ARGUMENTS
The next moment, Caleb fell on the floor. The glass pierced all over his skin. No one is injured more than Caleb. The empty coffin fell down widely opened up. Caroline reached him and tried to wake him up. He’s closed, but he’s not unconscious. He tried to clear the blur vision. He can’t even see his sister's face clearly.
“Oh my god, Caleb. We need to go to the hospital,” Caroline’s voice rang in his ears. There are more screams and noise made by the people. Finally, Caleb concentrated his vision and his eyes wandered over the coffin. When he focused his vision on it, still lying on the floor. He can see some words written on it.
Told you not to come. Your loss
- MW
He gasped, grabbing Care’s hand.
“Close the coffin, please,” he pleaded. Charlotte is standing near Care ran to close it. He deeply exhaled after knowing the coffin is closed. No one should see it. The message is for him.
“Everybody go to your home. It’s an unexpected accident. Leave now,” Charlotte shouted at everyone before Ruby’s parents can make any move. She ordered like she owns their house. Anyway, everyone did what she said. This accident is going to spread in school tomorrow. Charlotte already saw someone try to take a video of it. People are always behaving like this in serious times.
“We need first aid,” Chloe asked Mr Espinoza in a panic state. They rushed to get it. Charlotte stopped Care from taking him to the hospital. She didn’t feel safe about that. The whole time, she stayed confident.
“Grab my hand,” Care guided Caleb back to their house. They didn’t stay to help clean up the mess. Everyone thought it’s an accident except Caleb, who knows the truth. This time he didn’t get any message from Ruby whose phone belongs to the threatening person.
Chloe closed the door carefully and four of them faced each other speechlessly. It’s time for Charlotte and Caleb to tell the truth. Without a word, Care and Caleb took a seat on the couch opposite Charlotte and Caleb.
“Iam so confused, why did something terrible happen to us?” Chloe complained, controlling the tears forming in her eyes.
“It’s not unexpected. That stupid MW messaged me from Ruby’s phone not to attend Ruby’s funeral. I didn’t take the warning seriously and now Iam facing this situation again. How can I avoid Ruby’s funeral? She meant everything to me.”
“I know. But you didn’t even share anything with us. Why do you hide that?” Chloe questioned.
“I said I didn’t take it seriously. I didn’t care about it all.” He answered with irritation.
Care patted his shoulder. She felt sorry for seeing him like this. He got more cuts in his body. He definitely needs another break from school.
“I don’t know why you keep on getting targeted, Caleb. We never got any threatening messages. Even I didn’t get anything after I got my diary back.” Care told and noticed Charlotte kept silent in the whole conversation.
“Charlotte,” she called her. Charlotte just stared at no one in particular and was lost in thoughts.
“Charlotte,” Chloe shook her and Charlotte jerked away from her.
“What’s wrong with you?” Care yelled.
“I got a threatening message from that same person, too. I didn’t act like you, Caleb. I did what I had to do, and I ruined someone’s life.” She shouted all of a sudden, and Chloe can clearly understand what she’s trying to say.
“Don’t tell me you are talking about Tiffany.”
“Yes, Iam. I needed to blame someone for the taken footage month ago. So, I blamed Tiffany and the others, never doubted how a best friend of Becca can do something like that. Well, everyone is stupid enough to believe it and no one suspected me. I did the task,” she blurted. Three of them stared at her with wide-open mouths.
“I heard the news. But I didn’t care about Tiffany. Now you are telling me you did that after this accident,” Care glared at her.
“Yes. What else can I do? Iam suffering more than others. The blood-stained bat is still in my vision.” She yelled.
“Let’s lower our voices. We should be well aware of the surroundings,” Caleb warned, remembering how the person knows that Caleb visited Ruby’s house. That means they should keep their voices down.
“Fine. Now all I can think about is no one is truthful in between us. Am I right?” Care asked.
“Don’t act like you never hide anything from us,” Charlotte told the right point and Care closed her mouth, folded her hands.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
“Your phone is kept on ringing. Just attend it.” Charlotte motioned at Caleb’s phone. He took it with irritation.
“Hey did you see the news?” someone yelled loudly from the phone. Elliot didn’t' attend Ruby's funeral due to some personal issues.
“Elliot. Iam not in a good state to talk. Bye,” He snapped.
“Don’t end the call. I just wanted to inform you that the detectives going to check everyone’s handprint after three days.”
“What did you say? Why they are doing it?” Caleb stopped himself from ending the call.
“They suspect some students have murdered Becca. The test clearly says the blood is Becca’s. Now the student’s handprint is going to be taken to check whether it matches the one with the bat,”
“Oh, that’s bad. But is it really necessary to check upon students” Caleb spoke and his sisters looked at him to know what he’s talking about? Caleb turned the speaker on, letting them hear it.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because the murder happened in school.” He calmly answered. Elliot doesn’t know he’s talking with the person who buried Becca.
“Okay. Iam not well right now. I think you know that.”
“Yes. Iam sorry for disturbing you. You should take leave but everyone should come to school compulsorily on the day of investigation,”
“Yes. I know that. Now bye,” Caleb snapped.
“Turn on the TV,” he ordered Care, who nervously turned it on. The news is going on currently now.
“The mystery about Becca’s disappearance and Ruby’s dead in an accident is about to be revealed in Roshord,” the news report started.
A few minutes later, Scott stopped breathing. He’s dead for real.“That’s enough, Ruby. Give me the knife.” Caleb snatched it away from her. It almost has cut his palm in the force.“First of all, how did you even get a knife?”“I found a lot of knives in this room. I got one before Scott came here.” Ruby replied. On the other side, Charlotte was crying so hard.“Please, don’t leave me, Jason. You don’t deserve to die.” She sobbed, hugging him. Jason is too weak to reply to her.“Call 911. Jason’s dying.” Charlotte ordered her siblings. Caleb heard her and took his phone. Will it be too late?“What are we going to do with the body? Should be hidden this murder too?” Caroline asked with fear.“No. The game’s over. There’s no point in repeating the same mistakes again and again.” Ruby said wisely.“Then what are you suggesting, Ruby?” Chloe asked.
Ruby went down the stairs as Charlotte and Chloe followed her. Without having much of a choice, Caleb, Caroline, and Jason followed them. They all ended up in a single room full of many monitors, full black suits in a closet, some electronics like laptops, tabs, cables etc... Caroline stepped carefully without getting trapped in the cables.“Is this Scott’s place to monitor us?” Caroline asked.“What the fuck are you talking about?” Charlotte asked, in complete shock. Her sister hasn’t told the truth yet.“Scott is the threatener, Char. We are sure of it.” Caleb said, without a doubt.“Wow, a teacher is capable of all these things. His death is coming closer.” Ruby surely said. At the same moment, the large monitor in the middle of the room lightened up.“Congratulations, Caleb. You are right. It’s me, Scott. All this time. By the way, I’m not the one who’s going to die. It’s going to be you,
“Scott? Charlotte’s best friend. The one who came to see her in the court.” Caleb asked for clarification.“Yeah, it’s him. How is he related to Becca? What’s his relationship with her? If Char knows something, she would have told us,” Care wondered and saw someone standing alone on the road.“Is it Jason? Am I right? Can you stop the car, Cal?” she asked as her brother did what she said.“Hey, what are you doing here? Is there any problem?” she asked from the window.“Um...yes...no. I’m not in any trouble. I was just lost in thoughts. I was about to reach home. What are you doing here? You both can’t wander anywhere while the threatener can be anywhere.”“We know. We...” Care turned to her brother. “Can we get help from him in searching all this evidence?”“Do you think it’s a good idea? We can’t get him in any trouble again.”“Yeah. I don’t know but I feel like we sho
“So, what are we doing now?” Chloe asked while keenly entering all the rooms in their house and looking for cameras.“We are going to Becca’s house. How many times do I have to say this?”Caleb let out a sign and made his way out of their house.“Without a plan?” Care questioned.“We will figure it out on the way,” He replied. Everyone joined him in the car except Chloe.“Hey, aren’t you coming?” Char asked.“No. We really have to find the secret basement and the cameras. I can’t take my mind off it since Ruby said it.”“But we can’t leave you here all alone. Come with us,” Care said. But Chloe is stubborn this time.“I guess someone has to be with her. It’s time for a split-up,” Charlotte said, getting out of the car.They all agreed. Care and Caleb are on their way to Ruby’s house.“So, what’s your plan? Do you have one?”
I couldn’t believe. That the threatener had a secret basement in their own house. The siblings are ready to find the basement. First, they have to cross the first challenge. Trail in the court. It was pretty rough. All they got to have is hope. The undefeatable hope. The anxiety continues to rule in the court until the siblings heard the most important word ever. The one word that could make them feel happier after an eternity.“.... Not guilty,”The siblings almost yelled in happiness and hugged each other. The lawyer looked at them with satisfaction and he glanced back at Daniel. Who’s the reason for their happiness.Caroline broke into her hug with Char and approached Daniel. “Thank you so much. I will never forget this. Ever in my life. I thought everything’s over.... but then...” she got emotional.“Hey, it’s okay. Everything’s alright now. Hereafter, you all even get to be safe from the threatener.
“Stop your useless argument and warnings. No one’s going to do anything to anyone.” Care shouted from her throat.“Why would you think so less of me?” Char asked.“It’s not about that. Right now, this is not the right conversation.”“I will get to the point. We need help from you, Ruby. And you won’t be saying ‘no’ to that. I’m sure of it,” Care added.“Really? What’s your request? Let me hear it.”“We four of us will be out of prison after the trial in the court. Since the killer is standing right in front of me, we will be free in some weeks. Plus, what Charlotte did was self-defence and we will even get extra protection in our house to protect us from the threatener. The detective is searching for him without sleep...”“Okay. Stop it. Come to the point. I don’t want to hear all your advantages,” Ruby interrupted her.“Fine. Tell me everything you know about MW. Tell