The Warning
1294 Words
Amara barely slept that night.
She kept thinking about the photograph at Blackwood Academy.
Her father.
The Carter family.
And the warning written on the back of the old photograph.
If you ever see the Carter family again, run.
Why had her father written those words?
And why had he never told her about Blackwood Academy?
Amara turned in bed and stared at the ceiling.
She wanted answers.
But she was afraid of what those answers might reveal.
The next morning, she arrived at school earlier than usual.
She hoped the empty hallways would give her time to think.
Instead, she found someone waiting near her locker.
Ethan Carter.
Amara stopped.
He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
“Good morning,” he said.
Amara opened her locker.
“Morning.”
“You're avoiding me.”
She looked at him.
“I barely know you.”
“Exactly.”
Amara frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Ethan pushed himself away from the wall.
“You were staring at that photograph yesterday.”
Her heart skipped.
“What photograph?”
“The one in the hallway.”
Amara closed her locker.
“I was just looking at it.”
“You knew someone in it.”
She stared at him.
Ethan's expression remained serious.
“Who?”
“No one.”
“Amara.”
“Why do you care?”
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
His eyes searched her face.
“Because that photograph is connected to my family.”
Amara's fingers tightened around her bag.
“So?”
“So you looked scared when you saw it.”
Before Amara could respond, Lily appeared.
“There you are!”
She walked toward them, then stopped when she noticed Ethan.
“Oh.”
Ethan looked at Lily.
“Morning.”
“Morning,” Lily replied awkwardly.
Amara quickly walked away.
“Come on, Lily.”
Lily followed.
“What was that about?”
“Nothing.”
“Amara, he was clearly asking you something.”
“I said it was nothing.”
Lily looked at her carefully.
“Okay.”
But Amara knew Lily didn't believe her.
Neither did Ethan.
During lunch, Amara sat alone beneath a large tree behind the library.
She pulled out the photograph of her father.
She stared at it again.
There had to be something she was missing.
Suddenly, a shadow fell across the photograph.
Amara looked up.
A boy she had never seen before stood in front of her.
He was wearing the school uniform, but there was something different about him.
His expression was cold.
“You should put that away.”
Amara quickly hid the photograph.
“Who are you?”
The boy looked around before answering.
“Someone who knows what happened to your father.”
Amara froze.
“What did you say?”
He stepped closer.
“Your father wasn't the man you think he was.”
Amara stood.
“What do you know about my father?”
The boy glanced toward the school building.
“Too much.”
“Then tell me.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because if they find out I spoke to you, I'll be in trouble.”
“Who?”
He didn't answer.
Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
He handed it to her.
“Read it when you're alone.”
Then he walked away.
Amara watched him disappear around the corner.
Her heart was pounding.
She unfolded the paper.
There were only five words.
Stop looking for the truth.
Amara stared at them.
She immediately thought of her father.
Someone didn't want her asking questions.
But that only made her want answers more.
After school, Amara returned to the hallway where the old photograph was displayed.
The corridor was empty.
She stood in front of it.
This time, she studied every detail.
Her father was standing beside Ethan's father.
There were three other people in the photograph.
One was a woman.
The other was a man she didn't recognize.
And behind them was a large building.
Amara moved closer.
Something was written on a small sign near the building.
She couldn't read it clearly.
She took out her phone and zoomed in.
Blackwood Estate.
Her breathing stopped.
Why had her father been there?
She took a picture of the photograph.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps.
Amara turned.
Ethan stood at the end of the hallway.
“What are you doing?”
She quickly lowered her phone.
“Nothing.”
“You're lying.”
“Why are you always following me?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“I wasn't following you.”
Ethan walked closer.
His eyes fell on the photograph.
“You want to know about them.”
Amara looked at him.
“Yes.”
For the first time, Ethan didn't argue.
He looked at the photograph for several seconds.
“My father never talks about that day.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don't expect you to believe anything.”
Ethan lowered his voice.
“But there is something you should know.”
“What?”
He looked directly into her eyes.
“Your father wasn't the only person who disappeared.”
Amara's heart stopped.
“What do you mean?”
“My father's business partner disappeared around the same time.”
“Who was he?”
Ethan hesitated.
Then he said quietly,
“Your father.”
Amara stepped back.
“My father disappeared years ago.”
“So did my father's partner.”
“Then why did nobody tell me?”
“I don't know.”
Amara shook her head.
“This doesn't make sense.”
“I know.”
She stared at him.
“Do you think our families are connected?”
Ethan looked away.
“I think they are connected more deeply than either of us knows.”
Before Amara could say anything, Ethan's phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?”
His expression changed.
“What?”
He walked a few steps away.
Amara watched him.
A few seconds later, he ended the call.
“Who was that?” she asked.
“My mother.”
“What did she say?”
Ethan looked at her.
“She asked if I had spoken to you.”
Amara's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“She told me to stay away from you.”
Silence filled the hallway.
Amara remembered the message Ethan had received the previous day.
Don't get close to the new girl.
Someone was afraid of them getting closer.
But why?
Ethan looked at her.
“You need to leave this alone.”
Amara shook her head.
“No.”
“Amara—”
“My father disappeared. Your family knew him. Someone is sending us warnings. And now your mother is telling you to stay away from me.”
She stepped closer.
“I need to know the truth.”
Ethan stared at her.
“You don't know what you're getting yourself into.”
“Then tell me.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm not sure who I can trust.”
Amara's eyes softened.
For the first time, she saw fear in Ethan's expression.
Not fear of her.
Fear for her.
Suddenly, a loud sound came from the end of the hallway.
They both turned.
A locker door had slammed shut.
Someone was standing there.
A figure dressed completely in black.
Amara's heart began racing.
“Who's that?” she whispered.
Ethan stepped in front of her.
“Stay behind me.”
The figure slowly turned.
Then ran.
Ethan immediately chased after them.
To be continued......
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