Skipping School

Billie stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at her reflection with a frown. She couldn't bear the thought of another hour in class, and she needed a plan to escape. As she washed her hands, she turned to Anya, who was fidgeting in nervousness.

"Hey, Anya," Billie whispered. "Can you do me a favor?"

Anya raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What?"

"Can you bring my backpack from the classroom?" Billie asked. "I'm skipping school today."

"What? Are you sure?", Anya hesitated, knowing that skipping school could get them into trouble.

"Please?", Billie requested.

she reluctantly agreed and left the bathroom.

A few minutes later, Anya returned with Billie's backpack. Billie was impressed by her ability to sneak past their teacher, Mr. Petrov.

"Woah, that was quick! How did you do it?" Billie asked, curious.

Anya gave a mischievous smile, "I didn't even look up at anyone, I went in furiously grabbed your bag, and ran back!"

"When I go back, I will just say you had meds in your bag"

Billie grinned, pleased with Anya's success. She quickly gathered her things and prepared to sneak out of the school.

"Can you tell the class that I went to the infirmary?" Billie asked, looking at Anya with pleading eyes.

Anya was worried about where Billie was going, but she reluctantly agreed. "Sure, Billie, be careful though"

"I will," Billie said, flashing a smile. "I just need some fresh air. It's so boring in class."

Anya said goodbye to Billie as she walked toward her class, still feeling uneasy about her risky behavior.

Billie walked out of the school's front gate, her combat sneakers sinking into the snow-covered tracks as she made her way toward the woods. To the same spot where she and her friends had stumbled upon the Blue mist and the eerie black building. She took a deep breath, her heart racing with anticipation as she stepped toward the woods.

The sun was shining bright, casting long shadows on the ground, and Billie was confident that it wouldn't be as scary as the last time they had been there. She even came here yesterday, but it was on impulse. However, as she walked deeper into the woods, fear began to creep all over her body. She could feel her hands shaking and her heart beating faster and faster. She walked past Selena's hut but was too afraid to check it out, not wanting to be reminded of that she was dead.

Finally, she reached the eerie black building, and her heart skipped a beat. It was just as she remembered it, dark and imposing. But as she tried to approach it, she was once again stopped by the Blue mist, which was now barely visible in the daylight but still there. Billie stepped back, looking longingly at the building, but she dared not to cross the mist.

She turned back, frowning, feeling depressed at the fact that she still didn't know what to do to find her friends.

Billie's heart raced as she walked towards the road, hoping to leave the woods behind her. But just as she was about to leave, a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Oii."

Billie turned around slowly, dreading what she might see. And there, standing by her hut with a hot cup in her hand, was Selena Moir - the woman they had been accused of killing.

Billie couldn't believe her eyes. Was this another trick of the mist, playing with her mind once again? She stood there frozen, her face filled with terror.

"Aren't you dead?", Billie asked tentatively, taking a few cautious steps toward Selena.

Selena stepped down from her hut and approached Billie, her face looming closer and closer until it was just inches away. Her piercing blue eyes seemed to bore into Billie's soul.

"I'm hard to kill," Selena replied with a smirk, sipping her drink and stepping away from Billie, into the hut.

Billie's heart raced as she dashed towards Selena's hut, fearing that she might shut the door in her face again, she tried to catch up to the woman who may have answers about her missing friends. As she entered the hut, she was taken aback by the stark contrast between the exterior and interior. The floor was warm and black, it was heated from beneath, while the walls were pristine white, reflecting the nearby objects in an ethereal way.

The hut was larger than it appeared from the outside, but it was still cramped with all sorts of gadgets and equipment that Billie couldn't even name. A wide-screen monitor was perched on a desk in the corner, but it was currently turned off. Billie felt a chill run down her spine as she took in the strange surroundings.

Billie looked around, trying to find Selena, but was suddenly jolted by a loud thud behind her. She turned to see that the door had been closed, and Selena was standing in front of her, blocking her exit. Billie's hands clenched into fists as she prepared for the worst, but Selena simply stood there, watching her with a neutral expression.

As Selena sat down in her rolling chair, she placed her empty cup on the desk beside her and looked up at Billie. "What's up?" she asked casually.

Billie knew what she wanted to ask before she even opened her mouth.

"Where are my friends?" she blurted out, desperate for any information that could lead her to them.

Selena rolled her eyes and absentmindedly picked at her ear with a finger, clearly annoyed by Billie's question.

"I don't know about your friends," she said dismissively.

Billie's heart sank at the response, but she refused to give up.

"Please, Ma'am," she pleaded. "I have to find them, They are in danger!"

Selena let out an exasperated sigh and leaned back in her chair.

"Look, silly girl," she said, her voice laced with annoyance. "I told you to move on with your life. Forget about your friends. You can't help them."

Billie stood there frozen, her mind racing as she processed Selena's words. She suddenly realized that it was Selena who had sent the cryptic message earlier that morning.