Star vs. The Forces of Evil - Never Hold Back

Chapter Eleven

Star paced through Soldier Hall One, keeping guard for the night as ordered. Despite this, she was more focused on thinking of an escape plan than anything else. She bit her lip, ripping off the stray skin, nibbling on it mindlessly and licking where the skin once was, tasting the blood. She rubbed around her fingernails anxiously, stimming to an unreachable satisfaction. In the end, she bit her wand, a habit she was trying to break. She didn't really care, it's not like it was bad for the thing. She was still too busy worrying about basically everything to care about. Thinking about the subject, she stopped to stare at the door to Blake's cell. Bored and needing a break with her mind, she walked over and opened it with her universal key card.

The door clicked open and Star entered cautiously, peering around the corners for any signs of life. Seeing nothing, she proceeded, closing the door behind her. The window that once had a large hole in it had been replaced, and there were no bloodstains to be found. There was a faint light coming from the moon, but it was barely enough for her to see properly. She assumed that all of the cell setups were identical, or at least similar, and walked forward off to the right, feeling around for a desk. Soon enough, her hand rested on the wooden table, and she felt her way up to a desk lamp. She switched it on and looked around, confirming her assumption to be true. With a sigh, she sat down in the old wooden chair. The cells were a lot more humble than the outside; they had wooden furniture, which reminded her much of Chelsea’s house. Chelsea lived in a cozy, woodsy house nearby a lake in Echo Creek. Star remembers not much of it, but she does recall the scent of pine and apple pie embracing her as she had entered to visit...

Waking from her daydream, Star looked down at the desk to see Blake’s voice recorder. She had fiddled with hers when she was bored, and she was always curious as to what others did with them. Curiosity got the best of her, and she turned it on, pressing the playback button. After some static, she heard Blake’s voice…

“Who are you…? W-What are you doing here…?? How did you even manage to get in???”

“Don't make me kill you,” said a dull voice.

“I said WHO ARE YOU???”

“That doesn't matter.”

“What do you want from me…”

“I simply wish for you to get out of my way…”

“NO! You're onto something and I know it! Now get out or I'll kill you!!!”

“Good luck with that.”

All Star could hear next were thundering footsteps, furious growling and shattering glass. Suddenly, a booming gunshot went off, and she heard Blake shriek in agony. There was a dull thud, the sound of jingling keys, and a rising of worried cries from the other rooms. As Blake cried for mercy in whimpers, the footsteps drew closer to the recorder, only to stop when they heard Jackie and Janna outside the doorway...

The recording ended there.

Star stared down at the hissing recorder, questions buzzing through her head. Who was the culprit? How did they know Blake was a keyholder? Have they been the primary cause of all the deaths as of late? What keys did they use? And for Christ’s sake… why did their voice sound so familiar yet so foreign?

Star bit her wand with frustration, standing up and pacing the room. She knew Janna had scanned the place for clues as to who the culprit may be, but there was no evidence to be found-

Wait...

Star stopped in her tracks and looked back at the recorder. Hadn't the culprit pressed the end recording button? She hasn't touched it since she got there… Perhaps Janna and the investigators can find fingerprints?

Her heart leaped with hope as she grabbed the recorder and turned off the lamp. She hurried out and locked the door behind her, sprinting with the investigation office in mind.