The First Scream

Chapter 10

Carly's POV

I sit by Noah in the auditorium, waiting for the lady of the lake competition to begin. All of my friends sit in the same row, Noah to my left and an empty seat on my right. Part of me wishes Jake would show up, sitting down in that chair and making some stupid joke about being gone so long.

All the names are being called as the contestants walk onto the stage.

"Brooke Maddox" the lady announces, me and Noah hooping and hollering.

"And there you have it. The five lovely finalists to compete for the title 'Lady of the Lake'" The lady says over the microphone

I look at Brooke in her beautiful white dress. She stands in the middle, smiling proudly.

It's when the banner begins to come down when Brooke's face changes from happy to scared. Blood drops down from the banner, all over Brooke and her now red dress. After the blood came a body, crashing down onto the stage

The body of Jake Fitzgerald.

My heart sinks into my stomach, and I feel as if I can't breathe. Brooke lets out a chilling scream as my eyes widen. Noah grabs my hand as a tear drops from my eye.

Jake is dead.
~~

The cops cleared us out of the auditorium, me trying to fight my way to the stage so I could see Jakes body. However, I failed in my attempts to reach him. Noah and a few other cops held me back.

They escort me to the library, but placing Noah in the principals office for questioning. I take a seat next to Kieren, Eli, and Stavo, not saying a word.

"You ok?" Kieren asks me. I look up at him, nodding my head slowly. He lets out a sigh and places his hand on my mine.

"We're gonna be ok." He fakes a smile. He then moves his hand off of mine as Emma enters the room. Everyone stares at her as she begins panicking.

Kieren runs over to her and pulls her into the book shelves.

"So? Who do you think did it?" Eli looks at me. I give him a look, watching him as he continues.

"I mean, you knew Jake. Who hated him enough to kill him?"

"I. Don't. Know" I mutter.

"Whoa. Sorry grumpy pants. Didn't mean to upset you" He holds his hands up in defense.

"Would you be 'grumpy' if one of your best friends was murdered?" I narrow my eyes at him.

My eyes shoot to the door as Noah enters. I instantly stand up and run to him. He wraps his arms around my body, me doing the same. I feel another tear drop from my eye as I pull out of the long and very much so needed hug.

"Hey. So what did he ask you?" Eli asks.

"Usual stuff. Umm.. when was the last time you saw the victim. Was he acting strangely." Noah shrugs. Emma's phone begins vibrating in her bag and she goes to answer it. She then goes into the bookshelves to call her mom.

"So did the sheriff say why they're holding us like this?" Kieren asks.

"No, but I'm sure it's because they know someone's out there. Which I have been saying for a long time." Noah stands over my chair that I took a seat in.

"You keep saying 'there's somebody out there'. Have you not considered the vintage locker room horror scenario? When a stranger calls? Killing room? Devil? Rope?" Stavo moves his hands around.

"You're saying the call is coming from inside this house." Noah narrows his eyes.

"Yeah man. What if they think one of us is the killer?" Stavos reasoning makes my stomach have butterflies.

"So they didn't lock the killer out, they locked him in."Kieren looks up to Noah when Eli comes and puts his hand on Kierens shoulder.

"Him or her. Could be either. But I guess I should leave the crazy paranoid talk to the experts." Eli now touches Noah's shoulders. This is hard for me to admit, but right now I think I prefer Kieren over Eli.

"Kieren, Carly. Can I talk to you for a second?" Emma comes out from the shelves.

We nod, standing up and following her. She bends down into her bag, pulling out a phone. Emma hands it to Kieren, and I know instantly whos phone it is.

"Property of THE Jake" It reads on the back.

"It's Jakes phone. Yeah." Emma's voice shakes.

"How- How did you get that?" I ask.

"It was in my bag." She answers.

"What the heck?" Kieren whispers.

"I emptied my backpack out last night at home and it wasn't there so that means that... oh my god. That means that someone in this school must've put it in there" She starts crying. When she starts crying, tears develop in my eyes. I hate when other people cry.

"The only person that could have had this.."

"Is the killer" I cut Kieren off.

I walk out from the bookshelves when I hear a name being called.

"What? Me, I'm Hayley Meyers" The brunette who pranked Audrey at the theater says.

"The sheriff needs to talk to you" The police tells her.

"What did the sheriff ask you?" She looks to Audrey, making me take a few steps closer to them.

"I haven't been interviewed yet." Audrey tells her.

"Seriously? Why me? Why would he--?" She storms out of the room. Kieren then takes a step next to me and waves Audrey over.

"What's up?" Audrey peeks her head through the shelves.

"How is Brooke?" Emma asks her

"Wrecked. Her dad's on his way, but in the meantime, they're putting her in solitary. Out of gen-pop for obvious reasons. Okay what is going on?" Audrey explains, asking her question when Emma starts crying again.

Emma answers by handing Audrey Jakes phone. She turns it over in her hands, revealing the writing.

"How did-"

"I don't know. Someone planted it in my backpack. Now, I have to figure out how to explain all of that to the cops" Emma starts to walk away.

"No, no! Don't go to the cops." Audrey shakes her head.

"What?" Emma stops.

"It might not be Jakes phone" Audrey's eyes widen.

"I just need to give this to the sheriff and let him do his job." Emma speaks slowly.

"All we know is someone planted it on you. Emma do you remember last time we got played? You nearly got killed. Jake is already dead! I'm sorry but we know what's going on now. Whoever did this is trying to control us. It may be a game to them, but, to us, it's life or death." Audrey's words are chilling. They immediately make Emma cry.

I let them have their moment, going go sit down next to Noah.
~~

End of chapter!

Whose ready for a double update ;)