Song of the chapter is Castle by Halsey

-61-
-Siya Natekar-
-Present-

______________

Delmore High
25 December, 2019
11:54 pm

My mind felt dizzy. I could swear on the possibility of me passing out.

The truth was a bitter pill that I couldn't swallow. No matter what, I could not comprehend the impact of the shock that it presented itself with. I was speechless and in denial. My eyes glistened even if I didn't want them too.

My sister was the killer.

My own sister, Sanchi, with whom I had spent countless hours playing and watching silly movies. My sister, with whom I had grown up. My sister, who used to play hide and seek with me and hug me when I would get scared of the night monster. My sister, who once said she loved me more than chocolate icecream, with whom I had countless memories.

That sister of mine, was a killer.

I kept pinching myself from behind, hoping ardently to wake up from this nightmare of mine. But it seemed too real. It was real. The truth was out there and I had no choice but to accept it. My eyes burned with the tears that flowed through the epidermis of my cheeks.

" Come on, guys! I hadn't expected such a dull response to my face reveal." Sanchi said in a playful tone, her eyes moving across the room. She then turned towards me and leaned in closer, her face inches away from mine. I could see the deathly glare in her eyes. They looked sinister.

" What happened, Siya? Don't have anything to say?"

She was mocking me. Her eyes still had those sinister glare in them but her voice was playful and mocking. Tears rolled down my cheeks.

" Why are you doing this?"

The question came out as more of a whisper. My voice was quivering. I didn't know how long I could hold on before I pass out.

" We'll get to that." Sanchi answered.

Sanchi then proceeded to walk to the other end of the room and took out a glass bottle from one of the desks and then walked over to us and placed the bottle inside the circle.

" Aren't y'all getting a diabolical sense of deja vu?" Sanchi asked, looking around.

My mind flooded with the memories of that night. It was like everything was coming back to me , thus completing a full circle.

"That night you guys played Secrets and Sins. But tonight.... you'll play my game." Sanchi said.

Alishka's face came to mind first. How would I ever apologize to Kartik for the pain that my sister had caused to him and his family? How would I ever apologize to all my friends? To Ahaan's mother? To Avinash's parents?

I felt guilty even though I shouldn't have. After all, I was a victim of my sister's cruel intentions too.

" It's gonna be a simple game of truth and dare." Sanchi said as she walked around our chairs. "Except this time, it's only dare, no truths. I'll tell you the dare and you'll do it."

" What if we don't?" Zoya asked, bravely, sneering at Sanchi.

" What do you mean?" Sanchi played dumb.

" What if we don't do the dare?" Kartik asked with gritted teeth.

" You'll get this." She said, taking a knife out of her pocket.

We all gasped.

" Pfft stop being so dramatic." Sanchi said , nonchalantly. "It's not like you haven't seen one before."

" Darlings, don't be sad. I'm not that heartless to not atleast give you a chance." Sanchi said, stopping in front of my chair. "You'll get to ask me one question if you complete the dare that's been given to you."

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and breathed heavily.

"So....do we have a deal?" Sanchi asked, smiling sinisterly.

We all remained quiet.

" Good. "She said.

She then came and stood in front of me, giving me a death glare and then walked back to her seat from where she could see us all and smirked.

" All right then, let the games begin."

She crossed one leg on top of the other and spinned the bottle. It landed on Saina.

" Aha! If it isn't Miss Marchioness herself!" Sanchi said, with a smirk. She stood up and went over to Saina's chair and bent down to her level. Saina shivered under her gaze. " Are you ready for your first dare?"

Saina whimpered but nodded.

" Okay then," Sanchi said and turned towards Zoya, looking at her with a smirk. " Punch Zoya in the face."

Zoya had a smouldering look on her face, one so fierce , it could cut winds. She breathed heavily but stayed quiet. Saina whimpered more and looked at Zoya , then back at Sanchi.

" I can't....I can't do it....." Saina whispered, crying uncontrollably.

" Ofcourse, you can!" Sanchi encouraged her. " You used to hate her two weeks ago and now you don't want to hurt her?"

" That was before." Saina said with some perseverance. " And even if I hated her, I would've never wanted to hurt her. I'm not a monster like you!"

" Aw...well that's too bad cause you have to do it anyways." Sanchi said, smiling. She walked towards Zoya and leaned beside her. "Cause if you don't, I will. And you already know that I'll do much worse."

Saina shook her head as tears fell down her cheeks. Zoya breathed heavily and looked at Saina, " Do it, Saina."

" What?" Saina asked, bewildered.

"Hit me. It's okay." Zoya reassured.

" No, Zoya. I can't-"

" Yes ,you can. Think about all the times I've pissed you off. Think about everytime I've argued with you. Just go back to that old Saina for a minute and do it." Zoya said.

Saina shook her head negatively. Tears fell at a faster pace.

" So Saina, now that you've got the approval from Zoya, shall we do the honours?" Sanchi said, almost grinning. I looked bewilderedly at my sister. I couldn't recognise the person in front of me. She wasn't the sister I had grown up with. She couldn't be.

"Untie me." Saina said, steading herself. Sanchi went ahead and untied her rope.

" Now remember, just because I've untied you doesn't mean you think that you can escape or try something sleek okay? All the doors and windows in this room have traps adjusted to them. If you try to do something, you'll be dead along with the rest of your friends. Copy?" Sanchi warned, breathing down her neck.

Saina nodded slowly.

She then walked over to Zoya's chair and looked at Zoya. Zoya gave her a reassuring nod. Saina raised her fist slowly and hit Zoya across the right eye. I closed my eyes,not being able to watch the scene unfold in front of me.

Saina backed up immediately after the impact hit Zoya with profanity. She cupped her mouth and started crying even more. Zoya winced in pain once or twice, trying her best to stable herself.

" Zoya, are you okay?" Veronica asked, her voice quivering and shaky.

Zoya gave her the slightest nod.

" Good job, Saina. Didn't know you had that much power in you." Sanchi said, impressed.

Saina glared at her , "You don't even know the half of it!"

" Well, I wouldn't have to anyway. Cause you would be dead by dawn." Sanchi said, smirking.

Saina breathed heavily, still glaring at Sanchi. "You said I get to ask you a question once I finish my dare."

" That's the rules." Sanchi said, dragging Saina by the shoulder to make her sit on her seat again.

Saina looked at her as she sat down. " Why are you doing this?"

"Ah! You guys are so predictable. I knew that would be the first question." Sanchi said, scoffing slightly. "You could atleast try to be original. Pfft!"

"Answer the damn question." Himanshu spit. " Why are you doing this, Sanchi?"

Sanchi turned towards him and looked curiously at him. "Wow! And here I thought you were the goody-two-shoes!"

"Well, I thought you were fucking normal and not a psychopath in disguise!" Himanshu said with sass. " So I guess when you think you know people, they surprise you."

Sanchi smiled her crooked smile and tilted her head. "That was not so badly said."

Himanshu rolled his eyes.

" And you know following up on that, I think it's finally time that you guys meet my partner." Sanchi said, smiling. "He'll be able to answer Saina's little question way better than me."

We all shared glances as Sanchi went back to the door and opened it wide. A person, dressed in dark clothing as well , stepped inside the room. He had a ghostface mask on. Sanchi welcomed him like an old friend and they both exchanged a few words before walking over to us.

We all looked at the new guest with fear eclipsing every emotion and thought in our brain.

The person slowly moved his hand up and pulled the mask backwards, revealing their face.

We all gasped.

" Oh my god...it's you."