Chapter 2

 Lana stood on the balcony of her apartment, gazing down at the twinkling lights
below. The night was chilly and there was a breeze in the air. The moon was tinted red,
floating in the night sky in a gloomy silence. It was a clam and lonely atmosphere. How
much longer until Derick would be home?
  A gust of wind swept over the balcony. She pulled her sweater over her shoulders,
shivering, and decided it was time to go inside. She walked into the apartment, closing the
French doors behind her. As she was drawing the curtains, she heard a voice call her.
Derick was finally home. She smiled and turned, expecting to see her finace standing
there.
 It was Julia. She had a look of pure evil on her face. Hi Lana. I thought I might
just let myself in. I hope you don't mind, she said in a sweet voice. Her eyes narrowed.
Lana tried to look away, but she couldn't force her eyes to move from their fixed stare.
She couldn't move, every muscle felt numb, lifeless. Julia was closing in on her.
 She felt her body tumble to the floor. Julia held her down, scratching her wrists
with her claw-like nails. A surge of power flowed inside of her, as Julia fell to the carpet
unconscious. Lifting herself up, she felt a sense of extreme power and strength. The urge
was almost irresistable. She found a knife in the kitchen and moved swiftly to Julia's frozen
body.
 What am I doing? Lana thought. Julia's my friend. I can't do this. She forced her
hand to open and the knife fell to the floor with a loud thump. She sat down beside the
body of her friend and began to cry.

Chapter 3
 It felt like hours before Julia awoke, but it was only a few minutes later. Her eyes
flickered open slowly. Where was she? She heard sobbing and sat up so she could find out
what it was. She rubbed her eyes so she could see. Lana sat huddled beside her, tears
flowing down her face. Her eyes lit in pure horror as Julia stood up.
 I-I thought you were dead, Lana stammered, trying to stop the tears. You came
over and we were talking then all of a sudden you fainted. I didn't know what to do. Lana
gritted her teeth as her friend turned to look away. She couldn't tell her the truth. Not after
what she'd almost done.
 It's getting late. I should get home. Devin will be going insane that I've been gone
so long, Julia replied. You know what the funny thing is? I don't even remember coming
here. I don't remember anything from the past couple nights. It's almost as if something
happened to make me not remember it, something horribly bizarre.
 Lana suddenly looked up at her. No, she couldn't remember, but if she did, there
would be a lot of trouble. The plan would soon be complete. Oh, I bet it's nothing, she
said, smiling at her friend. I should get to bed. I'll see you tomorrow, alright?
 Julia left then, and Lana listened to her footsteps treading down the hall to the
elevator. Next, she heard another set of footsteps, who could it be now?
 The door slid open and Derick walked in the door. Lana ran to him and threw her
arms around him. As they pulled away from each other, he looked into her eyes. What he
saw frightened him. Her eyes were usually so beautiful and radiant. Now they seemed dull
and unemotional. They were opened widely, in an almost dead stare. Something had to be
wrong.
 Baby, are you okay? You're not looking too good, he said, trying to steer away
from her eyes. She just nodded her head solemnly, still gazing lifelessly into the air. She
was obviously lying, something had to be wrong. No one could look that horrible and be
okay. A sigh escaped from his lips, he murmured something about a long day at work and
that it was time to go to bed. He dragged his body down the hall to their bedroom, praying
she wouldn't follow. He would never get to sleep thinking of her deathly stare.
 The mattress was so soft, so comfortable. He pulled the blankets over him to warm
his numb body. He had to get her off his mind, he needed sleep and thinking of her, he
would never get it. He rolled over, facing where she would normally lie. She wasn't there.
He closed his eyes, not wanting to look at where she might appear. He could hear her in
the kitchen, probably getting some hot chocolate. He didn't care where she was as long as
she wasn't there, looking so lifelessly into his eyes. His mind stopped racing, and before
long he was asleep. He didn't even notice her crawl into bed.

Chapter 4
 The sheets were ruffled. Derick had spent the whole night tossing and turning. He
just couldn't get Lana out of his head. Where was she anyway? Had she even come to bed
that night? He moved his arm to her side of the bed. The blankets were tossed aside, and
she wasn't there. He was exausted so he buried his face in the pillow.
 She entered just then, carrying a tray. On top of it was an omelette, bacon, toast
and orange juice, his favourite breakfast. Wake up, she said, I made you breakfast. He
turned over in the bed and looked up at her. She must have been awake for awhile.
 She wore a blue jean skirt that dropped to her knees with black heels strapped to
her feet. Her shirt was a baby blue tank top with white flowers. Her shoulder-length
blonde hair was perfectly styled, her eyes outlined by makeup. She looked almost normal,
except her eyes were still in the state they were the night before Now dark circles
underneath revealed themselves, though she'd tried hard to cover them. He avoided
looking at them.
 The food tasted as delicious as it smelled. She had turned on the TV and they were
watching the news. One particular story interested them. A woman had been murdered,
her body found in the forest by the highway of their very own town.
 Their interest suddenly turned to shock. The newsreporter said, Julia Hobbs was
only 20 years old. She seemed to be a respected and loved member of the community. She
lived with her boyfriend, Devin White, in a shabby apartment. Investigators have no clues
to who murdered her. There was a fight on the street as she drove home in her Mercedes
Benz. The car was found, crashed into a tree and filled with bullet holes. Julia's body lay
outside, shot and stabbed many times. There was one eyewitness, who saw only the young
girl and the killer's eyes. She said, They were cold and cruel, an ice blue-green colour.
They almost looked dead. Police will continue their search and we will hope to give
updates to this horror story. Back to you, Gunther.
 Lana turned off the TV, staring blankly at where her friend's face had appeared. A
picture from a few weeks ago. She stood in front of her locker, her dark brown hair curled
and flowing down beside her smiling face. She remembered that day so well, and now it
was all gone.
 She burst into tears, clutching her knees tightly to her shivering body as she sat on
the floor. No! she suddenly cried out, startling Derick, would had been finishing his
breakfast. He, too, was upset, but he had never known Julia like Lana had. He wouldn't
understand.
 Why Julia? She never did anything to deserve death, never ever. We were the bad
ones, she disagreed with everything. So maybe she was cold-hearted sometimes. No one's
perfect, she murmured through her gasping sobs. Derick lifted her from the floor,
hugging her in hisarms to comfort her.
 The police will find this lunatic. He'll never get away with murder. Everything'll be
alright, he whispered gently in her ear in the most soothing voice he could. I bet it was
Devin. He was always the jealous type. I bet he saw she and Nathan leaving the movie
theatre last night. He must have exploded with anger. His voice trailed off. Did he really
believe what he was saying? He knew Devin cared about her too much to try and kill her.
He was just trying to make Lana feel better.
 Nothing seemed to help. Everything he said seemed to make her wailing and
moaning increase. He thought of the only eyewitness. The way she'd described the killer's
eyes, could it be? Maybe... no! It wasn't Lana. How could he even think of suspecting her?
She was innocent. She loved Julia. Didn't she?

Chapter 5
 I don't believe it. I just want to wake up and have it all be a bad dream, Geniveve
said to her friends. She looked about ready to cry. They were in the police station. They'd
been called in for questioning. Lana had been up all the past night, she couldn't sleep. Who
could sleep knowing they'd been the last person to see someone now deceased? If only she
had made it home that night. It might all be alright now.
 Sorrow hung in the air, choking, almost suffocating them as they sat in the small
chairs in the station, waiting to be called to be asked questions about their dear friend,
Julia. A deahtly silence followed their hugging and tears when they had arrived. Lana
looked at each of her friends, wondering who it could be. Naomi? No, she wasn't the
violent type. If she wanted to hurt someone, she would use words, not physical harm.
 What about Rachel? She'd never liked Julia much. They'd been in a fight and
wouldn't speak for weeks. Could she have killed her? Perhaps it was Devin like Derick had
said. Her head began to throb, her heart to beat faster. It could be anyone.
 Tension heavied as Devin came out of the office. He had a look of exasperation
embedded on his face. He'd been trapped in the cold, depressing room for two hours,
being asked questions repeatedly. Sighing, he slumped down into his seat. The detective
entered next, motioning for Lana to join him in the office. She lifted her aching body from
the chair she'd been in for hours. How long would he question her?

 She made her way into the drafty room, where she sank into the wooden chair in
front of the desk. A chill ran up her spine. Something didn't feel right. The detective
scraped his swivel chair across the floor. He took a tape recorder out from his desk. He
was ready to start questioning.
 She answered the questions he dished out as well as she could. She didn't mention
it, but she herself couldn't remember that night. He went over each question at least three
times. She began to get frustrated. Why couldn't he accept that she didn't know what
happened?
 Eventually, what must have been hours later, he stood up and said softly, Thank
you, Miss Bynes. You may go now. He extended his arm to shake her hand. She wearily
lifted her hand to meet his. The sleeve of her sweater began to slowly slip down her arm.
She hastily tugged it back up and left the room without so much as a goodbye. She never
noticed the stare he'd given her before she'd rushed out.
 That girl, he thought, there's something strange about her. She'd seemed so
innocent and happy, so why would she do such a thing? It might have been his
imagination. How could he have dreamt up something so serious, though? No, it was real.
Lana Bynes had scars across her wrists and they must be self-inflicted. Why else would
she be so secretive? She needed help before it was too late.

Chapter 6
 Blood dripped onto the marble counter and slid its way down to the tile floor.
Lana plunged the knife into her wrist - the handle pushed as far down as possible with the
blade coming out the other end with thick, red blood dripping off the sides. She didn't
want to do it, there was a force pushing her to take the knife and harm herself. It wanted
her dead and she was powerless to stop it.
  A scream of pain echoed through the apartment building in downtown Ottawa.
Lana's lifeless body crumpled to the ground, blood covering the floor of their kitchen.
Silence followed the deafening scream and the day seemed calm once again.
 Derick clicked the door open and peered inside. The apartment was quiet, too
quiet. Lana? he called. No reply came. He stepped inside, baffled about where she could
be. She was always around when he came home. Where could she be?
 He took a step into the living room, rotated toward the kitchen and gasped in
horror. Derick was a man who rarely cried, and now tears were streaming down his face.
He crawled beside her body, not caring about her blood, scattered around her, and stayed
there. A knock at the door broke the silence of his suffering.
 He hadn't expected to see the detective standing there, two police at his side. He
flipped out his badge. We're here to arrest Lana Bynes for the murder of Julia Hobbs.
Evidence at the crime scene leads us straight to her. No, Derick thought. This can't be
happening. He stood in shock, staring blankly at the detective's emotionless face. Well?
The detective muttered. He was an impatient man.
 Lana... she - she's dead, he mumbled, finally forcing the words through his
tightened lips. Look for yourselves. She's in the kitchen. I came home and she was was
dead. They made their way into the kitchen. The detective's straight face faltered. He'd
known there was something not right. It was too late to save her now. He should have
done something while he had the chance.
 More police entered over an hour of time. Lana's body was covered and brought
away from the once sparkling clean floors where she'd stood to cook Derick her delicious
breakfasts. It was all in the past now, but he felt he'd wake up the next day to her smiling
face. They'd been so joyous for all of their time together. He didn't want it to fade away.
 Friends were told on the phone by Derick. He spoke in a shaking voice, sounding
so close to a nervous breakdown. They'd all seem to have the same reaction as he had,
astonishment. The detective pulled him from the phone to speak to him.
 We've had medical investigators examining the body and, indeed, as i said it
possibly could be, the wounds were self-inflicted. She may have felt guilty for killing her
close friend and decided she was next...
 No! Derick cried at the top of his lungs. She didn't kill her! My Lana wouldn't
hurt any of her friends, let alone kill them. She's not the type of person to do that.
Everyone loved Lana and she loved them too. Stop lying to me!
 The detective was obviously taken aback by his outburst. He nodded in an
apoligetic sort of way and signaled his men to exit. If we find anything new, we'll make
sure to inform you.
 Then they were gone, leaving Derick alone in the now lonely apartment. All the
warmth and happiness seemed to have been sucked away. It was suppertime but he
couldn't eat. He couldn't step foot into the kitchen she'd died in. No, all he needed was
sleep.
 He dragged himself to the bedroom, flopping down on the bed. It, too, felt empty.
Many hours, he tossed and turned, unable to get any sleep. When he closed his eyes, all he
saw was her. It was hopeless.
  A bright light shone into the room. He flipped over to see what it was. Lana? he
murmured. Her figure stood in the doorway. In his mind he could hear her gentle words.
 I'm sorry, Derick. I don't know how it happened. Something made me do it. I just
wanted to stay, to be happy with you. I'll be watching over you. Her voice slowly began
to fade to the point he couldn't hear what she was saying.
 Lana, don't go. Stay here, please, he cried to no one. She wasn't there. It must
have been a dream. Closing his eyes, he drifted slowly into a light sleep. His mind filled
with nightmares and painful thoughts, memories of Lana. Nothing could ever be alright
again.

Chapter 7
 Funerals were held for both Lana and Julia, both filled with pain and tears. They'd
never expierenced loss quite as much as two of their best friends. The city was in
shambles, one murdered resident and the supposed murderer was secretly suicidal all
along.
 The police had told Derick she'd died of a severe cut deep into her wrist, which
popped her vein, causing her body to swerve out of control. They also said she'd had many
scars from before, which he couldn't believe. She had always seemed so cheerful. She may
have had problems and a troubled past but that couldn't push her to suicide, right?
 Naomi forced a smile as she looked at her friends. I'll be alright. It's just a bad
week. Everything will be back to normal by the weekend, she said in a rapidly-paced yet
calm voice. She didn't believe a word that had tumbled out of her mouth. Lies, the whole
world was a lie and she was swimming in them. She just didn't want to see her friends
torchered by the tragidy of their lost comrades. In her heart, she truly wondered, who
would be next?
 How could anything so horrific suddenly enter their plain and simple lives? Derick
couldn't picture Lana as a murderer or commiting suicide. Something must have pushed
her to the edge. Strange things had been going on for quite awhile in their peaceful city.
 As the group of friends left the church, they spoke words they'd never thought
they'd speak before. Their conversation was about the fear that had sprouted deep inside
of themselves. Nathan stayed silent during this particular conversation. It was as if he
almost knew something. They asked him about what was wrong, staring deeply into his
blue-green eyes. He just sighed and replied that he was upset about the passing of the two
girls. Of course, they believed it.
 It was Monday night, now. Derick was alone in his drafty, dirty apartment. He was
too depressed to clean it. Empty pizza boxes and drink cups littered the floor. Candy
wrappers cluttered the tables and chairs. He was surprised he even had an appetite. There
wasn't much point in living happily, anymore.
 The phone rang, it's shrill tone stinging his sore ears. He answered it with an
annoyed,Hello?
 Dude, you gotta help me. I'm going insane! Devin's panicked voice came over the
line. It was blurry and making fuzzy noises.
 Devin? Where are you? Your phone is all messed up, Derick replied, confused
and exhausted.
 I'm at my apartment. Please, come over here and help me. I need you man. I don't
trust anyone else. Come on. You're the only one who can help me now, Devin pleaded.
 Sighing, Derick agreed to go. What did he need help with, and why had he chosen
Derick to beg for help? He hung up the phone, his mind racing. He lifted his car keys from
the holder by the kitchen door, shuddering as he came close to the room where she'd been.
He walked out the door and to the elevator.
 From there, he made his way to the parking lot where his black Corvette sat in it's
usual space. He got in, pulled the door closed and drove off to Devin's rescue.

Chapter 8
 Derick Darwin was a kind and generous man. We will all keep him within our
hearts, the priest said gently.
 The crowd of people rose from their seats. Many people hugged each other as they
dabbed their eyes with handkerchiefs. It was Saturday afternoon. The sky was cloudy,
which only added to the gloominess of the day.
 Dave Butler stood, staring down at the dirt dug out of the ground. He had been on
a trip to Cuba for the past few weeks. Coming home to find three of his friends had been
kill was a shock to him.
 Rachel walked to him, Naomi and Nathan at her side. Dave was a tall man, he
looked down at them, whispering the words, Im sorry. He felt horrible for being gone
 through all of these occurences. No one was mad, he just overreacted sometimes.They
understood. It would be nerve-wrecking to come home to such a sitation.
 Geniveve had just returned from her car, tissues in hand. Everything was falling
apart. Three of their true friends, now buried in coffins, so frigid and still, never to move
again, all killed, one way or another. Who was causing them all of this grief?
   As they strode away from the cemetary with its many gravestones, carved with
names of loved ones, now so far away. The sun was beginning to set in the distance, the
sky turning a purple-pink colour. It would normally be a beautiful sight, but to the group
of people vacating the cemetary, it wasnt anything special. Thoughts raced through their
trouble minds. They couldnt give up. The police would find this killer.
 Rachel waved goodbye to her friends. She was so stressed. She needed to go home
and take a bath. She walked down the road. She didnt live far from the church they stood
at that day. Her hands were shaking as she lifted the key to slot it into the hole into the
front door of her house. As she went to push it in, the door slid ajar on its own. She was
too exhausted to care. Shed probably left it unlocked, anyway.
 She dragged herself up the creaky staircase, gazing down upon her spotless home.
At the top of the stairs, she noticed a flashing red light at the end of the corridor. She
crept cautiously down the hallway, wearily blinking her tearful eyes as she moved. She
clung to the wall until she reached the flashing light. She looked down at the device,
befudled, and pushed a large blue button. She heard strange noises. It was about to go off.
 You have two new messages. Message one, 2:13 p.m.Hi, Rachel? Its Devin.
Where are you? I need someone to talk to and youre the only one I can think of. Youre
never gone on Sundays. Where could you... the funeral! Oh crap! I forgot! Ummm.. forget
I ever left this. Later! Message two, 3:42 p.m. Hello. This is Doctor Stevens, your
physiciatrist. After you last appointment weve decided to put you in a reh... the machine
blared until Rachel slammed the stop button.
 She sighed. That wasnt what she wanted to hear after such a hard day. She
stamped angrily into the bathroom and turned the taps on the large jacuzi bathtub. Stupid
doctor. What did he know? She didnt need help. So she had a few problems. That wasnt
her fault. She lifted her favourite bubble bath from the shelf and poured some into the tub
now filling with trickling water.
 She lifted herself into the water, still running into the large tub, and relaxed. She
closed her eyes, breathing in the sweet aroma. She let the fragrance run through her, let it
sink in as she lay still. A floorboard creaked. It was on the stairs. Another creak. Someone
was coming.

Chapter 9
 Silence followed. She sighed, deciding she was imagining things.