CHAPTER ONE
( ! skull mask killer ! )

ANNIE MARKS WAS so fucking glad she had called in sick to work the night before. Of course, she hadn't been sick but, they didn't need know that.

"Shadyside, small-town America. But among locals, a history of horror has earned it another nickname, Killer Capital USA. And last night, tragedy struck again." Annie heard from the news reporter as she shoved an accidentally burnt bagel half into her mouth. She couldn't remake it, needing to save the last of the bagels only eating them one half at a time to save money.

It wasn't like her mom was much help. Annie had to buy just about everything if she didn't want to starve. Even 16 years later, her mother was still grieving the loss of her father. Annie knew her mom wished she would have just gone to camp instead of chickening out, maybe she could have saved the love of her life or maybe she could have died with him.

Annie didn't really care. Either she wouldn't be walking around that day or everything would have been the same, just with a male in the house and an actual mother. She couldn't think of the maybes like her mother tended to do.

"I'm here with Sheriff Nick Goode. Sheriff, what can you tell us?" The TV lady spoke again and Annie felt herself listening closer at the sound of a new voice. "Uh, there were seven victims, uh, ages, uh, 16 to 42. Uh, the perpetrator's also deceased." Annie finished her food and began the search for her falling apart backpack.

She'd been having to sew the straps back on often, but, money was tight and she expected with the murders at the mall she'd be needing a new job soon. "Why couldn't it have happened anywhere else. Of course the fucking place I work gets shut down."

"Shadyside sits just beside Sunnyvale, one of the safest and wealthiest communities in the country... What is it about Shadyside? How do we end this cycle of violence?" After that, Annie turned the TV off. She didn't need to hear them talk about how amazing Sunnyvale was while Shadyside continued to struggle.

Annie found the backpack, a satisfied smile falling on her lips as she threw on a random rock band t-shirt and some ripped black jeans. She grabbed her backpack and smirked when a honk came from outside.

Annie quickly left her house, locking the door behind herself and walking over to the passenger side seat of Kates car. Seeing Simon in said seat, Annie smirked when he rolled the window down. "Hey there, Annie."

Annie gave the boy a sarcastic smirk before ushering for him to move. "Back of the car, Simon." Simon got out quickly, listening to the girl. Before either could get in, he pulled her close and slammed his lips onto hers. Annie smirked in the kiss and felt she could hear Kate rolling her eyes.

"You both can do that at school with the rest of them, we are going to be late." Kate bossed, the couple in front of her pulling apart. "She could have died last night, Kate! Who knows how much longer she can escape her fate." Simon joked, hopping into the back.

Annie scoffed as she took the passenger side seat. "Thank you so much for that Simon, really. Knowing you're waiting for my sudden death is super comforting." All three teens laughed, none of them had ever really taken death seriously as it happened all the time. Someone was always suddenly snapping and murdering someone else.

The three got to school and Simon made it known that they'd see him soon. Annie rolled her eyes, receiving a kiss on the cheek when the boy left and Annie just began walking down the halls with Kate.

Kate chuckled a bit. "I'll still never understand how you ended up with him. I mean, I would have taken you for someone who's into a guy in a band." Annie laughed a bit at that. She didn't really know what she saw in Simon, but whatever it was she liked it.

With a shrug, Annie responded, "honestly not too sure either. I mean we've only been together what? 5 months? I just know from being friends that he's funny and I just like him." Kate nodded, she could understand.

It was an odd pairing, Annie knew it. Simon was known around as the funny weirdo who somehow was able to surround himself with three very different girls. The whole group was actually quite a strange pairing. But then there was Annie, who's parents past seemed to follow her around and tended to scare most people away with just one cold glare.

They didn't make sense, but they worked.

Annie and Kate walked down the hall, Kates cheerleading outfit contradicting much with Annies random band shirt and ripped jeans. Catching Josh's eye, Deenas younger brother, Annie tried to hide her laugh when seeing the boy mumbling to himself, looking nervously at Kate.

Kate didn't show any new emotions as she walked next to Annie, a small side glance at Josh. The two kept walking and Annie bit the inside of her cheek when catching Kates look, telling her not to even start.

The two girls then saw Deena at her locker, smirking to each other before sneaking up. Kate went over Deenas shoulder, looking at the locker memorial now at Heather's, a girl from their school who had died at the mall, locker. Annie hadn't often seen Heather around much, as Heather usually worked days while Annie did nights at two separate stores. But, it was still a bit sad to know that she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

"You see? It's the witch. Sarah Fier's back." Kate smirked, trying to sound ominous. Deena just rolled her eyes. "Oh, Christ. Not you too. Annie?" Annie looked up at Deena and shrugged. "Witch bitch is the least of the problems in this town. She probably was just some random who said the wrong thing to the wrong asshole. Total BS."

Kate rolled her eyes. "We all know what you think about the witch, but, that doesn't stop her from haunting us all. Ooooh." Kate wiggled her fingers at the two with a laugh. She pulled both of her female best friends after her and towards the girls bathroom.

The warning bell rang, but none of them cared. Annie saw the writing on the stalls and felt the urgent need to roll her eyes. "She reaches from beyond the grave to make good men her wicked slaves!" Kate recited, a smile on her face.

"She'll take your blood!" Simon screamed, coming out of one of the stalls. Annie laughed thinking of how long he had been in there waiting. "Simon!" Deena gasped, not expecting him. "She'll take your head. She'll follow you until you're dead!"

"Wow! You guys are dicks." Deena spoke, looking between the two friends. Annie stepped next to Simon, feeling his arm wrap around her shoulders. Kate leaned against the wall. "It's just fun." Deena looked back at her friend. "It's sick."

Annie put her pointer finger and thumb close to each other but didn't touch them. "It's a little funny." Deena rolled her eyes and Simon quickly defended their antics. "What? The dude was wearing a Halloween skull mask! How is that not fun?"

Deena looked right at the boy. "People died. Heather died. The dude was probably just some sad sack who hated his life, just like the rest of us, except he decided, "hey, why don't I get out of here for good?" And, "hey, why don't I take Heather and a couple other mall rats with me?" There's no angry dead witch who made him go postal. The only thing that made him go crazy is this town!"

Annie's eyes widened. "Damn, okay." Deena dropped her stuff on the floor, taking calming breaths. Kate looked at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Deena responded, still heated. Simon smirked from next to Annie. "Seems like... maybe you got a little witch in you."

Annie and Kate both laughed, Deena laughing along with them. "Dude, why are you even in here? This is the girls bathroom."

"That's exactly why he's in here!" Annie joked as Simon stepped on the toilet and grabbed a box from the opened space on the wall. Coming back down, Simon stood right behind Annie, putting his chin on her shoulder. "You wish."

With a roll of her eyes, Annie shoved Simons face off of her shoulder. He walked forwards and Annie went over to Kate. "Candy store." Simon smiled.

Kate, now checking her ponytail in the mirror, spoke. "You know we don't believe this witch shit, right? It's just, like, fucked-up Santa Claus or something."

"Ho, ho, ho!" Simon joked from the stall he still stayed near. Annie watched as Deena showed Kate a box and walked back over to Simon, bored.

"What's this?" Kate wondered, looking at said box. "I need you to give this to Sam tonight." Deena responded and got an immediate no. "Yeah, uh-uh. No way."

"Come on, Kate!"

"No way, Deena. I am not getting mixed up in your ex drama. Do it yourself." Kate responded and Annie found that to be very smart. It was never a good idea to put yourself in the middle of other peoples crap, it always backfired. It was best to look out for number one and stay out of it, that was her thought process.

Especially when it came to Deena and Sam. Deena may have been the one to break up with Sam, but it only happened after Sam pulled away once she moved to Sunnyvale. Her parents had divorced and she left with her mom. Even if only 30 minutes away, the distance between Sunnyvale and Shadyside often felt miles.

"I'm not going to the game. I quit band." Deena replied, giving her reason she can't give Sam the stuff. "Since when?" Kate questioned. "Since who gives a shit!" Deena responded.

"Was band the only extracurricular you had left?" Kate wondered and got her answer when Deena didn't respond. "Well, you still have your band uniform, right? You just wear that shit one last time." Kate took the box from Simon, a smile on her face. "I've got something that'll give you the balls to face Sam."

Opening the box, it was now exposed that inside were drugs. Annie looked in, a bit intrigued but had to stop herself. She remembered Simons brother almost dying and did not want to go out the same way he almost did.

"What? You're dealing again? I thought you stopped after this dingus's brother OD'd." Deena questioned, a bit shocked. Simon looked at Deena confused. "Timothy?"

Kate quickly tried to defend herself. "Wh... Uh... Timmy wasn't a real OD. He didn't actually die. They brought him back."

Simon put his hands forwards and pretended to shock the air. "Ja-jing!" Annie smiled softly at the strange boy and Deena shook her head. "You're both morons."

"I guess that makes me the smartest in the group now. Thank you very much I take this title with honor." Annie joked, finding herself under Simons arm walking towards the door. "Excuse me? Which one of us is valedictorian, again? You know, president of every club this shithole has to offer." Simon opened the door and Kate continued. "I'm getting out of here. Off to claim my place among the stars, bitch."

Annie smirked, looking to her side at Kate. "And I'll be right behind you, becoming your personal assistant and getting out of here off your success." The two girls high-fived as this had been their plan for years now.

"Woo! The witch lives! Long live Sarah Fier! Woo!" A random boy Annie didn't know yelled, running through the halls dragging behind him a dummy with rope around its neck. Simon cheered back as many other students did, Kate and Annie both laughing.

She may have thought the idea of an evil witch turning people into her minions was stupid, but the idea sure was entertaining.

AUTHORS NOTE!
hello! hope you enjoyed chapter one and are excited for the rest of the story like i am!

comment and vote if you wanna and next chapter will be out soon!