The Diary of Holly Campbell

Five

Her Wednesday started off as it usually did: she got up earlier so she could leave for tutoring on time, and she went about getting herself ready. However, she decided to get up a few minutes earlier then her 5.30am alarm. After dressing herself and brushing her teeth, Holly snaked down the stairs, sliding in her socks, and stole her phone from the pantry. She stood behind the kitchen bench to ensure she could see anyone who came into the kitchen, and unlocked her phone. She logged out of the mail app and signed back in with her mother's details. She found her tutor's email address and quickly typed an email saying:

'Hi Sophia, Holly isn't feeling the best today, and I think it's best if she stays home. So sorry to cancel so late! All the best, Tiffany xx.'

She pressed send and then waited anxiously for Sophia's response as she packed her lunch. Her phone vibrated violently on the marble benchtop and she reached for it and sighed with long-awaited relief as she saw the response from Sophia: 'No worries. Hope she feels better soon!' Then, she deleted the email and the one she had sent and wiped them from the recently deleted folder as well. Her mother would never know. She signed back into her own email account and finished packing her lunch, then stuffed it and the rest of her things into her bag, slid her feet into her shoes, peeked into her parents' room to say goodbye, and walked out the front door in the direction of school.

As she quickly trekked up the steep slope of the main road, she could still feel the feeling she had become uncomfortably familiar with over the last few days. It was unmistakable, a gut-wrenching feeling that opened the door to a realm of fear she didn't know she could enter. Eyes. She didn't know where, but there was someone watching her.

When she got to school, she sat down at one of the tables outside the library as she waited for it to open, and turned down the brightness on her laptop in case someone walked past. She opened a new Word document, titled it 'Dates', and began noting things down, with the fancy diamond dot points she discovered she could use.

¨ 9/08/2024: First letter arrives

¨ 10/08/2024: Second letter arrives

¨ 11/08/2024: People in graveyard watching me and third letter arrives. Later that night, first text message comes through and the people are outside my house.

¨ 12/08/2024: I finally opened the letter when I got home from school.

¨ 13/08/2024: They texted me saying I was smart for opening the letter. Then I had a conversation with them over text and agreed to meet with them on Friday afternoon. Mistake? Let's see.

'Boo!' cried an eccentric voice, two strong hands gripping Holly's shoulders. She screamed loudly and shut her laptop as she turned to see Annie standing behind her. 'Jeez, that was a big reaction,' she laughed, stepping over the bench to sit beside Holly. 'Why isn't your tutor here?'

'She cancelled last minute,' Holly said, and it was technically the truth, just reversed. 'I was already here when Mum told me.'

'Oh, bugger,' said Annie. 'Well, now you get to spend more time with me. Can you help me with my geography assignment? I have no clue what I'm doing.'

'I'll have less idea than you, I don't even do geography.'

'But you're smart. You might be able to help me actually understand the task sheet.'

'Fine. Show me.'

Annie pulled her out her own laptop and logged on, turning up the brightness as the sun peered over the edge of the library. 'Here,' she said. 'Ms Grey didn't explain it at all.'

'Okay, so you have to design an eco-friendly building to put anywhere in Darwin. And you have to choose what the purpose of it will be. For example, you could do housing, shopping, or anything. The building just has to be eco-friendly.'