Chapter 9: Don't come alone
1168 Words
Daniela stared at the message until the screen went dark.
This time, don't come alone.
Amara was still staring at the purple writing on the wall.
“Tell me we're not actually coming here tomorrow.”
Daniela looked at her.
“We are.”
“Daniela!”
“What?”
“You didn't hear the ‘don't come alone’ part?”
“I heard it.”
“And you're still planning to come?”
“Yes.”
Amara sighed.
“Of course you are.”
Daniela picked up the purple marker and the little silver crown sticker.
“We need answers.”
“We also need to stay alive.”
Daniela looked at her.
“It's school, Amara. Not a horror movie.”
Amara pointed at the wall.
“Someone is literally writing mysterious things on walls!”
“Fair point.”
They both went quiet.
Then footsteps approached from the corridor.
They quickly turned.
Daniel stood there.
He looked from them to the wall.
“What are you doing here?”
Neither girl answered.
Daniel stepped closer.
“What happened?”
Daniela held up the purple marker.
“Where did this come from?”
Daniel's face changed.
“I don't know.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Because your name keeps coming up.”
Daniel looked at her.
“My name?”
“The messages. The photograph. The person with the D badge.”
Daniel's expression became serious.
“You need to stop investigating this.”
Daniela folded her arms.
“Everybody keeps telling me to stop. Nobody is telling me why.”
Daniel looked around.
“Because it's dangerous.”
Amara frowned.
“Dangerous how?”
Daniel didn't answer.
“Daniel,” Daniela said, “what happened at 7:42?”
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he said quietly,
“I wasn't alone.”
Daniela's heart skipped.
“With who?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because if I tell you, you'll get involved.”
She stared at him.
“I'm already involved.”
Before Daniel could reply, a teacher's voice came from the other side of the corridor.
“Who is there?”
Daniel quickly stepped back.
“Go.”
“Daniel—”
“Just go!”
The three of them hurried away.
---
That evening, Daniela sat at her desk with her notebook open.
She had written everything down.
7:42.
Purple marker.
Silver crown.
D badge.
Unknown person filming.
Daniel saw someone.
Amara saw a boy.
She stared at the page.
There had to be a connection.
She picked up her phone and opened the photograph again.
This time, she zoomed in on the reflection.
The girl.
Long hair.
School uniform.
She couldn't see the face.
Daniela took a screenshot and sent it to Amara.
Daniela: Do you recognise her?
A minute later:
Amara: No.
Then another message.
Amara: Wait.
Daniela sat up.
Daniela: What?
The typing bubble appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Finally:
Amara: I think I've seen that hairstyle before.
Daniela's heart started beating faster.
Daniela: Who?
No reply.
Daniela called her.
Amara answered after several rings.
“Hello?”
“Who is it?”
“I don't know yet.”
“Amara!”
“I said I don't know!”
“Then why did you say you've seen her?”
“I've seen someone with the same hairstyle.”
“Where?”
“At school.”
“When?”
Amara hesitated.
“Yesterday.”
Daniela sat up straight.
“7:42?”
Silence.
“Amara?”
“Yes.”
Daniela's stomach dropped.
“What were you doing at 7:42?”
“I told you already.”
“No. You told me you were looking for me.”
“I was.”
“Then who did you see?”
Amara lowered her voice.
“I saw someone come out of your classroom.”
Daniela froze.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Boy or girl?”
“A girl.”
Daniela's eyes widened.
“You never told me that.”
“I was scared.”
“What did she look like?”
“Long hair. Tall. She was carrying a black bag.”
Daniela looked back at the photograph.
The reflection.
Long hair.
School uniform.
Black bag.
“Amara…”
“What?”
“I think we found her.”
---
The next morning, Daniela arrived at school earlier than usual.
6:58.
The compound was almost empty.
She stood near the classroom block, watching the corridor.
She didn't tell Amara she was coming early.
She didn't tell Daniel either.
For once, she wanted to investigate alone.
A few minutes later, she heard footsteps.
Daniela quickly hid behind a pillar.
Someone walked into the corridor.
A girl.
Long hair.
Black bag.
Daniela's heart jumped.
She followed quietly.
The girl stopped outside Daniela's classroom.
She looked around.
Then reached into her bag.
Daniela stepped out.
“Who are you?”
The girl froze.
Slowly, she turned.
Daniela recognised her.
She had seen her around school before.
But she didn't know her name.
“What are you doing here?” Daniela asked.
The girl stared at her.
Then whispered,
“You shouldn't have come.”
Daniela's heart pounded.
“Why?”
The girl looked toward the staircase.
“Because they know you're here.”
“Who?”
The girl took a step closer.
“Daniel.”
Daniela froze.
“Daniel?”
The girl nodded.
“He knows everything.”
Before Daniela could ask another question, footsteps echoed from the corridor.
The girl suddenly pushed a small folded paper into Daniela's hand.
“Don't open it here.”
Then she ran.
“Wait!”
Daniela chased after her.
But when she reached the staircase, the girl had disappeared.
Daniela looked down at the paper in her hand.
A silver crown was drawn on the front.
She slowly unfolded it.
Inside were only two lines:
HE DIDN'T START IT.
BUT HE KNOWS HOW IT ENDS.
Daniela's blood ran cold.
Then she heard a voice behind her.
“Daniela?”
She turned.
Daniel was standing at the top of the stairs.
Looking directly at the note in her hand.
His face went completely pale.
“Where did you get that?”
Daniela didn't answer.
Daniel took one step toward her.
“Who gave you that?”
Still nothing.
Then Daniel whispered,
“You need to give it to me.”
Daniela tightened her grip around the paper.
“Why?”
Daniel looked around nervously.
“Because if you keep it…”
He stopped.
“Because what?”
Daniel stared at her.
Then he said the words that made Daniela's stomach twist.
“Because that's the symbol they used before everything started.”
Daniela swallowed.
“What started?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at the clock above the corridor.
7:41.
His face changed.
“Daniela…”
“What?”
“Run.”
The clock changed.
7:42.
And somewhere inside the school, a phone began ringing.
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