'It all began with a massacre...'

THE BLONDE SPLASHED her face with water in the school bathroom, trying to keep herself awake before she didn't hear the end of it from her best friend. It was currently a few minutes past 2 AM and the event would last only a few more hours. The eighteen-year-old, Rina, let out a sigh and looked at herself in the mirror.

She was mostly leaning back against the sink, scrolling through texts with her boyfriend. She let out a soft giggle before replying to him with a"I'd kiss you if you weren't an ass."

Suddenly, her cell phone rang. Rina took it out of her pocket and saw that it was from one of her classmates, Li. Thinking that it was probably him giving her those notes he promised, she answered the phone and put it to her ear.

"Hello?"

There was nothing. No sounds or muffling noises. Just empty silence.

"Hello?" Rina asked again, already annoyed.

"Hello?" 

A monotone voice spoke on the other line. It sounded like a man in his early 20s or late teens but also..attractive.

"Yes?" Rina said through her line as she looked around the restroom, hoping that this wasn't some prank. The voice didn't sound like Li but she decided to not question it until further, thinking that it was probably some stupid joke.

"Who's this?" The voice said on the other line.

"Who are you trying to reach?" Rina taunted softly, letting out a chuckle.

"What number is this?" The voice breathed out as it was filled with a mysterious hint of fear but she couldn't tell why.

"Well, what number are you trying to reach?" As she admired the person on the other line who seemed to be a newbie on the phone so she admired their effort.

"I don't know." the male admitted straight-forward.

"I'm sorry cutie, but I think you have the wrong number."

"Do I?"

"It happens, no biggie," Rina chirped sweetly which immediately was followed by her ending the call and continuing wanting to text with her boyfriend.

After Rina turned on her heel, the phone rang again; Rina was quick to pick it up again.

"Hello?"

"I'm sorry. I guess I dialed the wrong number." The male spoke in an apologetic manner.

"So why'd you dial me again?" Rina chirped back.

"To apologize."

"Well," Rina shrugged, "I guess you can be forgiven. Bye now."

"Wait!" The man stopped her before she hung up. Rina stopped mid-way, obviously, it felt weird but she found his awkwardness strangely sweet.

"I want to talk to you for a second." the caller sounded calm and genuine to Rina, almost like an innocent kid calling through so she decided to humor.

"I'll tell you what. I'm out here board so we can chat for at least a few minutes, then I have to head back before my friends get suspicious. Is that a deal?"

"That works," the caller agreed. "Thanks...to be honest I just clicked randomly."

"You click random numbers?"

"I like to meet new people."

Rina let out a chuckle as she nodded, "That's fair. So, mystery guy, you got a name?"

"You tell me your name, I'll tell you mine." The voice chimed in a seemingly charming matter.

"I don't think so," Rina let out a sly giggle

"Oh really?" Rina smirked, almost seemed like she was teasing the voice. "Going charmly now are we?"

"Yeah? I mean not every day I end up talking to a beautiful voice."

"So I'm beautiful? You don't even know me?"

"I don't have to."

"Why you've seen me around here before?"

"Maybe. I knew you from a friend of yours, Sylvie her name was. She told me you like scary movies. Do you like scary movies?"

Rina chuckled. "You must really like me then if Sylvie's telling you what I like."

"Oh? So you DO like scary movies?" The male on the other line chuckled.

"Uh-huh." Rina insisted.

"What's your favorite then?"

"Uh, I don't know. I'm mostly into elevated horror movies. Like hereditary and The Babadook." Rina babbled on.

"Huh, what about Stab? Have you seen that one?"

"Um. I mean I think I've seen that when I was like twelve, at some sleepover," Grace shrugged, "Though if you ask me that shit's kinda overrated as fuck."

"You're not wrong," the male chuckled lightly. "Movies as such always go into complete shit after the first two installments — if they're lucky the third one is even good."

"I can name a few franchises," Grace chuckled as she turned to lean beside the sink.

"Right, right....maybe you and I could watch a few movies one day."

"Like a date?"

The voice let out a small laugh, a laugh that nearly felt chilling yet almost exciting for the young teenage girl,

"Maybe," The voice said, Rina could tell he was shrugging from the other side, "Unless, you got a boyfriend or something?"

"Mmmm, no," Rina said in a sweet voice.

"You never told me your name,"

"And why do you want to know my name?"

"Because I'm dying to know who I'm looking at...."

"Rina."

Rina's eyes widened as her once soft bubbly expression died down once the stranger said her name.

"What did you say?" Rina croaked out, staring out the window.

"I want to know who I'm talking to." the voice corrected. But Rina heard him quite clearly and this was what jumped her a bit, catching the senior off-guard.

"That's not what you said."

"What do you think I said?"

Rina quickly texted Holly and told her to get the boys out, telling her that she was scared and thought some creep was around the school.

"I... I have to go." Rina hesitated to say as she began to hang up.

"Wait, I thought we were having a moment."

"In your dreams."

"Don't-"

Rina quickly hung up, her heart already pounding in her chest as her mind was filled with a mix of confusion and unease. She rushed back to the classroom, hoping to find her friends and seek solace in their presence, but as she pushed open the door, a chilling realization swept over her—no one was there.

"Guys?"

Panic began to consume her as she frantically scanned the empty room. The laughter and music that had filled the air just moments ago were replaced by an eerie silence.

This started to worry her.

"Guys? Holly? Alex?" Rina's voice trembled as she called out, her words echoing through the empty space. There was no response, only an unsettling stillness.

Her instincts urged her to flee but to where? It felt like she was stuck and her friends were disappearing. Her mind reached the conclusion that this must be a huge prank. Specifically from Holly.

However, before she could make a call and tell Holly to stop, her phone buzzed in her hand. Another incoming call.

Rina's heart skipped a beat as the screen displayed an unknown number. Though perhaps she's using a fake ID. She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the decline button- and decline button she did.

She decided to wait in the classroom, not wanting to go through with this but another phone call rang. With a feeling of frustration, she unanswered it.

Then another phone call rang.

Then another.

Until she eventually gave in, her voice trembling as she held the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?" Rina's voice quivered.

"That was rude." The voice said in a dark tone.

"Listen, asshole," she snapped but the voice caught her up before she even noticed.

"No, you listen to me you little bitch! You hang up on me again and I'll gut you like a fish!"

Rina let out a whimper of fear as she backed up against the wall and slid down it.

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"Perhaps in your mind maybe?"

"Who the hell is this?"

"A friend. Or I once thought I was...."

"I don't know—"

"Now let's begin this.....unless you wanna hear Holly's little screams."

"This isn't funny!" Rina cried out. "Y-you could be in big trouble for this!"

"I'm shaking in my boots...you won't find us anywhere you think you know so don't bother. I am close though."

Rina slowly choked, "H-how close..."

"Close enough to see what your insides look like! I could do that right then and there."

Rina slowly shivered, holding her knees around her arm towards her stomach as the hand holding the phone was shaking rapidly.

"Hey," the voice called out to her warmth. "There's nothing to be afraid of, sssssh, as long as you follow the rules."

"Look, please go away or I'll call the police."

"We both know they'll never make it in time."

But the sobs didn't stop but she could still hear the voice, panicking at this seeming horror scene that had become a reality.

"Now, go to the kitchen and pour yourself a glass of water. I'd rather not we have fun with that nervousness in your voice."

Tears welled up in Rina's eyes as she slowly pushed herself off the ground and made her way to the school kitchen. Her footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, and she looked around nervously as the feeling of being watched at this very moment came close.

As she reached the kitchen, Rina hesitated for a moment, tears welling up to the outside. Her hand pressed against the door, almost scared by what was inside.

"Go on..." the voice pushed further, his voice growing menacingly, "Open it."

Rina sobbed silently before she opened the door, his voice already sounded like he made up his mind but felt something for her could come out of this better than what would be if she angered him even more. Not to mention he had Holly.

But what she saw inside she was not prepared.

As she quickly ran in, grabbing the nearby cup that was lying around, her eyes met with the sight of a familiar guy lying near the cabinet. Blood was soaked everywhere as his stomach was pulled from the outside with one of his guts pulled around from his belly to it being wrapped around his neck. He had stab marks everywhere from blood coming out of his genitals, and stab marks from his arms and neck.

Then she saw another familiar girl whose body was lying faceflat on the flowing water that filled up inside the sink. Rina went up and picked the body up only to find that the face was disfigured in many ways. Her eyes peeled and her face was entirely boiled.

Rina let out a scream as she dropped the body, allowing it to collapse into the ground. The running water was the only thing that remained in this macabre scene.

"Surprised to see your friends, Rina?" it taunted. "Shame they won't be joining our little chat."

Rina's legs felt like jelly, and she stumbled backward, unable to tear her eyes away from the gruesome tableau before her.

"You said you didn't touch anyone yet.." Rina sobbed, trying to process on the sight of their mutilated bodies.

"I said I didn't harm HOLLY! Not my fault they got in the way. But I can arrange that if-"

"NO!" Rina cried, "Don't...don't touch her."

"Then play my games and they'll live simple as that." The girl continued to cry, her legs lowered nearly to the ground - trying to process on what she was going through. The voice continued to speak, hearing her sobs, and shushed her calmly,

"It's all for fun that's all. You're making me look like the bad guy."

As much as Rina tried, she couldn't stop them at all but as the voice continued, she tried her best until all she could do to stop herself from crying was to hold her breath.

"Good, good." He mocked from the darkness. "Can you see me?"

"What do you want?" she sobbed harder.

"I want to play a game."

The words tasted so sweet as the voice could not help but lick the air and the laugh escaped his lips from the phone.

Rina sprinted from the kitchen, and raced down the hall through the counselor's office, locking the front door as her heart pounded with fear and anxiety as she moved.

She turned around and immediately screamed when she saw a body. It was one of the teachers who was chaperoning that night — which explains why it was so quiet.

"Who's there? Who's there? I'm calling the police!" Rina choked.

As if on cue, she was met with a loud blunt bang on the door which immediately made her jump as she screamed in fear. This signaled that this wasn't a prank. Someone was actually here.

"Don't you know not to ask those questions?" He let out another laugh that made the young girl shiver. "I thought you watch scary movies?"

"I do..."

"Then you should know it's a practical It's a death wish."

"Look, you've had your fun now. So, I think you better just leave or else."

"Or else what? Half of your friends are dead, I got Josh and Holly wrapped around my fingers. All you can do is wither and cry out like a bitch."

"What do you want from me?" she whimpered, tears streaming down her face.

"Like I said: I want. To play. A game," it declared, the sadist in his voice made her shiver.

"What kind of game?"

"A simple one, really." The voice chuckled. "You like trivia?"

"N-no...I mean-"

"Too bad, because we're playing Trivia. Simple questions and if you answer right. You're friends live."

Rina closed her eyes breaking down for a moment before muttering over the phone, it seemed like the voice was just savoring it gleefully, "Fine...."

"Question number one. What's the monster in Hereditary?"

Rina's answer was quick and automatic. "Charlie."

The voice chuckled again, "Tricky because well....the mother was the possessed one but I suppose I'll give you that. Pay attention, this one's important."

"What's happened on September 10th?...."

".....Or was it 11?"

Rina's eyes widened in shock. Her hand was shaken, a part of her knew exactly who this might be on the phone as her heart pounded in her chest. Her eyes lowered, no longer fully frightened but...almost a glimmer of guilt was in the panic of her eyes.

"I..." Rina hesitated, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't know....."

The voice on the phone turned cold and threatening. "WRONG answer, Rina."

"No no!" Rina shook her head tearfully, "I have no idea!"

"You should know, Rina."

"I don't fucking know!" Rina shouted on the top of her lungs, sobbing as she thought of Holly and Josh's lives at the moment.

"Then you should know what happened to let's say....Alice Bates?"

Rina's eyes widened as her heart pounded even more, and the voice could hear her pants through the phone,

"I bet you do...."

"What do you want-"

"I WANT AN ANSWER YOU LITTLE SLUT!"

The voice spat through the phone in venom, "Now what happened or I might make you listen to Holly while I play with her insides!"

Tears streamed down Rina's face as her own face broke in shells. With a trembling voice, she whispered the details of what happened, confessing what truly happened.

"What you let them do to me....will be with you forever...."

"Alice? I-is that-"

"Ah ah ah!" the voice lowered his voice threatenly, "No guesses....but I guess that's the beauty of revealing a ghost."

"I'm sorry," Rina shook her head, sobbing, "I'm sorry just don't hurt anybody! Hurt me!"

".....It all depends on our last questions."

"Do you want to live?"

Rina was caught off-guard by the sudden gravity of the question. It wasn't taunting or angry as the previous two but rather blunt and straightforward.

Nevertheless, her voice shook as she answered, "Yes, I want to live."

The voice on the other end fell silent for a moment, and Rina held her breath, awaiting its response. This sick game of silence had her heart racing as thoughts came of how this would end.

Then the voice responded.

"Very well. I think it's time you shall see your beloveds now."

"Uh...o—okay?"

"Though I won't say, only which exit are they at."

"W-wait?"

"There are two exit doors besides the front one. One of them, Holly and Josh are kept tight. Better choose wisely. You got 20 minutes."

The young girl arched a brow as the caller hung up. Rina made no wasted effort to bolt up and take a jolt out of the room and towards the nearby exit.

As soon as she was about to make a corner, she was jumped by a figure that slashed her upperside with a hunting knife in hand. Rina fell down on the floor, immediately turning up to see the mythical serial killer in front of her.

Ghostface.

He wiped away the blood from his knife, possibly due to a previous kill, and started walking toward her. She turned back and made a run until she eventually made it to the gym.

She attempted to open the doors but only to find that it's locked. She pounded the doors, screaming out for help but she was met with a silent cold response — and a pair of running footsteps.

Ghostface closed in on her about to make another strike with his knife but Rina quickly dodged as the killer's hand slammed into the window.

Rina decided to keep running down as the killer forced his own hand out to continue chasing her.

Rina ran into another maze hall until she eventually found herself in a safe area in the hallway. No doubt to her the killer was still going to be out there but she decided to keep her breath — that's when she heard a sound of muffling noise.

The girl slowly followed the voice and made it into the film classroom where she saw two of the friends she was looking for.

Only one was on the ground, blood pouring around her with multiple stab wounds, all that remained was the fear of the girl's face with dried tears present.

The other was a tall male, who looked battered and beaten as his legs, hands, and mouth were all ducted.

Rina's breath caught in her throat as she took in the fact that her best friend was now lifeless on the floor while her boyfriend was bound and gagged, his eyes filled pain, and relief at the sight of Rina.

"Josh," she panted but was met with muffling sounds. "Sarah—she—Alex and Miss Jordan—"

The room seemed to close in on her as the rustling sound of the glass door slowly swung shut, making her jump. The only thing that quickly pushed her back to reality was the muffled screams of her boyfriend, begging her to practically untie him.

In a quick past, Rina rushed to Josh and began to peel away the duct tape that bound his mouth. He winced as it was removed but quickly whispered, "Rina, we need to get out of here. It's still out there."

Rina nodded, her voice shaking as she replied, "I know...just...I need to find something to cut those tapes."

Josh nodded, and then his eyes grew widened, "B-babe-"

"I see you found them," the voice of Ghostface taunted. Rina froze shut as she quickly turned to see Ghostface standing behind the door, knife in hand.

"You're a really fast one, Rina," Ghostface complimented. "Perhaps if you survive. You could be the new Sidney Prescott. Be what Jill Roberts never could."

"Babe, hurry get me out of here!"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ghostface warned, standing right beside the entrance, just staring at the two.

"You really want to trust your lover? Like Prescott and Strode did? Look what happened to them."

"W-wait!" Josh's eyes widened, "What are you talking about?"

"Thanks for the help...partner."

"WHAT!" Josh's eyes widened even further, watching as both were as confused as one another, if not Rina was more confused than he was. "Rina!"

"Come on, Rina. You should know this," Ghostface taunted, "There are always two killers. And one of them is always the love interests; Billy Loomis, Jill Roberts,.....and in this case,"

He pointed the knife directly at Josh.

"Josh Foley."

"This guy is crazy!" Josh pleaded to Rina, whose mind was spinning as she placed into thoughts. It was obvious that the school knew who Billy Loomis and Jill Roberts were. And who the survivors of those murders of 1996 and 2011 were.

If this was anything like that....then the thought of her boyfriend trying to set her up like this was possible.

"Babe, please," Josh begged, his eyes filled with desperation. "You know I would never—"

"You don't have to pretend Josh," Ghostface spoke casually as if he was communicating with him like an actual associate, "We got her. Right where we want her."

Rina's voice was shaky as she interrupted, "I...I don't know, Josh. This is just...too much. I don't know what to believe anymore."

Ghostface grinned beneath the mask, relishing in the confusion he was sowing. "That's right, Rina. You can't be too sure who to trust in a situation like this."

Josh's face contorted with anguish, his voice cracking as he pleaded, "Rina, please, you have to trust me. I love you. I would never—"

BANG!

Rina jumped, immediately screaming in horror as she rushed to Josh, who slumped to the floor with a bullet wound in the head.

"No! No!" Rina's cries filled the room as Ghostface threw the gun away.

"Poor Rina, Rina, Rina..."

Ghostface taunted, his voice oozing with satisfaction. "You really do have trust issues."

He stepped up to Rina. The girl reacted and grabbed things from the nearby desk, throwing them at the killer before running to the other door.

She made it but it was locked. Rina kept trying but it wouldn't budge, leaving her only choice being to try to run out the door she came in.

The blonde wouldn't be able to though, as she felt a hand pulled her over by the throat and a knife was plunged into her chest. She could only let out a fishing gasp as it entered.

He stabbed her again and again before throwing her over the room. Rina profusely bled from her tummy, looking down at her bloody hands from having held it.

Ghostface looked down at the girl, letting out a chuckle as he approached her, "Not so good is it? If it helps, red suits good on you."

She was unresponsive as she held her bleeding wound. Rina kept looking up at the killer and he started to take off his mask. The seventeen-year-old revealed himself and Rina looked at him in shock.

She weakly spoke, which was the name her friend group referred to him by. "Wh—?"

"Surprised, Rina?" She asked with the voice changer at her mouth, then shut it off. "Looks like you've seen a ghost."

Rina still couldn't believe it. She'd seen them around school and even talked to them sometimes. They seemed quiet yet nice. There were some issues..... but to think that they'd do this.....never....

"You know....for a long time, I thought you were better. I thought I was you're a friend. But you betrayed me, you hurt the people I loved - and it was all for some recognition of popularity? Because you're fatty friend didn't like disabled- sorry....'ill' people? Did I get it right?"

Ghostface crouched down at the level with Rina, her eyes gloomed at her as she wanted to make sure she saw very clearly how hurt and angry her eyes were.

"I hope you realize that what I'm doing is justice. For Danny and for the other victims you hurt. I'm just the guy who finally had the courage to act and solve this problem."

Rina finally spoke, albeit weakly. "I'm...I'm sorry."

She simply nodded and stood back up, continuing to look down at her. "It's too late sis....goodbye."

With swiftness, she slashed away at Rina, finally killing her. 

But one stab wasn't enough, the killer stabbed her over and over again until all she saw, was her insides. The teenager let out a breath as she stood in the dark hallway, the bodies of Josh, Holly, and Rina lying close by her. Cleaning the knife, she bent down and took out a cell phone, dialing 911 as she held it up to her ear.

"911, what's your emergency?"

The young teen inhaled as she leaned her head back against the wall, voice changer in hand.

"Yeah, this is Joshua Brooks. I just killed eight people at a school. Come catch me if you can."