Chapter 1

Dusk has come in the rural town of Wolf's Rock, California. And in this town's local high school, known as Armitage Memorial School, the theater club is working on the background set piece for their up and coming play of Dante's Inferno, showing in three days.

Only five out of the fourteen members are left to tend to the props for the scene of Dante's journey through the fiery pits of hell.

The five are composed of Magie Beck, a bespectacled girl with pig tailed brunette hair, and who stands at five feet two inches tall.

Keneth (Ken) Olden, a scraggly boy with thick brown curls and stands at five feet six inches.

Elmer (Merc) Thompson, a rather large black young man, perfect for his position as a linebacker in the school's football team. Standing at six feet two inches tall. He's only here cause his best friend asked him to join.

Henry Stacks, a handsome, clean cut young man with bright blue eyes and dirty blond hair. He stands at five feet eleven inches tall. He's the star quarterback of the football team, and Merc's best friend. He signed up for the theater club to be closer to his girlfriend, who just so happened to be the president of said club, and the final member of the five.

Linda Scholster, A beautiful young lady with piercing grey eyes, and has long silky smooth platinum blond hair. She stands at five feet five inches tall. She's the president of the theater club, and of course, Henry's girlfriend.

Merc: "I still can't believe that Mr. Carver left us with all this carp to deal with, while he gets to go home and watch Grey's Anatomy, or whatever the hell old white people watches now."

Magie: "That show is still airing?"

Ken: "Yeah. Season seventeen and still going strong. I watch it with my mom. It's pretty entertaining."

Merc and Magie looked at each other and said nothing about Ken's comment, as though they were both judging him in silence.

Linda: "Come on guys. You know that Mr. Carver also teaches algebra. He's probably just grading the home works we submitted today. Besides, we got this. By the rate we're going, we'll have everything done by tomorrow."

Henry: "Awe! My baby's so understanding. I'm so lucky I have the most adorable and kindest girl in school"

Henry then moved towards Linda and put his arms around her waist, pulling her closer for a kiss.

Linda: "Babe... cut it out. You're embarrassing me."

Linda said in both a bashful yet playful manner.

Merc: "Oh, naw, naw ,naw. You guys aint doin that crap in here. Do that on ya own time. Can't you see you're over stimulating the virgin in the room. And I don't even know how Ken and Magie are handlin this."

With that little bit of self deprecating joke, Linda and Henry gingerly went back to work.

A few minutes later Henry receives a call from his mother asking him to come home. His parents are going on a date, and they couldn't get a babysitter for Sarah, his six year old little sister, so they need him to watch her for the night.

Henry was reluctant to leave Linda alone since it's getting dark, but she assured him that she'll go home with Magie since they live in the same neighborhood.

After Henry left, Merc and Ken followed shortly after, saying they need to study ahead for the midterm since Merc is behind.

The two girls worked on the props by themselves for the next two hours. It was already 9:15 PM when the custodian asked them to pack up.

The custodian, Mrs. Walters told the kids to go home, as she was about to clean the prop room they were in. The two said their thanks and goodbyes to Mrs. Walters as they left. By this time, Magie had called her mother three times to update her on when she'll come home. Linda on the other hand, is just about to call her father and let him know that

she's on her way home.

Magie: "I still can't believe your dad doesn't check up on you even though you're coming home this late on a school night."

Linda: "I guess he got used to it by now. He knows I need to finish up on a lot of projects like my portrait for the art show two months ago. Hello, dad. I'm coming home now. What's for di..."

Linda and Magie suddenly stopped in their tracks as the lights turned off in the hallway they were walking in. Only the dim light of Linda's phone and the pale moon light beaming down through the windows of the hall way illuminates their surroundings.

As the pair are befuddled from what just happened, Linda's father can be heard shouting through the cell phone in Linda's hand, demanding to know if his child is safe.

Linda: "Yeah, dad. I'm okay. the lights in the hallway just turned off. It's pretty dark so I think we'll ask Mrs. Walters to walk with us. What do you think, Magie?"

When Linda looked at Magie, though, she wore a face of unadulterated terror upon it. As her lips quiver, and her eyes tear up while looking straight at the end of the hallways, Magie then lifted up her right hand and pointed directly at what she sees.

Mr. Scholster: "Hello, Linda, honey? Are you still there? What's happening, honey?"

Linda's father asked his daughter, a sinking feeling ever growing in the pit of his stomach.

Linda: "Daddy... Help.... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Only the screams of the two girls can be heard over the phone now, then a sudden static. And then, the call was disconnected, Mr. Scholster sweating cold bullets as he frantically tries to dial his daughter's number with shaky hands.

At the same time, in the school, Mrs. Walters heard the pained screams of the girls from the Prop room she was cleaning. Concern for the well being of the children, Mrs. Walters armed herself with her cattle prod baton, a souvenir from her time as a guard fifteen years ago. As she hurriedly investigate the screams, Mrs. Walters came upon a horrific sight. A severed arm laid atop the pool of blood it has made, the crimson liquid glimmering from the illumination coming from the custodian's flash light.

More concerning is the fact that other than the arm and a broken cellphone, no traces of the two girls can be found. Mrs. Walters quickly took her phone out of her pants pocket and dialed 911, not certain how she will describe the scene she sees before her.

An alarm clock blares it's monotone beeps, stirring the occupant of the bed near it awake. The young girl in a plain white pajamas slammed her hands down the button of the alarm clock, seemingly trying to get her revenge on the machine for waking her up.

This young girl's name is Julia Blake. She and her father, Roy Blake, just moved in to the town of Wolf's Rock last week. Her father was just hired as the new sheriff, as referred to by the old sheriff that used to be Roy's superior in ALPD ten years ago.

Today is Julia's first day attending Armitage Memorial School, named after the town's founder, Richard Armitage. As Julia finished her shower and come out of the bath room, she stares at the uniform of her new school. The one that she laid out on her bed.

Julia: "You keep getting tackier and tackier the more I look at you."

Julia said to the uniform while she makes a disappointed face. The traditional uniform Of Armitage Memorial for girls are a mild fitting yellow blouse with pink highlighted collar, edge of the sleeves, and button row. It also has front pocket at the bottom section of it. This is paired with a knee length, straight, dark purple skirt.

Julia: "Dad, I'm ready to go to school. You said you'd drive me there, remember. I can't believe I really have to wear this tacky uniform. I mean, who wears school uniforms in high school these days?" Julia said as she called out to her father, letting him know that she's ready to go.

She searched for her father all throughout their new two story house that has four bed rooms. Two rooms too many, since it's just her and her father residing in this house. She then checked the dining table and found the note her father left her.

The letter reads, "Hey, Apple crumbs. Sorry I can't drive you to school. I got a call for a possible abduction and needed to go to the station ASAP. Didn't want to wake you. Your phone should have the location of the school on it's GPS. Turkey sandwich for breakfast, eat up. Be careful while biking to school. Love you, Dad."

Julia: "Augh! Damn it, dad. Do you know how hard it'll be to ride a bike in this uniform."

Julia screams to her dad that's absent from the room. With this, Julia grabbed two turkey sandwiches to go, and pedaled her way to school. While riding her bike, Julia wishes that she can skip her life to two years from now, so she can turn sixteen, get her drivers license, buy a car, and drive it where ever she want's

Once she got to school, things seemed rather hectic, as students are unable to enter the school grounds without having to go through a security inspection, performed by two deputies.

After a few minutes in the security check line, Julia managed to talk to one of the deputies manning it.

Julia: "Hi, Officer Garibaldi. I'm Julia Blake, sheriff Blake's daughter. Remember, we met at our house four days ago?"

Deputy Garibaldi: "Oh yeah. Hey there kiddo. Sorry, if you're looking for your dad, he's inside the principal's office talking principal Rigby."

Julia: "Thanks. I'll talk to him later. But, what's going on? Is it about the 207 dad said he got?"

Julia whispered to Deputy Garibaldi

Deputy Garibaldi: "By how it looks in there, it's more like a 214, but you didn't hear that from me."

Deputy Mark Garibaldi said to Julia in a mixture of sad and serious voice. The deputy is a rather chubby fellow, with short brown hair and a regular mo mustache. When Julia asked if it's a possible abduction (207) he answered that it might actually be a kidnapping and murder (214).

After thanking the deputy, Julia reached in her shoulder bag and checked the recording she made of her and the deputy's conversation. the recording's audio was clear as day on the possibility of a kidnapping and murder that may have gone down within school premises.

Julia then asked around for the location of the principal's office. Once she got the info, she raced towards where her father might be. As she was about to turn the corner to towards the principal's office, however, she bumped into someone.

Julia fell on their rear after crashing head on to someone. As she looked up to check on the person she hit, she was greeted by the face of the handsome star quarterback of The Armitage Wolves.

Henry: "Oh, God. I'm so sorry. Are you alright? I should have been more careful. I'm just not thinking straight today."

Henry helped Julia up from the floor, apologizing to her profusely.

Julia: "N-no. It was my bad. I shouldn't have been walking so fast in a school hallway. I didn't hurt you right? Oh, who I'm I kidding, of course I didn't. I mean look at you, you look so strong. You're probably pure muscle under that shirt, right?"

Julia rambled as she talked. Blushing from the touch of Henry's hand on her's.

Henry: "I'm Henry by the way. You look like you're new here."

Julia: "Yeah, I am. First day at a new school. Julia, the new kid."

Henry: "Cool. Well, sorry again, Julia, the new kid. I got to get to class. I'll probably bump into you again soon. Just, not in the same way, I hope."

Julia: "He he he. Yeah, I promise, no more running in the halls."

Julia continues to blush after saying those words.

Henry and Julia said their goodbyes, but, as Henry turned away, for a brief moment, Julia saw pain and sadness from the young man's eyes.

Julia then walked into the principal's office. There, she was greeted by her father and the principal, Mrs Lina Rigby. The principal looks like a sharp woman, dressed in a pale pink pants suit. At forty four years old, with the features of a woman in her early thirties, Mrs Rigby looks too young to be a principal.

Sheriff Blake: "Apple Crumbs, what're you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in your first class by now?"

Julia: "Okay, one, don't call me that in public, we talked about that. And two, my class doesn't start for another fifteen minutes. and third, are you here because of a 214? Does this school actually have a 214?"

Sheriff Blake: "Woah, there. I never said anything about a 214. Who told you it was a 214? Was it Garibaldi?"

Julia: "... Doesn't matter. All I know is you didn't drive me to school, and I just want to know if it's really because of a life and death situation."

Sheriff Blake: "Honey, this isn't something that we should discuss here. Just go to your class, and when you get home, you'll stop asking questions about an ongoing investigation."

As Julia was about to push for more information about a possible missing student, the principal interjected.

Mrs. Rigby: "Ms Blake, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Mrs. Lina Rigby, your new principal. And on behalf of our school, I formally welcome you to Armitage Memorial. Now, before you go to class, I would like to make one thing crystal clear to you and your father. We here at Armitage pride ourselves in maintaining order and stability to keep the greater majority of our students safe. If someone where to threaten that stability by say, interfering in an ongoing investigation and sending students into panic. Well, I and the school board, will see to it that everyone involved will face the heaviest of legal penalties that we can muster. I hope I am understood."

Julia just nodded at the threats spoken by the principal as she stepped out of the office.

Mrs. Rigby: "Your daughter likes to ask a lot of questions, Officer Blake."

Sheriff Blake: "She got it from her mother."

Sheriff Blake said with a bitter smile on his face.

Julia: "That bitch is scary. Good thing I was recording."

Julia said in her head as she made her way to class.

Julia has always wanted to be an investigative journalist just like her late mother. Julia is very attractive girl with cat like blue eyes, a cute button nose and slightly curly orange locks. She stands five feet four inches tall.

Julia was just in time as she reached her first class before it started. First class was history, taught by Ms Brenda Smith. Before she started the lesson however, she asked Julia to introduce herself to her new classmates.

Julia: "Hi. I'm Julia Blake, and my dad and I just moved here last week. I'm fourteen years old, and I like biking."

Ms Smith: "Thank you, Julia. That was a great introduction. Now class, would anyone like to ask Julia a question, so that we can get to know her more?"

A few kids raised their hands, and the teacher picked the mousy Asian girl at the back named Tina Lee.

Tina: "Where did you originally come from?"

Tina asked while playing with her long raven hair.

Julia: "We came from L.A. We had to move here because dad was offered a job."

Tina: "You have a boyfriend back there?"

Tina bashfully smiled after asking such a personal question.

Julia: "He he, no. But I did leave some really important friends back there. But we do keep in touch, so, it's fine."

Since Tina was satisfied with Julia's answers, Ms Smith opted to have one more student ask a question. The teacher chose Shin Yagami, a foreign exchange student from Japan. He transferred to Armitage just three weeks ago, in accordance with a joint venture with the Yasuhiko Academy

Shin looks like a mixed breed of Japanese and European parentage. He has a small face with a small but pointed nose, rosy pink lips, and beautiful hazel eyes. His hair is dye ocean green with a crop cut style, with bangs that almost touches his eyes. Lastly, he stands at five feet nine inches tall.

Shin: "So, are you sheriff Blake's daughter?"

Shun asked in very fluent English, even though he just transferred to America recently.

Julia: "Yeah, that's right. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want people to think I'm bragging or anything."

Shin: "I get it. You probably didn't want to be asked why the sheriff and the deputies are here in school either, huh."

Julia was a bit taken aback by the blunt statement that came from her new classmate, but she answers none the less.

Julia: " Well... My dad really doesn't talk about his work at home much. He always tells me that his work is too sensitive to be shared with civilians. I even asked him today and he still doesn't want to talk about it."

Female student: "I heard that a student went missing last night. Is that true?"

A female student chimed in.

Murmurs started filling the room, as the possibility that one of their peers may have gone missing. It fell upon Ms Smith to ease the tension in the air.

Ms Smith: "Alright, class. I think the Q & A portion has ended. Let's get back to the topic at hand. Julia, please sit beside Tina."

Ms Smith said, obviously trying to pull the children's thoughts away from the missing person topic.

As Julia sat beside Tina, the two began bonding, talking to each other about there hobbies and other things they like while they're not taking notes.

Even after the class ended, the two continued their conversation since their next class wouldn't start for another twenty minutes.

Julia: "So, do you know about this missing student rumor that's going around?"

Tina: "Just a little. At first the deputy at the entrance asked if we were part of the theatre club. Since I am, I said yes. Then, they told me to the principal's office. When I got there, your dad, the sheriff, asked me what we were doing yesterday. I just told them that I was rehearsing my part as person burning in hell fire number three, then I left at 3:30pm once rehearsal was done.. Your dad then asked who was left at the time I was leaving. I said, just president, her three friends, and boyfriend."

Julia: "Wow. So, whatever's happening probably has something to do with the theatre club, huh?"

Tina: "Maybe. All Club activity was canceled today, and we're not allowed to go to the theatre and props department room. And the president didn't come to school today either. The president would never miss a day of rehearsal, specially since we have a show coming up. You think the missing person might be her?"

Tina asked with worry in her voice.

Julia: "Well, even if I ask dad, he wouldn't give me anything. Do you anyone else in our class that's a member of the theatre club?"

Shin: "Just me."

Shin said from Julia's back. Julia and Tina were startled because they thought they were the only ones left in the room.

Tina: "SHIN, WHAT THE HELL! I almost peed on my pants. Why are you still here?"

Shin: "I've been here the whole time and you guys are saying you didn't notice me at all? That really hurts my feelings."

Shin said, as he teases the girls with his fake crying.

Julia: "Okay. Well, aside from almost giving Tina and me a heart attack, you said you're also in the theatre club?"

Shin: "Hell Yeah. Joined it the minute I got transferred here. They even gave me the important role of, tortured soul who doesn't talk number one."

Tina: "For the last time, that's not an important role."

Tina said in her irritation.

Shin: "Says you, Ms. person burning in hell fire number three. At least I'm number one at something."

Before the two can bicker even more, Julia started asking Shin some questions about what he know regarding the possibly missing club president

Julia: "Well, Shin, what did you tell my dad?"

Shin: "Pretty much the same thing Tina said. But, I got curious when Mr. Carver said we can't go to the Theatre and props room. So, I snuck my way there. When I got there, there were police tapes blocking the corner leading to the room. I crossed the line. But, before I could go Inside the room, I saw what looked like blood on the floor of the hallway."

Julia: "So. What did you do?"

Julia asked with baited breath.

Shin: "I booked it, man. That was a lot of blood. I didn't want to be anywhere near that crap."

Shin answered with a grossed out look on his face.

Tina: "Good call. I'd have done that too if it was me."

Tina chimed in, reassuring Shin that what he did was the normal reaction to that situation.

Shin: "It's a good thing I did, too. I almost ran in to two deputies heading to the room. So, I hid on the stairs going up the third floor. They said something about forensics not coming to look at the evidence until tomorrow."

Tina: "why until tomorrow? Isn't a missing person's case important?"

Tina said, irritated by the lack of importance this possible missing person's case is getting.

Julia: "There was a big forest fire that ended just this morning. The police is probably dealing with a lot of deaths, injuries, and missing person's report everywhere. Some roads leading here's probably blocked off too because of it. So, they can't make it to this town until tomorrow."

Julia explained to her two classmates.

The bell for their next class rang out, prompting the three to go there. Nothing else of importance happened at school until the the final bell rang. As the students are about to leave however, Julia saw her father talking to a boy she recognized from that morning, accompanied by an older man.

Henry: "Sheriff Blake, can you tell us at least what you found? It's been almost twenty four hours, and we still haven't gotten anything from your office."

Mr. Scholster: "That's right. I heard Linda's screams on the phone. I've never heard my baby girl so frightened in her life. Please, you have to find her."

Mr. Scholster's pained cries and pleading for his daughter's safety was enough to draw a crowd of onlookers to the scene.

Sheriff Blake: "I promise, we are doing everything we can to find her, but right now we have to review all security footages in and around the school. We've also gotten the statements of the guard and the custodian who were working here last night. We're just waiting for forensics and the FBI for further assistance. We will find both your daughter and Ms. Beck."

The sheriff calmly explained to the father and the boyfriend of one of the missing girls, failing to notice that no one knew that Magie was missing too.

Right as the sheriff let the news that Magie Beck was also missing, a figure emerged from the crowd.

Mrs. Beck: "My daughter. Where's my daughter. Give me back my baby, please. Sheriff, where's my baby?"

Magie's mother, who came out from the crowd, started crying out, demanding to know where her daughter is.

Julia was walking towards her father to see if she can help in de-escalating the situation, but once sheriff Blake noticed that Julia was coming towards him, he shook his head no and signaled her to go home by herself.

Julia knew that her father was just trying to save her from becoming a part of the drama that he was in, but her heart still ached from the fact that she was powerless to help her father out.

Julia took her bike and made her way to their house. Once at home, Julia made herself dinner. She heated up the frozen pizza they had in the fridge, and watched some youtube on her laptop.

She then checked her phone for new messages from her old friends. Julia started to tear up, as she read "No new messages" on it.

Feeling lonely, she decided to text Tina to asked a few more things about the theatre club, when the sound of her father's car was heard making its way to the garage.

Once her father entered, Julia asked how it went with the families of the missing girls.

Julia: "So, you survive the horde of angry parents."

Sheriff Blake: "There were just two parents and one boyfriend. I just sincerely let them knew that we will be utilizing all man power to look for their kids tomorrow."

Julia: "You could have just used my forensics kit."

Sheriff Blake: "Well, thanks Apple Crumbs, but neither me nor the guys at the station are experts in using that."

Julia: "I am. If you want, we can go to the scene right now and I could..."

Sheriff Blake: "No offense, honey, but I don't think that anyone would take the findings of a fourteen year old girl seriously."

Julia: "Mom would have."

Julia started crying, as the memory of her late mother started to flood back in her mind. The time she said there was a monster under her bed, her mother was there to chase them away. The time her money kept disappearing, under her mother's investigation, turned out, it was a bird using her money to build a nest. Whatever it was, her mom would believed Julia was telling the truth.

Sheriff Blake: "Oh, Apple Crumbs, I didn't mean it like that. it's ju..."

Julia: "I know exactly what you meant. I'm just a stupid kid, and I can never be right."

Julia's words cuts her father's words off.

Before the sheriff could even apologize, Julia marched up her room and slammed its door as hard as she could. Julia then dove in to her bed and buried her face in her pillow to muffle the sounds of her sobs.

As she stew in her misery, Julia had an epiphany on what she needs to do. She needs to be just like her mother.

As a child, she idolized her mother for going after a story and getting to the truth behind them. Her mother, the award winning journalist Elizabeth Blake, can uncover anything. So who's to say that her daughter wouldn't be able to do the same.

With her steadfast determination, she was going to make sure that she finds the clues that will lead to locating the girls before the forensics team even gets there.

Julia had things planned out. She packed everything that she needed to break into the school grounds. Since her dad's been awake for almost eighteen hours, she just needs to wait for him to fall asleep. Once her dad is passed out, she'll ride her bike to the school and start her investigation.

That night at 8:00pm Julia's dad knocked at her door. When he entered her room, sheriff Blake found his daughter laying face down on her bed.

Sheriff Blake: "Apple Crumbs, can we talk."

Julia gave a small nod as a reply to her father's request.

Sheriff Blake: "I'm really sorry. You know I never meant it that way. I just didn't want you to get involved in these things. Danger is a part of my job, and knowing horrible things can really mess with your head. I'm just afraid this case might traumatize you."

Sheriff Blake explained to Julia how he felt when it comes to her trying to prove that she can help him out. To him, she doesn't need to force herself into his work life for him to see her as a maturing woman. All she has to do is to be what she is, a teenage girl.

Even with this explanation, however, Julia has made up her mind. She will find the missing girls, cause she knows that what her mother would have done if she was still alive.

Julia: "I know, dad. Don't worry, I'm not mad. I'm just really tired. I know you're tired too. Just go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Sheriff Blake: "Alright, Honey. I love you. Good night."

Julia: "I love you too. Good night, dad."

Julia waited for a few minutes after her conversation with her father. Once she's confident that her dad's asleep, she grabbed her stuff, and snuck out her window.