Chapter 2

- Mid-Afternoon, 3:50 P.M., Ponderosa High School -

Tyler parked his car and pulled the keys from the ignition. He got out of the car and shut the door. He stepped up onto the sidewalk and traversed the black pavement and down over to the tree where a group of teens sat conversing amongst themselves while eating lunch. A redhead looked up and noticed the approaching teen. She jumped to her feet and raced over to Tyler. Tyler embraced her and kissed her lips softly before she placed her forehead on his shoulder, "I missed you," she whispered to him.

"I know, "he murmured. They finally broke apart and he walked over to the group with her. "We were all released early because of some recent events happening at school, so I came to visit you guys," he said answering their unspoken question, "There were two murders on campus last night, the bodies were found on the football field this morning. I heard that it was a rather gruesome scene."

"Holy shit dude, I thought your school was supposed to be the good school," sneered Greg.

"Yah well, appearances can be deceiving," replied Tyler.

Paulina stared at the two clearly glaring at each other. She got up and checked her phone. "Well, our last class is starting soon so wait for a little and we will be out," she said to Tyler. She pulled Jessica to her feet, "Come on Jess, we have to go to class." Jess hugged Tyler before heading for their math class.

Tyler stared off after the teens and just lay down in the grass and closed his eyes.

- Woodshop -

Chase packed up his backpack and locked his locker before turning to meet the dark, endless depths of Ghostface's eyes. The cloaked figure stepped forward towards Chase, "Umm, hello, can I help you?" he asked. Ghostface nodded slowly and drew his blade from within his sleeve. Chase backed away slowly and raced for the door on the other side. He fumbled with the lock and whipped around and ducked under a vicious stab from Ghostface. Chase sprinted for the door on the other side of the shop. Ghostface casually tossed his knife free from his grip and it sailed across the room and pinned Chase to the wall before he could open the door.

Chase ripped it free and charged Ghostface with it, he tried to ignore his own blood and gore staining the blade. Ghostface pulled out a second knife and Chase bellowed in agony as the cold steel of it plunged into his torso. Ghostface sliced upward slightly and pulled it free. Blood bubbled and gushed to the ground and spattered across his mask and Chase's face. Chase dropped the knife and collapsed. Ghostface turned to the tools scattered across the shop, Chase swore if the mask could have grinned back at him it would have. Ghostface lifted Chase with difficulty and Chase struggled. The table saw activated as his back engaged it by pushing the button accidently. Ghostface forced him lower and lower until the spinning blade was inches from his skin. Ghostface stabbed him again and Chase grew too weak to struggle. His eyes glazed over and he twitched aggressively as the blade cut deep into his spine and blood and gore spattered the table and floor around it.

Chase clenched his fist before lying forever still. Ghostface turned away from the gruesome scene and snuck out the back door to the shop. The front door opened as Mr. Kiernan returned from his lunch break. He entered the shop and nearly vomited at the scene before him. Blood was everywhere and gore coated most of the saw blade and the bones of his spine were mutilated and the flesh was torn away. His body was still in an unnatural position and Mr. Kiernan called the police.

The bell rang and children streamed from classrooms and raced to their rides to be free of this figurative prison. Sirens flared down the road and police cruisers pulled into the parking lot. Jessica, Paulina, Greg, Kevin and Alex walked up to Tyler.

"I wonder what happened?" asked Jessica.

Kaira came running up to the group, "Oh my god, did you guys hear? Chase was murdered in the woodshop building."

Tyler stood there shocked beyond words. "W-Why Chase?" he stuttered.

"I don't know do I look like a goddamn CSI?" asked Kaira.

Tyler shook his head as she left. "Well let's go shall we?" he asked, "We can go hang out somewhere."

They all texted their parents and walked over to Tyler's car parked beside the curb in the roundabout. He opened his door and got in and then started the car up. He pulled out from the curb and drove out of the lot. The car sped down the street and headed into town. The car sped past shops and pulled into a shopping center with a Starbucks coffee shop on the corner of it. Tyler parked the car and they raced for the couches inside and Jessica and Tyler stood in line to order everyone's drinks.

Tyler sipped at his Frappuccino and pulled out his phone before turning on Dubstep. They all worked on homework and talked about the most random things. Kevin broke the silence, "So who do you think did it?"

"Honestly, I have no idea, but I know one thing, it takes an iron stomach to do something as revolting as what we were told," said Tyler.

"Oh honestly, with the videogames you play, you would think you wouldn't be phased by that kind of stuff," said Greg dryly.

"Are you implying that I killed Chase?" asked Tyler.

"Well did you?" asked Kevin abruptly.

"Of course not, why would I risk my future?" he replied.

One of the employees turned on the flat-screen mounted on the wall in front of them. The news flicked on and a reporter standing in front of Ponderosa started speaking into her microphone, "Just a few hours ago, a horrific crime occurred at this high school. In the middle of school, a student was brutally murdered in this school's woodshop. Police are baffled by the extremity of this crime. Video cameras positioned around the shop caught snapshots of the suspect." A picture of Ghostface appeared on the screen.

"Oh my god, they are using the Ghostface costume from Scream!" yelled Jessica.

"If that's true, and the murders at Del Oro and Ponderosa are linked then we all are like in super danger," said Tyler.

"Hopefully, this doesn't become a killing spree or our schools could get shut down for good," said Paulina.

Tyler looks back up at the screen and Ghostface's eerie and mocking mask is staring back at him as if telling him there' nothing he can do to save the ones he loves or any of his friends. The white mask simply stared at him mercilessly an image that would surely haunt him for the rest of his life.