MASSIE

YEAR: 2012

I was shaking in my Jimmy Choo stilettos. My inner alpha said to stop and look brave, but then again, I knew what was coming. Every time a student at OCD got her picture taken this week, she would die. It was not a written rule or anything, but throughout the day someone would get called up to the office, and would never come back out.

"Claire Lyons."

Claire stood up, a million times more shaky than I. Her blonde hair was in delicate waves.

It was too bad she would die now.

"No!" I yelled. "Claire! Don't go, you'll die!" Heads turned, but they all shook their heads in grief. They knew it, too. They all did.

"I-I have to, Massie."

"But! It's... it's my b-b-birthday! I don't want more people to die!" I grabbed her wrist.

"Massie, let go!" She yanked me, and left me on the tiled floor of the cafeteria.

She ran, sobbing. "M-Massie! I'm sorry! Happy birthday!"

Usually, when somebody says "happy birthday," you feel happy. But at that moment, they were the coldest, cruelest words in the English language. I watched her figure disappear behind the door.

I turned to the rest of the Pretty Committee. Dylan and Kristen both had tears down their faces.

"First Alicia, now Claire." Dylan had a depressed look on her face. It was unusual, normally Dylan was fun, and would break the silences with a burp or something. I'll admit, it was disgusting, but at least it was something. Right now, I felt nothing.

I was empty. My body felt hollow, as if I had been carved like a jack-o-lantern. And the thing was, I wasn't even dead... yet.

The whole school of OCD was silent. I wished that somebody would stop it. From the quietness of the school, it was like no one was breathing.

By now, half of the students probably weren't.

"Happy birthday, Massie," whispered a tiny voice. I tried to tell myself that it wasn't real, but I knew it was... I had heard it five years ago.

I ignored it. Everything became mute again, but...

The most awful, terrible scream I had ever heard pierced my diamond-studded ears and, as it seemed, everyone else's. ! It was engraved in my heart now, never to leave my soul, because I knew that voice anywhere:

It was Claire.

"Massie Block," the overhead announced. I know it was vain, but I felt shocked that nobody was screaming super loud, or even crying. But then I noticed that Dylan and Kristen had fainted. And to make it worse, it made me happy.

I wobbled on my tall shoes. My lavender ruffly Moschino dress swayed. I suddenly became very hot. I removed my black blazer and walked very slowly to the office.

I tried to calm myself. You'll join Alicia and Claire, and you will never feel pain. It'll be okay. It'll be okay, it'll be okay...

I looked up from the floor. I was at the door of the office. I turned the knob.

"Ah, Massie." I walked to wherever the voice was coming from. I saw a flash, obviously a person, quickly lock the door. I swallowed.

"W-w..." I started, but had no clue what to say. I looked around. The windows were cold, and black paper was taped over them. The lights were dimmed, and a single candle lit the room. I felt like screaming when I saw Principal Burns cuffed to the walls, either knocked out or dead. But the instant I opened my mouth, blood flowed from my mouth.

Blood? I ran my fingers through my hair. I looked at them. Red.

I poked the back of my neck. I almost puked when I could shove my finger in about in inch farther than I should have been able to. I collapsed, but not dead.

When I woke up, I was in the principal's chair. My entire body was coated in blood now.

"Happy birthday, Massie," the voice whispered again.

And a blade ran straight through my heart.