Jill Brooks and The Three Runes

Secrets We Keep

It was a crisp autumn morning, and Underwood Primary hummed with the usual buzz of students filing into class. Sofia Bennett stepped through the school gates, clutching the straps of her backpack, her eyes darting around nervously. She wasn't used to this yet—being the new girl. The unfamiliar faces, the long corridors, the smell of old books and worn chalkboards—all of it felt foreign.

She had only been here for a few days, but already she could sense something... off about this place. It wasn't just the teachers or the strange way the headmistress, Mrs. Featherstone, had suddenly started teaching classes. It was more like the school itself was alive, watching her, waiting for something to happen.

Sophia sighed and pushed open the doors to the main hall, the loud creak of the old wood sending a shiver down her spine. The students around her moved in clusters, laughing, chatting, carrying on with their usual routines. But Sofia didn't have a routine yet. She didn't even have friends.

That was about to change.

As she made her way down the corridor, a voice called out from behind her.

"Hey! You're the new girl, right?"

Sofia turned to see a girl with curly red hair and a wide grin walking toward her. Her uniform was slightly askew, and she wore mismatched socks—one yellow, one blue. There was a spark in her eyes, one that hinted at trouble.

"I'm Hannah," the girl said, extending a hand.

"Sophia," she replied, shaking her hand hesitantly.

"I know. Everyone knows," Hannah said with a wink. "Small school, big rumors. Don't worry, most of it's harmless."

Sophia smiled faintly, though she wasn't so sure. Rumors had a way of spiraling into something more, especially in a place like Underwood.

As they walked together toward the classroom, Hannah started pointing out students Sophia hadn't yet noticed.

"That's Freddie Clarke over there," Hannah said, nodding toward a boy sitting at a desk, his head buried in a comic book. "He's obsessed with all things supernatural. Ghosts, aliens, curses—you name it. If it's weird, Freddie's into it."

Freddie glanced up from his comic as they passed by and gave a nod, his dark-rimmed glasses slipping down his nose. He seemed lost in his own world, oblivious to the real one around him.

"And over there, that's Eve and Tessa," Hannah continued, gesturing toward two girls standing by the window, their heads bent together in conversation. "They're inseparable, like two peas in a very fashionable pod. They're nice enough, but don't let those sweet smiles fool you—they know everything about everyone."

Eve and Tessa were dressed impeccably, their uniforms crisp and their hair perfectly styled. Sofia could tell by the way they carried themselves that they were the queens of the social scene, the ones who decided who was in and who was out.

"And then, there's Noah Carter", she whispers, "He doesn't talk much, you'll know what I'm talking about soon enough."

Before Sophia could ask more, though, the bell rang, and Mrs. Featherstone strode into the room. The headmistress commanded the classroom with an eerie kind of grace, her sharp eyes scanning the room as if she were searching for something—or someone.

"Take your seats," she said, her voice as stern as ever.

Sophia slid into her desk, her heart racing. It was strange enough that Mrs. Featherstone was teaching at all, but every lesson seemed to drip with hidden meanings and half-answers. Today was no different.

"Miss Bennett, could you please read the next paragraph?" Mrs. Featherstone's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Sophia blinked, her gaze snapping to the textbook in front of her. She found the place and started reading, her voice steady despite her racing thoughts.

"Ancient civilizations often believed that the world was governed by forces they could not control, attributing unexplained phenomena to gods and spirits. In many cases, these beliefs shaped their daily lives and rituals..."

As she read, Sophia noticed Mrs. Featherstone watching her intently. It was subtle, but there was something in her expression — something almost... expectant. Like she was waiting for her to understand something that wasn't in the text.

At lunch, Sophia found herself at the same table as Hannah, Freddie, Eve, and Tessa. She hadn't planned on it, but Hannah had pulled her along, insisting she needed to sit with "real people."

"So, new girl," Eve said, leaning forward with a curious gleam in her eye. "What's your deal?"

Sophia blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you just sort of... showed up. Out of nowhere. Most people who transfer here do it because they have to, not because they want to," Eve said, tilting her head.

Sophia shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with the attention. "My mum thought it'd be good for me. A fresh start, you know?"

Tessa raised an eyebrow. "A fresh start? What was wrong with the old one?"

Before Sophia could answer, Freddie piped up. "I bet it's because she's seen something. Something she shouldn't have. Maybe her old school was haunted, and her parents had to move to protect her."

Everyone laughed, except for Sofia.

Hannah elbowed Freddie. "Ease up, Fred. Not everyone's running from ghosts."

Just as she was about to take a bite of her sandwich, Noah Carter appeared at the end of their table. He didn't say a word—just stared at Sofia with those intense, dark eyes.

"What's up, Carter?" Hannah asked casually, as if this wasn't unusual.

Noah's gaze flicked to her, then back to Sofia. He spoke in a low voice, barely above a whisper. "You're new here. You should know—things are happening. Strange things. We don't belong here. You don't belong here."

Sophia's heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?"

Noah didn't answer. Instead, he gave her one last look before turning on his heel and walking away, leaving the group in stunned silence.

"Okay, that was weird, even for him," Freddie muttered.

Sophia's hands trembled slightly as she set her sandwich down. Noah's words echoed in her mind—you don't belong here. Was it a warning? Or a threat?

Either way, Sophia knew one thing for sure: she was about to find out just how deep Underwood's secrets really went.