As Joana slowly opened her eyes, she had no idea of where she was. Both her hands and legs were tied up with a cord and her head was banging with a throbbing ache. The only that flashed in her mind was John's cousin driving and then the crash. How did she get here? Where was she?
She raised her head to observe the room. It was small. The roof had no ceiling, the floor was concrete and the only light that penetrated the room was from a wooden window at the left side of the room. That wasn't all. Someone was in the room with her.
"W-Who's there?" She said as she squinted her eyes at the figure who sat with a crossed leg on a steel chair.
"Good, you're awake." The figure said getting up then walked closer to Joana.
"Veronica--" Joana said, her jaw dropped in awe.
"Uhm, no darling," Cassandra said, tapping the tip of her nose. "Guess again."
"Were you lying to us about your name being Veronica?"
"No dear, Veronica is real alright. She just isn't here."
"Then why do you look like Veronica?" She asked.
"Now the game wouldn't be fun if I just told you early now would it?" Cassandra replied with a sinister smile.
"So you were the one behind this all along? Why did you kidnap me?"
"Argh, too many questions!" Cassandra said, heaving a sigh of frustration. "Well, to be honest, I wasn't planning on kidnapping you from the beginning but you were running away and that forced me to act fast. There's no way I was going to let you quit when we're just getting to the fun part."
Joana was beginning to tremble in fear. The girl standing before her was not Veronica, it was a different person entirely and whoever she was, she looked scary and seemed like the real deal.
"What are you going to do to me?" Joana asked with a shaky voice.
"Uhm, that depends on your friends actually," Cassandra answered. "I've made my move and now it's their turn to make theirs... Unless that doesn't happen, you have until Friday before you're probably dead."
Cassandra knew her words were tearing every ahead of courage Joana had, she could see it through her eyes and she liked it. She laughed hysterically as she walked away.
"Bye now." She said the continued her laugh as she walked out of the room.
** ** **
Margret hasn't even gotten close to her house since she left the hospital when June called her.
"Hey Ju, what's up? You still need my company after all eh--"
"Margret, I'm in front of the police station."
"Oh my God Ju, why?"
"I'm going to turn myself in."
"What? No! You're obviously not in your right mind right now. You can't do this--"
"I'm sorry."
With that June ended the call. That was an hour ago. Margret's guess at that moment was that June had told the police everything they needed to know and it would only be a matter of time before they started coming after her and the other girls. She tried reaching out to Grace but there was no answer.
After that didn't work, she decided to reach out to Veronica. Yes, it was against her best judgment but time was running out and she needed to act fast.
"Hello, Veronica."
"Hey, Margret, What's up?" Cassandra answered.
"I know you don't know this but Joana has been kidnapped by the killer and June turned herself into the police."
"Oh my!" Cassandra said, trying to sound surprised. "What did you girls do exactly?"
"It's a long story... The police would be unto us any moment from now, we have to do something."
"Okay," Cassandra said after a brief pause. "How about you come to my place? We will figure out what to do together."
Margret let out a sigh.
"Okay, I'll pack my bag and be on my way." She answered.
"Hold on," Cassandra asked. "Where is Grace?"
"She left town with her brother on Saturday. She is okay."
"Wow, okay then. I'll be expecting you."
"Okay," Margret said before hanging up then moved on to stuffing some essentials into her backpack.
She was done in no time and was about to step out of the house when her mother walked in.
"Hey mom," Margret said nervously.
"You are leaving the house again for the second time today. Do you and your friends have nothing else to do than just gallivant all around the town.?" Maryam answered as she took Stanley off her back.
"I'm sorry ma, but I have to leave right now," Margret said trying to run out but her mum wouldn't let her.
"Hold it right there young lady! I can't just let you go like that." Maryam said. "Where are you heading to? And what is in that bag?"
Maryam's heart skipped a beat. What would she tell her mother? She definitely could not say she was heading to Veronica's place. If the police came here it would be the first thing her mum would say to them and everything could get worse from there. She didn't see lying as an option because she couldn't bring up any excuse from the top of her head. Margret soon decided to avoid the question by starting with a different conversion.
"Come on mom, I'm almost eighteen and by next year I will be at the university." She said, "You still don't want to give me my privacy. You keep treating me like a baby."
"Well, first of all, you are almost eighteen, not yet eighteen... And two, as long as you're under my roof and my care, you are my baby. Nothing is going to change that."
"Then if I am your baby trust me," Margret interjected. "I just want to go see my friends, that's all."
Maryam sighed.
"I do trust you... you can go."
had played her cards right. She knew her mum would do anything to show that she trusts her judgment so she shifted the conversation to that angle.
"Okay mum, bye," Margret said, running towards the door. She stopped at the last minute then turned around.
"What is it?" Her mother asked before Margret wrapped her arms around her and Stanley in a hug.
"I love you so much, mom."
"I love you too darling."
In that brief moment, Margret wondered if she was ever going to see her mother again as she was going to be a fugitive from that moment going forward. She quickly shrugged off the thought as she let go of her mother and headed for the door the second time.
"Bye, mom."