Where details are exaggerated for whatever purpose it serves the subject.

31 October 2015

Saturday

8:39 p.m 

"I for one, still cannot get over the fact that Marigold has glimmery gold hair", Clarence expressed and Astrid rolled her eyes. "Sis, I think El meant golden. Not my fault you lack common sense". 

Clarence clicked her tongue chucking a spider-shaped cookie at her which Elowen had so graciously blessed them with. Her secret stash of acne-attracting Halloween cookies. "Stop it!" Elowen commanded, flawlessly catching the cookie. "This shit is expensive and rare!"

Clarence and Astrid held their hands up in defense. "Sorry", they began but Rosé cut them off. 

"Leave it you guys, El's just PMSing", she chimed and Elowen rolled her eyes. "Can it! Harlow", she drawled back, and then they broke into fits of laughter. The rest just stared back in confusion. Yeah, this is what happens when your BFFAE's have too many inside jokes that don't include you. 

"Stupid inside jokes", Emilia angrily crammed cookies into her mouth. But her anger didn't last long as the gooey, sugary cookies broke down each of her walls. Scientists weren't lying when they said that sweets release endorphins in your brains that make you happy. But they did lie when they said sunscreen had the ability to protect you from the sun. Emilia believed that: the entire sunblock industry is a money-making fraud. 

The reasoning behind her latter belief has been deemed invalid and stupid by her friends. The reason being she had only lathered a small amount of sunscreen on her (extremely frugal self) when she went to the beach last summer. Ever since then, she had realized 2 things; 1) her above reasonings and 2) to live to the fullest and never worry about inconsequential things like money (frugal people are the worst, yuckk!). 

"Thinking about the sunblock incident again?" Rosé inquired with a mischievous twinkle in her blue eyes. Rosé was one of those people, rare and gorgeous. Red roses for hair and oceans for eyes. She was the epitome of uniqueness. Only 0.17 percent of people in the entire world have natural red hair and blue eyes and for Rosé to be one of them was luck at it's finest. 

"Stop showing off your rarity", Emilia playfully snorted at her best friend. Rosé stuck her tongue out at her. "Yes, Miss I-dyed-my-brown-hair-blond-to-irritate-the-living-daylights-out-of-Elowen", she chortles. 

"STOP!" She commands. "El, your story", she beckoned her to continue and Rosé threw Emilia a forlorn stare. Horror stories aren't as valuable as friends. Right? 

"NOOO!!! I can't do this", Rosé shrieked as if somebody asked her to murder an adorable puppy in cold blood. "Did you forget to take your chill pills today?" Emilia teased and Rosé flushed. "We aren't asking you to perform a Sánce."

"Did you forget to take you I-will-always-take-Rosé's-side-pills-this-morning?" She countered giggling and that was all it took for the two of them to double over in laughter and roll around the grass like five-year-olds -much to Elowen's disappointment their shenanigans continued for another twenty minutes before Clarence got them settled down.  

"Okay, I'm continuing whether you guys stop or not", she berated harshly and the two froze. Hell broke loose when Elowen was mad and they all had learned their lessons in the harshest manner possible. Elowen might be their friend but she's more dangerous than a feral beast when she's angry. "Yes, mam", they chanted, their signature teasing edge absent. 

"Marigold jumped neatly landed on the tiled floor on the other side. She sparingly glanced behind at the biology room her mind conflicted between alerting the others or brushing it off as if it was nothing. 

But it wasn't 'nothing'. 

It was something. 

Something was there, it had been watching them, stalking them, monitoring them. 

And it was...dangerous. 

'You alright?' Noah inquired, soothingly rubbing her back till her sporadic breathing calmed down. She didn't even know she had been hyperventilating. She nodded with a faint yes and then proceeded to lead the way to the bathroom. 

The last and final part required one person to lock themselves into the last stall in the girl's bathroom for one minute alone. Keyword; alone. If the school was indeed haunted, a rope would come down and fasten itself around the person's neck, choking them to death. 

'I'll go', Marigold volunteered taking in a deep breath and Noah nervously gulped for he knew that this part could cost somebody's life. Somebody could die. 

Marigold Gustova could die. 

Their Marigold would be murdered. 

His Marigold would be dead- he'd never see her again. 

Noah grabbed her forearm. 'You sure?'  Noah silently pleaded with his eyes, begging her to change her mind. What if she died? What if she got hurt? 

'Are you being a scaredy-cat?' She taunted but she couldn't hide her fear even by swallowing it. Her body was trembling and her skin was pale for she knew she had seen someone in the room, someone was here and no one would believe it. They'd say she was hallucinating- sleep deprived. She didn't want that. 

'Just . . . please be careful, he pleaded, intertwining their fingers and took a glance at her wristwatch. 

2:39 a.m. 

'Five minutes,' he said. 'Only five minutes. You in there any longer and I will break every door down.'

She giggled, pecking him on the cheek. 'I'll only need a few seconds,' she muttered. 

'Mari', Zelda called out. 'Anything weird happens in there and you bolt out.'

The blond simply nodded and faced the wooden door, the sign prominent. It was almost glowing, like the faucet. Beckoning her to venture inside and stay. 

She vigorously shook her head, ridding her mind of such atrocious thoughts. She took a deep breath and threw the door open and disappeared inside the dimly lit room. 

'So now?'  Evan inquired, his voice cracking towards the end. Even if he pulled on a stoic face, he couldn't conceal the fact that he was frightened - bothered - uneasy - concerned- ... disconcerted. 

Zelda shrugged. 'I'm holding back by a thread right now, there's nothing more I want to do than to barge in and drag her out.'

Noah raised a brow at her statement. 'Drag...' he stretches the word, each syllable falling out clearly. 

'...okay, that sounded harsher than I intended it to.' 

Noah checked the time on his watch again, watching it tick away. Five seconds became ten, ten became twenty, twenty became sixty and sixty seconds became three excruciating minutes. There wasn't a sound, it was eerie quiet. 

Utter Silence.

And then Marigold threw the door open once again, emerging unharmed. Like a knight returning home victorious. 'Done 'n dusted', she exclaimed, rubbing her palms together. Let's go!'

She threw her arms around Noah's neck and pecked him on the cheek. 'I miss my bed', Zelda yawned. 'It's my home.'

The crew walked back to their dorms with lighter chests and broad smiles. They were happy for Marigold was alive, they were fine, the perfect crew once more. The kind that'd go to college together, make friends, get married and have their kids grow up together. 

But...

It's not wise to count your chickens before they hatch. 

And Marigold walking out of the bathroom alive is just the calm...

Before The Storm.