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All Chapters of Who Killed Romeo: Chapter 1
- Chapter 6
6 chapters
Chapter 1
Who Killed Romeo/Ellie
Cosima Memphis Boarding School Theatre, Opening Night, 1982 It was the morning before the opening night of Cosima Memphis’s production of Romeo and Juliet and somebody had written a threat on the mirror in bright red lipstick – how horribly cliché, and a waste of lipstick.‘Nessus’ Revenge is Imminent. Good Luck, Heracles -Deianira.’It was a clever Greek mythology styled threat. My favourite kind, of course.The words were skewed slightly with the ends of curly letters trailed to the left. We had a lipstick stealing, drama enthusiast who was left-handed. An empty pack of cigarettes lay face up in the bin. The only people I knew in the drama club who smoked were Francis and Jude, both of whom were not allowed in this dressing room.The rug was folded over in the corner next to the bin causing me to believe that whoever had been in here made a quick getaway. Judging from the burn mark left on the wooden desk, and a flung cigarette just beside the bin, this person was not expecting vi
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Chapter 2
Who Killed Romeo/Ellie
Act 1, Scene 1I clutched the telephone to my ear and listened to my father’s gravelly voice as it travelled across the line. As he had personally requested my presence, I was whisked away by the headmistress, Mrs. Philomena to her office. Being in this room left me uneasy. My father’s phone call paired with the fact that I had only been here once before, sent my stomach in knots. The last time I’d seen the place was before I was even an official Cosima Memphis student. I was eight years old and here to collect my trophy as the winner of the Junior Arts Competition when my mum convinced me to play a piece on the violin. Though I hated every moment on stage and hated every moment of receiving the award and hated every moment of coming to collect it in this stuffy and claustrophobic office; it was worth it to see the look on my big brother’s face. “If I’m entirely honest, Eleanor, I’m not sure if we can even trust that godforsaken school any longer,” Dad ranted. I was sure a deep frow
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Chapter 3
Who Killed Romeo/Ellie
A week ago, the school confiscated my kettle. It was a shame, really, since the only thing that helped me sleep was tea. Still, it didn’t stop me from finding one in the school kitchen, hidden under other equipment that they didn’t bother using or giving away.I really needed the hot beverage as I’d slept through the whole day and now it was well past midnight. Mum had tried to explain to Hawthorne that I was responsible, that I needed the kettle, that I had issues with sleep but she didn’t buy it. The school had a policy and apparently, kettles were very much against it.I got up carefully and realised I was still in my uniform. Instead of changing, I pulled a sweatshirt over my head, grabbed my stuff to make tea and headed out into the corridors. This wasn’t the first time that I’d snuck out but it was definitely the only time I’d snuck out for something so simple.I squinted against the darkness and placed my hands along the wall to find my way easier. It was probably three am by n
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Chapter 4
Who Killed Romeo/Ellie
Act 1, Scene 2My eyes fluttered open slowly. From the smell of fresh books and the soft sound of pages turning, I judged that I’d fallen asleep in the library, again. My limbs were so heavy that I could barely move them and my head span so wildly that I refused to open my eyes. It wasn’t an odd occurrence for me to succumb to slumber wherever I was but it never left me any less confused and sore.I once fell asleep on the piano while playing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata to my Nana on her birthday. I’m not sure if she noticed the difference, though, my mum did have quite the shock when my face suddenly hit the keys with a loud and unsatisfying racket.When I finally felt as though I could breathe normally again, I opened my eyes to the dim lighting of the school library. Looming bookcases that hid peering eyes canopied me in the corner and the window beside me beamed light from the grey sky outside. I noticed my neck had an uncomfortable crick when I lifted it to follow the table in f
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Chapter 5
Who Killed Romeo/Ellie
Act 1, Scene 3The room swallowed me in silence. I wasn’t sure whether Hazel was alive or not, but all I saw was blood and lots of it. Buzzed from the vodka and swaying with guilt, I crept closer to her body. She seemed perfectly placed, like a prop on the stage, and that swirling of culpability deep in my gut made me feel sick. If I’d been quicker, if I’d told Heath sooner about the creep watching us, if I’d taken the dagger myself then none of this would have happened. Over the high pitch ring in my ear, I briefly heard Heath call for help behind me. Footsteps reverberated against the floor and it was as though the whole room swayed for a moment. I ignored everything else and instead my eyes zeroed in onto a piece of paper beside Hazel’s hand. Clean from the scarlet blood that pooled around her body, I picked it up in between my fingers just as the door slammed open once more. Mr. Puma, my Latin teacher, practically slid along the floor and dropped to his knees beside Hazel. Wit
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Chapter 6
Who Killed Romeo/Ellie
Act 1, Scene 4Hazel Lowell died in hospital earlier this evening. With her parents halfway across the world and betrayal in her memories, she passed from blood loss, completing the star-crossed lovers’ fate.Now, even as I cowered within the comfort of my dorm room, I couldn’t pluck the picture of her out of my mind. It was etched permanently in the forefront along with the sound of Archer’s retching. Flushed cheeks and piercing blue eyes that were already slipping away by the time we’d found her. Beautiful Hazel Lowell.Beautiful and dead, Hazel Lowell.With only the faint yellow light of her bedside lamp, my best friend, Sadie Addison, read the school newspaper’s article about the murders to me aloud. Her voice carried in a faint whisper and I only barely heard her above the sounds of wildlife outside.She had already pulled her bonnet over her braids and was tucked neatly into bed with her back against the headboard. I wished it were that easy for me to find sleep. Instead, I star
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