can you keep a secret?

Candace felt her way through the dark hallways of her house and searched her bedroom for a flashlight. Upon finding it, she quickly turned it on and continued her search for Ivy. A few moments later, the lights began to flicker and soon they were back on. Out of joy, she quickly ran down the stairs into the basement. She saw Dylan in the back of the cellar, by the breaker. She ran towards him and gave him a hug.

“Have you found Ivy?” She asked him.

“No, I was trying to get the lights back on.” He replied.

“Well..come on,” she said. “Let’s get back to looking, what if the killer was behind the lights going off? We can’t waste time. We have to find her.”

Candace and Dylan rushed upstairs and wandered into the kitchen.  Candace’s piercing shriek had Dylan jump. They saw Jude’s body motionless, with a knife pierced through his chest. Without any time to react, Dylan grabbed Candace’s arm and pulled her as they dashed out of the house.

“The killer’s here. We can’t stay here. Ivy is probably already gone… Let’s go.” he said quietly.

Candace didn’t say anything. She didn’t know where they were going. He led her into the woods and the two jumped and dodged logs, rocks and branches, swiftly dashing through the forest.

“My house isn’t too far if we go this way. We’ll get cleaned up—wash the blood off us and then maybe we can finally go to the police.”

She ran like she has never before. Her hands clasped tightly in his, she had no choice, but in the end, she didn’t want it any other way. The silhouettes of the trees and the shadows created by the moon passed them by. Jumping over rocks and rotting logs, it was inevitable. As he tripped into the puddle of mud, she caught a reflection of herself and she felt a heavy feeling in her gut. Why is this happening? Why them? Who is doing it all?

She helped him up, but he didn’t want to catch his breath, they had to run. They ran into Dylan’s house. He locked the front door and they ran into the bathroom. Panting and out of breath, Dylan locked the door and he slowly sat on the floor, back against the bathtub. She stood there, leaning on the counter. He got up and turned on the warm water. Steam covered the mirrors and the windows as he took off his shirt.

“We won’t get in trouble right? If we tell the police… even if we killed Kari? It was an accident…”

He was cut up, muddy and covered with blood. He ripped his shirt, took the upper half and dipped it into the water. He wiped the blood off himself and water dripped down his torso. She glanced toward him and quickly turned back, but she slowly turned again. Her heart pounded. Her eyes laid upon his wet, glistening abs.

“What if… what if Ivy is doing this all?!” she exclaimed, “I mean, we don’t know where she went…”

Gazing at Dylan, he ignored everything she was saying. Candace slowly walked towards him, pushed him to the wall and placed her lips onto his. They began kissing, passionately, but Dylan knew it was wrong. He apprehensively pushed her off and she apologized profusely.

“I’m—I’m—I’m so sorry,” she repeated as she ran her hands through the faucet and wiped her face.

She wiped off the steam on the mirror and stared at herself in the mirror.

“No..it’s ok,” Dylan said.

Her facial experssion changed from that of self-pity to serious anger.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t ha—“ He explained, when he was interrupted as she charged toward him unexpectedly.

Her forearm pressed between his chin and collarbone. He pushed her powerfully and her back hit the opposite wall. He let go of her, but she quickly grabbed his hair and smashed the side of his face into the mirror. Fragments protruded into his cheek and he began to bleed. He pushed free, but he was dazed. She launched toward him and rushed him forward into the wall, stepping on sharp pieces of the mirror, perforating the soles of her feet. She began punching his gut and repeatedly and thrusted his head onto the tiles of the wall. Blood dripped from his skull, nose and mouth. His jaw dislocated and face disfigured, Candace began tearing and shaking.

“I’m so, so sorry,” she pleaded as she grabbed his head and forcefully rammed it into the bathtub faucet one last time.

Dylan let out a cry of pain as he died with anger in his eyes. Shaken, Candace let go of his head and he dropped into the water. She stepped backward to see what she had done. She turned around and dragged her bloody hands down the wall as she began bawling and fell on her knees. She cried herself to sleep, only to wake up in the middle of the night.

It was dark and she was alone in the dead of the night. She got herself up and washed herself off. She ran her wet fingers through her hair and pushed it off her face. As she splashed water onto her face and she began sobbing. She stared at the running water and whispered to herself in a soft helpless voice.

“What…what have you done…?”

She slowly raised her head up and looked sadly at herself in the cracked blood-stained mirror. Gradually, a sinister grin grew on her face. She smiled as she muttered in the harsh voice…

“No one ever needs to know…”

- - - -

FIN

Minutes after splitting up when the lights went off, the three found themselves isolated in the dark. Candace was on the second floor, Jude on the first, and Dylan in the basement. Jude quickly feels his way into the kitchen and begins searching the drawers for a flashlight. Footsteps came behind him.

“I know it’s you,” he greeted the dark figure.

It didn’t say anything. Jude slowly turned around, arms behind him feeling through drawers and quietly draws a knife.

“What do you get out of this?” He asked, “What did we do?”

The figure just stood there.

“How does it feel…knowing that you’ve killed your own friends? Don’t you feel that same guilt?! When I held Kari’s dead body…The coldness, the heaviness in your stomach? Do you feel that? Can you…feel that?” He confronted the killer.

The killer whispers, “No…” There was a sombre note in their voice.

“I—I…can’t…” The killer’s voice grew shaky and before they could finish, the shadowy figure quickly began walking towards Jude.

Jude slowly brought out the knife. The killer approached him, but Jude, with a quick motion thrust the knife into his stomach. Jude groaned as he slowly fell to his knees.

“I—I’m not gonna let you take my life. I’m p-p-paying for my own guil—“ Jude slowly said as the blood gushed out of his torso.

The killer stood there staring at him. About to walk away, the killer slowly took the knife out of his torso and helped Jude lay himself down. Jude, stared into the ceiling and smiled, when the killer suddenly takes the knife by both hands and pushes it down through Jude’s chest.

“No. You’re paying for your stupidity,” the killer whispers into Jude’s ears and then slowly got up.

She was just there lying, passed out on the floor all tied up. Her mouth was taped up, as she got dragged and pushed through the door into the garage. The killer grabbed the rope that bound Ivy’s wrists, dragged her towards the corner and tied her to a workbench. Still unconscious, the killer dropped a light bulb onto the ground. The killer picked up a large, sharp piece from the shattered lighbulb, looked at Ivy and drew the shard closer to her body. Ivy’s body squirmed as the piece glided over her bare skin. It created a large cut and she slowly started bleeding.

“You’re a tough one aren’t you?” The killer said as Ivy slowly comes to her senses.
Ivy shakes her head in panic and trembles furiously, but the killer grabs her legs and begins making several more incisions. Blood slowly continued to drip as the insides of her flesh began to be exposed. Ivy tried to yell, tried to call for help, but it was no use. The duct tape on her mouth prevented that.

“Can’t have you spilling your guts now can we,” the killer says lightly feeling proud of the pun.

Ivy tried to resist and kicked with her legs but it was useless. Not in the mood to play around, the killer kicked her in the gut. She let out a yell, only to be muffled by the tape on her mouth. Now covered in dripping blood, Ivy began crying and stared right at the killer’s eye. Her glare was piercing, cold, and hungry for revenge. The killer merely smirked at her and left the room and within a few moments, the power shut off.

As the two approached the front of Candace’s house, Candace reached for her phone and called Jude.

“Hey, I’ve got her. We’re at my house. We’ll just meet you here; go through the front door ok?”

“Alright, we’ll be there in a bit. Stay safe ok?” Jude said, as he started the engine.
Tired and exhausted, Candace laid Ivy on the couch. Candace wanted to just fall, go to sleep and wake up to find it was all just a dream, but she couldn’t just yet. She locked the back door, windows and all possible entrances she could think of. She waited by the front door for her friends.

Excited by the arrival of her friends, she ran toward them and gave both a hug. As they entered the living room, Candace noticed that Ivy has disappeared. They quickly panic and decided to split up and look for her. She couldn’t have gone too far, she was hurt and tired after all.

She ran and ran. Panting, she knew she couldn’t let Ivy get away. She was slowing down, but Ivy kept going. Suddenly, Ivy collapsed. Candace ran for her and held her by the shoulders.

“Ivy…? Are you ok?” she said to her.

She sat there and laid her head on her lap. She examined her. Bloody, scratched up, shivering, pale and practically naked. She knew Ivy wasn’t gonna die just yet—her friend is a fighter. Candace pushed Ivy’s hair away from her face and smiled, all the while crying over the events that have taken place. Ivy’s eyes soon opened up. She quickly panicked, pushed herself away from Candace and tried to get away only to stumble over. Candace grabbed her arm and helped her up.

“Ivy! It’s me, Candace. Come on. We’re your friends. Would we do this? Please! Believe me,” She begged.
Ivy placed her hands on Candace’s shoulder and began sobbing.
“Come on, we’re not too far from my house. Let’s go,” Candace suggested as she placed Ivy’s arm around her neck and the two began to walk.

Ivy walked along the green grass of the park. She saw Jude’s car and her friends in the near distance. She let out a sigh of relief. AS she got closer, however, she saw them lifting…someone. Was that…Kari? Did they kill her? No…they couldn’t have. She froze in her spot and burst into tears. The three turned toward her and began yelling.
“No! Ivy! It’s not what you think!”

Before they could explain, she had taken off. Candace turned toward the other two.
“I’ll go after her, you guys take care of Kari,” she said assertively as she took off following Ivy.

Dylan stood there, almost like a zombie, by the curb. He had no life in him, just staring blankly into the distance. Candace jumped out of the car and gave him a hug. After getting him into the car, Dylan mustered up his will to tell them what had happened and what he had seen as Jude drove towards the park. The two sitting at the front were unable to reply. They were speechless and shocked at the words that were coming out of his mouth.

“It wasn’t me. I swear,” Dylan pleaded, “I was scared…and mad..and…and”

Dylan couldn’t contain it anymore and tears flowed from his face. As they arrived at the park, they noticed that no one else has arrived at their meeting place. Worried and paranoia running through their minds, they began to make some calls.

Peter, no answer. Jason, Christine, Amy, all no answer. Teresa, Nicole, Aaron, nobody. The fear has gotten to them. It was clear that someone was out to get them all. Who? Why? Candace shivered and laid her head on the seat’s headrest and closed her eyes as a tear fell. They decided that Kari, being cut-off from any communication, cannot possibly know about what had happened. Fearing for her safety, they decided to wait it out,  car doors locked and gear on drive ready to go…just in case.

Filled with fear and sorrow, they sat there waiting. All of a sudden, they heard a bang from the back of the car. They all yell and turned towards the rear window. Someone has jumped on the back of their trunk. The yelling of his friends left Jude no other decision, but to press on the gas as hard as he could. The car jerked and the figure fell off. It sped in reverse and the car jumped as if it had ran through a speed bump. They heard cracks and a shriek. All happening instantly before Jude could react and step on the brakes. They slowly got out of the car. Have they killed the killer? Jude turned to look and saw Kari’s body contortioned and broken. Her head in a pool of blood streaming from her mouth. He yelled loudly and crouched towards her. Candace looked in horror as she watched her friend mourn. Dylan, not a stranger to this feeling, growled, roared in anger and kicked the car. Their situation left them no choice. They’d get blamed for everything…they just knew it. Without thinking nor speaking, they had all decided to place her body in the trunk and not tell a soul about what they had just done.

His eyes slowly opened, still feeling the throbbing pain on his head. Aaron was dazed, wet and sweating profusely. The heat must’ve woken him up. He looked around and realized his limbs were tied up and that he was lying in a damp bathtub. Is this water? No…it smells like… like gasoline. He looked around him and saw endless amounts of strings. Hearing sizzles and smelling smoke, it was obvious what was on the other end. He instantly freaked out, wriggled in place, trying to untie the knots. It wasn’t too soon until the fire got to him. The flames appeared everywhere immediately. He laid there helplessly yelling from pain as he was being devoured. He soon fell unconscious by the lack of oxygen in the room. The sound of the crackling flames couldn’t wake him—not that waking would have helped. His skin crisped and smoked, and his body turned charcoal. Burning and blistered, his fried carcass slowly shriveled into ashes in the darkened tub.

Jude pulled up outside her house and turned off the engine. He sat there and waited for a bit. Impatient, he got out of the car and rang Candace’s doorbell. No one answered. He rang it a few more times and Candace, short of breath, opened the door.

“Hey, sorry, I was in the washroom getting ready,” she panted.

“Wow, you’re such a girl,” he remarked.

“No really…good job Sherlock”.

“Whatever, let’s go already. It’s almost 8,” he said as she locked her front door.  The two walked down the driveway and headed for the car. As the two entered, Jude’s phone rang.

“H-He-He-Hello,” Dylan said nervously. It sounded as if he had just seen a ghost.

“Dylan? Are you ok?”

“I-I-It’s…I-I-I…A-Al-Alice…G-Gwen,” he stuttered.

Unable to finish any of his sentences and clearly shaken up, Jude told him to calm down and breathe. Dylan was clearly on the verge of falling apart. Jude asked him where he was and told Candace to stay on the phone with him while they went to pick him up. He had hoped that he would be able to talk to her.

“Don’t worry. Just breathe and it will be all ok,” Candace reassured him, “What happened?”

Aaron, music blasting through his headphones, walked along quite happily. Arriving at Alice’s house, he noticed that the door was cracked open. He opened it slightly and yelled out for someone.

“Alice? Dylan?” He called out.

No one replied. He walked in, not at all feeling guilty that he had just walked into her house.

He went straight to the living room, but before he could even react to the scene he would have seen, he felt a forceful hit on the back of his head and everything turned black.