The End

Chapter 4: Behind the Mask

Liv's Point of View 

The dark night sky has rain falling from it. The rain drizzles, hits the ground and joins the stream running down the sides of the roads. My windshield wipers working hard to fight the steam, my car lights guiding us to the crime scene. 

Tears are falling from Brook's eyes as Madison holds her tightly in the back of my car. We arrive to an abandoned warehouse where red and blue lights are flashing. The colors are illuminating in the puddles of water. 

I park the car as close to the yellow crime scene tape that I can. We all get out and no words are to describe the scene. A driver has his throat slit and Daniel's body just laying there cold and ghostly. They let Brook through as she lunges towards Daniel.

She gets close to him and tries to hold him but the detective grabs her hand, "You cannot touch him until we run fingerprints". Brook understands and backs away in disgust with her fist to her mouth and nose in shock. 

Detective Abby walks over to her and hands her the suitcase in private. I get closer to hear the detective whisper, "This was Daniel's, it is full of cash keep it and get out of here, its yours now, I could lose my job for this!"

Brook nods her head. I look away when she comes over because I didn't want her her to think I was being snoopy. We all huddle and hug each other tight. My eyes look to Daniel as a bright flash blinds me, as a coroner takes a photo of Daniel. 

The sun has finally came up over the sea. I sit on the balcony of my house in a swinging chair. Laying with coffee and my head on a royal blue pillow. The glass door slides open and out comes Kylie. She twirls her hair and sits down on the chair looking out at the sea. 

She pets my head and starts to make small talk but I completely zone her out still annoyed with her after she tried to show my friend in pain. She mentions Cierra which gets my attention as my eyes open and I sit up. 

She hands me over a picture smiling. I grab it and see Cierra and I at the old county fair standing in front of the bumper cars with a large cotton candy. Us so young our mouths outlined in blue. "My mom found this in her purse at the crime scene and I kept it thinking you would want it". 

I grin wide looking at the photo and my eyes are watering. I look at Kylie who has a huge smile on her face. Her teeth so white and her eyes so beautiful and forgiving. I hug her tight knowing she wants to do more good then bad and she just needs a friend. 

Our hug is broken up by phone ringing. It reads unknown. "Is that the guy who has been harassing you?" she asks. 

"Yes, last time I did not answer he killed someone" I respond with guilt and chills running through my veins. 

"Hello" I say with an annoyed voice.

"What took you so long to answer me?" the voice says with a twisted tone. 

"Fuck you asshole", I snap back with my voice drawing out my message to him showing I absolutely despise him. 

"That's not very nice! Especially because we were just about to start a game" he responds agitated with my attitude. 

"No". I hang up. My phone lights up with a text. 

Kylie and I look at each other scared. I turn my phone back over and see a video of Cole from my history class with his mouth taped shut and he is all tied up knocked unconscious. A text message reads; you have two hours to figure out why Cole here is involved why he is significant into finding who is behind the mask. Or another innocent person dies! Time is ticking. 

"Cole was in my class he is really nice but kind of nerdy; I barely know him so why would he be involved with this" I question as Kylie starts to twist her hair again. 

"I do not know but we need to figure this out quickly before someone else dies" she says now panicked. We both get up into the jeep. 

We look at the disturbing video multiple times. Kylie notices a sign in the background, it says White Water High School. "I know where to go; we have to go there now! Cole had a party there last year" I yell. 

"Okay". Kylie hits the gas and dirt and dust flies up as we drive away from my house.

When we arrive to the school, I immediately notice the no trespassing signs and the boards covering up the windows and doorways. 

We agree to walk to the back. I am now drenched in sweat from the Carolina sun and the intense heat. "What if this is wrong and someone dies!" Kylie asks. 

"Well this is our best shot" I try to reassure her. 

"Ow" she shouts as a bug bites her. She slaps it away as we keep walking to see a backdoor wide open with the board ripped off. 

"This is gonna seem weird Kylie but I actually lost my virginity at this party" I claim laughing a little. 

"Wow, who was it with?" she questions. 

"Well actually..." a loud noise comes from the house. 

We both glare into each others eyes with fear. She picks up a sign that is laying on the ground beside her. I turn around to see the woods, deep into the woods I look to get a sense of my surroundings. 

I turn back around and walk forward a bit to see that Kylie is just standing there. "Are you coming" I say walking back to her direction. She looks down at the sign she is holding and smacks her hand out as it lets off a metal vibration. 

"Come on" I reach for her hand but then out of nowhere she swings the sign up at my face with great force knocking me out cold. I hear her voice say, "It's for your own good". All fades to black as confusion and shock leaves me knocked out hard on the ground.