━━ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎!
( unspeakable acts )

⋆        𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗞𝗘 𝗨𝗣 in a cold sweat, panting as he felt the sweat on his forehead. His hands grasped the crumbled—up blankets, his chest heaving quickly. He reached up to wipe his eyes, adjusting to the darkness of his dorm. The small bedroom's walls were covered in film posters to cover the poorly painted walls of the dormitory. Roscoe couldn't remember when he had come home last night as he glanced down to see that he was still wearing the jumpsuit for the Halloween party.

Roscoe groaned as he got out of bed, dragging the curtains slightly as the morning sun broke through the cracks. Roscoe squinted in the darkness towards his desk before his heart sank, seeing the broken pieces of the camera sitting on the wooden surface. Roscoe sighed as he got up, reaching for some discarded clothes on the ground to wear — glancing at the clock to see what time it was. He wasn't looking forward to today's classes, especially after last night's events.

As he unzipped the jumpsuit, his phone buzzed on the bedside table, and Roscoe's ears perked up at the sound. He turned on his phone, only to find his notification board full of messages and social media notifications. Roscoe could feel his lips tugged into a frown as he scrolled through Instagram, seeing the reposts of photos from the party the night before. Pictures of the football players at the ping—pong table were highlighted (he wondered how much Oliver had to drink), and others of the girls were dancing out on the abandoned house's main floor (he noticed someone with a football player's jacket looked like she doesn't want to be there). However, the principal picture circulating was the infamous prank of the night, which Roscoe was to "blame".

He couldn't help but feel anger rise through his chest, teeth grinding against one another as he continued to stroll. Someone had already created memes of the prank, plastering Roscoe's face everywhere — he had seen one with a recreation of Michael Myers murdering someone, but with Roscoe's face copy—pasted instead. Roscoe's fingers tightened around his phone, and he fought the urge to throw it against the wall, but he didn't want another thing to be broken  — his self—esteem was already shattered.

Instead of wallowing around in pity, he continued to get dressed, grabbing his bag as his hands lingered on the doorknob for too long. Roscoe could feel his heart pounding hard against his chest. If his heart was already pounding this fast, what would he do while walking on the campus? He wasn't prepared, but he continued to open the door and walked out, locking it behind him.

━━━━━━

⋆        𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗔𝗡'𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 what time it was, nor how many bottles he had downed. He could feel the brain pounding against his skull, and he groaned softly, running his fingers through his hair, tugging it to ease the headache. He straightened his posture in his seat as he blinked slowly, watching the PowerPoint slides on the screen. The lecturer's voice barely registers to Oliver's ears, and he can't bear to be in this classroom any longer — but he's tolerating it; he has to. He had already fallen behind on last week's lecture and needed time to focus on the football training sessions.

His fingers drummed against his desk, resting his head against the palm of his hand. Some words on the screen blurred together — something about the law and ethics of newswork, he isn't sure. He was told that the communications degree was simple to get through, but he's only here for the football scholarship. Oliver doesn't need to be brilliant if he's already got the charisma going for him — he thinks.

Oliver hadn't even noticed that the lecturer had dismissed the students, and Oliver's hands moved to pack up his things as if it were muscle memory. He followed the pack of students heading towards the double—doors heading out to the main hall of the Communications building. He checked his watch, seeing that he had time between lectures, so he headed outside.

The sun—kissed his skin, radiating heat on his forearms. He sighed as he placed his bag on the grass before lying on the ground. It was a pretty day for October, seeing the leaves fall onto pavements and the trees preparing for the harsh winters. Some had asked him if he was heading home for the winter, but Oliver didn't know how to answer that — what home was there to return to? The home that he once knew doesn't speak to him anymore. So he supposed he was prepared to be snowed—in the dormitories instead.

Oliver could feel his eyes close, tired from the energy—filled night, and the warmth from the sun was nesting him to sleep. He felt peaceful, something he hadn't felt in a long time. However, he soon felt a shadow over his face as the warmth disappeared, and Oliver sighed as he opened his eyes.

"What the fuck are—"

"Save it. Did you get one too?"

"I don't have time for this—"

"Me either, but I have to talk to you."

Oliver scoffed as he closed his eyes before he noticed that the figure wasn't moving away, and he sighed. He got up from the ground and followed Vivienne towards one of the open picnic tables. He sat on the top of the surface while Vivienne sat on the opposite side of the table. The pair sat silently for a moment before Vivienne cleared her throat.

"The letter."

"What letter?" Oliver questioned despite not paying attention to the conversation.

"You didn't get one?"

"Vivienne, I'm not stupid."

Vivienne could sense the energy from Oliver and sighed as she looked at her phone. Oliver tilted his head, not wanting to reveal that he was waiting for Vivienne to give more information. He cleared his throat — seemingly mimicking what she had done earlier. Vivienne caught on to this and pursed her lips straight before sighing as she took out a letter. Oliver saw nothing unusual until the dark maroon wax seal caught his eye. Seeing the crow engraved into the seal, he had never seen anything like this. Oliver, however, quickly recovered his curiosity as he straightened his back, turning away as he looked towards the buildings.

"Why are you talking to me about this?" Oliver mumbled, and Vivienne sighed as she held the letter. The parchment felt strange in her hand, as if it was something that wasn't meant to be. She knows what it means — she thinks. The crow seal is enough to know what it is, anyway.

"I don't know. Kasey gave it to me."

"Kasey? Uh..." Oliver said as he gave a small chuckle, eyes squinting to remember the face that matched the name. Vivienne scoffed as she shook her head, mumbling something below audible that Oliver couldn't hear. Oliver struggled with his shoulders before getting out his phone and opening his social media. His eye caught on the recent photos added to the notification wall, memories of last night's party that Oliver couldn't remember.

His fingers hovered above a video that somewhat did, recording the Ouija board events of the party. Oliver hummed in response, seeing the prank unfold before he saw more new posts of someone in a blue jumpsuit being shoved out of the party. Oliver knew he had drunk more than two bottles that night but remembered the stranger from the stairs — the prank victim.  Shit. He knows what he has to do now.

"I should get to class," Oliver said, and Vivienne was shocked to hear the severe tone of Oliver's voice — making her seem that Oliver was doing something else. Oliver hurried without saying goodbye, leaving Vivienne alone at the picnic table. She hadn't realised she was still holding the letter and sighed.

"I should get to class too, I suppose..." Vivienne whispered to herself, placing the letter inside her coat instead of the bag where it was previously. She doesn't want to open it right now, knowing it would impact today's—tonight's events. Vivienne packed up quickly and walked in the opposite direction of where Oliver went.

━━━━━━

⋆        𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗗𝗢𝗘𝗦𝗡'𝗧 eat out in the main cafeteria ━ it's usually a personal choice. Sometimes, she doesn't have time to eat, becoming overwhelmed with planning for the annual Pennsylvania Paws charity in two months and maintaining her appearances for the bookings that her mother had planned for her. Sometimes, Minnow wishes she could swallow her pride; it would be enough to feed her.

Besides, everyone would be talking about last night's party, honestly? Minnow couldn't care least. She doesn't know why she turned up in the first place, knowing her dislike for the overwhelming bright lights that invaded her eyes. However, Minnow can't help herself walking towards the main cafeteria, feeling her phone buzz with constant notifications of people tagging Minnow in pictures. Last night was a blur for her; she can't remember the end of the party ━ cursing her inability to hold her drink.

The cafeteria was packed with students from various backgrounds and degrees, noises overstimulating with the voices blending. Minnow sighed as she headed towards a table of girls who talked amongst themselves. They welcomed Minnow with a smile as they continued with their conversation. Her ears perked at the sounds of specific names that were unfamiliar but recognisable. She couldn't put her mind to it as she took a bite of a sandwich out of her bag.

"You know Angie went home with one of the guys last night?"

"Oh, my god? Really? You think it was Moon?"

"Of course it was; you know she has that crush on him!"

"Okay, but what about that film student? That prank was so not worth it."

Minnow stopped. The prank? She furrowed her eyebrows forward. She doesn't remember this event at all, and as she scrolls down the Instagram feed, she can see more pictures filling in the blanks. There are some pictures where she stands with a jacket wrapped around her shoulders; she doesn't know whose it is at first before another picture shows the back of it ━ Wilson. Oh god, she doesn't remember things at all.

Putting her mind back to focus ━ the prank? What happened at the end of the night that she cannot remember? She can't bring herself to question the table, preferring to be invisible rather than in the spotlight. Finally, there's a video that answers her question.

[    𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗔 𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗦 to the temporary lights that are now constantly flashing. It's a video filmed from an iPhone, as the handheld video shakes with the person's tremors from fear. The Ouija board on the ground moves as people rush against each other, afraid. A person is standing at the end with a mask that isn't recognisable. The final shot is set on a person filming the chaos. The shouts and screams are all blended. The video abruptly ends.    ]

"What the fuck..." Minnow whispered to herself as she rewatched the video, analysing the events closely. Now things were coming together, remembering watching through the cracks of the broken windows, watching them shove the victim onto the ground. Minnow sighed as she put the phone on the table before feeling a buzz. She turned the phone to see the screen for the newest notification, noticing it was a new message.

O.W. "The crow calls tonight."

Minnow exhaled slowly, turning the phone screen down as she continued eating the rest of her lunch; however, the food had turned sour in her mouth.

The hustle of the cafeteria was the norm for Lakemoor's campus, primarily due to the new additions of the student━run cafeteria. The lines of students were sometimes claustrophobic, but Theodora was used to a large crowd; the overwhelming senses were comforting. She finally reached the counters, grabbing her food tray before heading to the far left corner table. The wound was still fresh, as the glares by people were subtle but effective to damage Theodora's self━esteem.

However, the number of stares had significantly lowered, and Theodora didn't know why. She found it strange ━ people had already forgotten the event; was it that forgetful to people? Do they even notice the sleepless nights that Theo faced ever since that night? Do they notice how Theo cannot bear to look at the stage the same, even if it's her dream to be on such a thing?

Then Theo can hear the names whispered amongst them: Roscoe. Theo doesn't recognise the name immediately, but then a face appears, and Theo now understands. It was the party that Theo had meant to attend, but she decided against it; the memories of last night linger like an unwanted kiss on her skin.

She poked her plastic cutlery against the food, placing her hand underneath her chin. Her mind wandered, humming a musical tune under her breath as she looked around the cafeteria. Lakemoor's food courts were popular, and the number of turnouts during lunch was pleasant. However, it did welcome some familiar faces throughout the room, faces with names that she could not repeat due to confidentiality. Theo's face stops on another, looking right back at her, causing her to straighten her posture.

Minnow's face is solemn, cold gazes locked into Theo's eyes. Theo caught glimpses of Minnow grasping for her phone, and Theo tilted her head towards her phone screen. A picture of Theodora's first drama production at Lakemoor as her wallpaper, a constant bittersweet reminder.

Then a text message came through, and Theo didn't read it. She doesn't need to; she knows what it means. Theo placed the fork full of food into her mouth, reminiscing the sour taste at the back of her throat.

━━━━━━

⋆        𝗞𝗔𝗦𝗘𝗬 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚 in the library. The Lakemoor's General Library sometimes would be busy, packed to the brim with students from different degrees, hoping to get their last━minute study in before their tests of a lifetime. However, it's not the general library he is at; it's one of the smaller ones that contains the research archives. It's still popular, as it's next to a café, so people constantly pass through the windows. Kasey claims he likes the library, but he isn't focused on the schoolwork before him ━ he's looking at Amelié.

Dear Amelié, the blonde━haired girl who is running for student president, the girl who runs amongst the popular crowd, the girl who has become a target. Kasey's eyes followed her as she ordered a cup of cappuccino, and he crossed out a sentence in his notebook: ̶G̶E̶T̶S̶ ̶C̶O̶F̶F̶E̶E̶. He tapped his pen softly on the table as he watched her. Soon enough, he crossed out another sentence: ̶S̶T̶U̶D̶I̶E̶S̶ ̶I̶N̶ ̶C̶A̶F̶E̶ ̶F̶O̶R̶ ̶T̶W̶O̶ ̶H̶O̶U̶R̶S̶.

Kasey sighed as he reached into his pencil case, tapping something against the table surface to distract his thoughts. In his hand, a key taps against the table in a rhythm. Kasey doesn't know, but a smirk appears on his face. The idea of revenge is powerful, especially if he wants to ruin someone's reputation ━ his reputation was tarnished and burned to the ground, and he deserves revenge.

Yet when he looks back to the café, someone else is standing there. Kasey frowned, averting his gaze, before he noticed the woman approaching his desk. Kasey hid the key in his sleeve, a better replacement for a magician, as he sat up, watching Azira's next move. Azira made graceful moves, her walk quiet ━ dangerous. Kasey raised an eyebrow as Azira stood on the other side of the desk, looking back at Kasey.

"What?" Kasey grumbled out, yet his voice was quiet.

"Surprised to see you here."

"I'm here every week; what else should I do?" Kasey responded, even if he sensed the sarcasm in Azira's voice. Azira gave a soft sigh as she continued to watch Kasey's movements. Kasey suddenly felt like a bird in a cage and leaned back, hoping to create space between the two. Any means to survival, he was willing to do it. Azira, on the other hand, was a hawk, watching the mouse scattered towards the wall, hopeless. Yet, Azira knows that Kasey is not a mouse; he's a giant rat. A rat that bites hard.

"I know you don't have a phone," Azira begins, and Kasey knows it's a lie. He does have a phone, but it's not for entertainment. It only has one number on it, and it's the only one he needs (for now) ━ Azira doesn't need to know that. "So I thought to━" The conversation is interrupted by a discourse in the café. Both of them turn around to catch a glimpse.

A man━ no, a boy, Kasey thinks. He looks young. Three people in the café are yelling at him. He has become a rabbit, and the people around him are bloodhounds looking for a feast. Azira stood there, hands close to her chest as she watched the event unfold. Her heart beats with each word that is hammered into the boy. She frowned before turning to Kasey, who had also crossed his arms. The yelling continued as Azira looked towards Kasey, whose eye was trained on the café scene still unfolding.

He leaned back in his chair, watching the stranger's posture shudder with each shaking breath, before he turned around, running off in the opposite direction. Then, he swore under his breath, realising that the girl he was watching before had now disappeared. She had moved out of schedule, and Kasey didn't like that.

"What is it, Azira?" Kasey whispered hastily, seeing that she was hesitating to speak. Azira's breath hitched as she watched Kasey's face fall; his eyes were tired, yet they held anger. Unspeakable anger. Nevertheless, Azira is used to people like him.

"The crow calls."

That was all Kasey heard as Azira walked away, grabbing her bag on another table simultaneously. Kasey took a big breath, looking back at the café, then pieced together the clues and sighed, grabbing his things together.

━━━━━━

⋆        𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗘 𝗦𝗟𝗔𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 door behind him, he cannot fathom the peace anymore ━ everything that he had thought was cruel had been confirmed. He threw his bag onto the bed as he collapsed on the mattress. He covered his face with his hands, fighting the urge to sob or yell angrily. Then again, either response will end in a loud noise complaint from his floormates, and he has already been cast out of the friendliness nature of everyone.

Some had responded to the accident with claims of surprise, not expecting such 'violence' to come from someone as sweet as Roscoe Léandre, but apparently, Roscoe had snapped to a point where he was overwhelmed by the flames of his anger. What Roscoe was well━known for was now disregarded and replaced with something filled with falsehoods.

He sighed as he moved his hands off his face, staring at the ceiling. He had put his phone on 'do not disturb', the notifications constantly pinging, even within the walls of his mind. Roscoe doesn't know peace anymore. As if the notifications weren't enough, the whispers in the classrooms added to the layer of shame. His acts had become something that wasn't unspeakable, but rather, the centre of the gossip circle.

Instead of dwelling on the thought (he had been doing that for most of the day already), he decided to get some homework done. Maybe diving into the worlds of Wes Anderson, Christopher Nolan, or even Jane Campion was enough to distract him from the constant begging of thoughts that wanted to suffocate him.

However, as Roscoe pulled out his chair, he noticed the desk light was on and shining onto his desk's surface. Curious, Roscoe slowly walked towards the desk, seeing what the lamp was shining onto. Seeing the familiar shape of his camera centred in the middle made Roscoe pause. His eyes darted towards the object next to the camera, what seemed to be a hard drive nestled closely to the camera. Roscoe looked towards the door, ensuring he had locked it this morning. Had someone broken into his room?

Roscoe looked around, making sure that nothing was out of place, but seeing that everything hadn't been moved, he was confused. Cautiously, he approached the hard drive and grabbed his laptop out of his bag. Roscoe wanted to know what was on this object, but his mind warned him of viruses potentially waiting to attack him once he plugged it into his laptop.

Fuck it. He was already cursed; why not add to that? Roscoe plugged it in, and a screen opened with a video symbol, waiting for Roscoe to press play. Roscoe hesitated, hovering his mouse over the play button, but something in his mind pushed him towards it, and he pressed his mousepad.

[    𝗔 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 pictures cut through the introduction of the video ━ they are familiar photos. Photos of the Halloween party, some with Roscoe smiling in a couple of pictures before the photos rapidly cut through, flashes of white appear before the photos stop. Now, the video recorded on an iPhone shows the accident.    ] Roscoe grimaced at the video, not wanting to remember the accident. They were fresh wounds torn open, yet Roscoe doesn't stop the video. [    𝗧𝗘𝗫𝗧 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗡 the video. "We understand." The photos from the beginning appear again, but slowly, as if it's to help pay attention to something. Soft, haunting music is in the background as the photos fade to black, and a symbol appears. The symbol is of a thin━lined circle around a picture of a crow. "THE CROW CALLS ━ MIDNIGHT. TONIGHT." The video stops on the last frame of the video, which is the symbol and the time.    ]

Roscoe's chest shuddered, trying to comprehend what he had just watched. Rather than fearing for his safety, however, he felt something stir in the pit of his stomach. Excitement. He closed his laptop and placed it on his desk before he contemplated for a while before grabbing the camera.

The crows called for Roscoe, and he shall answer.

𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒!

we are now getting into the suspense, and it's only chapter two hehe makes you wonder what's going to happen next... i really enjoyed writing the characters, with some having interactions, while others are facing events! this is also more of a set━up chapter, and there will hopefully be more character expansion in the next chapter! there were plenty of formats in this, and this is all an experiment (which i am thoroughly enjoying!) ━ please let me know how this chapter went for you guys, and i hope you all enjoyed it! what do you think is going to happen next chapter, i wonder?

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚!