Behind the mask

Chapter 1

After showing her round the classrooms she finally stopped in front of a door. "This is our classroom"Amber said as she  opened the door and they walked in. The class was neatly arranged like the other classes were. "That is your table, my table right next to it and Georgia's seat is by the other side of your table and that's the head boy's  seat and that's the assistant head boy's seat." Amber said pointing to them one after the other. "I guess you"ll know the rest of the class and their seats later, let's go to the library."

Amber led Emily to the library. When they got to the library, the door was opened and they could see all the students there reading silently. 'Wow' Emily thought. The school had a library big enough to contain the whole school and there was another wing in the library filled with book shelves. Then the bell rang again to signal the end of the period. The students began to rise and return the books to their shelves in the other wing, some went to the librarian and some just walked out almost immediately. Amber and Emily stepped aside so they wouldn't get in their way.  The students started walking out in groups chatting, some were alone, some acknowledged them by greeting.

Then a boy stepped out of the library. He was tall and blonde just like Amber but taller. "Mark" Amber called. He turned to looked at them. He was handsome and had brown eyes. 

"Hey" he said as walked up to them. 

"This is Emily, the new girl. Emily this is Mark, the head boy." Emily eyes went straight to the "HEAD BOY" badge on his blazer. Of course. 

"Hi. Welcome to our school." He said with a bright smile on his face.

"Thank you." She replied. 

"Got somewhere to be. I'll catch up with you guys later. Bye."

"Bye" they chorused and he left. 

"Georgia." Amber called as a girl walked out of library. She turned to them. She was about Emily's height with long black hair with brown eyes. 

"Hi Amber" she said.

"Hey. This is the new girl."

"Hi" Emily said.

"Hi. I'm Georgia. I'm sorry I wasn't around to show you around with Amber but don't worry, I'm here now. " Georgia said with a big smile.

"It's fine. Thanks." Emily replied. 

"Hi girls." Someone greeted them. They turned to see a tall dark skinned guy on a low haircut  with brown eyes and nice pink.

"Hey John." Amber and Georgia chorused. 

"This is Emily, the new girl." Amber said.

"Oh hi Emily. It's so nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you." He teased. 

"What?" She exclaimed and they all laughed. 

"Just kidding. Nice to meet you. I'm the assistant head boy." He said as he stretched out his hand for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you too." She said as she she stretched out her hand and they shook. She seemed to like him. He was good-looking and funny. Pass. Baby girl was getting herself a crush.

Later, they went for lunch and after lunch they went to their hostel. Emily sure liked her new school. Amber told Emily that in their school there was a session called night class where all the students will go to the class area to read at night for an hour. You can either choose to go to the library to read or your classroom. Emily chose to read in the library that night. 

In their room after night class Emily was looking at herself in the full length mirror that was in the left corner of the room. She was wearing a pink night gown, looking at her brunette hair, brown eyes, small nose and cherry red lips.

The bathroom door opened and Amber stepped out with a towel wrapped around her chest and another on her head like a turban and Georgia was on her bed reading a book wearing only a bum short and the rest of her body were exposed. 

                                                                  ~

In the boys hostel, in a particular room, some boys about 6 of them were all gathered in a circle. Then a boy who had been running on the corridor barged into the room with something in his hand covered with a white towel. 

"I've got it" he said as walked in. He walked into their midst and removed the towel. It was a flat yellow board with a red arrow on it. He dropped it in the middle and joined the gathering.

"So" he said rubbing his palms together "this is the moment we've all been waiting for. Shall we  begin?"

"Yeah" they chorused. 

"So the person who gets hit by the arrow is the one to take the task. Agreed?" He said again. 

"Agreed." They all said. They were nervous. Some were rubbing their palms together. 

"Then let's begin." the leader said.

Someone lit a candle and went to turn off the light before joining the circle again. 

"Greg" the leader called. 

"Yeah" he replied. 

"Spin this baby."

Greg stretched forth his hand and spun the arrow. It spun and spun and spun and spun and spun and spun and spun and spun and spun and spun and spun and stopped. Everyone looked at the person the arrow hit. 

"Jack" they chorused. 

Jack was a very handsome guy. Tall,blonde with blue eyes. He was very famous for his good looks. Ladies choice, school crush, name it. Even junior girls tripped on him. He was respected even by the boys.

Immediately, a ladder was placed on the fence that reached the top.

"You can do it man." Everyone cheered one after the other. 

Jack took a deep breathe then he started climbing till he reached the top. He removed a hook from his pocket and hooked the top of the fence and threw the rope down the other side of the fence and climbed down. He was wearing all-black. When he got down, he looked at the rooms and realised he didn't know where to go or what to do. 

                                                                                  ~

Emily was on her bed in her dimly lit room telling Amber and Georgia about herself and answering their questions. Amber had loosed the towel on her head and the one around her chest had reached her waist level and she was seating on her bed not minding any other thing than Emily's stories, same as Georgia.

"So why did you resume this late?" Georgia asked.

"We just moved into the area and my parents travel alot. We don't have any family or close relative living around so they had no choice but to bring me here." After a pause she asked "So how many people stay in each room?"

"4" Georgia answered "but cause of our post we share one and cause you are late you have to stay with us"

Amber who just realised where her towel had gotten to, asked "I hope you don't mind seeing us half naked cause we're confident about it. We don't know abou you"

"Of course, I'm confident about it too" Emily said laughing. " I can even take off my night gown now" 

"Okay. Go on" Georgia said.

Then Emily took off her night gown right in front of them although she was shy. She stood there almost naked. She had a 'hello kitty' underpants on. 

"So can you walk to another room like this?" Georgia asked. 

"Yes" Well she wasn't sure but she could. Right?

"Why don't you go say hi to everyone in room 12"

"Okay, no problem." She said and left the room heading for room 12

Amber and Georgia knowing fully well the type of in room 12 were, started giggling. The biggest and proudest, meanest and rude girls of their class. Stephanie, Stella, Gwen and Gabriella. 

They were peeping as Emily was going. She was also looking back and as she got to the door she looked one more time at them and they gave her a thumbs up. Then she knocked on the door and someone yelled almost immediately 

"Who the hell is that?"

Hearing that mean voice, she looked at Amber and Georgia. They also looked frightened and Georgia whispered "Hide. Hide". Immediately she ran into the corridor beside the room leading to the perforated walls.

                                                                                ~

Jack who was walking around wore his mask after hearing that yell and ran towards the perforated walls. Then a girl who was wearing a pink night gown with a shower cap on her hair and facial mask, opened the door and when she saw no one was there she closed it back. Emily let out a sigh of relief with her hand on her pounding chest. She looked towards the perforated walls and saw the figure of a human. She wasn't sure she was seeing correctly. Then she walked towards the wall. She thought she was hallucinating. She stopped in front of the wall looking at the figure. The other side of  wall had no light. So she wasnt sure if was seeing well. She waved. Then a voice was heard from the speakers in the block. "It's bed time. Everyone should be in their respective beds." Immediately, the figure turned back and ran towards the fence held the rope and climbed up the fence and vanished. She watched the whole scene before going back to her room.

"What were you doing back there?" Georgia asked when she got back to the room.

"Nothing"

"Here, take your gown and put it on. You don't want the hostel mistress to see you like this.  She could walk in any minute from now." Amber said handing her gown over to her. She took it from her and wore it.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything but let the mistress leave first. We have to lay on our beds so she wont complain."

A few seconds after they laid on their beds the hostel mistress opened the door and after she checked, she closed the door. Then Emily waited for a while before asking her question.

                                                                            ~

As Jack opened the door of his room all the boys in there(Who actually waited up for him) stood up, hailing and praising him. 

"You're the man."

"Yeah. You're the boss."

"Jack boss."

A boy sat him down and asked "How was it? Did you see anything? Anyone?"

"They were all in their rooms but I saw a girl."

"Who was it?" Someone asked. 

"I don't know. Probably a junior girl."

"Was she naked?"

"No." He lied. 

"Any other thing?"

"Nothing more"

"But all the same, you're the man."

Then the speaker in the block announced "It's bed time. Everyone should be in their respective beds now."

"We'll see you tomorrow guy." They all left not without saying good night.

Jack took off his clothes and laid on his bed staring at nothing.  He was feeling confused. He had not felt that way in a long time. She was so beautiful. Who exactly was she?

                                                                         ~

"Alright Emily, I'm ready for your questions." Amber said looking at Emily. 

"Is there anyone who wears black around?" Emily asked. 

"Black? What do you mean by black?"

"Like? Does anyone wear black clothes with a black mask around. Probably at the back of the rooms?"

"No. Why?"

"Nothing."

"Are you sure?" Georgia asked feeling concerned.

"Yes."

"Did you see anything?" Georgia asked again. 

"Not really. But what building is after the fence?"

"The boys hostel " Georgia answered. 

"But boys dont come in. Right?"

"No. I doubt they could ever think of coming in here. The boundaries are so high." Amber said.

"You should be right. No problem then."

"But did you see anything?" Georgia asked again. 

"I think I was just imagining things. How silly. Never mind guys. Everything is fine." Emily said as she closed her eyes to sleep. 

Georgia and Amber looked at each other suspiciously but they didn't know what to do or say. 

"Good night guys." Emily said

"Good night" They chorused.