“On a vicious murder spree Robert Dunn slayed two of his classmates Vanessa Willson and Mary Kate Smith in a brutal stabbing just this weekend. Video of the murderer’s actions are present, but we warn you what you might see is fairly graphic.” the school sat gripped in anxious fear. The night’s terror still fresh in everyone’s mind. The curdling screams that scraped against their psyche like the very knife Robert wielded. For many, the video was too horrible to bear. Thus Sasha’s return stood as a piece of minimal notice.

Rumors floated around while a silent dread swept across the halls. It was obvious why though, as the thought of a potential murderer amongst them spread a perverse fascination to couple the fear. Though as she headed to her room, she found a mild surprise waiting in store. As the door swung open to the crinkle of foil while the floor’s surface held a light dusting of garbage. Candy and plastic galore anointed the floor while her closet hung open and disheveled into an abominable pile of wrinkles and scattered hems. Yet that all fell by the wayside with Valery’s callus presence. 

The once slovenly dressed girl now stood proud, her once wild hair now tamed and brushed with her clothes more straightened and proper than before. However, the smile that laid engrained on her flesh was manic. As if she just escaped certain death and now coasted off sheer adrenaline. From a moment Sasha couldn’t even comprehend this as her roommate She’s supposed to be a quiet, anxious mess though before her now was something that was far more alien. It was present in her poise and her smile. This was no longer the Valery she knew.

Ah welcome back Sasha I missed you so much” Valery approached trapping Sasha in a wide warm hug though she was hesitant to reciprocate. While her words were welcoming her tone was distant, as if just then she just remembered Sasha existed. Weakly giving in, Sasha found her arms strung about Valery’s petite form yet the once thin bony body seemed missing. Instead, the soft fullness gave way to a surprising amount of comfort. Well at least she’s been eating better since I left.

“Oh, did you hear the news” Valery blurted vehemently

With a slight sigh Sasha held back her incredulous eye roll “of cour-sh I heard ‘bout it, itzh all anyonesh talking ‘bout right now”. Eying Valery’s reaction Sasha squirmed in her skin. Man I knew I should’ve just stuck to texting but the doctor said I at least need to practice speaking. Now she’s gonna laugh at how stupid I sound.

Bracing for the oncoming barrage, Sasha found it didn’t come “well did you see the video its hilarious”. Stunned for a moment Sasha felt her despair wax into concern as Valery shined with a radiant joy. “What vid-eo?”

Suddenly with a burst of energy Valery dragged Sasha into her room, the jolt forcing Sasha a lapse in cognition. Though as she passed through the bathroom, the violent hiss of screams ripped through the plaster walls. While Sasha heard whispers of the video around school as it was constantly getting posted and taken down, but there it sat. Caught on a loop of Robert’s bloody tear stricken face. Sasha held her mouth agape as Robert’s visage stood painted with snot, blood, and tears, yet the vacant expression he wore felt less real with each passing second. But in the twilight of her shock a single sound broke her focus “pfft”. Whipping around, Sasha found Valery. Giggling. Her laugher barely restrained by a slim, wide smile.

“W-what’s sho-” yet before Sasha could finish her thought, Valery erupted in a fit of laughter. Her vivacious cries rolling along the walls paused by deep wheezing gasps as she fought to collect herself “Oh just look at him, all those tears down his face! I can’t even tell if he’s sad he chopped up his friends or just crying from the pain”.

How… how is she laughing at a murder scene, and what pain is she even talking about?

“Uhm… hey fal. Ahre you ochay”. Immediately the laughter snapped away trickling down into a soft hum. Valery maintained her smile, but it felt too clean. Poised, fixed, and fitted. A bastard imitation of the genuine thing.

“Sasha… do you think I would be sad that the three of them are dead”

Wait, what?! They said Robert was in the hospital what is she-

“After they gave me a concussion and covered me in super glue. If they had shot even a second faster, I could be blind or fucking dead and you want me to feel bad for them!”

Sasha flinched at her words. It was jarring, the once small helpless Valery that would cry and whimper without relent. Loomed above her with a tempered resentment. 

“Dear Sasha, I think we got off on the wrong foot”. Drawing close, Sasha found her body slink back against her will. No manner of logic or reason motivated her mind, but she knew Valery is going to end me. Sideling away Valery stood not suspicious but amused. Her plastic barbie smile falling away to reveal a visage cruel and sinister. With each closing step, Sasha strafed closer and closer to the door until she stood pinned against its faux wood. There’s no room for me to move, the second I try to get out shell just catch me by my hair.

Time dragged against her mind. The vision of Valery closing in like a calm predator etched its way into her heart. Her hand reached out like a cobra ready to strike. But the strike never came. Instead, Valery’s attention straddled something white and foreign that had just slipped beneath the door. Locked in a standstill Sasha stared at Valery he attention diverted yet her threat laid ever-present. Carefully watching Valery, sash felt an inkling of curiosity dive towards the note especially as Valery read along. 

Though as time pressed on Sasha found trails of sweat inching down her back. Why am I so scared right now. What happened to her while I was away?

Finally, Valery crumbled the note. Her look of ease tarnished by the utter frustration creasing her brow. Dropping her hand, Valery stabbed Sasha with a piercing glare and a single guttural command “move!”

Shoving Sasha against the wall Valery began her march to the library, note in hand and rage in tow. Thinking back to the note, Valery barely held in her annoyance.

I can’t fucking believe this. Who could’ve seen me?! I put on a whole nice girl act. I made sure no one followed us at the door. Who the fuck sent this?!

Bursting through the library Valery found it desolate and barren as usual, though one figure stood promptly amidst the scene. Before the librarian’s desk stood a boy uniform and all with the sweater vest bulging at his portly physique. His eyes darted feverishly before landing on Valery, to which she saw a perverse grin slide across his face. With a series of strange hand signs the boy waddled away leaving Valery bemused and intrigued. Hmph, so dumbo here is the one who caught me. Should be easy to seduce and control... maybe I can test memory wiping on him.

Trailing behind the boy, Valery entered the study area, where tables and chairs laid strewn about to service the non-existent students. Though as the boy sat smugly at the far corner table, Valery could only roll her eyes. As silence enveloped the area Valery prepared her blatant defense but the boy caught her off guard.

“I didn’t think you’d actually come” the boy said “I thought I’d have to confront you in a dramatic sense of opposition” 

“Confront me with what, what’re you even talking about?”

“Dont play dumb the fact that you’re here means you know exactly what im talking about”

Hosting a mild shrug, Valery let a light snicker slip her lips as the boy’s face fell in mild stupor. Though his composure was renewed in an instant. “Okay, then let me lay the facts as I see them. I’m Jason. You’re Valery. You made Robert poison himself and then sent him on a killing spree using mind controlled. How’d I do so far?”

Pausing for a second, Valery stared at Jason. How does he know about my mind control? Is he someone like me? No, then he’d be able to read my mind… wait maybe...

Allowing the accusation to hang in the air, Valery struggled to keep her composure as each passing second served as a further confirmation of Jason’s claims “t-this was such a waste of my time”. 

Turning away, Valery was ready to retreat and form a plan until the faint rustle of leaves froze her mid step. Distance diffused the sound, but the voice was deathly clear none the less. “you shouldn’t feel bad for you did, cause what I’m about to do is so much worse”.

In an instant, Valery felt her chest tighten with a stabbing pain. Her heart thumping against her ribs in a rabid frenzy. 

“Well, isn’t that just great” she griped.

“Sure is, and if this leaks you’ll get shipped straight to prison, ”

“O-oh, what’s that gonna prove. Heh, if you watched you little video he drank it himself” valley mused chuckling to comfort herself.

“True, but you gave it to him, you helped him in his ‘suicide’ making you an accessory to his death”

“Well then, one more ‘suicide’ and my secret dies with you” whipping around Valery barged past the chairs ripping towards Jason and the outstretched phone. Though as she neared him, his body reeled. Leaping from the seat and poorly shielding himself with his chair.

“Ah, ah, ah, do you think I’m a fucking moron you see I’ve hidden a copy of the video so if I die when my folks clean out my stuff they’ll see it and you’ll go to jail or worse”

“Then I'll just steal your room key and-”

“But wouldn’t it be strange for a girl to be in the boys’ dorm, and even then wouldn’t people try to find me since you have my key?”

“Then I’ll-”

“Oh Puh-lease if you could do anything besides contact based mind control then you wouldn’t have been at that party and clearly you haven’t been at this long since you’re this sloppy”

Valery stood at a loss. No matter what she did, Jason would win even in death he would win. As her teeth sheered against one another, Valery hung her head sullen at a single basic fact; she was trapped.

“Great. You got me....now what”

Indulging in a hearty grin Jason began his proposal “Well in exchange for my silence you simply have to help me with a few things”.

“...like what?” Valery asked hesitantly.

“I made a list”

Stunned at the absurdity of the situation, Valery watched as the piggish boy fumbled through his pockets for her list of tasks. How did my life end up this way? Quietly Valery stood waiting for her orders like a meager lapdog. While a creeping chill grazed her spine, as if a palpable air of disappointment sat cast over her.