Blocked

Chapter Twelve

As soon as we sat down, Mrs. Black came in with two glasses of her signature smoothies. She handed one to each of us, smiling warmly as she asked, "Sebastian, how's everything at school?"

I stayed quiet, sipping on the smoothie I didn't taste. I wasn't paying much attention, but somehow, they started talking about Hannah—again.

I shifted uncomfortably, zoning out as they exchanged words about how strange it was that she was still missing. My eyes wandered to the TV remote, and without thinking, I grabbed it and turned on the TV, hoping for some distraction. But instead, the screen flickered to life, displaying something that made my stomach drop.

The news.

It was the sewer next to our school, and a breaking headline ran across the screen: "Body of Missing Student, Hannah Frost, Discovered." My breath hitched, and then the image appeared.

Hannah's body.

Hanging from a tree branch, next to the school sewer. N*ked. Brutally injured. And on her pale, lifeless skin, the word "BLOCKED" was carved in deep, red gashes.

My entire body went cold.

I couldn't process it. The room spun, and the bile rose in my throat. I felt sick.

Without thinking, I stood up. My vision blurred, and my legs moved on their own. I didn't even hear Mrs. Black or Sebastian calling my name. I just needed to get out of there.

Before I knew it, I ran out the door, heading straight for Mrs. Black's car parked in the driveway. My hands fumbled with the keys I had grabbed in my panic. I heard someone shouting behind me—Mrs. Black's voice—telling me to stop. But I didn't.

I started the engine, my mind racing, barely able to focus. I just had to get away.

Sebastian was already running after me, calling out, but his voice was muffled by the pounding in my ears. Mrs Black shouted something too, her voice filled with worry.

"Stop, Mia! Please!"

Sebastian turned to her, reassuring her, "Don't worry, I'll find her. I'll make sure she's safe."

But by then, I was already speeding down the road, the image of Hannah's body burned into my mind, the word "BLOCKED" echoing like a scream I couldn't escape.