Secrets

Chapter Sixteen- Kill or be killed

It had been ten minutes since Jess left and we had gone to get some drinks. Stacey and Myles were grabbing some drinks and I was standing by the table furthest back. I was looking around at all the people when I noticed Chloe and Lee walking up to me, I looked around for Jess but couldn't see her. Chloe was dressed as a Victorian lady, a big puffed out blue glitz and lace dress, long dangly pearl and blue lace earrings, red lipstick and dainty court shoes, her hair in a bun with two curly twists of hair coming down either side of her face, a lace choker on her neck and Lee who kissed Chloe and broke away and moved towards Stacey and Myles was wearing a Spiderman outfit, without the Spiderman head. 

Chloe reached me and I grinned "YES!!" I said laughing and she laughed loud "I know I know, completely over the top!" she said and I laughed "Yes, but that's why we love you, you wouldn't be you otherwise" I added and lightly laughed, scrunched my eyes and realized there was still no Jess. "Chlo, what did you want to speak to Jess about? and where is she?" I asked her and her face went blank "What do you mean?" She said sounding confused and my stomach dropped "You text her, asked her to meet you?" I added and her face looked pale even in the glow of the fairy lights and lanterns "No" I said breath barely escaping me as Chloe held on to the table for support "Which way did she go?" Chloe asked urgently and my mind span, trying to remember but I only see her coming through the dance floor part, what direction she went I have no idea. I repeated my thoughts to Chloe and her eyes whizzed around "Well, there's only one opening, all the other areas are blocked off, look!" She said and I looked around, sure enough a kind of see through barrier was blocking all the paths into the woods, except for one part which was accessible through the table closest to us and we both ran through the gap and towards the woods, none of us even turning around until I heard a buzz 'Its Jess, help me please, I don't know where I am!' the text said and without checking the number I shouted to Chloe "Go forward, I will go left and we will meet up somewhere in the back of the woods!" I shouted and without any further questions I see her dress disappear in the darkness of the forest and I changed direction and ran to the left, I could see the barrier more now and ran further into the woods.

I was so far in with no lights around me, I could barely see anything, I took out my phone torch and heard a loud laugh, a haunted laugh which made me shudder "Who's there!" I shouted, waving my phone torch around like a maniac "HELLO?!" I shouted even louder but then my voice went strained and I heard someone mimic me "HELLO?!" They said, a weird voice I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it made my legs want to buckle and I started to shake, "Happy Halloween, this isn't funny though!" I said and carried on walking, shining my torch in front of me, I see a bloody handprint on the tree and I tried to think rationally "Its just costume blood, it's Halloween, its been put there!" I said trying to convince myself and I carried on walking when the voice spoke again "Trickle treat!" It said and it sounded like it was in my ear, I jumped and spun the torch but nothing was there, I breathed, I was the rational one, I NEED to think rationally, Jess could be in danger.

I see writing on one of the other trees and noticed that too was in costume blood, I walked towards the tree to read the writing 'Bitches die' it said and my heart dropped I walked away and carried on walking but faster now and then my torch captured something, sitting still long wavy hair down its back and I realized it was a person, just sitting there so I ran "Jess?" I said and when I got to the person I noticed the hair was familiar "L-l-ucie?" I stuttered "WRONG" A voice said and I jumped my heart pounding, all reasonable explanations out of the window, I had no choice. I walked up next to the person and shined the torch into their face, it was a doll, but before I had a chance to breath a sigh of relief a clown jumped in front of me and tilted its head, sharp teeth glaring and I screamed, ran in the opposite direction to the right and kept running until I heard nothing behind me anymore. I put my hands on my knees and tried to steady my breathing but then I heard footsteps again "Its either killed or be killed" the voice said, the voice chuckled and I screamed as I noticed they had a sharp glinting knife in their hand and I ran for my life. 

I ran forward and smashed straight into someone "Chloe!" I shouted "Run!" and her wild eyes looked behind me, she shoved me out of the way and the clown went running forward with the knife raised. We scrambled together and the clown turned and ran at us again we both huddled together before we could even scream there was a loud THUD and the clown flopped. We stood in complete shock as the clown had a lipstick sticking out of its back, blood piling up around it, as we looked up and shined the torch on the person standing near us, Jess was standing there, her mouth wide open in horror, color drained on her face, there was someone behind her "JESS!" I shouted but the person wearing a vampire cloak ran off. We all stood looking shocked and I grabbed the phone "We need to call the police!" I said taking my phone back off of Chloe and I pulled up the keypad and typed 999 but before I could push the green call button I see someone walking towards us "Tut, tut, tut!" Jess come to stand next to us and we huddled looking up, another person was walking towards us, wearing a long curly wig, the goatee beard however gave him away "Rob?" We all said in unison and he grinned "I have called the police for you don't worry, handy lipstick, Jess. I mean, I knew the three of you being back in town would be bad for business but-" He said and Chloe stormed forward "Why hire us!!" She shouted and he laughed "Because, as they say- Keep your friends close, but your enemies much closer." He said and he pulled out two necklaces one was silver and had a green and glitter gemstone in it, and one had a cartoon dolphin on it. My stomach dropped "Oh my god. You killed them? Lauren was wearing that necklace when she went missing!" I shouted in rage and shock and Jess stepped forward "And that was Dani's!" She spat venomously and Chloe had tears in her eyes "I knew it!" She said and there was movement by the side of us "Officers!" Rob shouted, putting away the necklaces "I believe these are the girls who have stabbed someone!" He shouted and pointed at us three and my stomach dropped as the police walked up, three officers came by our sides each one grabbing our hands and cuffing us "Jess House, Jade Jacobs, Chloe Porter I am arresting you on suspicion of assault, you do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence".

My heart dropped as we were marched through the woods, it felt like forever by the time we were seeing the glowing lights again and hearing the music, we walked up through and everyone was gathered around watching us, we caught sight of Stacey, Lee and Myles and all three of them looked in shock. We knew they would meet us at the station and we see them each pull their phones out. Other people were gossiping and I caught some words "Ever since they came back-" and "Trouble" and "Lauren's puppets" I stuck my head down and carried on being lead through the dance floor, across the common and into the police cars.