Black Hill High

Chapter 2

Ever since May's death, school assemblies have become mandatory. Now Rosemary is dead too. The school would invite grief counselors, psychologists, and families who had lost their loved ones to murder to address the students. It's the school's way of trying to help them cope, but it's completely ineffective. During these assemblies majority of the student body would pass the time mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or Tiktok, or sending the most hilarious memes to their friends. Some huddled and whispered to their groups about anything and everything.

Amelia noted a kid sitting a few steps down from her doodling over his arm with a black pen. Nobody is interested in honoring Rosemary Lang.

How ironic, honoring someone that has no honor. Abigail stiffly thinks. Everything is much better without her.

Rosemary Lang only caused pain and chaos. She got a sadistic enjoyment out of making others miserable. Many would deny it, but most are glad that she's out of the picture. The truth always came out when Rosemary was involved and secrets are meant to remain hidden.

Everyone has secrets. Rosemary lived by that motto. Everyone was a potential victim and without the hunter, the prey are free to roam once again. Scandals can resume without the fear of being exposed. The cycle of sin has continued.

The guidance counselor drones on about how stressful these morbid times can be and that her office doors are always open, however, no one seems too emotionally damaged. The most emotion they show is when they're finally excused from the tiresome assembly. The scholars happily murmur with their peers as they fade out of the musty gymnasium into the better-ventilated hallway. They stroll as naturally as a summer breeze in pursuit of their classes.

Tiffany and Josh dawdle with interlocked hands, however, the aroma of tension is heavy. Everyone is too self-absorbed in their thoughts and drama to note their plastic grins - Tiffany has always been the queen of reservation. Appearances are everything. With a deep sigh, she lifts the corner of her lips and struts with confidence until she reaches her Chemistry classroom. She makes a public display of kissing her boyfriend before he leaves for his class.

With no sense of urgency, he lingers in the disburdened foyer. He halts as his phone pings. With furrowed brows, he unlocks his phone with his thumbprint.

You tried to hide this. Too bad you failed.

The anonymous messenger has him in a fit of panic. Ever since Rosemary's murder he'd felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, however, a heavier boulder has just been dropped. His chest tightens and his blood runs cold.

How could someone have found out? Had Rosemary told?

He grips his hair in a taut hold.

"Josh." He jumps at the unexpected presence.

He'd been so caught up in his hysteria that he hadn't heard anyone approaching. Seth gapes at his distraught teammate. He places a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"What's going on?"

Josh's breaths are uneven as his eyes prickle with tears.

"I did something really bad, Seth."

Abigail glares at her phone as she types out another rage-filled text. Her perfectly-manicured fingers dash across the screen as she types out the lengthy message. She's so engrossed with the device that she fails to notice Tiffany approaching with two iced coffees.

"Who has you so angry?" Tiffany questions as she sits across from her friend.

"Jake," Abigail bluntly states as she speedily exercises her thumbs. "He's been ignoring me."

"Why don't you forget about him?"

I wish I could.

Instead of arguing, she ignores her and clicks send. There is so much more she'd wanted to say to him, but the fear of digital evidence deterred her. Jake ran scared, leaving her to clean up the mess.

Ping!

She hurriedly unlocks her phone hoping Jake finally had the guts to reply. The text is from an unknown number.

Why do you look so worried? Rosemary had a job to do and maybe I should be the one to finish it.

The first part is what made her blood run ice-cold. She hurriedly glances around the outdoor area of the diner as if she'd spotted someone blowing their cover by looking straight at her. Wishful thinking. With shaking fingers she types a response.

Who is this?

The sound of a ping nearby alerts her and she anxiously casts her eyes around the area, but no one is glancing at their phones. Her phone chimes and she swallows the lump in her throat.

Not important, but if you thought Rosemary was a two-faced bitch then you haven't seen anything yet.

The occasional chirping of nearby crickets broke the silence of the night. Jake had avoided cemeteries at all costs, including May's funeral. He mentally curses as the only time he enters the resting place of the dead it's in the middle of the night. He finds himself in an unavoidable situation. The enlarged moon is enough to illuminate the gravestones. He mentally curses for not remembering to bring a flashlight.

He treads lightly in fear of disturbing the dead. As inconspicuously as possible he searches for Rosemary's gravestone. He's not sure why, but the anonymous texter told him to be here. They'd threatened to expose his secret. He wanted to call their bluff, but what if they knew the truth? He couldn't risk it.

He stands in front of her headstone and gazes at the fresh lilies. Soon they'll be as dead as her. A shot of electricity impacts his spine as he further inspects the gravestone. The markings are covered by a copious amount of spray paint as the words I see you.

His eyes nearly dislodge from his sockets. His ears perk at the distinct sound of crumpled leaves and snapped twigs. I'm not alone. His shoulders tense.

"Stop hiding like a coward!" The nano-second of confidence fades and is replaced with regret.

He squints his eyes in the darkness in hopes of spotting the menacing lurker. The ping of his phone makes his heart skip a beat. With an uneasy breath of air, he reaches into his back pocket, squinting at the intense brightness.

Take a good look at Rosemary - you'll be taking a dirt nap with her soon. 

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𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢: 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙜𝙯_𝙩𝙝𝙚_𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝙏𝙞𝙠𝙩𝙤𝙠: 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙜𝙯_𝙩𝙝𝙚_𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧