Cora was the kind of girl who didn’t get along with others. She was home schooled, and liked it that way. She was able to see others in her town through different eyes. She was able to see their mediocrity and ease to appease others. Cora was alright with her mundane routine. She didn’t think about boys, or makeup or whatever girls her age should be thinking about. Her mother always prided herself on her poise and polite daughter. Her Cora wouldn’t hurt a fly. Cora’s father would say she was quiet. She didn’t say or do much except for what she was told, and he was alright with that. Her parents never really pushed her to do more, or less thus Cora was just Cora. Plain, normal, boring Cora.

But, late one summer night while her parents were on a trip into town, a group of kids came knocking on her door. These kids lived in houses just down the road from hers, and she always made a point to avoid them, and they always avoided her. So it was very alarming to Cora when Rebecca Reilander, and some of her friends from around town, showed up to her doorstep covered in blood.

Cora was stunned and wanted to immediately shut the door and call the cops. But something stopped her, and before she could make a move or say anything Rebecca and her group of friends charged in and slammed the door.

Rebecca proceeded to close all the blinds and lock the door behind Cora. Cora was in shock and her eyes were wide and body cold with terror. She had so many questions but how was she going to ask them? Surely her parents would be back and she would get some help.

After eveyone settled down on the floor and caught their breaths they all looked at Cora. Cora, still trying to process what just happened, didn’t make eye contact with any of them. Instead she just stared at her floor like she was a child in trouble. Finally Rebecca starts to speak, her voice raspy and you could tell she was out of breath. “We’re sorry to just come in, I mean I’ve seen you hanging around before so you’re not like… a total stranger… but we needed somewhere to come quick. This was closest. We live just down the road a ways and we’ll get going soon.” Rebecca looks at the person seated next to her, looking at them, to help her find her words. “Listen, you can’t tell anyone alright? Where’s your family? When will they be back?” Cora, still processing the situation manages to mutter out a tiny “in town” barely audible that only the person next to her could hear. They say “Great, we ended up at the weirdest house on the block…” Rebecca interrupts “CLAYTON!” As the person next to her mumbles “it can’t be as wierd as what we seen”

He catches himself before he says more and notices Cora’s eyes land on him. She had heard what he said, and was now intrigued. Rebecca shot him a look “when will they be coming back?” He asks, contemplating what he can say. Cora lies, “a couple hours, they’re out for dinner” and she shifts uncomfortable on her feet. Rebecca sighs, as if she knows Cora isn’t telling the truth and says “we should just leave now, we shouldn’t have come in the first place, we don’t need another person involved”. the man next to her nods, “it’s too late, she let us in. She’s got to know now, she’s a part of this” The man next to Cora winces, and Cora notices small scratches on his hands and dirt beneath his nails. Cora looks around, and notices dirt beneath everyone’s nails. Cora feels a chill down her spine. The man next to her opens his mouth to speak but is cut short by the headlights in the window. Suddenly everyone gets up with wide eyes, panicking. “Do you have a back door?” Rebecca asks and without replying Cora looks towards the kitchen where the back door is. Before she could say anything rebbeca grabs her wrist and runs through the back door, the other three close behind

They were running so fast, Cora with no shoes. Beanches from trees slapped her face and sticks snapped underneath her feet. Before she could slow down and catch her breath, or maybe turn back and get some help, there it was. A body. Someone she recognized well. Someone everyone in town would recognize, the Chanel ten news Anchor, Samuel Herman. He was laying against a tree, his eyes were wide open and lifeless, a contrast to the life that were once on them si vibrant on screen. next to him an axe with blood and dirt all over it lay. An obvious crime scene thought Cora, and she was standing with the murderers. They must have sensed her fear because Rebecca grabbed Cora’s shoulder and said “we found him like this, it wasn’t us.”