The Eye Of The Ankh #Wattys2016

Chapter One

I parked my car, a Continental Supersport Bentley, that my aunt gave me. I grabbed my city style gray backpack from the passenger seat and walked to the front doors of the school. I walked inside, ambushed with hundreds of others all wearing variations the same thing: the girls in an argyle short skirt and a royal blue or white blouse or sweater. The boys in royal blue pants or black pants and a gray or blue dress shirt, a tie around their neck.

I found an unoccupied table towards the edge of the commons and sat down, wondering how the hell I'd make it through my day. Not only is the school much bigger than my previous one, but also much more prestigious.

I looked at the flyer that was tapped to my locker:

Are you interested in finding out about the killings? Meet in the gymnasium at 6:30 Thursday night—and don't be late. Doors lock at exactly 6:31.

Under the message was a sideways ankh with an eye in the center. Weird.

"Are you going to go?"

I jumped, startled, and glanced up. A ginger stood in front of me, her skin pale and her eyes fierce. A smile lay on her lips. "Well?" She said, clearly impatient, but still grinning.

"I don't know yet." I replied. The meeting was tonight. I hadn't thought about it too much.

She sat down in front of me. "If it's a club, then it's a little late in the year to start one up. Normally clubs start at the beginning of the year, and no new clubs ever start. I mean, it's the beginning of a semester. They should wait to start a new club until the next year." She took a good look at me. "You're new."

I nodded. "Is it that obvious?"

"It's a private school. We don't get a lot of new kids." She smiled. "I'm Jude."

"Alice. Alice Colts."

"Colts? I don't think I know any Colts."

"My aunt is paying for school." I said. "Anna Grey. Grey with an E."

"Grey? Your aunt's a Grey? That's so cool! They Grey's are one of the most famous families around here. Which generation is she?"

Another ginger sat down beside Jude, pulling at his tie, clearly uncomfortable by it. His facial features were identical to Jude's. The lips were a bit wider, and he sported more freckles. "Quit interrogating the new girl, sis,"

Jude rolled her eyes. "I'm not interrogating her, Quincy."

Quincy rolled his eyes and looked at me. "Quincy Adams. Please excuse my twin here. She doesn't handle new people well." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "You should've seen her a year ago. That was rough." He smiled.

Jude hit his arm. "Shut up, Quincy. Sorry if I want to get to know her."

Quincy pointed to the flyer. "That's tonight, you know."

I nodded. "I know. I think I'll go."

The bell rang, a long monotone beep, much mellower than my other school, which was more like a tornado siren. "What's your first hour?" Jude asked, picking up her bag. It looked just like mine.

"British Literature."

"Brit. Lit.? Same. I'll escort you." She exaggerated escort to annoy Quincy. I smiled at this. Jude seemed like a nice person. Friendly.

I unlocked my phone and saw my mother and myself, smiling. I still hadn't changed my background since it happened. I wanted to remember her like this, not like the mangled mess I saw when the policeman asked, "is this her?"