CHAPTER 12:HIDDEN RECORDS⏺
612 Words
The words on the note refused to leave their minds.
“What do you think it means?” Jemimah asked as the three friends walked across the school courtyard the following morning.
Sophie adjusted the strap of her school bag.
“It has to be connected to the old newspaper and the photograph we found in Locker 27.”
Ethan nodded.
“If someone wanted us to stop searching, they wouldn't keep leaving clues. They're leading us somewhere.”
“Or leading us into another trap,” Jemimah replied.
The first two lessons passed slowly. None of them could concentrate.
As the lunch bell rang, the school became lively again. Students filled the walkways, laughing and gossiping.
Just then, the school librarian approached their table.
“Ethan Johnson.”
“Yes, ma.”
“I found something while arranging the archive room this morning.”
She handed him an old brown file.
“It has your school's name written all over it. I thought your group might find it useful for your history assignment.”
Ethan thanked her politely.
The librarian quickly walked away before they could ask any questions.
Jemimah stared at the file.
“That's strange.”
Sophie carefully opened it.
Inside were newspaper cuttings, faded photographs, and handwritten reports about Evercrest Academy from several years ago.
One article caught Ethan's attention.
TOP STUDENT SUSPENDED AFTER FALSE RUMOURS SHOCK SCHOOL
“This is the same headline from the torn newspaper!” Sophie whispered.
But this time, the article was complete.
It told the story of a brilliant student who had been accused of cheating after anonymous letters spread around the school. Although no evidence was ever found, the accusations destroyed the student's reputation and forced a transfer before the investigation was completed.
“The rumours ruined that student's life,” Jemimah said quietly.
“And no one ever found the person responsible,” Ethan added.
At the bottom of the article was a faded photograph of the student receiving an academic award.
Someone had drawn a thick black line across the student's face with a marker.
“Why would anyone do that?” Sophie asked.
Before anyone could answer, another folded paper slipped from the file.
It wasn't part of the newspaper.
It looked newer.
Ethan unfolded it carefully.
There were only two sentences.
History is repeating itself.
Don't let it happen again.
The three friends looked at one another.
“This wasn't written years ago,” Jemimah said. “The ink is still fresh.”
“So someone added it to the file recently,” Ethan replied.
Their conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the afternoon bell.
As they stood to leave, the librarian hurried back towards them.
“I'm sorry,” she said, looking worried. “Where's the brown file?”
Ethan held it up.
“Right here.”
The librarian frowned.
“That's impossible.”
“What do you mean?” Sophie asked.
“I locked that file in the archive cabinet this morning.”
Silence.
“Then how did you give it to us?” Jemimah asked.
The librarian looked confused.
“I... I never did.”
The three friends exchanged uneasy glances.
They all remembered the librarian handing Ethan the file.
So why was she denying it?
Through one of the upstairs windows, Ethan caught sight of a figure standing perfectly still.
The person wasn't reading.
They were simply watching.
Ethan blinked.
The figure stepped away from the window and disappeared into the shadows.
He tightened his grip on the file.
The answers they had been searching for were finally within reach.
But so was the person determined to keep those answers buried forever.
- Writer
