SECRET OF RAVENSWOOD HIGH

JORDAN

The sound of my name echoed through my room, piercing my sleep like a shrill alarm. "Jordan! Jordan! Jordan!" My mom's voice was like a jackhammer, relentless and unforgiving, shattering the fragile peace of my dreams. I groggily opened my eyes to find her face inches from mine, her features distorted in a mixture of concern and annoyance.The morning light streaming through the window highlighted the deep lines etched on her forehead, a testament to the stress and worry that had become her constant companion. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of my dream, but the memory lingered, taunting me like a ghostly 

"Mom!" I exclaimed, my voice laced with a hint of irritation and a dash of desperation. I sprang up, narrowly avoiding a head collision as she leaned in closer, her eyes blazing with an intensity that made me recoil. The air was thick with tension, heavy with the weight of unspoken words and unresolved conflicts. 

"You don't want to be late for school,do you?"She said and strengthen up..she walked out of my room.

I'm Jordan Chen, a junior at Ravenswood High, living with my mom in a fragile dance of coexistence. Our family's past was complicated, a tangled web of broken promises and shattered dreams. My parents' divorce had left a scar, a constant reminder of the impermanence of love and the fragility of relationships. My brother, Liam, had chosen to stay with my dad, leaving me to navigate the treacherous landscape of my mom's emotions alone. I felt like a tightrope walker, balancing precariously between her expectations and my own desires, never quite sure when the rope would snap, plunging me into the abyss.

I rushed to the bathroom for a quick bath, the water a refreshing respite from the chaos of my mind. But even the familiar ritual of washing away the sleep couldn't calm my racing thoughts. My mom's erratic behavior, triggered by her depression, had become a constant source of anxiety. I never knew what would trigger an episode, what would send her spiraling into the dark abyss of her own mind. The water cascaded down my face, a soothing balm for my frazzled nerves, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease, the sense of walking on eggshells, never knowing when the fragile peace would shatter.

I quickly dressed and slipped out of the house to avoid another encounter. The crisp morning air hit me like a slap in the face, a harsh reminder of reality. I took a deep breath, feeling the coolness fill my lungs, and began my walk to school. The streets were quiet, the only sound the soft crunch of gravel beneath my feet. I walked briskly, my mind still reeling from the morning's events. I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease, the sense of being trapped in a never-ending cycle of tension and fear. As I turned the corner onto Elm Street, the imposing structure of Ravenswood High loomed before me.

 I spotted Heather, my introverted friend, stuffing her head into her locker. "Good morning!" I whispered, making her jump in fear. She smacked my head while I laughed.

We hurried to history class, I dreaded History, a compulsory subject that didn't interest me. But things took a turn when the teacher assigned a project on Ravenswood's history and founders. I groaned inwardly; my day couldn't get worse.

Heather and I made our way out of the class to the cafeteria, I didn't take breakfast so I was ready to devour anything .Heather and I was about to have our seat when Liam amd his 'gang' entered the cafeteria. Liam is the son of one the school board member, his father owns a big pharmaceutical company which made him kinda arrogant I guess. Liam bully me all my life until last summer,I don't know why he stopped but it's a big relief to me. He is a senior yet he didn't care about exams and will stop at nothing to frolic around . Him coming to eat here already spell trouble but I wonder who the victim is this time so to avoid stories that touches the heart because if link mess with everybody ,it seems almost impossible to get him punished ,Heather and I exit the cafeteria and decided to eat later. 

I decided to get on with my project early so I can be through on time. I told Heather I will be back.

 I went straight to the library to get books on Ravenswood history to aid my project. The school library is something I'm always proud of ,it encompass alot of books ,tribute to the school long history and reputable background. It will take a while to find historic books so I went to the librarian for help,he could help to locate it faster .

 "Those books are kept in the library archive"

"Owww!so I've to go into the archive,will you help me?" I was already thinking of the stress I'll go through,I would have ditched the project but I fear detention. 

 "Too bad I can't right now,I can't leave my sit"

 "Ow,okay!thanks very much" I said knowing very well within myself that I wasn't okay with him not following me.

 I went straight to the library archive, it's stuffy as hell but I was determined. I started going through the shelves hoping to find one or two books. I found year books and they look really ancient. I brought out my phone so I could see clearly .I took a year book off the shelf ,it was from the year 1991,I cleared off the dust and opened it. It was nothing special, just students from the past so I returned it back to the shelf.i continued with the help of my phone ,I strode forward and saw what seems like a huge book,I pulled it out and I must say it's heavy,Ravenswood was encrypted on it in bold letters. It was covered in dust and cobwebs, I held my phone with my mouth so I could hold the book properly. I opened it and it indeed contained the history of Ravenswood. I scribbled through the pages and then ,I found a paper, it's dusty so I couldn't fathom the colour but I'm sure it's either yellow or off white. I pulled it out of the history book and put the book back into the shelf so I can have enough hand to unfold the paper. I removed my phone from my mouth because its already stressing out my jaw as it literally gagged my mouth.

 I unfold my paper and dust it off.what! Did I just stumbled upon a blueprint??? I rubbed my eyes to have a clear view and the school construction was staring back at me. The blueprint seems almost ordinary but something was just off about it. I noticed a discrepancy in the layout. A wing was marked as rook "315" but I wasn't sure if that's on the school map. Curiosity got the better part of me so I decided to investigate further .I scuffled the blueprint into my bag and turned to exit,lol and behold ,two eyes were boring into mine.

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The night was eerie with air blowing in great ambience. The leaves slammed against each other in a dancing manner. They were dressed in black hoodie, they stood in circus with their mouth moving humming a strange hymn. Their eyes were red as if in protest their gaze was strong and their finger shimmered in rhymes. Once again,they are back! Back! Back! Stronger than ever,more than willing to eradicate anyone that obstruct them. They shall show no mercy!No mercy at all!!!