So who’s going to die today?

It was a cold and gloomy day in November and I was walking down the long, eerie hallway of the school which was filled with clans buzzing around whilst dodging everyone who was being shoved into me. Laughs were filling the room and I just put my head down. I try and search for my best friend but she isn’t in sight. I grab my phone out of my bagpack and text her:

**me**: heyyy! are u coming today? jw x

No reply. She hasn’t seen it; this isn’t like Ivy. 1) she’s _always _on her phone, 2) she never leaves me on delivered (we made a promise), 3) she’s my best friend. I try not to overthink it, but it does put me at a bit of unease. I text again:

**me**: are u okayyyy? i’m getting worried x

Still on delivered. The bell goes and I don’t even know what lesson I have - never mind what room I’m in. Dread fills up so I text her one last time:

**me**: PLS TELL ME!!!! XX

I make my way over to some friends with an anxious look displayed on my face as clear as ice - I look like a deer in front of the headlights. “Alice what’s wrong?” one girl asks with a concerned look painted on her “I’ve text Ivy and she’s not even seen it. Last online yesterday. It may not sound worrying but this is not like her. Where is she?” “Oh, that’s odd. She might just be late” another replies. I agree and we walk into lesson slowly and I take one last glance behind me but no one is there.

The class sits at their assigned seats and I slump into mine and check my phone sneakily but she still isn’t online. I turn my phone off and sigh. “Alice? Are you here?” my tutor asks “Oh yes sorry, here miss! I was daydreaming.” “Don’t worry about it ☺️ - happens to the best of us. It’s a Monday morning after all!” but my mind blanks so I don’t remember anything she said. My phone beeps silently and thankfully no one hears it so I hastily turn it on and notice she’s online.

****

**me: **UR FINALLY ONLINE!!! HIII I MISS U!! PLS COME IN TODAY X

**ivy 🤍 is typing…**

****

****

OMG SHE IS TYPING!!

**ivy** 🤍: hey! ill sorry - talk later? x

**me: **ofc! nw x

She sounds so basic - that doesn’t sound like the Ivy I know but she is ill after all.

Break slowly arrives which means I can talk to her again! I walk up outside on my own and a weird mist hangs in the air. It feels grey. Damp. Cold. I look at her profile to gather for information and her location is on. She’s not home.

**me**: hey umm - where are u??

She’s online

**ivy 🤍: **my parents moved house! sorry I never said. got so hooked on the excitement i forgot to say!

**me: **nice! am I allowed to see it one day?

**ivy 🤍: **ofc! ur my bff! i’ll do anything 4 u!

And in an instant, she’s gone. It does _not _sound like her but what could I do about it? I’m at school!

Lunch creeps in slowly allowing me to delve deeper and the more information I gather - the more lies I encounter. Although, it could be true. She would _never _lie, right?

**ivy **🤍: are u alone?

**me: **ofc! just chilling! why?

**ivy 🤍 is typing…**

No answer. She stops typing.

**ivy 🤍**: i’m outside - come & meet me x

**me**: where?

**ivy 🤍**: courts ofc! our spot.

**me: kk x**

****

****

I begin walking to the courts - no one is there. I look around several times - where could she be?

****

**“**_PING! _my phone beeps

****

**unknown number: **why are u texting the dead?