Car horns wailed through New York’s streets. Traffic signals blinked, their warnings lost in the shadows. Passersby weaved around the taxis, their movements fluid and low to the ground. A thick yellowish haze draped the towering skyline, muting the neon signs. One building pierced the grime; its massive digital display flashed the word “Ultratech,” a cold, arrogant beacon.
The CEO studied the city lights from her office window; her mind modeled market shifts. Her sleek form, composed of gold and light gray metals, absorbed the dim light in the room. Alloy strips cascaded from her head like dreadlocks, giving her an imposing, elegant presence.
The office stood silent, save for the faint hum of virtual projectors. The door hissed wide. A figure emerged, its body molten plasma. Plasma whips twisted and flared outward, casting flickering light across the room, like solar eruptions.
“I don’t recall giving you permission to enter, Cinder.” The CEO’s voice crackled with mechanical clarity, each syllable edged with static.
The fire creature’s neutral mask held no expression, yet the CEO detected amusement in its subtle head tilt.
Cinder advanced toward the desktop. His scoff—a puff of smoke—spoke defiance. “Have you seen the news, ARIA?” His voice rumbled, heated metal against metal.
“Specify.”
“A school massacre tore through Chamberlain, Maine.” Cinder projected commands onto the desk surface. “The report claims a student moved objects with her mind and killed people.”
ARIA’s sensors adjusted the incoming data. “Play footage of this event.”
“Already on it.”
Cinder tapped a command. A giant display lowered from the ceiling, its surface pulsing with flashing content.
A reporter held a microphone near the school’s ruins. The burned structure’s skeletal remains towered behind them. Detectives picked through the wreckage, sifting through debris within the yellow-tape enclosure for evidence. The bright sky and sharp shadows of the footage betrayed the time: yesterday.
“I’m reporting live from Thomas Ewen High School, the site of the ‘Black Prom’ massacre on May 25, 2013. Authorities cannot confirm the number of lives lost.”
The reporter shifted, pressing a finger to his earpiece. “One moment.” His gaze froze as he received the update. “Police recovered a camera that captured the massacre. Analysts are reviewing the footage to determine the underlying cause of the incident. It’s planned for public release, pending approval. Stay tuned as this story develops. We advise viewer discretion; the footage shows distressing scenes.”
The clip showed a young woman with strawberry-blonde hair. Bluish-gray eyes drank in the overhead lights. A soft pink gown with a flowing silhouette draped her figure. She held a bouquet and wore a crown. Her smile did not reach her eyes.
A blonde boy stood beside her. His classic black tuxedo featured a crisp white shirt and black bow tie. He also wore a crown and matched his smile with hers.
They stood on the stage. Without warning, a torrent of blood cascaded from above. It drenched them, soaking fabric and skin. Though some splashed the boy, his date bore the brunt.
YOU ARE READING
Killer Instinct: Carrie Unleashed
Fanfiction"You can only push a person so far before they break." The dark veil of the Black Prom Massacre still hangs heavy over Chamberlain, Maine. Everyone believes the tragedy's catalyst, Carrie White, is dead, but they are wrong. Barely clinging to life a...
