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PAIGE: Now that everyone's here, I think we can begin

...so this is the photo Mr. Lee wants us to write a report on...

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BIANCA: Main street!!!

PAIGE: Yeah...

...since each of our forefathers was a Keene town founder 

...and owned a business on Founder's Row

...I guess he thought it would be cool if we worked together on this report

JACE: Gee...that sounds like reason enough...

ZOE: Ah Jace, even in a group chat your sarcasm comes through loud and clear

BIANCA: Well, I think it's kinda cool! 

...I mean there's my great-great-grandpa's fruit market!

PAIGE: Yeah, and the Nolin shoe shop and the old-timey grocery store...

ZOE: Aaaaand the creepy store on the corner that's been abandoned forever

JACE: My Grandfather told me the place was cursed

...maybe even haunted

TREVOR: I'm pretty sure I've seen a light go on in the back a couple of times

...and my friend Tony swears he's seen someone moving around in there late at night

ZOE: Ugh! That's such an urban legend!

BIANCA: I don't know...

...my sister used to tell me really scary stories about that space, like, every Halloween

...you heard about the kids who broke in there one night and were never heard from again, right?

ZOE: When? When did that happen?

BIANCA: I don't know, like, the 1950's

ZOE: Yeah, I call crap on that one!

PAIGE: Guys! Guys! Scary town legends aside, can we please focus on how we're going to get this project done?

BIANCA: Paige is right. We need to focus

PAIGE: So what time can everyone meet after school?

ZOE: Seriously? Do we have to meet in person?

PAIGE: Uh, yeah, eventually...

JACE: I'm with Zoe. I say we keep the in-person to a minimum. 

...I'm not really what you'd call a...people person

TREVOR: Dudes, I've got Lacrosse practice every day after school so I'm out

BIANCA: And I've got Color Guard...

PAIGE: Okay...this is not looking good

...I'm editor of the school paper and we meet every Tuesday and Thursday and then Student Council is on Wednesdays

ZOE: Yeah and I don't talk to people from school, after school, so there's that...

BIANCA: What???

ZOE: Just a policy

...nothing personal

...I don't like people

JACE: Then you must loooove these group projects, huh?

ZOE: I cry happy tears...every time.

PAIGE: All right then, I guess we can work mostly online while we do the research 

...but we should get together at least once, sooner rather than later, to see what photos we have at home 

...and figure out what we'll need to dig up at the library or the Historical Society

...and let's all give a big thanks to Zoe for setting up this group chat for us!

ZOE: Eh...no prob

PAIGE: So, I say our first step should be to collect whatever photos we have of both Main St. and Founders' Row 

...and maybe meet up tomorrow?

BIANCA: That sounds like a plan!

TREVOR: I'm down with it

JACE: Whatever

ZOE: I'm good

*** The Next Day ***

BIANCA: Hey guys!

...I was wondering

...are we still planning to meet in the library during study hall today?

ZOE: I'm pretty sure that was the plan.

PAIGE: Yep! That was the plan

...and don't forget to bring whatever photos you found of Main Street

TREVOR: Uh, guys. I found something really strange...

ZOE: Strange how?

TREVOR: Well my grandpa has the same photo Paige showed us earlier

...it was buried in a chest in the back of his closet

...but in it, there's a sixth store on Founders' Row

PAIGE: A sixth store??

TREVOR: Yeah

...there's a store in that spot that's always been vacant

BIANCA: The haunted one???  ಠ_ಠ

TREVOR: Yeah. But it looks like a legit store.

JACE: Can you send us the pic?

TREVOR: Sure, hold on.

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ZOE: Whoa!

BIANCA: That's so weird!!

JACE: I've never seen a picture of that store before

TREVOR: That's because there's never BEEN a store there before

PAIGE: Okay, clearly, we're looking at Main Street, right?

...I mean it all looks the same

...and the flagpole is right there in the center

ZOE: Paige, is there a date on the back of the original photo you uploaded?

PAIGE: Wait a sec...

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PAIGE: It says September, 1936

ZOE: Trevor, does yours have a date on the back?

TREVOR: August, 1936

ZOE: So it was there in August, but gone by September?

BIANCA: Strange...

PAIGE: Trevor, can you zoom in and send us a clearer picture of the store? 

...I can't tell what it says on the awning

TREVOR: Yeah, gimme a sec

...you guys entertain yourselves

...I'll be back

BIANCA: Alrighty then! (• ◡•)  While Trevor's working on getting us a close up

...this might be a good time to get to know each other a little better

...I think this is the first time I've ever interacted with some of you

...I'd love to learn more about you guys!  ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

PAIGE: Well, Bianca, you and I know each other from AP classes

BIANCA: Yeah, but I don't really know Jace or Zoe 

...do you guys want to tell us a bit about yourselves?

JACE: Not really... 

BIANCA: Oh...um, okay...

JACE: Look, I'm just here 'cause I can't afford to fail another class if I want to graduate 

...I don't do chit chats and I don't do meet and greets

...all you need to know about me is

...I'm not a serial killer

...I'm not a douchebag

...and I plan to pull my weight on this project

ZOE: Yep, Jace. You and I are gonna get along juuuust fine!

TREVOR: Okay, I'm back!

...here you go

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BIANCA: What does it say?

PAIGE: It looks like Arnold's Cut Rate Perfumer

ZOE: Jesus! Someone needs a lesson in branding

BIANCA: So, there was a perfume shop there back in the 30's?

TREVOR: I guess so...

BIANCA: And there was a sixth town founder with the last name of Arnold??

PAIGE: Wait, why haven't we heard anything about a sixth town founder before?

ZOE: Well, we don't know that this Arnold person, whoever they were, was a founder, right?

...I mean the store could have been rented out at the time

PAIGE: Maybe...

...it's just, the stores on that block have always only been occupied by the town founders and their families

...I don't see why NO ONE has ever talked about a sixth store before, like, ever

...at least everything I'd heard said that the storefront had ALWAYS been empty

JACE: Yeah. Me too

TREVOR: Yeah, that's what I'd heard too

...like, from time immemorial

...heh, I've always wanted to use that phrase, "time immemorial"

ZOE: Oooh, I see someone's been studying for his SAT's!

TREVOR: Well, yes, Zoe

...in fact I am

...no need to be obsequious about it

ZOE: Dude, I don't think obsequious  means what you think it means

TREVOR: Oh...

PAIGE: Okay! Back to the project, please!

...I guess this means we need to dig into this a little further

...and make sure we include this new information in our report

ZOE: I'm good with computers

...I'll do some research

...see what I can find

PAIGE: Okay, great, I think we should put off getting together until we see what Zoe digs up

...let's plan on meeting during study hall tomorrow instead?

BIANCA: Sounds good!

ZOE: Yup

JACE: Sure

TREVOR: I can make that happen. PEACE OUT!