Ghost in The Night

Chapter VI Written in Stone

Chapter VI Written in Stone

Jared grunted as he tried to restrain me from getting up. My face presses up on the dry dirt. "What the hell are you trying to do? Do you have a death wish or something?" His voice radiated with anger.

I felt him press on me more as he struggled to contain my arms and legs. It was starting to hurt.

"I just wanted to see what's out there. I didn't know it was prohibited!" I reasoned out, trying to sound innocent.

"Yeah, that explains why you just jumped out from a three-storey building." he laughs mockingly. "Do you have any idea what could have happened to you? You could've broken your bones, or worst, died!"

Then I felt something tying my arms together. My panic arose. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I hear Jared grunting with effort behind me and when he pulled, my arms constricted together in a way I couldn't move. "I'm tying you up so you won't get away."

I started to breath faster. "You can't do that!"

Then I felt him come closer next to my face. "Watch me." then he goes back to what he's doing. "You'll be suspended for a week. Try to do this again I'll personally lock you up inside my cabin to keep an eye on you."

"Y-you're invading my personal space." My heart constricted as I felt his hands reach for my legs next. "Let me go, I have my rights!"

"Rights don't exist in this town, bear-girl. Only safety." I felt the rope circling my legs. I start to move.

"Hold. Still." He pins both my legs.

My breath comes faster. "I'm serious. Get away from me!"

When he hears the tone of my voice he stops immediately. I stopped struggling when I felt his hands leave my legs. I start to calm down, but my heart was still beating fast.

"Hey, are you okay..." he reaches for me, but before he can, I crawled away from him. Then I stand as fast as I can, and ran. The ropes came loose and was left in my dust.

"s**t!" I hear him behind me. His footsteps thump on the dirt with mine, but I was used to running since I was a kid. Not to brag, but I was the fastest in our neighborhood.

Both mentally and physically.

I screamed at him. "Sucker!"

I focused my vision on the trees, the faster I get there, the sooner I lose him. My breath comes in fast and hasty, my legs takes me farther and farther.

"Cara Lane, come back here!" Jared shouts at me, his voice becoming more distant. He's slowing down.

I'm coming closer to the trees, under the shade and out of the heat.

And I'm in.

But I didn't stop, I still continued running and only stopped when I didn't hear the footsteps. I paused next to a tree and bent over to catch my breath, perspiration running down my gleaming face.

I looked up, closed my eyes and inhaled the scent of leaves and dirt. I Slumped down, enjoying the shade, though my ears strain to hear any sign of Jared's presence.

Opening my eyes, I looked around for the first time. More trees, but not as thick as the forest. I can already see the town between trees. So, I go in deeper.

Strangely, it was silent, even the leaves weren't rustling. There was no wind. Not even a scuttle from a critter from the bushes.

I keep walking until I stopped on a dead end. A big rock that spreaded to the edge of a river, not a single path to get across it. "Damn it," I whispered to myself. "This is it?"

I stepped closer to the gray rock that was blocking my path to the other side. "What's Jared so afraid of in here?" I laughed.

I put my palm on the rock, it's cold. Then I realized, upon closer look, there were scratches on the surface.

My eyes scanned the scratches on the rock closer. Upon closer look, I felt my blood run cold.

Different names. Different writings varying from one another. Small to big writings, but they were a lot. There were some names I couldn't distinguish like it was too old, and the scratches faded as time went by.

But there were names scratched there like it was just brand new.

Emily, Amanda, Trixie, Charm, Adelyde, Penny, Rose, Monica...names of girls....

and a whole other different names from top to bottom. I gaped at the sight. "What is this..."

Is this some kind of tradition in this town to scratch your name on the rock wall?

But it doesn't seem like that....the more I look at it, the more eerie those written names get....

Like these are deceased people.

I start to back away and recalled how angry Jared was when he caught me earlier.

Is this...the spot where the girls got taken?

What the hell did I walk into?

I looked back at the trees and start to walk away from the cold-creeping sensation I was getting from looking at the rock.

"Cara."

I stopped short and looked around. I swear I heard my name...

"Cara.."

This time, I knew I heard it.

Goosebumps rose from my arms and legs. The whisper came from somewhere around me. It sounded so close, and yet far. I whirled around the trees but I couldn't see anyone.

"Jared?" I dared to call out. "If that's you, this isn't funny. Where are you?"

Silence.

"Jared?" I asked again.

When I was met by silence, I didn't wait for anything more. I bolted right out of there. Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I sped past the trees and into the sunny field.

I've never felt so scared in my entire life. While I have tried to seek thrill to make my dull, boring life colorful, I never meant to be so freaked out and on the tip of my toes.

The names on the wall haunted my mind as I take each step out of there, and I imagine my name being scratched on that wall....

"Oof---" I was so lost in my thought, I bulldozed right into a sturdy chest and we both fell down on the ground.

Startled, I look down and see Jared underneath me with the same annoyed face. "Funny, just a minute ago I was the one pinning you down." he said, as he sat with me on lap.

Then I couldn't help the happy outburst. "Jared!" I hugged him and we fell on the ground again.

I never felt so relieved to see his grumpy face. He was taken aback, with his arms up. "Woah, what happened to rights and personal space?"

I let go of him and we sat again on the grass. I tried to calm my beating heart but my voice shook. "Jared....someone's in the forest."

His face turned completely serious. "Are you sure?"

"Positive..." then I shivered as I remembered. "He knows my name..."

He hold both of my shoulders and focuses his eyes on me. "Listen, go back to the school now. Everybody's waiting there..."

To my surprise, when I looked, my whole class was standing outside the building, including Daisy and Jordan, and Ms. Layla.

I turned back to Jared. "What about you?"

"I have to check whoever is in there." He looks back the thicket of trees. "I still might be able to catch him."

I was still holding on to his arm. Before I can stop him and warn him he might get hurt, he goes in there, leaving me sitting there watching him go where the killer might be.

I walked back shakily to the building as the whole class waited there.

What if Jared doesn't come back?

What if he gets hurt because of me?

How could I be so stupid to risk someone's life just because of my curiosity?

Once I reached the group, there were faces of amusement, and some were of disappointment. Like Ms. Layla's...

"Come with me." she grabs my arm and pulls me with her towards the building. "Class, get back to your room."

"Nice try, loser." Tina snickers with the other girls as I pass by them. I ignored them and focused on Ms. Layla.

"What about Jared?" I asked, with more concern that I realized. "What if he gets hurt?"

"Then you're the one to blame!" Ms. Layla stops in her tracks and faces me. Then she inhales deeply and sighs, as if just recalling her professionalism. "But good thing the culprit only takes girls so Jared is safe. We're the only ones in danger, Ms. Lane. All the men in this town are untouched."

"So, you don't have to feel the guilt of endangering one of the people in this town because of your stubborness and idiocy."

"I'm sorry..." I said sincerely. For the first time, I felt ashamed of my behavior. "But we should go back," I persisted as she tugs me from the arm. "The culprit may not take men, but there's no saying he couldn't hurt them!"

It looked like Ms. Layla had enough of me talking. She zooms in on my face. "What makes you think the culprit is even in the forest?"

"He--there was someone there in the forest with me..." I answered.

The anger in Ms. Layla's face dissolved and replaced by something else.

The color completely drained from her cheeks.

Fear.

"How do you say so?" I didn't notice her hands were already gripping my shoulders. "Did you...see his face?"

The atmosphere around us was getting intense, the others stopped in their way and looked at us. But Ms. Layla's attention was only focused on me.

"I didn't...I only heard a voice..."

"What did he say?" Ms. Layla was getting impatient on the lack of information I was revealing.

"He said my name...." then, only then it dawned on me, and shared the horror Ms. Layla was showing. I stared into space.

"He knows my name....."

Ms. Layla stared at me so long, the others came near and asked if she's alright. She lets go of my shoulder, her arms sagging beside her.

Daisy nears us, carefully. Her eyes went from me to her. "Ms. Layla....is everything okay?"

It was as if she was in a trance and didn't hear the others. Then she focuses on me again. "What's your name, dear?"

Their attention went back to me. My nerves are tingling. "Cara...Cara Lane."

"Cara...we'll have to go to the Principal's office, okay?." her tone became kinder and gentle. But it was like her eyes were looking right past me. "You'll have to wait for a guard whom the principal will choose to escort you back to your cabin."

"What about us?" one of the boys asked.

"Go back to your room. I'll be right there with you within a minute."

Everyone grumbles while going upstairs. Daisy gave me a lasting look before following the others. While Ms. Layla escorted me to the principal's office I couldn't help but be concerned for her, she was in a daze the whole time.

She sat me down inside the small room, which is the office, and explained to the principal the situation. The principal looks at me from time to time.

They were talking just outside the office so I wouldn't hear, but I catch snippets of the conversation, hearing the word forest and Jared.

I tangled my fingers together. My thoughts are a tangled mess.

Where's Jared?

Is he back?

Why aren't they checking on him?

He should be back by now.

My thoughts were interrupted when i heard Ms. Layla wail outside. I look out and saw the principal comforting her, while Ms. Layla was burying her face in her hands.

"Not my class---not my class again!"

Her class?

I strain to hear more but only heard more of Ms. Layla's wailing.

Later, the principal instructed a guard I don't know to escort me to my cabin. But before I went out the door I asked. "What about Jared?"

The principal doesn't look up from her papers. "If you don't want to ask questions like that then don't do something that foolish ever again."

I stayed stubbornly even when the guard beckoned me out impatiently. "I know I made a mistake...but I also need to know if he's okay."

She doesn't budge, but this time she looks at me with steely eyes, far from the kind ones she had just this morning. "Get back to your cabin and wait for further instructions."

This time, the guard successfully hauled me out of the office.

When we reached the cabin, Dorotha was already waiting by the door.

She didn't wait a second before pinching mg ear and pulling me inside. I winced. "Ouch!" I cried. "Dorotha, let go!"

"I knew you were going to be trouble the moment I sniffed your high-spirited smell." she opens my door and pushes me inside. I stumbled to the floor. "No dinner for you tonight, missy!"

I get my hair out of my face. "I don't care! All I want is to know if Jared is okay.."

"Jared's safety is none of your business after you try to jeopardize it!"

"That's not it---" she closed the door behind her leaving me inside. Worried and scared.

Night time came and I heard the footsteps of the girls outside my door. I couldn't even sleep because I kept thinking of the names on the wall, the voice that whispered my name, Ms. Layla's cries in the hallway....

It all surrounded the mystery of the missing girls.

I sighed for the millionth time this day and lean my head against the wall. My stomach grumbled but I wasn't going to complain. Not when my stomach is upset from guilt.

I closed my eyes, not expecting a visit even from Daisy. Knowing Dorotha, I'm sure she had prohibited the girls from entering my room or talking to me.

But my eyes opened wide when someone knocked carefully on my door.

"Cara? Are you alright?"

It was Daisy.

"Daisy..." my voice sounded throaty and rough. I haven't had water since morning. "I'm good."

She was silent, then..."When Dorotha gets to sleep, I'll bring you some food and water..."

I crawl towards the door and lean my head against it. "That's not important.....where's Jared?"

She pauses. "I don't know...Ms. Layla didn't want us to ask questions about what happened today...."

I closed my eyes forcibly and knew I was going to be tossing and turn all night thinking if Jared is safe. I know our first meeting was not great and he had been a jerk, but I would feel so horrible if anything happened to him because of me.

Daisy reads my silence. "Don't beat yourself up, Cara. I'm sure Jared's okay..."

I nod even though she doesn't see me.

"I need to go, I'll sneak in the food and water later, okay?" then she's gone.

True to her promise, hours later, I see a glass of water, and two bread loafs. I finished it all in ten seconds. And there's a note.

I went to the window and turned the writing towards the moonlight.

I asked Dorotha. Jared's okay.

I sighed, and it felt like a million bricks was lifted from my shoulders. I sagged into my bed and had a peaceful sleep.

Morning came, followed by a lazy afternoon. It went on with just me stuck in the room, making me wish I hadn't done that stupid stunt.

What was I hoping to achieve? Just a quick detour at the back of the school I'm going to catch the culprit that even took years to find?

They were right. It was foolish.

I slumped against my bed all day and just stared at the wall. When Dorotha came inside the room without warning, I didn't even look at her.

"Yes, Dorotha? Do you need something? As you can see, I'm busy trying to count how many strings it takes to make that cobweb over there." I drawled, pointing at the ceiling lazily.

"Pack your things, you'll be staying at another cabin."

I abruptly turned to her, confused. "What?"

"Get ready in twenty minutes, when I get back I want to see you ready."

"But..." I didn't move. "I like it here."

Thinking of being in a new cabin and getting to know another new set of girls turned my stomach. Especially the fact that I'll be away from Daisy, the first friend I made here.

"If this is another punishment for what I did, I'll just gladly extend my suspension instead of staying in another cabin." I stubbornly declared.

"You won't be moving, you pesky girl. It's only temporary!" Dorotha says, annoyed.

My eyebrows scrunched. "But why?"

She turns her back on me. "For your safety. You only have ten minutes, now pack!"

I immediately raced to my clothes.

Once done, Dorotha comes back and sees me standing there waiting with only a small bag. I only brought a few clothes with me.

She grunts at me to go with her, which I gladly did. We walked down the corridor.

"Where are the girls?" I asked.

"In school." she replies hastily while looking forward.

"Where am I staying?" I questioned.

"You'll see."

"Why do I have to move?"

She gives me an annoyed glance. "I told you, it's for your own safety!"

Then I had to ask. "Am I being targeted?"

She paused before answering. "Let's hope not."

I gulped at her vague answer. Clutching my bag to my chest, I start to get nervous to where she's taking me.

"How long will I be staying?"

She shrugs without a care. "Don't know, depends on the chief."

"What the hell does the chief want with me?"

"Enough with your goddamn questions and get your butt out here."

"I won't leave willingly unless you tell me who I'm going with." I stayed on the spot inside the cabin.

"That's too bad." Then I heard a familiar voice, and Jared steps out in front of me to reveal himself.

"Do I have to tie you up again?"