Chapter 1: Intro into Madness

I found myself running down a hallway, fearing for my life. I had blood in my hair and my dress was torn. My heart was pounding in my throat, but I kept running.

(Earlier that day)

4:36pm

I was in the process of getting ready for prom. You know; hair, make-up, et cetera. I was doing my hair in my, well, our hotel room. I had gotten a hotel room with Wetherly Simmons, my best friend, and her girlfriend Calyx Antonio. Calyx was a Latina with the most amazing green eyes and red hair. Wetherly (or Lee as we call her) was the exact opposite: tall, long platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, looks like she could either a Norse goddess or a Abercrombie model. I, Isadora Matthews (everyone calls me Danity), am an Italiana with amber hair and grey eyes.

I was pinning my caramel-colored hair on my head in the mirror. Calyx was sharing the mirror with me, drawing dark eyeliner around her astonishing green eyes. Lee came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Lexi, why do you put all that make-up on? You know you look beautiful without it." Calyx smiled at her nickname. "I wear it so that I'll look good next to you, goddess." They kissed and I rolled my eyes. "You guys are cute and all, but one can get tired of it easily." They giggled as I stuck another bobby pin into the elaborate, curled up-do. I grabbed the mini can of hairspray and coated it heavily, knowing it would be rock solid. I put down the can and smiled at my handiwork. "Well?" I asked the room. "I like it," Lee approved. "Very nice," Calyx agreed.

We went about finishing our outfit, putting the finishing touches on it. By the time we were done, it was 6:00pm. We slipped on our dresses: mine was a blue bubble dress, Calyx's a black gauzy number, and Lee was a full-skirted number in pearl grey with a red corset top.

6:16pm

We went down to the ballroom and I had an urge, for some reason, to ask at the front desk if anything had come for me. As a matter of fact (as the receptionist put it), a manila envelope had come. Addressed to Isadora.

Thant made my heart crawl into my throat and quiver there like a Chihuahua. It was anonymously addressed. I, with quivering fingers, opened the envelope. In it, was a broken piece of stained glass. From the bay window. In old room. When Mr. Winston had broken it to escape.

The entire world started to blur out of focus. I felt dizzy, light-headed. There were bright flashes of light and distant voices I could just barely understand, much less recognize. Then, everything faded to nothingness.

7:45pm

I awoke to Lee pressing a cold compress to my right temple. Once, after a few blinks, she came back into focus, I asked in a raspy voice, "What happened?" I tried to sit up, but the world started spinning to fast and I had to lay back down. "You passed out you opened that envelope. What was in it?" Then everything came back, including the fear. "It was a piece of stained glass, from my old bay window." Lee blanched. In a shaky voice, she asked, "Who sent it?"

"It was anonymously addressed, but you know as well as I do who sent that." Lee gulped hard. "We need to call Detective Barringer. Now."