Something About Alice Murphy: BOOK 2

P A R T - F I V E

Chapter Five: Moments
Wednesday, 13th of March
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It was mid-week in Summerland, British Columbia, and although it was early spring, threats of cold weather storms and snow loomed over the town... thick, pale clouds hung in the sky as parents wrapped their kids up in thick coats and hats and sent them off to school, and more flights to hotter places were booked for spring break...

It was a strangely quiet day in the small town... People seemed to whisper more than talk as the wind passed through, taking rumours with it and passing them along to the next person... everyone seemed to be on edge, although no one wanted to admit it out loud and scare the children.

The number of missing children was pushing twenty, and news was beginning to spread past the boarders of Summerland, and the province of British Columbia...

What was going on? Why were so many kids going missing? Why weren't the police doing anything...? Why had no one been caught?

It was currently the early afternoon, and the quiet building of excitement for spring break had already begun weaving its way into the halls of Summerland high... plans had been planned, dates had been set, and for a whole two weeks, the school halls would be empty, starting Friday... but for now, students would carry on as normal.

"Do you think there's going to be any practice today?" Fei asked as the bell for the last period rang, signalling the end of the school day. "Because it's two days till the football team have a game and no one has suggested or rehearsed anything." She continued as herself and Alice walked down the hallway towards Alice's locker.

"I haven't heard anything from the group chat. And also, wasn't Juniper on holiday or something?" Alice replied as they stopped at her locker and she opened it, seeing her gym duffel bag filled with her leggings and sports bra for practice she assumed would be today.

"I have no idea." Fei replied, already holding her gym bag.

"Well it's just what Magnus told me the other day." Alice murmured and shrugged as she pulled her bag from her locker and almost dropped a book. She caught it before it fell with a quick readjustment of the positioning of her arms and put it into her locker instead so she didn't have to carry it.

"That was a super quick response," Fei laughed as Alice laughed then smiled and closed her locker. Both the girls now making their way towards the locker rooms to change, just in case. It seemed a lot of girls had had the same thought when Alice and Fei walked into the locker room, seeing the majority of their cheerleading team gathered together, most of them talking with each other...

The conversation went a little quiet as Alice and Fei walked in, but they smiled politely at the rest of their team and put their bags down to start getting changed. "Why are they all looking at you like that," Fei whispered and Alice shrugged, deciding to step into the mind set of Magnus and ignore it skilfully.

"Hey Alice," One of the senior girls said who Alice had only spoken to a few times, her name failing to come to mind as Alice looked over the curly haired brunette girl.

"Hey..." Alice smiled, seeing the necklace around her neck and noticing it said Laura. "Laura." She added after a few seconds and smiled more.

"So the girls and I have a question," Laura said, her hands on her hips as she held the eye contact with Alice, who had only just taken off her tights.