Chapter One: The Mystery Note

The school gate stood tall in front of Amara as she stepped out of the car and adjusted the strap of her backpack.

Brightfield Academy.

She stared at the large sign above the entrance, wondering why the name suddenly made her nervous.

Students moved through the gate in groups, laughing and talking with their friends. Some hurried toward their classrooms, while others stood beneath the trees, enjoying the last few minutes before the bell.

Amara remained beside the car.

She felt as though everyone was looking at her.

“Amara.”

She turned.

Her mother was still sitting in the car, watching her carefully.

“Remember why you are here,” her mother said quietly. “Whatever happens, don't tell anyone.”

Amara frowned.

“I know, Mum.”

“And don't ask questions about the past.”

Her mother's voice sounded different when she said those words—almost frightened.

Amara nodded.

She had heard enough warnings during the past few days.

Ever since they decided she would attend Brightfield Academy, her mother had been acting strangely. She had asked questions about the school that Amara didn't understand. She had warned her about talking too much. She had even made her promise not to mention certain things.

But whenever Amara asked why, her mother simply said, “You'll understand someday.”

Amara hated that answer.

“Are you sure this is the right thing to do?” Amara asked.

Her mother was silent for a moment.

Then she forced a small smile.

“You'll be fine. Just remember what I told you.”

Amara nodded again.

Her mother started the car.

“Goodbye, Mum.”

“Goodbye, Amara.”

Amara watched as the car disappeared down the road.

For a moment, she felt completely alone.

She turned toward the school gate.

“It's just a school,” she whispered to herself.

Then she walked inside.

The school seemed much bigger than she had imagined. Tall classroom blocks surrounded a large field, and trees lined the pathways. Students hurried past her, barely noticing the nervous new girl walking among them.

Amara checked the paper containing her class information.

SS2B.

After asking a teacher for directions, she found the classroom and placed her backpack beside her desk. Only a few students had arrived, so she decided to find her locker before the morning bell.

She followed the numbers along the hallway until she found hers.

Locker 27.

Amara reached for the handle.

Something slipped from between the locker door and the frame and fell to the floor.

A small, folded piece of paper.

She stared at it.

Slowly, she bent down and picked it up.

She looked around.

Nobody was watching.

At least, nobody appeared to be.

Amara unfolded the paper.

There were only five words written on it.

I know why you're here.

Her heart skipped.

She read the sentence again.

Amara's fingers tightened around the paper.

Who had written it?

And what exactly did they know?

She looked down the hallway.

At the far end, someone was standing there.

A figure.

Watching her.

Amara froze.

The figure quickly disappeared around the corner.

“Wait!”

She started walking toward the corner, but the figure was already gone.

Amara stopped and looked around.

The hallway suddenly felt different.

Colder.

More threatening.

Before she could decide whether to follow, the school bell rang loudly through the hallway.

Students began rushing out of classrooms.

The crowd blocked her view.

Amara stepped back.

For a moment, she wondered if she had imagined the figure.

Maybe it had only been another student.

Maybe the note was a prank.

But deep down, she knew it wasn't.

She looked at the note again.

The handwriting was neat, but there was something unsettling about the words. Whoever had written them hadn't simply guessed that she was new. They seemed to know something about her arrival.

Something her mother had desperately wanted to keep secret.

Amara quickly folded the paper and slipped it into the pocket of her backpack.

She looked toward the classroom.

She couldn't tell anyone yet.

Not until she understood what was happening.

Someone at Brightfield Academy knew she was coming.

But how?

And, more importantly...

What did they know?

"Chapter two is coming tomorrow -follow my profile so you don't miss it"