HIGH SCHOOL TWIST

CHAPTER 4: BENEATH THE FLOOR

The scream echoed again.

Muffled.

Terrified.

Definitely real.

Lyra’s entire body froze while the computer screens continued flashing the same horrifying message.

SHE’S FINALLY HERE.

Another loud bang shook the classroom floor beneath them.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

“What the hell was that?” Lyra whispered.

For the first time since meeting him, Caius Mercer looked genuinely alarmed.

“We need to leave.”

“No,” Lyra snapped immediately. “Someone’s down there.”

Another scream cut through the room.

Closer this time.

Lyra moved toward the back of the classroom where the sound seemed strongest, but Caius grabbed her arm before she could continue.

“You don’t understand what you’re walking into.”

“Then explain it!”

Caius’s jaw tightened.

“This school has places students aren’t supposed to find.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one you’re getting right now.”

The screens suddenly flickered again.

Static buzzed loudly.

Then a new sentence appeared.

DON’T LET HER SEE THE BASEMENT.

A violent shiver ran through Lyra.

Someone was watching them live.

Caius cursed under his breath and walked quickly toward the computers, unplugging one monitor after another.

The screens went dark.

But the feeling of being watched remained.

Lyra stared at the floor again.

The screaming had stopped.

Now there was only silence.

Heavy silence.

Like whoever was down there knew they were listening.

Then—

Three knocks echoed from beneath the floorboards.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Lyra stepped back instinctively.

Caius looked pale now.

Not scared exactly.

Worried.

Very worried.

And that terrified her more than the scream itself.

“Tell me what’s under this room,” Lyra demanded.

Caius looked at her carefully before answering.

“There used to be tunnels beneath the academy.”

“Used to?”

“They were sealed years ago.”

“Why?”

He hesitated.

“That’s where they found Evelyn’s necklace.”

Lyra’s stomach dropped.

The missing girl.

“So everyone thinks she died down there?”

“No body was ever found.”

That somehow felt worse.

Before Lyra could ask another question, the classroom door suddenly burst open.

Nova rushed inside breathing heavily.

“You two seriously have the worst timing in history.”

Caius looked irritated immediately.

“How did you know we were here?”

Nova lifted her camera.

“I follow interesting disasters.”

Then her expression darkened.

“Please tell me you didn’t hear the basement scream.”

Lyra blinked.

“You heard it too?”

Nova looked uneasy for the first time ever.

“That’s not possible.”

“What’s not possible?”

Nova lowered her voice.

“These classrooms were built over the sealed tunnels. Sound can’t travel through the concrete.”

Silence.

Lyra slowly looked back at the floor.

Then what did they hear?

Suddenly the classroom speaker crackled loudly overhead.

“All students report to the assembly hall immediately.”

The headmistress’s voice followed.

“This is mandatory.”

Nova groaned.

“That can’t be good.”

Caius moved toward the door first.

“Stay close to me.”

Lyra frowned immediately.

“I can walk by myself.”

“I know.”

“Then stop acting like I’m about to die every five minutes.”

His gray eyes met hers briefly.

“You have no idea how close you already are.”

Then he walked out.

Lyra stared after him.

Honestly, she was beginning to hate mysterious rich boys.

The hallways buzzed with nervous energy as students rushed toward the assembly hall. Teachers stood near every staircase watching students carefully.

Too carefully.

Like prison guards.

Nova walked beside Lyra quietly while Sera waved frantically from farther ahead.

“There you are!” Sera exclaimed when they reached her. “People are saying the police arrived.”

Lyra frowned.

“For Julian?”

Sera nodded.

“And now everyone thinks the school is hiding something.”

“They are hiding something,” Nova muttered.

The massive assembly hall filled quickly with students whispering nervously to one another. Huge stained-glass windows covered the walls while storm clouds darkened the sky outside again.

Lyra sat beside Sera near the middle row.

Nova sat behind them.

Caius stood near the front beside several student prefects.

Even from a distance, he looked tense.

Headmistress Aldridge stepped onto the stage.

The room immediately quieted.

Her calm expression looked forced today.

“As many of you know,” she began smoothly, “Head Boy Julian Carter is currently missing.”

Uneasy whispers spread instantly.

“Authorities have been contacted.”

A boy near the back stood suddenly.

“Then why are the gates locked?”

The room became silent.

Lyra frowned sharply.

Locked?

The headmistress smiled politely.

“For student safety.”

“Or to stop people leaving?” another student muttered.

More whispers followed.

The tension inside the hall thickened dangerously.

Then suddenly—

The large doors at the back opened.

Everyone turned.

A tall man dressed in black entered slowly.

He looked around thirty-five with dark hair streaked slightly silver near the temples. His sharp eyes scanned the room carefully.

Every teacher instantly straightened.

Even the headmistress seemed uncomfortable.

Interesting.

“This,” Headmistress Aldridge said carefully, “is Detective Ren Arclight.”

The detective stepped forward calmly.

“I’ll keep this simple,” he said. “Until Julian Carter is found, nobody leaves Blackthorne Academy.”

Panic exploded immediately.

“What?!”

“You can’t do that!”

“My parents will sue this school!”

The detective ignored the shouting.

Instead, his gaze slowly moved across the students.

Then stopped directly on Lyra.

For one strange moment, his expression changed.

Recognition.

Gone just as quickly as it appeared.

Lyra felt cold instantly.

He knows me.

But that was impossible.

She had never seen him before.

The detective spoke again.

“If any student knows something about Julian’s disappearance, speak now.”

Silence.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Then a voice suddenly echoed through the hall.

“She should.”

Every head turned instantly.

A girl stood near the left side of the room with crossed arms and icy eyes.

Tall.

Beautiful.

Intimidating.

Elowen Graves.

Even Lyra recognized her immediately from whispered conversations around school. Head prefect. Top student. Untouchable.

And apparently dangerous.

Elowen stared directly at Lyra.

“She was the last person Julian argued with online.”

Lyra blinked.

“What?”

Whispers exploded around the room.

“No way.”

“The new girl?”

“That was fast.”

Lyra stood immediately.

“I’ve literally never spoken to Julian.”

Elowen tilted her head slightly.

“Then why did he receive anonymous messages about you yesterday?”

Lyra froze.

What?

Caius stepped forward instantly.

“That’s enough, Elowen.”

Elowen’s cold gaze shifted toward him.

“You’re protecting her again.”

Again?

Lyra noticed the word immediately.

The detective watched the entire exchange carefully.

Very carefully.

Like he was studying all of them.

Then suddenly—

A loud crash thundered above the hall.

Students screamed.

One of the stained-glass windows shattered violently.

Glass exploded across the floor.

And hanging from outside the broken window…

Was Julian Carter.

Dead still.

A rope around his neck.

Blood running slowly down his school uniform.

Sera screamed beside Lyra.

Students panicked instantly.

Some cried.

Others ran.

Teachers shouted desperately.

But Lyra could not move.

Because written across Julian’s shirt in dark red letters were three terrifying words.

SHE REMEMBERS NOW.