Whispers Beyond The Veil

Episode 2: Echoes of the Past

It was a crisp, bright morning in Ravenswood, and the day Audrey and Wendy had anticipated— their first day at Ravenswood Academy— had finally arrived. Audrey, the early riser, slipped into her uniform, neatly tied her hair, and woke up Wendy, her sleepy sister, before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Wendy lingered in the washroom, staring blankly at her reflection. Her tired eyes, darkened from sleepless nights, stared back. The familiar voices in her head, the ones she desperately wished to silence, started to murmur louder. The flashbacks of their parents' accident flashed in her mind like cruel, unwanted memories. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she pressed her palms against her temples, struggling to suppress the noise. Finally, she lost control.

"STOP IT! PLEASE, STOP!" she screamed.

Audrey froze in the kitchen, the toast slipping from her fingers. Panic shot through her like lightning as she raced down the hall, pounding on the bathroom door.

"Wendy! Wendy, are you okay? Open the door!" Audrey shouted, her voice shaking with fear.

Wendy, still fighting back the tears, wiped her face and stayed silent. She slowly opened the door, her eyes meeting Audrey's— a mixture of concern and terror reflected in them.

"Fucking hell, Wendy!" Audrey breathed, her voice breaking. "You scared the shit out of me. What happened?"

"I'm fine..." Wendy muttered softly, her face void of expression. "I just slipped. No big deal."

Audrey frowned, glancing at the dry tiles on the floor, but decided to let it go. "Well, be careful. Breakfast is ready."

They sat together, eating quietly, the clinking of forks on plates filling the otherwise silent room. Audrey tried to lighten the mood as they finished up and left the apartment, but Wendy remained distant, her mind elsewhere.

Outside, Mrs. Beatrice, their neighbor, was walking her dog, Rex. The scruffy dog bounded toward Wendy, tail wagging furiously.

"Hello, Mrs. Beatrice!" Audrey greeted warmly. "This is my sister Wendy."

"Nice to meet you, Wendy," Mrs. Beatrice replied with a kind smile. "Looks like Rex is happy to meet you too."

Wendy bent down to pet Rex, her fingers brushing his fur softly. "I can walk him if you'd like," she offered with a smile. "I love dogs."

Mrs. Beatrice chuckled. "You're a peach, dear. If you're serious, I'll give you five dollars for each walk."

Wendy beamed. "Deal!" She hugged Mrs. Beatrice in excitement, catching her off guard.

Audrey watched the exchange, raising an eyebrow. "What was that, Wendy? You love dogs, or you love making money?"

They laughed as they continued their walk to school, the looming Ravenswood Academy finally coming into view. It was an imposing building, modern and pristine, with lush green gardens surrounding it.

Inside, the girls parted ways to find their lockers and attend their first classes. Audrey, who thrived in social settings, settled quickly into her routine. Wendy, on the other hand, struggled with the weight of her grief and barely paid attention in her classes, her head buried in her arms.

Between classes, Audrey stood at her locker, scrolling through her phone, when she felt a sudden slam. Startled, she looked up to see a group of girls led by a blonde with cold eyes and an overconfident smirk.

"Hey, newbie," said the girl, her sharp perfume stinging Audrey's nose. "I'm Chloe Mitchell, and these are my friends. Let me make something clear—if you mess with me or my friends, I'll make your life miserable."

Audrey, unfazed, smirked. "Oh, I see. Queen Bee of the school, right? Word of advice: improve your math skills before trying to bully someone over a quiz."

Chloe's face twisted in anger. She raised her hand, ready to slap Audrey, when another hand appeared, stopping her mid-swing.

"Not today, Chloe," said a voice softly. A girl with striking dark hair and kind eyes stepped forward. "Leave her alone."

Chloe glared. "What's your problem, Aria?"

"My problem is your pathetic need to pick on new students," Aria shot back. "Grow up."

Audrey looked from Aria to Chloe, grateful for the intervention. Chloe scoffed and stormed off with her posse, leaving the hallway thick with tension.

"Thanks... Aria, right?" Audrey said.

"No worries," Aria replied with a smile. "She's all bark and no bite. Don't let her get to you. And yeah, I'm Aria. You're Audrey, right?"

Audrey nodded. Just then, a tall boy with tousled dark hair approached, placing a hand on Aria's shoulder. "Hey, Aria."

"Oh, hey Elia! Audrey, this is Elia. He's a good friend."

Elia's gaze lingered on Audrey for a moment too long, his deep voice stumbling over a greeting. "H-Hi. Nice to meet you, Audrey."

Audrey blushed slightly, her heart racing. "Nice to meet you too, Elia."

Aria laughed. "Well, I'll leave you two to get acquainted," she teased, walking away.

Meanwhile, Wendy's day was turning darker. During a break, a boy in a football uniform tossed a ball at her head, causing her to slam her nose against the desk.

"What the fuck?!" Wendy yelled, holding her nose in pain.

The boy, Liam, laughed. "What did you call me, newbie?"

Wendy glared, rubbing her sore nose. "Get lost, jerk."

Liam sat on her desk, smirking. "Feisty, huh? What's your deal?"

Wendy hesitated before blurting out, "My parents died recently, okay? That's my deal."

The smirk faded from Liam's face, replaced with awkward silence. He tried to maintain his bravado. "Yeah... well, that sucks, but you can't bring them back from the dead, right?"

Wendy's eyes narrowed. His words struck something inside her, something that made her blood run cold. She abruptly stood, storming out of the classroom and into the restroom, tears stinging her eyes. As she stared at her reflection in the mirror, the whispers returned.

"Bring them back," the voices murmured. "You can bring them back..."

Her heart raced. Could she really communicate with her parents? Could she reach beyond the grave?

What was Ravenswood about to witness?