Revenge

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Discovering the case

Linzi, Olly and their 8 best friends (Danni/ Danielle, Nathan, Ceri, Tristan, Jade, Jack, Ella and Danny) were sat chatting away, with the TV on for extra company in the background, at Linzi’s house – in the den.

“So, guys, what are your biggest fears?” Tristan asked trying to keep the conversation going, while he was trying to put on a scary voice as Ceri – who was his girlfriend- sat next to him after going to the kitchen for snacks; Olly and the others looked at him, “What, it keeps the conversation going and it’s something to talk about.”

"Okay; Olly, why don’t you start?” Linzi smiled at Olly, and then kissed him on the cheek.

“Well, one thing I definitely hate is snakes; they just creep me out, oh, and to wake up to having my eyebrows been shaven off.” Olly confessed - a few friends raised their own eyebrows at Olly’s second fear; Olly turned to Linzi and threw a piece of popcorn for her to catch, “Your turn, gorgeous.”

“Well, I really hate clowns – they’re really creepy -, especially after watching Stephen King’s IT. I hate needles – I just feel faint when I see or feel them, oh and I also hate the dark – ever since I had a nightmare at the age of 7 years.” Linzi confessed, once she had swallowed the popcorn, “whose next?”

“I’ll go next!” Danielle cheered as she waved her arms about.

“Okay; go ahead, Danni, Nathan smiled as he hugged, and then kissed Danielle.

“Well, I hate the dark, since I went on this night walk in year 7 with school.” Danielle confessed, “Ceri, you go next.”

“Sure; well, I really don’t like spiders; they just really creep me out.” Ceri confessed before throwing a piece of popcorn in the air to catch in her mouth, but Tristan grabbed it before it could reach Ceri’s mouth, “Tris, give my popcorn back!”

Ceri leaned over Tristan to try to get it back, but he had his arm high in the air, so Ceri couldn’t reach as he had quite long arms; Tristan than ate the popcorn and smiled, “Try and get it now,”

“Guys, can we get back to the conversation; I’ve actually found interest in one of Tristan’s ideas?” Danny interrupted the couple’s little argument.

“Oh, ha, ha, ha; you’re so funny.” Tristan sarcastically smiled

“I know I am; how about you go next, Ella?” Danny asked as he looked at Ella, who was sat on his lap.

“Sure; well, I hate to be alone, especially in a dark room,” Ella nervously replied, looking out of the window as she had seen a shadow outside by it.

“Hey, Els; you alright,” Ceri asked noticing her friend staring out of the window, “What are you looking at?”

“Oh, nothing; I thought I saw something outside by the window,” Ella replied turning back to the others, giving them a reassuring smile.

After everyone else had their go, Ella suggested, “Let’s see what’s on TV, guys.

Linzi flipped through the channels in search of something interesting, by Ella’s request, when she came across the news channel, which was showing a murder investigation about 4 teenagers (one body was unidentified, but the other 3 were identified as: Thomas Jenkison, Vanessa White and Toby Craske). As the female reporter, Meg, said Toby’s name, Ceri told Linzi to stop flipping.

“I know that boy, Toby; I used to fancy him, but that was at the beginning of high school.” Ceri told them, explaining why she had told Linzi to stop flipping and why that channel; she noticed a hint of jealousy in Tristan’s eyes, so she decided to reassure him, “Don’t worry, Tristan; that was long before I met you.”

Tristan’s muscles began to relax. Because of the news report, the group looked at each other in horror and disgust.

Ella said, “How could anyone do something like that?”

Ceri agreed, “I know; it’s horrible, but there are many reasons why people would kill. Some are as revenge, they get threatened to do it or they’re just plain mental.”

“And I can’t help, but feel like we know whoever that unidentified body was.” Linzi confessed as she nervously looked at each of her friends.

After continuing their conversation a few minutes longer, Tristan suddenly remembered something important.

“Fuck, I almost forgot; Ceri, my parents wanted to take you and I to a restaurant for a little treat as they wanna properly meet you.” Tristan remembered as he looked towards the clock.

“Aw, they’re so sweet; come on, we’ll go get ready now. Sorry, guys, we’re gonna have to leave ya’s.” Ceri smiled as she and Tristan began to gather most of their belongings, before Linzi’s mum walked in looking slightly sad/ stressed.

“Hey, mum; what’s up, you look a little down?” Linzi asked as she turned the TV volume down, so she could hear her mum better.

“Well, honey, I’ve got some bad news.” Her mum sat down in one of the armchairs, “I’m guessing you were watching the news then, about the teen murders; well, the unidentified body was Melissa. The FBI didn’t want to say anything in case they were wrong, but they did a few tests and most of them came back as a positive that it was her. They found out that before she died, she was tracked down and, whoever it was killed her in a very disturbing way.”

”Oh my goodness, that’s horrible; is auntie Lyn okay?” Linzi asked, sat on Olly’s lap.

“Well, she’s…coping.” Linzi’s mum replied; the rest of Linzi’s friends were in a shocked silence due to the news.

Linzi’s mum walked out of the room as she had stuff to do and also because she had a phone call. As Linzi and the girls were in their second to last year of high school and the lads were in their last year, they had tests to study for; once Linzi’s mum was fully out of the room, the group had decided to do some research on the case to get justice for the murder victims. They found out that before Melissa, they weren’t as gruesome, but going along they noticed they were more gruesome than the last.

“We’ve got to help find out who murdered them, before whoever this dude is murders anyone else.” Olly told them.

“Good idea, Ols,” Danny said as he and the others agreed; they did a bit more research, discovering that there was a guy in a black hooded coat around the areas of every murder; unfortunately, they couldn’t see his face.

”Isn’t it suspicious that he’s there all the time in every one of these murders?” Jack said looking at their notes they had done (written on Linzi’s laptop).

“The thing is, why would anyone want to hurt Melissa, Toby or any of the others?” Jade asked.

“That is what we need to work out; who did it and why they did it? Anyone got any ideas?” Jack suggested