I was never there

Chapter ten

X sat next to me when the headmaster rushed in. We were in geography at the time, which came after math. The headmaster, Mr. Flui, whispered something to the teacher. The teacher turned pale. I glanced at X. She was sitting with a focused look, her ears clearly perked up. The teacher nodded slightly, and Mr. Flui stepped in front of the chalkboard hanging on the wall. "As you all know, our student Maya Stevens was brutally murdered a few days ago." A chilling murmur spread through the class. Everyone looked at each other in shock and began to speculate. "Attention, please," Mr. Flui said sternly, looking at us. "Amber Mavis has just been found dead in the girls' restroom. Olivia Zate, Ivy Icen, Andrea Olive, and Paige Nearly found her dead. There are no traces of the perpetrator yet; the police are on their way. I have consulted with the other teachers and the police." He looked around nervously. "There is a murderer among us. We don't know the reason for the murders; at this moment, we know nothing. The school must go into full lockdown, and no one is allowed on the school grounds or inside the building." Miley cautiously raised her hand. "Yes, Miley, go ahead," Mr. Flui said. Fearfully, she asked, "Is the murderer in this class?" Everyone looked around. "We're not sure, but because the murders all happened within this class, the chances are higher." Miley began to cry silently and huddled up. Olivia, sitting next to her, rubbed her back. Amber was one of her best friends; it was all too much for her. Amber Mavis... I thought. Wait! X's last name is also Mavis! I quickly turned to X. "That was my cousin," she said with teary eyes. I cautiously looked back at Mr. Flui. This cannot be happening, I thought. I rubbed my sweaty hands over my face. My mascara stuck to my hands. Why do all the murders seem to revolve around X? Maya, her friend, and now her cousin Amber. And now in complete lockdown too. "You will have online classes for the time being," Mr. Flui said. "You will need a laptop for this, which you will receive as you leave the school." With those words, Mr. Flui left the classroom. It was silent in the class for a while. Some stared blankly ahead, and others looked at X or Miley with pity. The teacher didn't say anything either. Just after the bell rang, Mr. Flui's loud, deep voice sounded through the speakers on the wall. He explained how the lockdown would work. When he finished, most of the students stood up, packed their bags, and left the classroom anxiously. Now it's REALLY serious.