30 Dead Girls

Hazel

Under the ominous call of the night, a chilling anticipation tugged at me, drawing me outside toward the preordained mystique of the annual ritual. I slipped into my overcoat, bracing against the harsh October chill—a bitter legacy etched in my memory since my freshman year's harrowing experience. The seniors had been drunk with authority then, pushing boundaries that should have never been crossed. Their twisted grins still haunted me, especially the memory of Maisie, forever scarred and cowering in the shadows.

Exiting my dorm room, I peered down the dimly lit hallway, ensuring only the seniors lurked in the night's silent embrace. With the coast clear, I shut the door behind me and slipped into the darkness. Just then, Jane's door cracked open, and she emerged in her raincoat, flashlight in hand. She gave me a thumbs-up, then pressed a finger to her lips as she crept down the hallway toward the stairs. We were both on the second floor, enjoying the senior privilege of single rooms.

We descended the ancient stairs cautiously, careful to avoid the creaky steps. Luckily, we had guard duty tonight, leaving the actual kidnapping to the class president and her henchmen.With a gust of autumn air, Jane swung open the front door, her blonde locks dancing across her face. Goosebumps prickled my skin as the full moon cast an ominous glow, foretelling the impending ordeal. Dread churned in my gut, blurring my senses. I didn't want to be part of this. I longed to curl up in my bed, wrapped in my down comforter, drifting off to true crime shows to escape this dreadful night.

Sensing my hesitation, Jane grabbed my hand and pulled me into the cold, the door shutting with a soft thud behind us. I flipped my hood up over my short curly hair and shoved my hands deep into my pockets.

From across the courtyard, I saw Maisie and Nola waving us down, already in position. Now we waited. I kicked at the ground with my scuffed Doc Martens, wishing I was anywhere but here."Hey, we're supposed to be on lookout, remember?" Jane whispered sarcastically, shining her flashlight in my face.

I flinched away from the light but smiled at her attempt to lighten the mood. She was always my favorite.

Then, we both saw it: a flurry of movement—six dark figures dragging two hooded ones behind them. Jane looked at me, an inscrutable expression on her moonlit face.

"It's time," she sighed.

Hand in hand, we marched through the courtyard, closely following the others. Surrounded by gothic architecture and overgrown trees, I could almost convince myself we were at Hogwarts. Almost.

Maisie and Nola slipped behind the cottage-like Freshman Hall, guiding the way to the forest's only opening. Behind us, other seniors shuffled out of their dorms, entranced and obedient like zombies, ready to do the popular girls' bidding. I rolled my eyes and ducked through the hole in the chain-link fence, following Jane's footsteps to avoid tripping.

Jane leapt through the underbrush with more grace than I managed, and I winced as mud splattered onto my new jeans. Suddenly, footsteps and laughter erupted from ahead. Jane froze, wide-eyed, like a deer caught in headlights.

"Janie, it's okay. We need to keep going," I whispered, pressing a hand to the small of her back.

"I heard something," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, they were laughing. It's not a big deal."

"No, Hazel. I heard someone scream."

A shiver clawed down my spine, ripping open memories of our initiation.

"I'm sure it's fine," I replied, pushing ahead of her. I just wanted this to be over.

Then I heard it too.