Car horns wailed on New York’s streets. Traffic lights blinked, unheard in the shadows. Passersby weaved around taxis. A thick yellow haze smothered the skyline, muting the neon signs. One building pierced the grime, its digital display flaring with the word “Ultratech,” a cold, arrogant beacon.
The CEO scrutinized the city lights from her office window, her mind devouring market shifts. Gold and light-gray metals gleamed on her sleek form, almost catching the room’s dim light. Alloy strips cascaded from her head like dreadlocks, defining her imposing elegance.
The office was silent; only the faint hum of virtual projectors remained. The door hissed wide. A figure of molten plasma surged forth. Plasma whips twisted and flared, casting light across the room as fierce as solar eruptions.
“I don’t recall giving you permission to enter, Cinder.” The CEO’s voice crackled, each syllable edged with static.
The fire creature’s mask was neutral, yet the CEO registered amusement in its subtle head tilt.
Cinder approached the desktop. His scoff—a puff of smoke—registered defiance. “Have you seen the news, ARIA?” His voice rumbled, heated metal against metal.
“Specify.”
“A school massacre hit Chamberlain, Maine.” Cinder projected commands onto the desk. “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. The giant display dropped from the ceiling, its surface pulsing.
A reporter held a microphone near the school’s ruins. Skeletal remains of the structure towered behind them. Detectives picked through the wreckage, sifting within the yellow-tape enclosure for evidence. The footage’s bright sky and sharp shadows marked 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 reflected the overhead lights. A soft pink gown flowed around her. She carried a bouquet and a crown. Her smile did not reach her eyes.
A blonde boy was beside her. He paired his black tuxedo with a crisp white shirt. He crowned himself and mirrored her smile.
They stood onstage. The torrent of blood burst from above, slamming down. It drenched them, staining fabric and skin. The boy got some, but his date endured it.
“A harmless prank shifted to horror. Sixteen-year-old Carrie White became the target of a vicious plot.” Laughter ripped from the speakers, filling the space until an impact shattered the moment.
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...
