✦ Kristen Ford has always been fiercely independent-a trait that threatens her family's reputation. Her father, Evan Ford, decides to send her to Blackwood Academy, an elite school known for straightening out troubled kids. But Blackwood is no ordin...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Kristen
We were rushed back to our respective dorm rooms after the horrific incident in the forest. Word spread like wildfire, and we soon discovered it was the body of the missing girl, someone from the same academic year as ours. A dreadful pall hung over the entire campus. The four of us sat in my dorm room, our bodies still shaking. Ava nervously rubbed her face as if she could still feel the drops of blood on her skin.
"The prophecy, is it really true?" Jane asked with a nervous gulp.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "What exactly does the prophecy say?"
Emily glanced at Ava and Jane before speaking. "It was an old legend passed down by the seniors. They said that every ten years, three girls from senior year would disappear. Two would be found dead, and the other... well, she would be taken."
"Taken?" I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper. "Taken where?"
"No one knows," Ava said, her voice trembling. "Some say to another realm, others believe it's a ritual sacrifice. But none of the girls were ever seen again."
Jane hugged herself tightly, her eyes wide with fear. "Do you remember that night during freshman year, when we first heard about it? We thought it was just a spooky story to scare the new students."
Emily nodded. "Yeah, but it's not just a story anymore. It's happening."
"But why us? Why now?" I asked, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach.
Ava spoke up, her voice shaky. "They say the prophecy is tied to a lunar cycle. Every decade, the curse is activated. This year, it coincides with our senior year."
"Is there any way to stop it?" I asked, desperation creeping into my voice.
Jane shook her head slowly. "According to the legend, once the cycle begins, it can't be stopped."
"But this could be a coincidence. Someone could have actually murdered her in the name of the prophecy," I said, trying to rationalize the situation.
"Maybe," Emily conceded, "but according to my knowledge, it is true that it has happened every 10 years."
Ava nodded, her expression grim. "I did some research in the archives last year. Every decade, three girls from the senior class go missing. Two are found dead, and the other is never seen again."
"So, we're dealing with something that's been going on for decades? How has no one stopped it before?"
"Fear, maybe," Emily suggested. "Or disbelief. By the time anyone realizes what's happening, it's too late."
Soon, exhaustion took over, Jane and ava returned to thier dorm rooms, but sleep felt impossible. The horrific images and the reality of what had happened played on a loop in my mind. Restless and anxious, I decided to call my dad, hoping to find some comfort.
