one of us is lying

Episode 6: Deeper Shadows

**Location: Mason's House – Late Night****Time: 11:00 PM**---**Mason (🎯):** (Pacing back and forth in his room, staring at his phone, contemplating whether to share the new message with the group. He clenches his fists and sits down at his desk, pulling out a notepad to jot down his thoughts.)**Mason's Inner Thoughts:** (Writing) "Whoever this is, they're playing us. But why? What do they really want?"**Mason's Mom:** (Knocking on the door) Mason, honey, it's getting late. Don't stay up too long.**Mason (🎯):** (Hiding the notepad quickly) Yeah, Mom. Just finishing up some homework. I'll head to bed soon.**Mason's Mom:** (Smiling) Alright, goodnight. Don't overwork yourself.**Mason (🎯):** (Nods) Night, Mom.(As she leaves, Mason retrieves his notepad, staring at the list of names he's written: *Ava, Liam, Ella, Sophia*. He circles each name, then puts question marks next to them, frustrated and unsure.)**Mason's Inner Thoughts:** (Whispering to himself) "It could be any one of them... or none of them. But I can't shake the feeling that someone's hiding something big."(Mason's phone buzzes. He jumps slightly, then checks it. Another message appears, and his eyes widen in shock.)**Message on Mason's Phone:** "You think you're getting closer, but you're only falling into my trap. Keep digging, Mason, and you'll regret it."**Mason (🎯):** (Staring at the screen in disbelief) What the hell...---**Location: School Hallway – The Next Morning****Time: 8:30 AM**---**Ava (🌟), Ella (🌙), and Liam (🔥)** are standing by their lockers, whispering to each other. Mason approaches them, looking pale and exhausted.**Ava (🌟):** (Noticing Mason) You look terrible. Did you sleep at all last night?**Mason (🎯):** (Shaking his head) Not really. I got another message. It was a threat.**Ella (🌙):** (Worried) What did it say?**Mason (🎯):** (Looking around cautiously) It said I'm falling into their trap. That if I keep digging, I'll regret it.**Liam (🔥):** (Angrily) They're trying to scare us. We can't let them win.**Ava (🌟):** (Frowning) But what if it's more than that? What if they're planning something to really hurt us?**Mason (🎯):** (Nods) That's what I'm worried about. We need to be extra careful.**Sophia (💎):** (Walking up to the group, sensing the tension) What's going on? Did something happen?**Ava (🌟):** (Glancing at Mason) Mason got another message. It was a threat this time.**Sophia (💎):** (Eyes narrowing) This is getting out of hand. We need to find out who's doing this, and fast.**Ella (🌙):** (Nervously) But how? We've already been trying, and it feels like we're getting nowhere.**Liam (🔥):** (Determined) We need to dig deeper. Look into anyone who might have a reason to target us. We can't trust anyone outside this group.**Mason (🎯):** (Coldly) Or inside it, for that matter.**Sophia (💎):** (Defensive) What's that supposed to mean, Mason?**Mason (🎯):** (Shrugs) Just that we shouldn't rule out any possibilities. Someone could be playing a very dangerous game here.**Ava (🌟):** (Sighs) Let's not start accusing each other again. We need to stay focused. Let's meet at the park after school and go over everything we know. Maybe we've missed something.**Liam (🔥):** (Nods) Agreed. We'll figure this out together.---**Location: The Park – After School****Time: 4:00 PM**---**The group sits in a tight circle on the grass, away from the usual benches, hoping to avoid being overheard. Each of them looks more anxious than before, the pressure clearly getting to them.****Ava (🌟):** (Spreading out some papers with notes she's taken) Okay, let's go over what we know. We've all received messages, except for Sophia. Whoever's doing this knows us well, but we still don't have a clear suspect.**Sophia (💎):** (Crossing her arms) Are we seriously still on this? I didn't get a message because I have nothing to hide.**Liam (🔥):** (Sarcastic) Or maybe because you're the one sending them.**Sophia (💎):** (Annoyed) Oh, come on, Liam. That's ridiculous.**Ella (🌙):** (Quietly) What if it's not about hiding something? What if the messages are meant to make us suspect each other? To tear us apart?**Mason (🎯):** (Nods) That's a real possibility. But there has to be a reason why we were chosen. Something that links us all together.**Ava (🌟):** (Pensively) What if it's something from the past? Something we all were a part of, even if we didn't realize it?**Liam (🔥):** (Frowning) Like what? I can't think of anything we all did together that would make someone want to do this.**Sophia (💎):** (Suddenly thoughtful) Wait... remember last summer? That night at the lake?**Ella (🌙):** (Eyes widening) The one where...?**Sophia (💎):** (Nods) Yeah. We all thought it was nothing, but what if someone didn't?**Ava (🌟):** (Slowly) You think this is connected to that? But we didn't do anything wrong.**Mason (🎯):** (Grimly) Maybe someone thinks we did. Or maybe they know something we don't.**Liam (🔥):** (Tense) If this is about the lake, we need to start looking at everyone who was there that night. Who could have seen us? Who might have a grudge?**Ella (🌙):** (Worried) But how do we figure that out? It was dark, and there were other people around. It could have been anyone.**Sophia (💎):** (Firmly) We start by making a list. Everyone who was at the lake that night. Anyone who could have been watching us. We need to narrow down our suspects.**Ava (🌟):** (Nodding) Agreed. Let's meet up tomorrow with all the names we can remember. We'll figure this out together.---*As the group begins to disperse,   another hidden camera, this time located in a nearby bush, recording their every move.  .***End of Episode 6***To be continued...*