I stare at the blonde and she looks back at me. Heather turns around to face us, sipping her overly sweet latte. I clear my throat and bite my lip. Narbeth answers her question.

     " She's... Diamond ? " She looks at him like he's a complete idiot and says.

     " Why did you ask her where I was ? I don't know her ! "

     " She's my friend and she saw you before, at school... "

     " Okay... " Winnie turns to me. " It was nice meeting you. " I half-heartedly return her smile.

     " Yeah, sure. "

I walk off hastily and Heather almost has to run to catch up with me. She drinks her latte, following me in silence. After a couple of miles, we seat on tree trunks to rest a little. I sigh and take in the serenity of The Forest, the shadows made by the branches of the surrounding trees and the soft breeze. A twig snaps not far in the distance. My best friend looks around nervously. I tell her, smiling.

     " You have nothing to worry about. It's probably just a blood-thirsty wolf. "

     " Very funny... "

I hear something moving up the path we took a few minutes ago. I get up and pick up a nearby branch. You can never be too careful. I scan for thoughts. " No one'll find me here..." 

     " Ace ? " He comes out of behind a series of large bushes.

     " Indeed. What are you two doing ? "

     " Taking a walk, not like it's obvious or anything. " He grins at my sarcasm.

     " I see. " He goes on and deeper into the woods.

I spin around to ask Heather if she wants to go back or go on. I gasp softly. She... vanished. Her cup is laying in the pine needles, some pink latte spilled over the dirt and into the grass. I take slow, deep breaths. Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Calm down. It's fine. You're safe here. She's safe... Hopefully. I read my surroundings, no loud thoughts. I swallow with difficulty and manage to whisper.

     " Heather..?! Ace..?! "

No answer. I inhale anxiously and rub my right hand fingers together, making snowflakes fall onto my sneakers and the ground. The blue light fades away. Everything is fine. Totally fine... I just gotta keep breathing. Remember, no one wants to hurt you. You're safe. I exhale and pull myself together.

     " Heather ! "

I perceive movement in the leaves over my head. I tighten my grip around the branch I picked up. I stare at the trees' foliage. Suddenly, something swoops down and lands right in front of me. I let out a scream, startled, and use my stick as a weapon by brandishing it.

     " Didn't think I'd scare you so much... " He laughs, but ceases when seeing how furious I am.

     " NARBETH, YOU ABSOLUTE IMBECILE ! " I hit him repeatedly with my kind-of-weapon until he realizes I won't stop unless he stands back. Wincing, he asks.

     " What's up with you..? You're more cranky than usual. "

     " Have you seen Heather ? "

     " The girly brunette... " He looks down, then adds. "...whose drink I just stepped in ? "

     " Yeah, her. "

     " Nope. Have you seen Winnie ? We were looking for Ice and she disappeared all of a sudden. "

     " No, but that's exactly what happened just now with Heather... "

     " Wanna find them together ? Maybe we'll even run into Ice if we're lucky. "

     " Whatever. "

I keep my branch handy and lead the way into The Forest, going the same way Ace left earlier. At least twenty minutes later, we stop. Narbeth inquires.

     " Can't you read their minds and find them or something ? "

     " I can try hearing their first layer of thoughts, but if they aren't having any loud ones, it's useless, you know ! "

     " Just do it, jeez. "

I roll my eyes and listen. " Better get outta here, I don't wanna get involved. " Ace... " What have I just done ..? Someone's coming, quick ! " Winnie ! No signs of Heather, nor Ice, though. I go through a thick curtain of ivy hanging from two slanted trees, trying to head towards where I think her voice came from. I stop breathing, horrified, as the scene I witness before me sinks in. Narbeth bumps into my back since I froze on the spot.

     " Why did you..?! " He doesn't finish his sentence and swears under his breath.

I jump forward, dropping the stick and landing beside my best friend. I grab her wrist, frantically seeking for a pulse I already suspected is gone. I let her cold arm fall down alongside her. I'm sure I'm supposed to scream my head off, but any sound is trapped deep down in my throat. I feel like time just paused and all I can do is stare... I let out a small squeak and fall on my knees. I shiver and my stomach twists in ways I'm not sure it should. I punch the ground, scratching my knuckles against the leaves and rocks covering the dirt. At least, my eyes aren't attached anymore to the vision of Heather's lifeless body, lying about an inch from me. I slowly stretch my left hand out over her face and shakily close her eyelids over her dark brown eyes who will never again sparkle with joy or even tears. I steady my breathing and start inspecting her wound. Her purple blouse is torn open around a bloody mess near her stomach area. It looks like something or somebody ripped her open with claws, then tried to pull her insides out. It's utterly disgusting. I rise, take a few steps back and support myself with a tree trunk. I feel a slight dizziness and automatically bend over some bushes to throw up. Wiping my mouth, I instantly remember Narbeth. I turn around and gasp. The whole part of the tiny clearing behind me is covered in thin snow and icicles grew from the ground. I didn't even notice cold sparkles coming from my fingertips... My twin' best friend is looking around in astonishment, dusting some snowflakes off of his head and shoulders. I make everything melt hurriedly. He asks me.

     " What now..?! "

     " Honestly, I don't know... "

     " We can start by telling someone what's going on, I guess. "

     " ... What good will that do ? "

     " Well, you know, our teachers, or at least adults, should know she was murdered and take care of this ! "

     " ... I think I know who did this, Narbeth. "

     " Really ?! Who ?! "

     " ... Winnie. " He bursts out laughing.

     " Wow, you are definitely nuts ! That girl wouldn't kill a fly ! Not even by accident ! "

     " I'm still the one who heard her thoughts... How could you accidentally slit someone open and try removing their guts ?! " He coughs to cease his laughter.

     " Okay, that is not what I meant ! You're not thinking rationally, Diamond. "

     " If you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe a witness ! "

     " Who ?! No one else was around here except Heather, Winnie, you and I. And no sane creatures live in these woods anymore. You of all people should know that. "

His words spark something and I speak my thoughts aloud, realizing something.

     " But someone else was here..! And I would bet he saw who killed Heather ! " 

I make my wings grow. They have a dragon's wings appearance, but the membrane is made of ice colored feathers that graduate from dark blue near the bone to very pale blue at the edge. Barely visible snow crystals fall from them when I fly. I groan and flap my wings to get rid of the numbness, while getting over the sharp pain in my spine. Entirely ignoring Narbeth, I take off. Feeling the fresh wind against my skin and using my wings instead of my legs is amazing. I head over the clouds, I can't allow myself to be spotted by humans, and dart through the air. Direction : my dorm's balcony. I land onto it, retracting my wings. I storm into my dorm room's living space, before sending a telepathic message across the whole dorm : " Ace, where are you ?! " " Right here..." I spin around to face Ace's bedroom door and back off violently, letting out a repressed scream. Why did I get rid of my branch..?! I think he shape-shifted and not in a good innocent way. The black streaks in his hair took over on the brown, his skin turned a vibrant red color and opened up in places to form sockets from which ink colored blood spills out and his eyes are two blazing empty holes. I take a deep breath and bite my lower lip. This day just keeps getting worst...