the secrets of ocean shores - a paranormal murder mystery

Chapter 2.

Chapter 2. Kella

I stared at the words. They danced before my eyes. 

The strangest part was the corner.

A handprint, averagely shaped, the size of a normal adult, but red. Blood. Red, dried onto the paper with drip marks. I tenderly touched the goosebumps crawling up my pale arm.

There was blood on the letter.

I shivered at the sight of it. The rain fell, splotching the letter even more, mixing the words. 

And when Greg and Dylan walked out, their eyes lit up. 

Maybe I was going delusional, but when I asked them if they saw the blood they said no. So did Carolina.

Six hours later

"Kella Ravenwood." The tall, blonde woman mused. "Quite an interesting name."

Judging from her tone, she didn't mean interesting in a good way. Dylan and Greg noticed that and stiffened up. 

"It means warrior," I said strongly. She raised an eyebrow. As somebody excellent with people's body language, she wasn't convinced that the name fit me.

"It's a beautiful name," Dylan argued back. 

She pretended not to hear him. "And Carolina Ravenwood. Hmmmm, where did you two get these names?"

I inhaled sharply, my eyes narrowing, calculating the best way to punch her in the face while making it seem accidental. She probably didn't know about our parents, but either way, nobody talked about my parents. Nobody asked about them. Carolina's hands were shaking and her dark eyes were fixated on Headmistress Rahni with a hate shining in them. 

Rahni seemed to notice our discomfort. "Ah, I see. We usually don't accept students who haven't taken our required student testing, but you both got impressive SAT scores for your old school and excellent grades, so we have decided to accept you." She smiled like it was the most wonderful thing in the world, being accepted into a boarding school probably full of snobby elitist jerks. 

"I would love to take you two to see your new roommates if you wouldn't mind." she gave another sickly sweet smile. Ugh. I didn mind, but Greg and Dylan nodded their head and threw a glance at Carolina as if she knew something I didn't. We left and followed her.

The school was very nice, if slightly older. The walls and floors were wood, wood, wood, with polished decorating, but there was a musty smell and a vibe that gave me goosebumps. I ran my finger down my neck, sending a chill down my spine,  tenderly touching the cold, soft, pale exterior, feeling the shiver and craving it. It chilled me to the bones, comforting, but my ice-cold grip slowed and my fingers stopped running down my neck. 

I pulled my fingers back and stuffed my hands in my warm pockets as we found our way to the dorms. We started in Carolina's, as she was in her last year of high school, and therefore her room came first. 

Principal Rahni knocked on the door before a girl opened it. She had golden skin and a dark green hijab. Her hazel eyes sparkled. "Hey, I'm Aaliyah, I guess you're my new roommate."

Carolina stuck her hand out at Aaliyah. "Carolina." they shook. 

"Come on in." Aailyah invited Carolina, and my blonde sister stepped into the room.  Aailyah closed the door behind them and excited voices filled their dorm room.

"Well, I suppose we'll let them chat. We can move on along to your dorm, Miss Ravenwood."

I gritted my teeth. "Please, call me Kella," I told her, smiling sharply. "Miss Ravenwood is my dead mother." The words filled me with the hot, searing, sharp pain that rises into you.