Turned Cold

•Chapter 5•

"Why are you even coming with me?" I asked, taking a small dagger and sliding it on the small belt around my right thigh. I smoothed my skirt again, and adjusted my top.

"It's...different now, Layla," Luke answered, waiting by my door.

"How so?" I placed my hair up in a ponytail, and grabbed my backpack, following him down the hallway.

"It-you'll just have to wait and see."

"You're really scaring me now, Luke," I chuckled, nudging his elbow. He glared, but continued to walk.

Once we arrived back to town, something was a little...off. My eyes quickly scanned my surroundings, seeing there was less people on the sidewalk. There were people, maybe two on every corner. Luke was quiet the whole time, which isn't really different, but he seemed like...he knew something?

Arriving at school, I stepped through the hallway. There were occasional students scattering which relieved me that there is school, but it was quiet.

"Layla, look. There's-"

"Layla!" Bella scurried over, a frown set deeply in her face, but her eyes were shining in excitement and anger. She warily looked around, pulling me, and I dragged Luke to come along. We stopped at a classroom, but the teacher wasn't present yet. The weird thing is, everyone's obediently sitting on their seats and quietly talking with the surrounding people.

"Where the heck have you been? Three months! You've been gone for three months without mentioning to anyone! I called your house and your phone but no one answered! Then you just come back with some guy and, and you just-" she broke down in a fit of sobs, and I awkwardly rubbed her back.

"I-I'm sorry but you just...I'm glad you're back," she continued crying in her hands. Luke looked a little out of place, so I pointed to a vacant desk for him to sit on.

"Where have you been? Why did you just leave without telling me? I- why?"

"Um, I'm sorry. I'm back, but why are you crying so much?" I still stood awkwardly beside her, rubbing her back. The odd thing is, no one was looking our way. They're simply minding their own business. Once Bella calmed, I sat down beside Luke and Bella took my other side.

"Things happened while you were gone." She said, staring at the wall. "And who's he?" She nodded to Luke.

"I'm Luke. I'm a transfer here," he said politely. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

Bella wiped her cheeks with the palm of her hand. "It started a few weeks ago. I came here at school, and some girl found her friend at the girl's change room, dead with a bullet through her head I think," she heaved, wiping her tears. "The girl who saw her moved away. Said that she couldn't take it. Then, a week after she found the girl, a boy was found at the kitchen freezer at the cafeteria. I didn't know how he died. Either from getting stuck there, or if the rope marks around his neck rumour is true." Her body visibly shook, and she took a minute to regain her breathing. My palms were sweating, but I kept a serious expression, so did Luke, but Bella was a mess.

"Two weeks ago," she suddenly gasped for breath, breathing heavily. I waited for her to calm, then she continued. "A teacher found Ben and Alexis. They were at the back of the school by the dumpster. All I know is that they were found dead, and the boy or girl's leg was chopped off, and," she gasped once again. "And the other's neck was more than halfway sliced through the middle. I saw the picture, Lay. One of the kids somehow found a picture and sent it to everyone." She covered her eyes once again, her hair curtaining her face. She tried hard to cover the sounds of her sobs, but miserably failed. Other students glanced at her, but said nothing afterwards.