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Chapter Two:
" ONE FATEFUL
NIGHT.  "

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IT WASN'T UNCOMMON for Devyn to make plans late at night. She was known to be a night owl, and often talked her friends into movie nights at her place. So, it was no surprise when she called each of their so-called "group" and told them of her plan. However, no one understood why she wanted to sneak into the school library. Maybe it was for studies, or maybe it was just to prove she could. But Spencer and Cyril both agreed, and Kori didn't say no. The blonde was always last to agree. She wasn't very courageous, or outgoing. She preferred the movie nights by a landslide. But, she eventually caved and agreed to Devyn's strange and exciting plans. The group were excited to have one last hurrah of their Freshman year of college.

That night, Devyn stood at her front door, her phone pressed to her ear. The ringing tone was beginning to blur in her head before Kori's sweet voice answered. "What, D?" she asked, yawning a moment later. The pelting rain had finally stopped. Raindrops fell from the awning of Devyn's house, and darkened the concrete path leading to the already dark street. "Were you asleep?" the girl asked, her dark eyebrows furrowed. "Uh ...no?" Devyn rolled her eyes before sitting down at the entry way. Cyril's bedroom light flickered. "You knew we were going out!" In her other hand was a flashlight. She switched it on and off twice before she watched his light turn off. "I know! Its just, I have to finish this paper for my Lit professor so I can pass," she whined.

The blonde was curled up next to her open laptop, the device's light being the only thing illuminating her pastel themed bedroom. "I get that, babe, but its literally eight o'clock. Spencer is even going," Devyn argued. Cyril's front door opened suddenly. The tall and lean man strode through his door. He wore a navy blue hoodie with a pair of blue jeans, his feet adorned with red and white vans. Devyn smiled at him as he stopped by his mailbox. "And Cyril's waiting," Devyn added. Kori groaned loud, tossing her blanket from her body. "I hate you sometimes." She ignored Devyn's chuckle. Devyn always knew how to get the blonde out. The line went dead. Four houses to the right was Kori's small, brick house. She lived alone, despite the group offering to find her roommates.

She slipped into a pair of leggings and her socked feet slid into her fuzzy house shoes. Her torso was covered with a large, white t shirt that fell off one shoulder, exposing her milky skin with freckles forming their own constellation. She didn't want to sneak around with the group. She loved them, and loved hanging out with them, but she was stressed. She wanted to finish her paper and sleep. Maybe she could get out of it. Devyn would get over it, surely. Once she stepped out of her house, she noticed something off about the air. A putrid smell was wafting into her nostrils. She quickly dialed Devyn's number once again. The school wasn't far away from their houses. They were extremely lucky to have gotten the places they had.

Of course, it wasn't just them who did all the work. Spencer's mother was very persuasive with the school board, along with Cyril's father being the Mayor. They hated admitting it — especially Devyn, being that she could hardly afford the house to begin with —, but they couldn't deny the fact they needed help. Devyn refused to pick up. Her phone had been switched to silent. It was the night before summer vacation, and Devyn swore she wouldn't use her phone as much anymore. She wanted to experience the day, not waste away behind a screen. Devyn crossed the street to meet with Cyril, Spencer's lanky frame bounding down the sidewalk. He wore his plaid pajama pants and rain boots, his torso adorned with an American Horror Story t-shirt. Devyn bit back a smile. She wore jeans and a dark hoodie, hoping to shield herself from ongoing eyes. "Why are we doing this again?" Spencer asked as he let out a big exhale.

Devyn didn't want to admit her reasons. She didn't want to tell the group that she was failing her business class, even though she had been recently acing every test. She didn't want to tell them that her professor was a complete pervert. And she definitely didn't want to tell them that she was scared. She merely shrugged her shoulders before chuckling. "You do know, though. Right?" Spencer couldn't believe that he was committing a crime for no particular reason. Well, he could. He would do anything for Devyn. Anything and everything. "I know. You just don't." Her full lips stretched into a bright smile before she noticed Kori walking down the street. "Do you guys not smell that?" the small blonde asked, hugging her thin arms over her chest. The three proceeded to sniff the air, that stench finally reaching their virgin nostrils.

Cyril laughed, waving his large hand before his face much like he was experiencing an epic fart. "Whew. Man," he chuckled. Spencer scrunched up his nose, pulling the neck of his shirt up to cover his nose. "What the hell is that?" Devyn thought aloud, covering her own nose with her hoodie sleeve. Kori coughed, obviously disgusted. She was never good with smells. "I don't know, but I think its telling us to stay home." She hugged herself tighter. The night air was cold. The light breeze ruffled through their hair. Devyn stared at the blonde in disbelief. "Really, Kor? You're going to bail now?" She knew that she was probably being to rough on the girl. But Devyn was already going through so much, and she knew she needed her by her side.

          "I'm not bailing. I already told you that I have to finish that stupid paper." — "Finish it at the library!" Spencer and Cyril shared a look before the latter began to speak. "Hey, its okay if she doesn't go. Less people we have, lesser chance of getting caught." Devyn glanced toward Spencer, her arms wound tight around her chest. "But this is a group thing. Kori is part of the group." The blonde let out a fierce groan before stomping her foot against the sidewalk. "God, fine. Just let me change my shoes." She glared at the brunette before turning on her heels. The remaining three followed her, as her house was down the way they needed to take.

          She stomped toward her house and slipped through the door, replacing her house shoes with a pair of sneakers. When she came back out, Devyn was already marching toward the school. Their only light source were the spaced out lamp posts and Cyril's cellphone light. He never left the device alone. It was mostly for family purposes, with his younger sister being sick and all, but he was also a little addicted to a few phone games. Mainly Candy Crush. "Okay, what's her deal?" Kori asked Spencer as they matched strides. He ran his slender fingers through his honey blond hair. "Why... Why are you asking me?" he replied with confusion.

         Kori gave him a knowing look. It was the look of shame; that look that told him she knew he was full of shit and knew exactly what she was talking about. He felt his stomach knot. "You know why. You two are inseparable, basically attached at the hip." She she flicked her platinum blonde hair over her shoulder. "So ...what's her problem?" Spencer merely shrugged. Kori wasn't wrong. He and Devyn had been as thick as thieves for a long time. He was even surprised she hadn't told him what was going on. "I'm not her keeper, you know. We don't tell each other everything." Kori snorted. "Spencer, we all literally have a sex pact. You tell each other everything." His cheeks flushed in embarrassment. It was true. Being that the group consisted of virgin losers, they all had made a sex pact. They were going to get laid before graduating college.

          He stared at the back of his best friend. Her dark hair fell into a heap within the hood of her hoodie. Her hands were hidden away in the sleeves, only the purple color of her nails visible. "Not this, I guess," he mumbled, pushing out a gentle sigh. Kori looked toward the lanky boy in defeat. She knew something was up with Devyn; they all knew. As Devyn walked up the sidewalk toward the school, that smell became thicker. There was a recognizable scent to it that threw the group off. "This is rank," Cyril announced, pinching his nose. Devyn gagged at the stench, cupping her covered hands over her mouth. There was no way breathing in those fumes could be remotely healthy.

          Spencer looked off toward the school. There was always a light on near the entrance sign, illuminating the steel grey letters. He stepped toward it, noticing the dark swarm of insects by those lights. "I think its coming from there," he spoke loudly, gathering his friends' attention. Kori grabbed his wrist, her fingers trembling. "We should go," she told the group, her voice wavering in fear. "We need to find out what the hell that smell is," Devyn argued. With her hands still shielding her face from the smell, she began to set off toward the light source. "Why do you have to be so damn stubborn?" Kori grumbled as she stared after Devyn's fleeting form. Cyril followed close behind. His curiosity was ringing off the charts by then.

          "I get it from my dad," Devyn replied with a cheeky grin hidden behind her hands. Kori blew her hair from her face, her lips falling into a frown. "I've got a bad feeling about this," she grumbled before she allowed Spencer to lead her toward the light. The insects swarming were soon revealed as flies, buzzing into the adults' faces. The smell was sickening. Bile began to rise in Spencer's throat as he realized the discoloration of the letters. Instead of their normal silver, they were painted red. Kori's breathing became heavier as she spotted the source of the smell. "Oh, God," she whimpered. Her grey eyes became wet. On the grass was a body. The throat was torn, his blood dried against his porcelain skin. "Holy shit.." Cyril took a step back, instantly regretting his actions as he tripped over the man's foot.

          He let out a fearful scream at the squelching beneath him, the crimson liquid staining his jeans and hands. Devyn scrambled to help him up, gasping at the coldness of the liquid. "Sh, sh," she attempted at calming the male. He gripped onto her tight, his eyes wet with tears. "Lets get out of here," Kori begged. Spencer stepped closer to the body, kneeling down. "Cyril, give me your phone," he said. The dark skinned male obliged, scrambling away from the body. The light illuminated his dead, cloudy eyes. Blood stained his skin, but what caught Spencer's eyes were the drawings on his chest. Devyn's eyes widened in realization. "We gotta go," she spoke urgently, her body trembling. "C'mon."

She gripped Spencer's shoulder, silently begging him to follow her. The blood spread between the group like wildfire as they ushered each other away from the body. Spencer's shirt was stained, Kori's arms smeared with the metallic scent. Cyril scratched away at his own arms, begging to be clean of the filth. Devyn found it staining her face as she wiped the tears falling furiously from her face. That day would permanently ruin their lives.