The bell rang and the students of Moonlight High school all rushed out of classes.
"Hey Anne, don't forget to attend my party" Malia reminded.
"You have said this for the umpteenth time today, I will make sure to be there, birthday girl" Anne said. "I will be on my way now" she added and waved good bye to her friends, Malia and Tracy.
Anne arrived home and pushed the door open.
"Mom, Mom" She called.
"Hey darling, you're home" Selena walked out of the kitchen with an apron tied around her body.
"Good afternoon Mom, What are we having for lunch?" Anne asked.
"Porridge" Selena said.
"OK, I'm in my room, I need a shower" Anne said "And Malia invited me to her birthday party at night today" Anne said and walked into her room.
Anne emerged from her room wearing a beautiful v necked gown.
"Mom, how do I look?"Anne asked as she twirled in the gown in front of Selena.
"Great as usual" Selena replied and smiled at her. "What are you looking for?" Selena asked.
"My keys" Anne said.
"Don't tell me you are driving a bike in this pretty dress?" Selena asked and threw a bunch of keys at Anne who caught it effortlessly. "Use my car for the party and when is the party ending?" She asked again.
"10" Anne said.
"Be home before 11, don't drink alcohol and drive carefully" Selena instructed.
"Yes Mom, gotta go now" Anne said and kissed Selena at her cheek before walking out of the house.
Anne stopped the car at Malia house and was surprised by the number of fellow students she saw and the loud music booming from speakers.
"Hey Anne" A group of girls greeted her and she grunted in response, she hurried over as she saw Tracy with some boys at one end of the house.
She pulled Tracy a distance away from the crowd before letting her go.
"What the hell is going on here? Where is Malia and why is there such a big party? Where are her parents?" Anne asked immediately she let go of Tracy.
"Those questions are best left for the celebrant and there she is" Tracy said and led Anne to Malia who was talking with some of their classmates.
"Hey Tracy, Hey Anne" The group greeted the girls as they joined them.
"Anne, you are here" Malia said and hugged her lightly.
"I have a few questions for you" Anne said and Malia pulled her and Tracy to an empty table.
"So where are your parents and why are you holding a big party inviting our classmates and some school mates?" Anne asked.
"Anne, don't tell me you did not check our class chat since you left the school, what the hell do you have a phone for?" Malia questioned.
"Anyways, My parents left for a business trip and I dropped a message inviting our classmates to the party in our class group chat because I can't stay alone in this house, it's also a pool party and you not checking the group chat means you are not here with your bikini" Malia said and Anne shook her head affirming what she just said.
"Hmm… Go to my bedroom, you will see some bikinis find the one that suit you and meet us in the pool" Malia said and picked up the mic inviting everyone over to the pool.
Anne changed into a black bikini and tied a scarf round a waist walking towards the pool. As she turned into a corner, she was pulled backwards and she instinctively made to push the person away.
"Hey, I meant no harm" The boy who pulled her said. He was tall and had freckles, he was wearing only shorts and had a broad chest. "I'm Larry, Malia's cousin, I had been staring at you since you entered the house and when I couldn't find you at the pool, I decided to look for you." He said.
"Oh, I'm Anne, Malia's friend" Anne said.
"I know, Malia is always talking about you and Tracy" He said and Anne smiled. "I would like to know you more as friends tho" He added and Anne chuckled. "Do you mind giving me your contact number?" He asked carefully and Anne nodded giving him the number.
"Anne, Larry. What are you two doing here alone?" Malia asked and walked up to them staring hard at Larry.
"I was just talking to her, nothing else" Larry said.
"Oh really, I hope so or else" Malia warned.
"I'm your cousin for christ sake" Larry said and Malia glanced at him before pulling Anne to the pool.
"What was that?" Anne asked curiously.
"What? That I took you away from your new flame." Malia said teasingly.
"New flame? Oh please, you were acting strange to him, that's why" Anne said.
"He is not a bad guy, he is nice and smart but we are not really on good talking terms" Malia said.
"Then why do you invited him to your party and why are you not on good terms with him" Anne asked.
"He is my favorite cousin but we had a little fight over a guy so I acted a little stern" Malia said.
"Which guy? One of your numerous boyfriends?" Anne asked.
"You ask to much questions" Malia said shyly and pushed Anne into the water.
Anne chuckled and swam a distance away.
"Mind joining me and where the hell is Tracy? " Anne asked.
"I'll go find her, enjoy your self" Malia said and walked away.
Anne smiled and continued swimming, she was a good swimmer after all but suddenly she felt like someone was watching her and it began giving her goosebumps. She raised her head and looked around the chairs placed by the poolside until her eyes settled at a spot.
She could see a group of people sitted,From their shadows she could make out that they were a group of five ;two boys and three girls. She could not make out their faces as they were all on black and was sitted in a dark corner. She shrugged and went underwater.
Anne walked towards a gate and as she approached the gate, the gate opened automatically and she walked in. She looked round the place and could see dead bodies littered all over the place and she could make out that she was under water, she walked further in and seeing the heap of dead bodies she felt a prickly feeling in her heart.
She was confused as to where she was but she continued walking inside as tears flowed from her eyes.
"Anne, Anne" She heard Malia's voice and slowly opened her eyes. She saw herself on the floor by the pool and she saw Malia and Tracy looking down on her, she instinctively turned to the direction where she saw the group of people but could not see them again, she looked towards the door and saw them leaving the party.
She heaved a sigh and turned to look at her friends.
"How are you feeling?" Malia asked worriedly.
"I'm fine" Anne said and sat up.
"What was wrong, why were you drowning?" Tracy asked and Anne widened her eyes in shock.
"Drowning….I was drowning? How?" Anne asked.
"We were also surprised, you were underwater for twenty minutes and when you came up, you were struggling and we thought you were drowning" Tracy said.
"Oh….I'm feeling cold"Anne said changing the topic and Malia gave her a towel so she could wrap around her body.
"Let's go eat dinner so you all can return to your various homes" Malia said through the mic.
"I thought you were afraid of sleeping alone, why are you not having a sleep over?" Anne asked.
"Tracy volunteered to sleep with me tonight" Malia said and Tracy nodded.
Anne pushed the door open and met her mother sitted on a sofa on her laptop working.
"Mum, Mum… I have something very important to tell you. I…" Anne was saying when Selena raised her hand to silence her.
"Who followed you home?"Selena asked and Anne shook her head to tell her no one did.
"They are here… They are here… We need to leave this place"Selena said and began pulling Anne with her.
"Mum, what do you mean? Who is here and why are you so scared?.. I have a very important thing to tell you" Anne said and stopped walking.
"That can wait Anne but we need to leave immediately"Selena said.
"Mum, what do you mean, leave to where? Can you explain all this to me?" Anne said and by now there where at the kitchen.
"They are gone, why did they come and leave just like that?" Selena asked seemingly confused.
"Mum" Anne called.
"We need to talk" Selena said and pulled Anne to the chair.