gonna be on TV!"

Within seconds almost every person in the library stood up, and made their way to the windows. Despite the crowd of students, the window was large enough, so I was able to view the commotion from inside my seat.

Sure enough, just as the student had exclaimed, a news van was circling the perimeter of our school, camera crew setting up outside the gates. A class walked by the fence, and I swear I saw the teacher do a double take before ushering the students back the way they came.

"This is so cool!" I overheard someone exclaim, voice punctuating the air as they spoke with their friend. "I can't believe that our scho-"

Their words died in their throat as they got interrupted.

"You can't believe our school is on the news because a student died?" Amaia interrupted the kid. "Let's not forget the circumstances here, quit thinking this is fun. This is someone's life you're talking about." She huffed, and turned around, exiting the library as quietly as she came.

I ran after her.

"Aims, you okay?"

She turned sharply, glaring. Her face softened when she realised it was only me. "Fine."

"You sure?" I pushed, trying to get something out of her- anything that would give me even a hint of what caused her to lash out- act so differently.

"Yeah." She sighed. "I'm fine."

I wasn't sure if she was talking to me or reassuring herself.

𓆙

"Ugh." Faye groaned as she slumped into the seat beside me in our History class, the sounds of her textbook hitting the table reverberating around the classroom. "This school sucks."

"Tell me about it." I responded, glancing up from my paper to get a better look at Faye as she spoke. "What's happened now?"

She took a deep breath before turning in her seat to face me. "There is nothing about snakes. Anywhere."

"Surely they have something, maybe an article somewhere or something?"

"Yeah, about the actual animals." She rolled her eyes. "But that's not what I want."

"Well what do you want?" I asked, bemused.

"Answers." She turned back to the front of the classroom, nodding attentively at the teacher as she gathered her red hair into a long ponytail. I watched as she jotted notes down into her book, parting from her work every few seconds to give me a small smile.

I turned my head, facing the windows that overlooked the green oasis that was the garden of Woodbridge Academy. Pristine grass lined the perimeter of the school, the lake stood shimmering in the daylight off to the left of the main building. In the middle of the grand driveway up to the school, a statue stood, a woman made of marble, cradling a child made of serpentine in her hands. Supposedly, it was of some great significance, an ode to the significance of perseverance. Or whatever the fuck that means.

My train of thought was interrupted by a sudden announcement on the classroom speaker.

"Could all students and faculty members please make their way to the auditorium. Immediately."

Faye looks up at me, an unimpressed albeit amused expression on her face. "Looks like Mr. Raz found out about the whole news fiasco."

I grinned in return. "Who's he going to blame this time?"

𓆙

An unwavering sense of deja vu followed me as I trailed behind Faye, making our way to seats in the auditorium. Amaia and Khoi sat down shortly after us, bickering about something or other. I took the opportunity to look around the vast expanse of a room, eyeing all that sat around me. A few hushed whispers broke out at this, random groups of people looking away abruptly as I glanced their way.

Strange.

"Hello all, and sorry for this impromptu meeting." Mr Raz's voice ricocheted off the stage floor, booming throughout the room. "Now, as you all may have seen, news crews have started to accumulate around the school. I'm not sure who is responsible for this, but let it be known, this will not go unpunished."

He paced around the stage, face calm and collected, body tensed, arms crossed. "Because of this situation, all electronic devices must be forfeited and given to the head office."

At this, all the students let out a collective groan. Faye grumbled from beside me. "There goes our investigation efforts."

"Take this as a reminder that your actions have consequences. If no devices are handed in, a campus wide search will occur."

"I am done with this school." Faye exclaimed, leaning onto my shoulder. "Kill me now."

"You are all dismissed." Mr Raz concluded, exiting the stage.

As if a switch was flipped, the whole auditorium burst into conversation, the volume going from deathly silent, to deafening in just a few seconds. Unlike the other assembly however, my group was keen to exit.

"Why is he so pressed about not letting anyone know about Sophie's death?" Khoi asked as we moved slowly down the row of seats towards the exit. "I just don't get it."

"Maybe he killed her." Amaia responded.

"Maybe he doesn't want the school to get a bad reputation." I countered.

"Maybe I would like to speak to you four." A voice behind us boomed, and it killed me to glance at who it was. Mr. Raz. "Follow me."

𓆙

He led us out of the auditorium and through the school yards, settling on an empty classroom just outside the lake.

He settled down on the teachers desk, and clasped his hands together, glaring at the four of us with unwavering discontent. "Sophie Harrison committed suicide." His voice was grave, like it cost him a lot to say those words.

"Oh." I responded, unsure of how to act. "That's horrible."

He just nodded in reply. "Horrible indeed." Peering at us through the lens of his glasses he continued. "But what makes this situation even more horrible, is the fact that you four are spreading rumours surrounding Miss Harrison's death."

"Isn't all talk of Sophie's death rumours if you don't notify everyone about the circumstances of her death?" Khoi questioned, his attempt to turn this interrogation on it's head.

Disregarding Khoi completely, Mr Raz continued. "I've had multiple students claim that Sophie was murdered, all citing one of you as the instigators for this thought pattern."

I opened my mouth, planning to snap back, claim that this was just another one of their tactics, when the door fell onto the floor, and a figure rushed through, racing to Mr. Raz's side. Their face was covered in some sort of mask, and they were decked out in loose fitting clothing.

"They're here." The figure whisper-shouted. "They know." Before running out the door, a fragment of blonde hair trailing out from behind them. Mr Raz promptly collapsed.

𓆙

"What?" Collin questioned after we'd informed him of the events of the day. Mouth hanging open in shock. "What the fuck."

"What the fuck indeed." Amaia responded from the floor, a pile of pasta in front of her. "Also, why do I have to do your job for you? Why can't we meet up at this 'relatives' house you're staying at anyway?"

"He doesn't like visitors."

"Bullshit."

Khoi interrupted their conversation by beckoning us all to where he and Faye were seated, scouring through the school's security footage Collin had managed to pull up. "We found something."

Hitting a button on the keyboard of the laptop, a video started to play. The recording of the lake, the day of Sophie's death. Sophie was wandering around the edge of the lake, glancing into the shallows just as I had witnessed. Then, only for a second, the camera glitched out. When the footage resumed, Sophie was nowhere to be seen.

"It's the same thing that happened with Markus." Khoi explained, glancing amongst our concerned faces.

"It's crazy." Faye said, enthralled by the contents on the screen. "Hazel, do you have my notebook in your bag? I gave it to you after history."

I nodded, and reached in my bag to retrieve Faye's notebook. But when I glanced, something else caught my eye.

"Everything okay?" She asked me, concerned.

"Just fine." I responded, smiling as I gave her her notebook. "Here."

I glanced down into my bag once more, just as if I'd only imagined something else there. But sure enough, nestled within the canvas fabric was a small business card. Engraved on it, a snake. A message imprinted on the other side.

"Tomorrow. Three AM."

𓆙

authors note

strap in. it gets unhinged from here.