"So this is the place?" Margret said feeling a bit skeptical as she looked at the house Cassandra had brought her to. The whole environment looked so quiet and calm with a few uncompleted buildings around it. The house itself was a story building without any painting done on the exterior.
"I don't think I have ever been to this part of town before... I don't think people even live around here." She said looking around.
"Look, would you prefer we go to a place where we would easily be found?" Cassandra said with a glare.
"I'm just saying, this place is more or less like a construction site," Margret replied, shaking off the red sand that got on her boots.
"That's what makes it even better, now can we go in or not?"
Still feeling a bit reluctant, Margret decided to ask her a question that had been lingering on her mind since she came over.
"Why did you lie to us about your surname?"
"What?"
"We know that your name isn't Veronica Bello, it's Veronica Badmus... Why did you lie to us?"
"Oh, that..." Cassandra said, trying to play along. She let out a short sigh before she continued. "I'm very sorry for lying to you all, but I didn't want all the attention that came with people knowing my dad is a famous politician and all... Plus I was really sick last year."
"Shit, sorry."
"Yeah yeah, I just thought I could leave it all behind and start afresh, you know... And it's just too bad that all this is happening at this time, it just makes me look more like the bad guy."
Margret stared at her, not knowing what to say for a moment.
"Just promise me that there'll be no more lies from here on out."
"I promise," Cassandra replied.
Margret nodded and went on ahead to the front door while Cassandra smiled at how easy it was to get Margret to believe her before moving on to open the door.
"Damn, and it looks pretty dark too," Margret said as the door creaked open. She brought out her phone and turned on the flashlight before walking in.
The room had no major furniture except for three wooden chairs scattered around. A chandelier was hung up on the ceiling and the windows were all covered with black sheets, causing no light to penetrate through the room. She took a moment to check the time, it was almost 4 pm. Just then, she remembered that she hadn't heard from Grace.
"Hey Veronica, can you please give me your phone?" She asked Cassandra. "I want to call Grace and I kinda threw my sim away."
"Yeah, sure," Cassandra said, handing Margret the phone before moving on to shut the door. Margret didn't even seem to mind as she dialed Grace on the phone.
"Veronica?" Grace asked.
"Hi, Grace, it's Margret."
"Margret what are you doing with Veronica's phone? Where is she?"
"She's with me, we are at--"
"Listen to me, that's not Veronica. That's Cassandra and she is dangerous. Leave there now!"
"Cassandra, what do you mean--" Were the last words Margret said before she was knocked out cold courtesy of a stick swung by Cassandra to the back of her head. She immediately went down to the floor with the phone dropping beside her. Cassandra took a moment to admire the work she had done on her victim but was soon distracted by Grace's voice coming from the phone.
"Hello, Margret, are you there?"
Still smiling, Cassandra bent down to pick up the phone and placed it on her ear.
"Hi, Grace."
"Cassandra."
"Ugh, finally!" Cassandra yelled in delight. "The joy of having a conversation without having to explain who I really am, thank you, Grace."
"What did you do to Margret?"
"Well, little Maggie decided to take a nap... Don't you worry though, she is in safe hands, just like Joana?"
Grace let out a sigh of relief. Joana wasn't dead yet and somehow it seemed to bring her confidence back.
"I know you think I'm scared of you, but I'm not... And I'm not going to ask you why you're doing this because I know that there's no rational reason for you, you are just a psychotic wild animal with no care at all for those you hurt... You just keep mauling down people in any direction you turn."
"Oh, yeah?" Cassandra said with a devilish smile.
"Yes and just so you know, I'm coming for you... And that is why I'm only going to give you one option."
Cassandra laughed. "And what is that?"
"Surrender now," Grace replied. "You don't need to go further and kill anyone else, just release Margret and Joana... You don't even have to turn yourself in to the police, you're the one in control of Veronica's body, you can go anywhere, be anyone. You can either choose to be caged in a prison cell or choose to be free, your choice."
"Hmmm," Cassandra said, tapping a finger on her lips. "Tempting offer but I'm afraid I have to say no... Instead, how about you consider my offer. Bring your ass over to me and I won't kill your friends."
"No, you won't dare!"
"Grace Grace, you just gave a talk about me being a wild animal. When is a wild animal the most dangerous? It's when it is backed up to the wall because at that point it has nothing to lose... So yeah, that's my offer, come to me or I'll start killing your friends starting with Joana."
"But you had to wait till Friday--"
"Fuck that, I just moved up her execution. So we're at the only story building on Pine avenue, you can't miss it... And you better be here by nine this evening because I'm getting fucking impatient over here."
Grace was starting to get terrified now.
"Cassandra please--"
"Awww Grace, come on, stay tough okay? Now isn't the time to beg, that time will come... Just get here already. And oh, if I as much as sniff a tiny whiff of the police, your friends are gone... I'm sorry but I have to leave now, I have to reunite Margret with Joana. Bye," Cassandra said finally and hung up.
** ** **
"Grace, that girl is bad news--"
The memory of her friends warning her about Veronica was wrapped around Grace's mind as she stared through the bus window. It brought about a massive load of guilt that was eating her up piece by piece. There she was, free and safe, while her friends who didn't want anything to do with Veronica were in danger. She made the mistake of choosing to be friends with the new girl, but yet her friends were the ones being punished for it. As she rode back to town, she had one fear in her mind, what if she couldn't help her friends?
Just then her phone rang again- an unknown caller. It was the fifth time the number had called in that afternoon and Grace had a feeling it was the police. She chose to ignore them at first but now that it was becoming more frequent, she decided to reconsider. After all, she was heading straight to the police anyway, what's a little heads up that she was on her way going to do?
She drew a deep breath in and out to calm herself before she answered it.
"Hello."
"Good afternoon, Grace, this is Officer James speaking... Do you remember me?"
"Yes, I do," Grace replied feeling a little relieved. "Sir you have to believe me, my friends and I didn't do anything."
"Yes, we know that. And I heard from your brother that you are on your way to help us Identify who the killer is... We already have a police car stationed at the bus stop to pick you up but now that we have you on the phone, who is behind all of this."
Just then, Grace remembered the last thing Cassandra told her before she hung up.
If I as much as sniff a tiny whiff of police, your friends are gone.
"I'm sorry sir, but I can't."
"What, Grace don't--"
"I'm sorry," Grace said before ending the call.