The Reveal

Trent's focus on his phone's screen intensified. His phone immediately goes blank. Just as he was about to press the power button, the screen flickered. Suddenly, an eerie eye materialized on the display and blinked at him, startling him. Within seconds, the entire screen turned a deep shade of red, causing him to hold his breath anxiously. Then, he exhaled a sigh of relief as the following message appeared:

"CONTENT UNAVAILABLE."

It's understandable that Trent would be on edge after such a bizarre and unsettling experience. It makes sense that he would put the incident out of his mind and move on. But what if there was more to the story than he realized? Could the word "Kilka" have some hidden meaning? Or was it all just a coincidence?

Regaining control of his phone, he initially feared that he might have unintentionally accessed a restricted website, concerned about a potential security breach or something worse. After the jolt of that scare, he made a personal commitment to put the word "Kilka" out of his mind. Trent speculated that Uncle Joe could have made an error in writing or accidentally mixed up his words.

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Meanwhile, in Uncle Joe's room, he locked the door. Almost immediately, his phone rang, and he quickly identified the caller on his phone's screen. He answered the call, and a deep, intimidating, and frightened voice spoke, "You nearly exposed us, TR 7. A young boy was caught tampering with our server; he could have unraveled the truth."

"I'm deeply sorry; please refrain from informing the Orunga," Uncle Joe pleaded with a quivering voice. The man with the deep voice responded sternly, "Another error from you, and you're well aware of the consequences." The man ended the call, leaving Uncle Joe with visible veins throbbing on his face.

Uncle Joe's anger quickly turned to resentment. "That boy is just like his dad," he seethed. "He's always been a troublemaker. I knew this would happen."

He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. But it was no use - his mind was racing, consumed with thoughts of how to deal with Trent. He had to put an end to this situation once and for all. After all, he couldn't risk letting Trent ruin everything he had worked so hard to build.

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Monday, June 24th

It was a typical Monday morning at school. The students were chatting in the hallway, getting ready for their first class of the day. Suddenly, the intercom sprang to life, and the voice of Mrs. Madris, the principal, came on.

"Good morning, students," she said. "The top five students who will be going to the Wales Industry event should report to the auditorium at the first block. Thank you and have a great day!"

As soon as Mrs. Madris's announcement ended, the hallway erupted into a buzz of excitement.

The five top students - Barbara, Trent, Sydney, Rebecca, and Buffy - made their way to the first block of the school. While Trent, Sydney and Barbara were chatting and laughing with each other. But Rebecca, the aloof one of the group, walked alone, her eyes fixed straight ahead. Even as her classmates joked and chatted around her, she remained silent and detached.

Buffy, who was always full of himself and known for his overconfidence, confidently strolled away from the group, his hands comfortably tucked into his pockets, as if exuding an aura of superiority, or as if to say, "I'm too cool for you guys." The rest of the group hardly paid attention to his departure, but Rebecca couldn't help but notice the smug expression on his face as he deliberately distanced himself from them, prompting her to focus on her own path.

Minutes later, they arrived at the auditorium during the first block. Trent made an initial attempt to enter the room but was pulled back by Buffy, who asserted, "I secured the first position, so I should be the first to enter." Upon entering, they found Mrs. Madris seated in a swivel chair. She remarked, "Indeed, you are entitled to enter first, Master Buffy."

She continued, "Today, you will be defending your position and your scores."

Buffy couldn't believe what he was hearing. He started to protest, but Trent cut him off. "If you really wrote the test, you shouldn't be worried," Trent said. "The top students always defend their positions. Besides, the principal already decided, and there's no point arguing with her."

Buffy grumbled but gave in, realizing there was no point in arguing. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous about what was to come.

Regret began to gnaw at him as he reflected on his dishonest approach to scoring. He couldn't help but wish that he had written fewer answers illicitly. Perhaps, if he had written few answers right, he might have found himself in the ranks of the second to fifth positions and safe from this challenge. Overwhelmed by this realization, he placed his hands on his head in sheer disbelief.

Mrs. Madris noticed Buffy's distant expression and knew exactly what was going through his mind. With a smirk, she knew that he was likely feeling nervous and unsure of what to write for the challenge. She watched as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, until finally, he could bear it no longer.

"Mrs. Madris," he blurted out, "I didn't really write the test. I - I cheated." The words tumbled out of his mouth, and he felt a weight lift off his shoulders as he admitted the truth. 

Mrs. Madris, Trent, Barbara, and Sydney displayed minimal surprise, as they had suspected Buffy of cheating.

"I'm well aware of the situation," Mrs. Madris acknowledged. "As a consequence, you will receive a two-week suspension and will no longer be included among the students selected to visit the Wales Industry."

Buffy nodded and left the room, his head hung low. Trent, Sydney, and Barbara were stunned by what had just happened. They had never seen him so down and honest before. Even though he had been caught, he hadn't lashed out at anyone, not even at Trent, who he had blamed for being caught. For the first time, Trent felt a pang of sympathy for his classmate.

"Congratulations, Trent," Mrs. Madris continued. "As the new number one, you will be representing our school at Wales Industry. You will be an excellent ambassador for our school, and we are all proud of you."

Trent felt a mix of emotions - pride, honor, and a little bit of guilt. He had gotten the number one position, but it was because of what had happened with Buffy. He wasn't sure how he felt about it.

Sydney and Barbara couldn't help but smile - the news of Trent being number one was great. But Rebecca, the quiet girl who always sat alone at lunchtime, did not smile. In fact, she didn't even look at Trent or Mrs. Madris. Her face was expressionless, as it usually was.

Rebecca was beautiful, with her long purple pigtails and big brown eyes. But there was something about her that always made people feel uneasy. Some said it was because she was always so quiet, but others thought it was something deeper than that.

Trent's smile faltered slightly as he remembered something. "What will happen to the student in 5th place?" He posed the question with a serious expression. 

Mrs. Madris's smile widened. "Of course!" she said. "That will be Vee Raynes, who came in sixth place. He will be occupying the fifth positions. We think he will be a great addition to the group."

Trent couldn't help but feel a little bit of relief at that news. He knew that Vee would be so excited to hear that he would be able to come along on the trip.

Mrs. Madris continued, "The trip is scheduled for tomorrow. You should all prepare yourself for the journey and make sure you have everything you need. It's going to be a long day, but I know you will all do a great job representing our school."

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise. They hadn't expected the trip to be so soon, but they were excited nonetheless. Everyone, that is, except for Rebecca. She seemed a bit more subdued than the others, as if the thought of going to Wales Industry didn't excite her at all.

Trent and the others felt a mixture of surprise and excitement. Mrs. Madris then dismissed them, and they departed to prepare for the day that held the potential to reshape their social lives.