I thought about it for a while and realized that we were in trouble, but animals came to help us. I wondered why a person couldn't have saved us, but then I remembered something important. It could be connected to Dylan. When we went back into the woods the other day, we thought that Dylan might be controlling the animals and those vine creatures. So, I think I have figured it out. Dylan, along with the animals, saved all of us. He protected me from me from Mateo's attack, Leo from getting suspended, and Kimmy from Maria's blackmail. Now everything makes sense. Dylan was the one who kept us safe.
So, why did he save us? It's confusing. I've decided not to dwell on it too much because I think maybe I can figure it out when I'm with my friends. If I talk to my friends, especially Ava, she knows all about this. She can help me.
I got out of bed and then took out the copies of the articles. I placed them on my study table, pulled out a chair, and spread them out on the table.
1. On October 23rd, 1975, the police discovered a forest massacre. The remains of twenty people, suspected to be part of a religious group, were found in Riverwood woods several days ago.
2.On November 15th, 1987, a small town in rural Texas was rocked by the discovery of a gruesome crime scene. The bodies of 12 individuals, all members of a local cult, were found in a remote field outside of town. The cult leader, who had been known to preach about the end of the world, was suspected to be the mastermind behind the massacre.
3. In the early hours of December 12th, 1999, police were called to a remote cabin in the mountains of Colorado. Inside, they found the bodies of 15 individuals, all members of a doomsday cult that had been preparing for the end of the world. The cult leader, who had been known to make apocalyptic predictions, was suspected to have orchestrated the mass suicide.
Okay, Alex, remember what Alvin said: "The calmer you are, the clearer you think." Taking his advice to heart, I took five deep breaths and refocused my attention on the articles in front of me. There had to be some hidden clues here, I thought.
Starting with the year, the first witch trial happened in 1975. Twelve years later, the second trial took place in 1987, followed by another twelve-year gap until the third trial in 1999. So, logically, the next trial must have occurred in 2011. It made sense in my mind, but then a realization hit me like a ton of bricks.
I did some quick mental calculations. I am currently 18 years old in the year 2024, which meant that June had died eight years ago, placing her death in 2016. However, if the third trial happened in 2011, how could June have died in 2016? It didn't add up, and the confusion overwhelmed me.
Feeling the pressure to solve this mystery quickly, I took a few more deep breaths, trying to calm my racing thoughts. Suddenly, it hit me like a bolt of lightning. Ava! She was the one who could help me figure this out. Without wasting any more time, I reached for my phone, which was resting on the shelf, and dialed her number.
---Third POV---
Ava answered the call with her usual playful tone, saying, "Yo, Yo, Yo! What's up? Don't tell me you found eyeballs in your dinner."
Chuckling at her quirky sense of humor, Alex replied, "No, no, no, nothing like that. I actually have a favor to ask. Can you come over to my place? I really need your help."
Ava looked confused as he called her at 20.30 am. "Huh? What? Right now?" she asked.
Alex replied, "Yeah, sorry about that, but it's about Dylan and the articles that we found from the library. I need clues. I really need your help with this, Ava. Please try to understand me. I don't want anything to happen to us. I want to solve this."
Ava sighed, "Well, you're lucky my parents aren't home today. If you put it like that, I can help you. But I am going to put eyeballs in your cereal, okay?"
Alex chuckled, "Okay, fine. Do whatever you want. Come on."
Ava agreed, "Okay."
Alex placed the phone on the shelf and resumed his search through the articles, desperately hoping to find any clues that could lead him in the right direction. As he meticulously scanned each page, his eyes arted back and forth, searching for any hidden information.
After an hour had passed, there was a sudden knock on the door. Startled, Alex quickly made his way to the entrance and swung it open, revealing Ava standing there. A sense of relief washed over him as he welcomed her into his home. They ascended the stairs together, making their way to Alex's room where the articles were spread out.
With a determined expression, Ava began to examine the articles, carefully scrutinizing each one. She studied them intently, reading and re-reading the words, hoping to uncover any hidden meanings. As she continued her analysis, a hint of nervousness crept into her voice.
After a moment of silence, Ava spoke up, her voice trembling slightly, "Well, there are some things I've found, but there are also some things that I just can't seem to understand." Her face, usually filled with confidence, now appeared pale and shaken. Even her hands betrayed her anxiety, trembling slightly as she spoke.
Concerned, Alex looked at Ava, his eyes filled with empathy. He reassured her, his voice gentle, "It's okay, take your time. We'll figure this out together." He reached out and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, offering support in this moment of uncertainty.
Ava nodded nervously, her hands shaking as she showed Alex the list of dates and years of witch trials. "Okay, so these are the dates and years when witch trials occurred, but that doesn't necessarily mean they happened on the exact day. Look, these years have a 12-year difference: 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, and the next witch trial happened in 2023."
Alex's eyes widened as he processed the information. He started shaking a bit and asked, "So you're saying..."
Ava interrupted him, still shaking. "Yeah. The witch trial happened last year, and that's why people and students went missing from last year."
Alex took a few deep breaths and said, "Okay, so that's the reason they started to go missing each month. Someone did witch trials last year, but how come the police haven't caught them? Why are there no records of them?"
Ava replied, "I don't know about that. They don't want us to know about this stuff, so maybe that's why there are no records."
Alex picked up the article from his study table and said, "Everything is creepy here."
He thought for a moment, scratching his head, and said, "But Ava... This isn't right. June died eight years ago, which means in 2015, right?
"Ava nodded in agreement, but then gasped and said, "Yeah, you're right. So how was Dylan there in 2015?"
Alex shook his head, "I don't know, but that's crazy."
Ava locked eyes with him, her gaze unwavering as she spoke. "Hold on for just a second," she said, her voice filled with determination.
Ava furrowed her brows, deep in thought. After a moment of contemplation, she snapped her fingers and a mischievous grin spread across her face. "I've got an idea. What if we break into the police station? We might be able to find some clues or information there."
Alex's eyes widened in disbelief. "No way, Ava," he protested. "That's too risky and dangerous."
Undeterred, Ava replied, "My dad is a police officer. I can easily grab the duplicate keys from his room and we can sneak into the police station. They might have records or files that could help us."
Alex shook his head, clearly concerned. "That's a really bad idea."
Ava remained resolute. "We'll do it together. The more people, the merrier. We only need four people - you, me, Dwayne, and Noah."
Sighing, Alex voiced his doubts. "I still don't think it's a good idea. Are the police officers really that oblivious in our town? How do you even know?"
Ava smirked confidently. "Well, my dad has told me everything. He's a bit of a slacker too. Trust me, we'll be fine."
Alex pondered the plan for a moment before reluctantly agreeing. "Okay, if you say so. I trust you."
Ava let out a sigh of relief and flashed a triumphant smile. "Great! Now that everything is settled, we have our clues and a plan. We just need to-"
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a sudden tapping sound at the door.
Tap
Tap
Tap
Both Ava and Alex turned their heads towards the door, their hearts pounding in their chests. Fear washed over them, intensifying their already trembling bodies. They were now filled with a mixture of shock and terror.
Ava swiftly reached into her boot and retrieved a small knife, her voice barely above a whisper. "It must be Dylan or some shadow or skeleton creature. Definitely one of them."
As they stared at the door, anticipation and anxiety hung heavy in the air. The unknown presence on the other side had sent shivers down their spines, heightening their senses to the utmost alertness.
Alex whispered, "Do you always keep that knife in your boot? And whoever it is, how did it get inside?"
Ava whispered back, "I keep it with me all the time. And are you nuts? That's a freaking ghost. They can enter from anywhere."
Just then, the door started to open slowly. A bony hand pushed it open, revealing two skeletons. Ava and Alex stood frozen, like statues, for a second. The skeletons started walking towards them slowly, their movements creepy and unsettling. Suddenly, one of the skeletons quickly paced up and managed to grab Alex by the waist. He threw Alex against the wall and then kneeled down, grabbing his throat. Alex tried to fight back, but the skeleton's grip was too powerful.
Ava gasped while watching Alex being attacked. She grabbed her knife and said, "Get away from him."
But the second skeleton came and grabbed Ava, throwing her onto the edge of the table. She fell down, grunting in pain, and her knife fell out of her hand.
Alex watched Ava fall down and started fighting back, but the skeleton's grip was too strong. His vision started to get blurry, and he heard some sounds. Someone was climbing the stairs, and then...
Pow!
The skeleton's skull was smashed by a baseball bat, and the pieces fell off. Alex quickly threw the skeleton away, which was on top of him, and looked to his right. It was none other than Dwayne with the baseball bat. Dwayne smirked and quickly dashed towards the other skeleton, smashing its skull as well. He threw the bat on Alex's bed and pulled both skeleton bodies into the corner.
Dwayne turned to look at Alex and said, "Phew. That was close."
Alex breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thanks, man. I owe you one."
Dwayne shrugged and said, "No problem. I was just passing by and heard some noise. I didn't expect to see two skeletons attacking you guys."
Alex nodded and smiled as he got up on his two feet and rushed over to Ava, who was lying on the ground. He kneeled beside her and said, "Ava!"
Ava opened one eye and asked, "I heard some sounds. Is it over?"
Dwayne grinned and replied, "Yeah, it's over drama queen."
Alex became furious and snapped at Dwayne, "Shut up, Dwayne! She's hurt."
But Ava sat up and said, "Alex, I'm fine. I was just playing dead."
Alex's eyes widened and narrowed in disbelief. Dwayne chuckled and said, "Haha. Told ya."
Alex, still frustrated, asked Ava, "Why would you do that? Weren't you hurt? Why were you acting?"
Ava chuckled and explained, "I thought if I played dead, the skeleton might stop and then I would get an opening. I was waiting for that moment, but I guess Dwayne already took care of everything."
Alex sighed in relief and said, "God, you got me worried."
Ava got up and Alex followed suit. They both stood and turned to Dwayne. Alex said, "Thanks, Dwayne. I really owe you one."
Dwayne smirked and hugged Alex, who hugged him back. Dwayne said, "It's okay, bud."
Alex looked around at the scattered pieces of bones from the skeletons and commented, "My room is kind of messed up."
Dwayne glanced around and apologized, "Yeah, sorry about that. Well, let's clean it up."
Ava agreed, saying, "Yeah, we should. I don't like these things."
Dwayne and Ava quickly started gathering the broken pieces of bones that were scattered everywhere inside Alex's room. Meanwhile, Alex went downstairs to fetch a broom and a dustpan. As he started walking back upstairs, he suddenly stopped in mid-way, his eyes fixated on something.
Alex thought to himself, "Something is not right here. This is odd and weird. Hold up. Hold on a second. How the hell did he know that we were in danger? I mean, why did Dwayne even come here? He said that he was passing by but is that true really?"
Alex's hands trembled, causing the broom and dustpan he was holding to shake as well. Thoughts raced through his mind. Could Dwayne be working with Dylan? Or some kind of accomplice? No, that can't be right. Jeez, goddamnit. Is Dwayne really working with Dylan? Alex tried to think it through. How did Dwayne even come here? I didn't talk to him about anything at all. And if he's working with Dylan, why did he save us?
As these questions swirled in his mind, Alex's anxiety grew. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming downstairs. It was Dwayne, and he said, "Hey Alex, don't just stand there. I need your help, come on."
Alex, still trembling, nodded and stammered, "Um, huh? Uh, yeah, yeah. I will come."
He followed Dwayne and began cleaning. Ava had already gathered the broken pieces of skull. Dwayne took the broom from Alex's hand and started cleaning, looking at Alex with concern. "You're spacing out. Look, take a rest. You don't need to work. I'll do it, okay?"
Alex nodded, but he still couldn't understand why Dwayne was being so helpful. There were so many questions swirling in his mind about Dwayne's true intentions. He glanced at Ava, who had been staring at him for a while. She nodded, silently conveying that she understood the gravity of the situation. Alex nodded back, appreciating her support.
Dwayne finished cleaning Alex's room, and they all went downstairs together. Dwayne carefully disposed of the broken pieces in the dustbin and handed the broom back to Alex.
"Here you go, Alex," Dwayne said.
Alex nodded and carefully placed the broom and dustpan in the corner of the room, making sure they were out of the way. The three of them, Alex, Dwayne, and Ava, stepped out of Alex's house and found themselves standing in front of the entrance.
Dwayne turned to Ava with a warm smile. "Well, shall we head home? I'll walk you home."
Ava nodded appreciatively. "Yeah, thanks. That's really nice of you."
As they began their walk, Dwayne couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. He had successfully avoided raising any suspicions about his true intentions. However, there was still something he needed to address before parting ways.
Dwayne turned to Alex, his smile slightly faltering. "Well, see you tomorrow, Alex. Take care, and remember, if you need anything, just give me a call."
Alex returned the smile, but there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Sure thing, Dwayne. But before you go, there's just one more thing I wanted to ask you."
Dwayne's heart skipped a beat, unsure of what Alex was about to inquire. He tried to maintain his composure, smiling awkwardly. "Uh, yeah? What is it?"
Ava chimed in, her curiosity piqued as well. "Why did you come to Alex's house in the first place?"
Dwayne quickly assessed their expressions, realizing he needed to come up with a plausible explanation. He cleared his throat, trying to sound casual. "Um, well, you see, I was actually practicing with my baseball bat earlier, and, uh, accidentally smashed a vase while swinging. My mom got really mad and told me not to bring the bat back home. So, I thought Alex's house would be a safe place to keep it for now."
Alex and Ava's eyes widened in surprise, their disbelief evident.
Dwayne continued, hoping his lie would hold up. "And when I came to your house, Alex, I saw those skeletons entering. I followed them out of curiosity, and, well, you know the rest."
Ava looked at Dwayne, her skepticism fading. "Okay, I trust you. I don't think you're lying."
Dwayne grinned, relieved that his explanation seemed to have worked. "Thanks, Ava. I mean, why would I lie? You should be thanking me. I saved your asses."
Alex, still processing the situation, couldn't help but question further. "But where is the baseball bat now?"
Dwayne's smile faltered slightly. "Oh, uh, it's in your room, Alex. I left it there."
Alex nodded, accepting the answer for now. "Okay, I'll check it out later."
Ava interrupted, eager to move on from the strange events. "Anyway, let's talk later. I really need to get home, it's getting late."
Dwayne nodded understandingly. "Sure, Ava. Well, bye, Alex."
Alex waved goodbye to them. He entered his house and headed upstairs to his room. Thoughts of Dwayne and the strange events of the day swirled in his mind, leaving him with a lingering sense of unease. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Dwayne's story than met the eye.
After walking for 30 minutes, Dwayne and Ava reached Ava's house, Ava waved goodbue and went inside her house. After that Dwayne started walking toward his home. As he made his way home, he couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and uncertainty. He had successfully diverted suspicion, but he knew he had to be cautious moving forward.
Today was a close call, damn it. I need to be more careful. He cautiously reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, dialing a number. After a few seconds, a voice answered on the other end.
"Hi, it's me. You were right. Skeletons did attack Alex. I managed to save them, but now they're suspicious of me, there was Ava too I didn't expected her to be there, looks like they found some clues though," Dwayne explained urgently.
The mysterious person on the line responded, it's voice filled with concern. "Be careful next time. If you get caught, it's over."
Dwayne sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Yeah, sorry. I did save them. By the way, where are you right now?"
"I'm in Miami at the moment. I have some business to take care of," the mysterious person replied cryptically.
"Okay, take care. Let me know if anything unusual happens, alright? I'll do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe. Oh, and did the skeletons attack you too?" Dwayne inquired, his voice filled with genuine concern.
The mysterious person paused for a moment before responding, their tone confident. "Yeah, they did. There were thirty of them, but I managed to defeat them all."
Dwayne couldn't help but smirk, knowing the capabilities of the person on the other end. "I expected nothing less from you. Let's catch up later. I'm heading home now."
Dwayne asked in frustration "You were in town today, right? So how come you didn't meet up with me?"
The mysterious person let out a sigh. "Look, I was on a mission, okay? Anyway, about the clues. I know everything. You will learn soon from Alex."
Dwayne's heart skipped a beat and he smirked "Clues huh? Sounds interesting."
"Yeah be careful okay, I will be in touch. the mysterious person replied.
Dwayne replied, "Okay, bye." He put his phone back in his pocket and continued walking towards his home.
___________________^_^___________________