Chapter 1
Eleven blocks was a long way to run, but there was so much traffic and time was running out.
She had to reach in time before her college starts.
Here in rural South Carolina, there are only two ways to walk, either the long and busy one which is, of course, the road.
Another one which is definitely totally forbidden to go. People call it ' don't cross the river.'
Ever heard about a rustic area which is abandoned and there is no excuse for trespassing on it? Well, there's this...
She walked and walked till the college building was exposed and she exhaled deeply.
Walking past by the gate, she was lost in deep thoughts.
"Nika!" when someone from behind called out her name, she turned around to see a girl smiling in her direction.
"Ah, Jo... there you are..." said Nika. As both of them walked together and Jo noticed all the boys were looking in their direction.
"All eyes are on you, babe," winked Jo.
Nika rolled her eyes ignoring to what her best friend said.
Nika Rose, young, smart and beautiful girl... she is the kind of girl you would keep on staring with eyes wide open.
The most intelligent and talented student of South Carolina college.
After college, she walked out of the building when she bumped into a blonde-haired girl.
"Watch it, fool..." said the girl exasperated.
"You!" Nika scorned when both of them looked at each other, they burst into laughter.
"Well, well... you guys just stayed apart like how...? five hours?" a boy, muscular and handsome walked towards them and spoke with a playful smile.
"Brie, tell your boyfriend to shut up," Nika added in a mocking tone.
"Mathew, do not play with my sister..." Brie, in a fake bossy tone, said to her boyfriend.
On the way back to their house, she was using her phone when Brie said, "Carolina grill is my favourite place to dine. It's so strange that we are having their food since forever and still we are not bored."
Nika raised her head up and replied, "Yea, since your boyfriend decided to change the place and take us to the roadside cafe for the shrimp soup."
Mathew's younger brother had a childhood crush on Nika and as he was very intelligent in studies, a city university offered him a scholarship and eventually he had to move on.
"Hey! I have decided the topic for my workshop," Brie, in a really exciting tone, said.
"Really? What?" asked Mathew, driving.
"Career Exploration. What can I do with this major?" Brie replied, hands folded as her tone gets more and more excited.
"As if..." Nika rolled her eyes and Mathew let out a chuckle.
"When is this workshop of yours?" Mathew asked and Brie replied, "31st..."
"Don't tell me!" Nika who was sitting in the back seat leaned in and spoke startled.
"What?" Brie turned her face around and asked concerned.
"Brie, Halloween party is on 31st. Nobody will come to your workshop," replied Nika.
"Oh, I got that sorted too..." Brie replied in a calm tone.
"Really? " Mathew, who seems to be amazed by his girlfriend's idea, spoke.
Nika and Brie were having coffee and sitting in front of the TV, fully focused while Mathew was preparing the dinner in the kitchen.
"What? Really! They are making the episode way too short now..." Brie complained as she took the sip of her coffee.
"Give this to me," Nika said and grabbed the TV remote and pressed the channel button.
The volume was on and as she turned the channel, the news channel played and it echoed in their ears.
"Her body was found by the janitor who goes to school at 5 am every morning to clean, he reported there was an odd smell coming from the old oak tree. After some investigations and interrogations, we have come to the conclusion that she has been murdered," the officer spoke as he gave the interview to the news reporter.
Mathew talked over to the sofa set and listened to the news, attentively.
"Which way did you took today?" Brie asked Nika in a fidgety.
"The one I take always..." replied Nika.
"Whatever happens... I mean whatever! do not come from that riverside, Nika." Brie said explaining to her sister.
"God, I know," Nika replied rolling her eyes.
"I don't understand why people even go to that area. The police must put a trespassing warning." Mathew said shaking his head in despair.
"Anyways, dinner is ready..." he added.
Nika was on the video call with her best friend, Jo when she spoke, "Plucking the eyebrow is the worst thing to do."
There she was, standing in front of a mirror and plucking out her extra eyebrows.
"My mother had strictly ordered me not to stay extra hours in school," spoke Jo.
"Yea, the girl who was been murdered was in my history class," Nika replied.
"Anyways, are you excited for Halloween?" Jo asked in an exciting tone.
"Very much."
"Conor was asking about you," Jo said.
"What?" Nika asked in curiosity.
"Any guesses..." she teased her.
"Oh, I am not in the mood, Jo. Just tell me what did he said?" Nika rolled her eyes.
"He was asking whether you are going alone at the party."
"You know Conor. He is the bad boy of our college. Do not trust him."
"He likes you, Nika," Jo spoke over the phone as Nika stared her with a resting bitch face.
the book cover is awesome very eye catching....