Clara sat in her older brother’s truck as they slowly turned into the parking lot of ‘St. Amber’s Boarding School for Girls’. With a sigh, she begins to study the school building, red bricks as some were now a brown, dull color from aging. Two small weeping cherry trees sat on the sides of the main doors. Sadly, they were dormant for the season. There’s a statue of a woman that stood on top of a fountain.
“That’s St. Amber,” Robert points out while looking at his sister, who just sighed again, and stared down at her new school uniform. “I feel like a bag of Skittles with just the red and orange ones, who thought it would be a great idea to make the school colors red and orange?” Clara groans and looked back at Robert. He laughed, shaking his head.
“I thought you liked Skittles? And besides, I’m going to be wearing nothing but camo no one can see me!” he jokes. Clara rubbed her right arm, feeling the long bumpy scars. Robert’s going away to boot camp or something all Clara knew it was for the military, with both their mom and dad gone, and no other family members around Clara has to go to boarding school.
“Have you been, you know?” Robert questions, breaking Clara out of her thoughts. She blinks at him, unsure if her brother asked something before the first question. He nodded his head towards her arms. “What? No! No, I’ve been good about not cutting, so don’t worry!” she nervously giggles.
Robert sighed, then put his hand on her black hair and stares into her bright blue eyes. “You keep looking like mom every day,” he smirks. Clara sticks her tongue out at him, “but sis, if you hurt yourself again, PLEASE call me! And if you think about killing yourself, tell someone immediately! Then call me!” He pleads.
Clara swallowed hard before pushing Robert’s hand off her head and smiled at him. “Dude, don’t worry. I haven’t had a suicidal thought for months!” she lies.
Robert keeps his worried eyes on his sister for a long time. Ever since the death of their mom and dad, Clara has been self-harming. When she turned thirteen, she tried to hang herself. Robert still hasn’t forgiven himself for making her go to a mental hospital, but she has been better. “Okay, okay, I just wanted to know. Anyway, you should get going. Your first class should start soon,” he explains.
As Clara was about to get out of the truck, he stopped her, “Remember, I won’t be able to talk to you for a few weeks, okay, but I swear and promise I’ll call you on your birthday!” he yells. She waved him off, smiling, and ran to the school doors. “Please don’t be lying to me,” Robert mutters to himself as he pulled away.
Clara walks down the hall that was a sea of other girls around her age, older or younger, they all wore the same uniform the orange skirts, red vest or blazer with a white dress shirt underneath. A huge bag of red and orange Skittles, she thought, some stare at Clara as she wanders by them, holding her bookbag and suitcase tightly in her hands. She came to a stop when a bright, happy girl jumped in front of her with a brighter white teeth smile. “HI! I’m Tiffany!” she greets, Clara smiled at her.
“Hey, I’m Cla-” Tiffany cuts her off, “The new girl, right?” Confused, Clara nods. “It’s kind of weird that you’re starting here at the end of January what’s the deal?” Tiffany asks. Well, the truth is Clara was in the mental hospital, her old school kicked her out because they thought she was a threat to herself and mostly to the other students.
Thinking fast, Clara lied, “My brother and I’ve been moving a lot due to him going into the military.” Technically, that wasn’t a lie. It’s the truth, but Clara didn’t want to tell Tiffany the other reason.
Two other girls stood beside Tiffany. “Wow you really can’t lie, I read that she was sent to the crazy house, didn’t say why but I bet it was for drugs she looks like the type that would use that junk!” The one girl provokes as she laughs. Clara’s mind begins to scream loudly! H-how did she know that?
“I read in her file that she was kicked out of her school for stealing stuff from her art class. It was an Exacto knife and a box cutter.” The girl laughs again with the other two joining her. She helps the school office with filing, she reads all the girls’ records and gets dirt on them then gives all of it to Tiffany, who uses it to blacks mail all the girls in the school to give her things, and to do whatever she wants.
“I don’t think you want anyone to know that you’re crazy!” Tiffany snickers as Clara swallows her tears and fears, “so starting today and for now on, you’re going to be our dog! Which means when I say jump, you ask how high? Got it?” Tiffany crosses her arms with a smug smile as her two friends giggled when Clara didn’t say anything, Tiffany grins. “HEY, EVERYONE DO YOU KNOW THAT THE NEW GIRL CAME FROM-”
Clara stops her quickly! “Alright! I’ll-I’ll be your dog…” Tiffany closed her mouth then pets Clara’s head. “Good girl. Now you’ve to go find your class, and if you tell any of the teachers about our little deal, the whole school will know your secret.”
The first few weeks at the school, Tiffany and her friends made Clara their whipping girl. Clara is intelligent, so she would generally get As or high Bs. Unfortunately, one of Tiffany’s friends is in the class with her, and she told Tiff about Clara’s grades. They would take her work, copy it, or erase Clara’s name and put one of their names.
At mealtimes, Clara had to buy the food, and if one of them wanted a snack, she had to buy it as well. The only time Clara was free from them was at night in her room, but the vicious voices that took over her thoughts were back…
Clara sat on her bed as her roommate was out. It was just her and the voices.
“Don’t you miss it?” one of the voices giggles.
“Don’t you want to feel something that isn’t sadness!?” another hissed Clara’s body trembles in fear. Moving to the side of the bed, she pulls out a shoebox that’s hidden underneath. Opening the top, a picture of her family smiled at her as tears formed in her eyes the longer she looked at the image.
Clara dug through the box she stops when her mother’s necklace shined, pulling it out she held it close. Putting it on, she went back to digging until she found it. The box cutter shines in the dim desk light, picking it up slowly. Her old scars begin to burn slightly.
“Just one little cut, you’ll feel better,” a voice spoke so sweetly. Clara closes her eyes tightly and put the blade to her skin. “Just… One… Cut…” Clara whispers lightly, but deep down, she knew it was a lie.
Day after day Clara had to wrap her wrists, and her legs to hide the cuts whenever teachers asked her if she was okay, she would lie telling them that she pulled a muscle in gym class, they bought it. Being the dog for Tiff and her friends was getting worse every time Clara was late or couldn’t do something for them, they would slap or punch her.
One day Clara had to run down the hall because Tiff’s friend informed her that Tiff was pissed, not wanting to get hurt or yelled at, or worse, have them tell everyone that Clara was in a mental hospital. She sprinted down the hall, getting yelled at by some teachers and running into other girls who gave her a dirty look.
When Clara saw Tiffany standing in the main hall with her arms crossed and glaring at her, there wasn’t anyone else around. Clara stood in front of Tiff, trying to catch her breath. She peeks up at Tiff, who uncrossed her arms. “Did you really think you could get away with it?” Tiff snaps. Clara stood up straight with a confused expression, then shrugged.
“Really?” Tiff faked a laugh then points to the necklace that Clara forgot to take off, “You’re trying to look better than me!” Clara shook her head and was trying to explain herself, but Tiff isn’t having it. “Give it to me!” she demands Clara took a step back but was blocked off by Tiff’s two friends. Tiff put her hand out. “Give. It. To. Me. NOW!” Clara started to protest, saying how it was her mother’s and that she wasn’t going to give it!
Tiff looks at her friends and nods both grabbed Clara’s arms, making her yelp because the cuts begin to bleed. “Aww, the little psycho couldn’t keep from mutilating herself,” Tiff mocks, watching the white medical wraps turn red, “I’ll be taking that now!” Tiff reaches out, taking the necklace off, Clara starts to plead and beg for her to give it back, but Tiff smirks as she put it on! She flips her gold hair then put her hand on her hip. “That’ll teach you for trying to outdo me,” she taunts.
Clara yanked away from the other two girls and grabbed Tiff’s wrist, trying to s****h the necklace. Sadly, Tiff steps back in time and punches Clara in the stomach. She fell to the ground, wrapping her arms around herself. The pain was too much! “You b***h!” Tiff rages she begins to kick Clara, who covers her head as Tiff kicks her more, and her friends join in!
After they were done and left the main hall Clara lies there crying, the cuts were open and bleeding, and her body was sore. “Just end it, no one wants you here!” a voice screams.
Robert’s cell phone was ringing, but he didn’t pick up. Clara knew he wouldn’t have it on him, so she had to leave him a voicemail. She waited for the beep then she spoke, “Hey… I know I shouldn’t have called you but… I’m so sorry, big brother… But I can’t… I just can’t anymore. I’m not going to make it to my seventeenth birthday. I tried being strong! But… I can’t go on anymore. Please know I love you, and… You’ll be much happier without me.”
After the phone call, Clara slowly climbs the stairs to the roof. The day felt like night because the storm clouds that are dark gray, ugly, and large blocked out the sun and bright blue sky. The medical wrap around her wrists and right leg were red and wet from the blood and rain, which made the fresh cuts burn. Slowly stepping up onto the sides of the building, Clara stares down at the ground below. “Do it! Do it! DO IT!” The voices sing and cheer her on! She didn’t jump just let herself fall.
The entire time Robert was cleaning out his sister’s room, he was holding back every tear but couldn’t keep himself from falling apart inside. With the last box of his sister’s belonging packed, he heads back to the truck but stopped as three girls sat on a stone wall chatting. He noticed the necklace on the blonde girl, walking over they watch him.
“Hello,” he greets them as they smile at him. “Hi,” Tiff greets sexually. Robert nods at the necklace. “Where did you get that?” he asks. Tiff peeks down then smiled back at him, “Why do you want to know?” Robert put the boxes down as he stares at her furiously. “Because that necklace belongs to my sister!” he answers angrily.
Tiff glances at her friends as they both look nervous. Tiff stood up slowly. “Oh, you’re Clara’s brother? I’m so sorry for her death. You see, Clara was my best friend,” Tiff stopped as she begins to sniffle, “She-she gave me this necklace before she jumped… She told me that I could have it.” Robert knew that was b******t! His little sister wouldn’t give away their mom’s necklace!
He watches as Tiff’s friends comfort her, and acts more pathetic! “May I have it back?” Robert asks in a stone-cold tone the girls looked at him stun. Tiff said no, Robert balls his fists before he could take it the dean intervenes. She asked the girls if there’s a problem, they tell her yes. The dean has campus police remove Robert off the property, but before he left, he turned and glares at the girls, sending chills down their spines.
February nineteenth, the weather is horrible again. The rain was hitting the school’s windows hard. Tiffany walks down the halls alone as the other girls got out of her way, she smirks flipping her hair. Her friend Kim was waiting like always, but Samantha was nowhere to be found, Tiff looked at Kim, who rolls her eyes.
“She’s sick! What a faker,” Kim mocks. Both girls begin to head to their classes, but the lights in the hallway flicker Kim comes to a stop. Tiff glances back at her. Kim’s face was as white as a sheet, and her eyes were wide. “What’s wrong?” Tiff asks as Kim looks at her slowly. “Didn’t you see her?” Kim answers.
Tiff gets an annoyed expression, putting her hands on her hips. “You need to quit smoking weed before class, that s**t is getting to your head!” she jeers. Kim blinks while rubbing her forehead, “Y-yeah, I guess you’re right.”
The day was typical, but they still haven’t seen or heard from Samantha. At the end of math class, they cornered her roommate, demanding what was up. “I don’t know. She was in the shower when I left this morning, which was annoying because she took forever! I had enough of waiting and left!” They let the girl go not before taking her money and the key to her room.
There was no soul in the dorms. Kim and Tiff felt a bit uneasy as they approached Sam’s room. Kim knocked on the door though nothing came from the other side, she leaned in, putting an ear to the wood all she heard was the muffled sound of the shower running. They unlocked the door and went in.
“It’s freezing in here,” Kim shivers. Tiff rolls her eyes and storms to the bathroom door and bangs on it. “Okay, you lazy b***h, get out!” Tiff orders, still no other noise came just the sound of the water. “Sam! Open the door!” Tiff growled, nothing again, “fine, if you want to be like that!” Tiff pushed open the door Kim followed behind. However, both girls froze in place.
As Sam laid in the bathtub motionless, both her wrists were cut deep with the water washing away the blood, but there were red stains on the sides of the tub and floor. Her brown hair covered her face, and her body leaned back on the wall as her arms and wrist were flipped up to show the cuts.
“Sam… Oh, god,” Kim choked out as she covers her mouth, Tiff snaps out of it. She shoves Kim out of the bathroom and closes it as Kim starts to sob. “Kim, look at me, we didn’t find her. We didn’t come into this room. We had no clue she did this, so we need to go now!” Tiff instructs calmly, but Kim was still crying.
“We can’t just leave her there!” Kim cried. Tiff rolled her eyes as she grabs her arm and begins to pull her towards the door but stopped because someone stood in the doorway. “The hell do you want!” Tiff hisses. The person turned their head to the side. The girls couldn’t see who it was, but a flash of lightning illuminates them. Kim screamed and points, “That’s the girl I saw!” Tiff stares at Kim then at the person who slowly comes into the room more. They gently closed the door behind them.
“Who the hell are you!” Tiff yells. The person doesn’t respond but turned the desk lamp on. Tiff’s and Kim’s body fell cold the mysterious girl looked at them.
She’s wearing a white mask. Only one eye’s showing the other is cover by their jet black hair that’s done up in a side ponytail. The visible eye is just as black as their hair. The mouth is an X. The girl is wearing a school uniform, but the vest and skirt were both dark red, and both her arms are wrap in medical wrap the same with her right leg.
What made the Tiff and Kim more frightened there is blood splatter on her, and she held a long rope behind her back. “This-this isn’t scary!” Tiff denies, but she couldn’t fool herself or anyone else she’s terrified. Kim begins to hyperventilate as the girl turns their attention onto her. The girl held out the rope to Kim, who analyzes it before she began to nod slowly.
What Tiff didn’t realize the rope’s tied into a noose, and when Kim started to walk towards the girl, Tiff tried to grab her arm, but Kim pulls away. “Kim… Kim, stop,” Tiff stutters. When Kim stood in front of the girl, she gently places the noose around Kim’s small neck, who just let them. Tiff was terrified to move as she watches the girl get on top of the desk still holding the rope she throws it over the ceiling fan then pull on it! Quickly Kim’s feet left the ground she wiggles, and squirms even tried to claw at the noose.
Tiff starts to cry, watching her friend die. Once Kim was motionless, and her arms dropped to her sides. The girl tied the rope to the ceiling fan and jumped to the floor.
She stares at Tiff, who’s shaking and crying, but the girl steps away from the door as it opens Tiff looked at the door then back to the girl. Slowly, steadily and cautiously making her way out of the room, she kept her eyes on the girl who followed her with the mask. Out in the hallway, Tiff took off running she begins to head towards the school building but gets cut off by the girl. Tiff screamed, turn around, and run the other way. Every time Tiff would get close to a door that was going somewhere, the girl would pop up, making her go a different way!
Soon Tiff found herself by the stairs that lead to the roof with the girl close behind. Tiff had nowhere else to go.
On the roof, Tiff searches around. However, there’s no place to hide. The rain was coming down harder than before she turns about to go back downstairs, but her heart drops because she was now trapped.
The girl’s slowly climbing the stairs and running her hand on the railings as she held something behind her back. Tiff backed away as the girl gets closer. When Tiff’s back hit the side on the roof, she peers over it a hard bottom below! When she looked back, the girl’s standing in front of her, holding a box cutter to her hip, twisting it a little.
“Please… Don’t do this… I’m sorry,” Tiff begs. The girl takes her free hand to remove the mask with both eyes closed, but when she opens them and glares up at Tiff. She was stunned, “You’re- You’re dead…” Clara cocked her head, not saying a word both her eyes were still bright blue but ran of blood like she was crying, she glances at the necklace. Tiff jumped when Clara quickly grabs for it, ripping it off. Clara smiles as she held it close to her chest and closes her eyes. “You did all of this for that! You f*****g psy-” Tiff stopped when Clara shot her eyes back to her.
Tiff’s body went limp as her mind went blank, but voices were screaming at her to kill herself. Clara’s voice spoke over them, “Stand on the wall.” Tiff’s body started to move as she climbed on top of the small wall then turns to face Clara, who put her mask back on, “Now. Fall.” Tiff put her arms out before she fell backward.
Instantly when her body hit the ground, screams came from other girls and teachers. Tiff didn’t die right away. She was choking on blood and was in so much pain. The last thing she saw was that mask staring down at her from the roof.
Robert was heading back to his room. His new buddies were trying to take his mind off the death of his little sister, but how could he? It’s her birthday. When Robert went into his room, his bunkmates told him that he has a small package on his bed.
Robert looks at the box, it didn’t say who it was from, and none of them knew how it got there, it only said: To My Big Brother. Swallowing hard, Robert picks it up and sat on the bed he begins to open it. There was a letter and… the necklace of his mother taking it out and looking it over. It really was her necklace! He quickly picked up the letter reading it he starts to shake and turn pale as his bunkmates asked him what was up. The letter went.
“So, I know it’s random and kind of creepy to get a letter and package from a dead girl, but you’re getting both! Don’t come looking for me… I’m not the little sister you knew before. I’m sorry, maybe one day we’ll see each other again but maybe not… anyway I got mom’s necklace back so don’t lose it or I will punch you! I love you, Big Brother. ~ Clara”
