frankie [episodes 1-3]

-9-

"Freak! Loser! Weirdo!" Courtney and the rest of the cheerleading team circle Gemma in the canteen, throwing bits of food at her. Tears run down her freckled cheeks which seems to spur them on even further.

I watch from the other side of the room, distaste gnawing in my stomach.

You should do something, a voice in my head tells me.

But I don't. Despite everything I can't help but feel relief that for the past few days they seem to have lost interest in me. Even if it does seem to be at Gemma's expense.

I try to see if I can see any sign of the Whispers. If Carter is correct, the cheerleaders are probably the hosts for those bug-like creatures. Are they the reason they're acting worse than usual? But then again, aren't the bugs supposed to be feeding off their insecurities, not causing them to torment others?

As I'm watching, Rebecca wanders into the canteen. She catches sight of the display, frowns, and marches up to the table. She takes Gemma's hand, glares at Courtney who – oddly – makes no remark about Rebecca, and leads the poor girl away.

You're pathetic, a voice in my head tells me.

As soon as the thought enters my mind, the cheerleaders all turn and look at me. Their eyes seem to flash and they grin. As a pack they walk towards me.

I'm filled with panic.

Hurriedly I push my chair back, leaving my full tray of food, and rush out of the canteen.

I find Rebecca and Gemma talking in hushed tones in the common room. Rebecca gets up when she sees me and takes me aside, there's a triumphant look on her face.

"Why do bullies bully?" she says.

Her blue eyes are wide, expectant.

"I...I...uh... what do you mean?"

She somehow manages to widen her eyes even more. They're practically popping out of her head.

"Bullies bully because they're insecure, right? It makes them feel bigger by making someone else feel smaller."

I shrug.

"I guess?"

She's still staring at me, a grin on her face, as though I'm meant to be getting her point.

"Well...maybe that's what Mr. Harrison does. He goes to a school, curates a group of the most influential kids, bugs them, and sends them out to cause more insecurity and damage? And maybe, maybe, he gets them to target one individual girl in particular. And maybe that girl becomes the next girl to go missing."

She looks across the common room to the red haired crying girl at the table. I follow her gaze.

"Gemma," I say. "You think Gemma is his next victim."

She nods.

"We need to kill him. We need to kill him before she meets the same fate. I'm going to visit Carter tonight, get some weapons. And tomorrow..." she grins, "tomorrow we're going to cheerleading practise."

***

I'm in a dark room. My feet take me to a mirror. I try to walk away. I try not to look. But I do.

Kerri stares back out at me. She has a knife in her hand. On its end is a grey, pincered bug. She shows me. Then, though I'm still looking into the mirror, her reflection walks away from it.

And suddenly she's in an office. Mr. Harrison is there. He's facing away.

Slowly he peels off his skin, and steps out of it.

My heart jumps into my throat.

He turns around. And he is horrifying.

His body is grey and spindly, his mouth full of too many sharp, needle like teeth, and his eyes are as red as blood. He sees Kerri. And I don't know how I can sense emotion on that thing but he seems disappointed.

"You're not the one I want," Mr. Harrison's voice comes out of its mouth. "You girls don't taste as good when my inner demons have already been feasting on you. But still, you've seen me, you cannot be allowed to live. I will have to find other uses for your parts."

He advances towards her. I duck, look away. But I feel it. I feel her fear, I feel her pain. When I look back up at the mirror, the glass is covered with blood.

Nausea consumes me. I step backwards. I need to get away. I need to wake up.

But when I see letters forming in the blood. I stop. I watch.

Kill Him – and his whispers die too.

Kill him, the voices in my head agree, kill him. Avenge us.