Max | After
I'm sitting with Davidson again, in a science lab this time because they're closer to the changing rooms. I'm already in my football kit since I always change in our dorm instead of taking my clothes to the changing room. The officer hasn't changed at all. Same haircut, same clean shaven face, same questioning techniques. Just a small follow up, he promised.
"Some of my guys went north to the Covey House," he tells me. "We found this in her room, still in the Amazon box. It arrived on the day she died."
He pushes a plastic evidence bag across the smooth tabletop towards me. I pull it towards myself with my index finger. Inside is a book— And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. I remember mentioning to Grace I wanted to read it just before Carlos said that he wanted to watch the TV adaptation. Grace told him that he didn't have a Kindle to make his shelf look pretty.
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Violet | AfterThe bell tinkles above me as I enter Robinson's Art. Sitting at the front counter is a young woman in her late twenties with long, blonde braids and a magazine. She looks up when I enter and hastily shoves the magazine under the counter."Hi," she calls. "I'm Anna. Here to help you with all your arty needs. Need help with anything specific?""I'm just going to look around if that's okay?""Sure," she answers, shrugging. "It's pretty quiet today.""Everyone's excited about this soccer match up at the school," I tell her, making my way to a shelf displaying sketchbooks."Everyone's excited about this soccer match up at the school," I tell her, making my way to a shelf displaying sketchbooks.Anna laughs. "Rosewood always gets excited about football. Are you American?""I am.
Grace | BeforeIt's cold tonight. I've started wearing shoes to these little excursions, and a hoodie over my pyjamas, but the winter chill still gets to me. Rosewood always becomes freezing during the winter and about one hundred years ago (alright, less than one hundred, but who cares?) they didn't even have radiators in here. They only installed them in the late fifties when a kid almost died of frostbite. I hoist myself onto the roof and look around for Tristan. Oddly, he's not here. He's always here before me."Nice to finally meet you face to face, Grace Covey," a voice says further down the roof.I turn to see a man, tall and lean standing on the roof as easily as you can on a pavement. He wears a black shirt, black jeans, black boots and a silver belt. His hair matches, black with threads of silver weaving in every now and then. His eyes are a weird colour— black with a silver tinge to them.&nbs
Max | AfterThis wasn't planned. When a message from Darren lit up my phone screen just as Kaci gave the news of Zeph being alright, I didn't give it another thought. I left and met up with Darren and Keely before I could start overthinking and begin to spiral."Where are we going?" I ask as we walk, holding the silver flask Darren gave me tight."We're going to Thorn Meadow," Keely answers. "And that's for drinking, you know."I awkwardly twist the cap off the flask and take a sip of whatever is inside. It's oddly sweet. I take another sip and follow them, beginning to enjoy the taste. "It's good.""Right?" Darren says, taking a sharp turn. "Sit, Maximus.""Don't call me that." My head feels light already, but I sit anyway. "Why did you call me here? To drink this magical drink, sure, but why else?"Keely shrugs. "It's
Violet | BeforeDAY ONE"We don't have to do this," Dad tells me, glancing at me from the driver's seat as he stops the car. "We don't have to let Audrey win.""Yes we do," I answer. "It's dangerous for me to be free. I need to stay here until I can be in a room with a candle without causing a fire."It's been two months since my disastrous dinner at Audrey's. In that time, I have had three restraining orders filed against me and almost been taken to court by the Ivies' parents. Audrey's parents were as willing at first, but the girl didn't get into Yale for having pretty hair. She convinced them I'm psycho. I am psycho. Also, I am now officially the girl who killed Cassie George. It's even been spray painted on my locker in blood red."This place gives me the creeps," he says. "I guess we better go in."I grab my duffel bag fille
Max | AfterI've never been so glad to see Zeph in my life. He's right here, arm in a sling, plaster on his forehead and smile on his face. Everyone is fawning over him in the Rec, treating him like a hero. Carlos, Violet and I stand back, watching the scene while Kaci stands next to him protectively."Alright, that's enough!" Kaci yells. "He needs his rest and autograph signing will be tomorrow at five.""Will you sign my leg?" a Year Six boy shouts out, brandishing a dark green Sharpie."Sure," Zeph says with a smile. "Hey, Max! Help me with my bag?""Of course." I grab his overnight bag from Kaci and lead him out of the room, the crowd parting like the Red Sea.Carlos, Violet and Kaci trail after us, arguing that they're Zeph's best friends so they have this right. Zeph seems oblivious to all of us, talking about the cartoons he wat
Violet | After"Who the fuck is this?" Max demands furiously. "Kaci, no offence on your claim, but I'm going to be the one to kill this fucker.""Language," Carlos snaps. "And isn't it obvious? The killer took Grace's phone as a trophy. We need to look for it.""I can search Keely's room," Kaci offers. "Wait, better idea. Violet can search her room while we stall Keely in the dining hall at dinner.""How are we going to distract her?" Zeph asks just as I say, "Why me?""Violet because Keely won't notice her absence. And we'll distract her with something that she'd love to talk about.""Like how I might have an eating disorder?" Max says sarcastically."Exactly. And if that fails, Carlos can say that he's madly in love with her," Kaci replies. "And, dude, eat an doughnut or a pizza or something."
Max | AfterI've known Mr Gilbert and Tristan Fell for years.I first met Tristan when we were seven, when his father came to visit mine. I showed him the pet cemetery Grace and I had started with odd pride, probably traumatising the guy. Then Grace arrived. And I still remember what Tristan whispered in my ear. She's so pretty. And I remember when Grace casually asked me years later what I thought of Tristan now. I remember her reply to my claim of him being fine. She said that she thought he was cute.My meeting with Mr Gilbert was very different. The Year Sixes are always met at the station by their teacher for the year. Mr Gilbert had been leaning against the wall, a bottle of water in one hand and a folder in another. Grace, Carlos and I had been the first kids off the train, dragging our rucksacks behind us."Is that our teacher?" Carlos had whispered, eyes wide."I s
Grace | Before"You think it looks okay?" I ask Mum as she twists part of my hair into a slim plait."It does," she replies. "You're going to steal all the boys' hearts tonight.""Is Max here yet? Or Carlos and Zeph?""Max and Carlos are," she says. "They're helping with the tables. So sweet, those two."I smile. Carlos? Yes. Max? Carlos probably guilted him into pushing tables around. He doesn't like pushing tables around, he prefers to watch with his feet up on one."Your dad's here too," she adds. "He's fixing himself a sandwich before the party since he missed dinner. Did you miss him?"I'm frozen. If Dad is here, he'll want to talk. He knows that I've met the rep from the Raven's Guild. He'll want to ask me what I think of it. He'll ask me how I feel about the sixteenth of July.