Chapter 3 – Whispers

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Rachel had a dreamless sleep that night. Now that the issues had been resolved and she knew her destiny, the dreams had stopped. She woke the next morning refreshed.

There was no one else in the bathroom when she entered it. Oddly one of the mirrors was clouded. As Rachel neared it, an invisible hand began to write.

'Anna McDonald. April 1985. Room 117'

The door opened behind her. Rachel turned her head to see Erica, one of the girls in her year, poke her head in.

"Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Rachel turned back to the mirror but the writing had vanished.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

The archives seemed like a good place to start. Rachel went looking for newspaper articles from April 1985. What she was looking for was in one of the first pages she came across. (She's using an online newspaper archive.)

'MURDER AT GIRLS ACADEMY

Anna McDonald, 16, was found dead in her room at Seaview Hall early on Saturday morning. The cause of death is as yet unknown. The police think her murder may be linked to the disappearance of her roommate Tessa Donovan earlier this month.

Anna McDonald was last seen on campus on Friday night with friends as they walked back to their dormitories.

The police suspect the killer is the same man who is suspected of kidnapping Tessa Donovan earlier this month and also that he knew both girls as there seems to have been no struggle. Eyewitness reports have turned up nothing conclusive say police.

Both the Donovans and the McDonalds have been unavailable for comment.'

Seeing as Anna was dead, Rachel instinctively thought 'ghost'. But she thought ghosts couldn't touch things.

She also came across an article about Tessa Donovan's disappearance.

'LOCAL SCHOOLGIRL MISSING

Police have asked people to be on the lookout for missing schoolgirl Tessa Donovan, 17. Miss Donovan was last seen four days ago near the park in the local town with an older man, although a search of the area has failed to find this man.

"If you have any information, regarding Tessa's whereabouts or anything, please let the police or someone know. We need our daughter back." Said Tessa's mother, Katherine, yesterday.'

She needed to call Mr. Giles. She pulled out her mobile phone and dialed the number on the card.

"Hello?" Said a familiar voice.

"Mr. Giles? It's Rachel. I need to ask you something. I think I have a ghost problem."

"A ghost problem? That's certainly interesting. What do you need to know?"

A while later, Rachel had all the information she needed to know about ghosts. Apparently they could touch things. She also discovered the main reason they stayed on this plane of existence was unfinished business. Rachel needed to find out what this unfinished business was.

Rachel decided to go into town to try and get a lead. She knew where the park was and there was plenty of time before sundown.

She reached the park fifteen minutes later. Immediately she noticed the park was within walking distance of the cemetery. She felt drawn to it and decided to follow her Slayer instincts. She wandered through the graveyard until a tombstone caught her eye.

As she got closer to it, she could see the writing on it:

Anna McDonald

1968 – 1985

Always remembered.

Never forgotten.

"Hello Slayer"

Rachel heard a voice and whipped round. Behind her a familiar looking teenage girl with shoulder length dark blonde hair stood.

"Anna?"

"So you know who I am?" At Rachel's nod, she continued. "Do you know what happened to me?"

"Only that you were murdered and you might have known your killer?"

"Oh I knew my killer all right…my roommate Tessa. She killed me."