Unraveling Shadows

Part 2: Chapter 10

And that is why sometimes...
You must take fate into your own hands...

-Carnation Bella

She opens her eyes, and she's getting ready for school with her lip gloss in her hand while she walks down the road. Leia looks young again. She grabs her phone, checking the time and date.

When she realizes what's going to happen, she calls up Carla immediately.

"Hey," Carla answers.

"Get to school right now!" Leia says, "Something urgent came up!" She yells.

"It's 7:30 am, Leia, what the hell?"

"NOW CARLA! YOUR DUMBASS CANNOT BE LATE ON A DAY LIKE THIS!" She hangs up on her and starts running to school. She's only eight minutes away if she runs. And Leia hates running.

Why was Tyler early that one day at school? Why did she come so early to school? That day, there must have been something up, but if she was ever early to school she would've told Leia or Carla.

She sees the school gates are open, but she doesn't stop. She keeps running through and with a sharp stop, she takes a turn to go into the building through the other entrance.

She dials Tyler as she pushes the doors open with both her palms. It hurt to put that sudden pressure on, but Leia doesn't have the luxury to take her sweet time.

It happened just before the school bell. It's 7:45 and Leia can't find Tyler anywhere on these floors. She runs up the stairs, but she stops halfway to catch her breath.

"Tyler!" Leia calls, "If you're there I need your help!" She pants. But there's no response, the only thing she can hear are the sound of shoes.

She covers her mouth tightly with her hands.

"Holy shit." She mumbles and slowly moves her hand away. "What if it's the masked person?" What if they heard Leia? What if they heard Leia calling out for Tyler?

What if that person comes and kills Leia because Leia's getting in the way? What if... Leia just got in the way of this attempt for silent murder? And they come for her next?

Leia shakes her head and slowly steps up the stairs. If I follow the person that's trying to follow Tyler, then maybe I can warn Tyler to knock them out before they attack her. Or if she's already unconscious-

Leia takes out her spray from her back, carefully zipping it up again as quietly as she can so it doesn't make any sounds. She still hears footsteps, every few seconds there's a squeak from boots.

It sounded like it was close to Leia but as she walks down the hall, she can't see anyone. But she does see weird footsteps everywhere. They were muddy and almost the same size as her feet.

What if the killer is a female?

She turns to the right and exits the hall for classes and lockers. She's met with the hall which has only three doors. One for printing for students. One for student representative council meeting rooms. And one for student council private documents and information and minute notes for every case from 1964 to 2022 in Everrose High's history.

And in front of that last door stood Tyler, her hands shaking as she tries to open that door, but her expression and general composure were so calm and balanced.

Leia watches as that door clicks open finally and Tyler sighs in what sounded like pain and hits her head on the open door.

"Tyler?" Leia calls out hesitantly.