The campus, usually a vibrant hub of youthful energy, was shrouded in an eerie silence. Marga, a sorority sister, her heart heavy with worry, paced the familiar grounds. Allysa, her best friend and sister-in-sorority, had vanished without a trace. Days turned into nights, and still, there was no sign of her. The local police were baffled, their efforts yielding no substantial leads. Desperation gnawed at Marga, fueling a fire within her. She couldn't just sit idly by; she had to take action.
A glimmer of hope emerged from an unexpected source: a mysterious file left at Allysa's car. It contained cryptic details about nineteen missing girls. The file hinted at a sinister network. But deciphering the cryptic clues was beyond her abilities. She needed help, someone with a sharp mind and a knack for the obscure. The name Hades, a rival from her psychology class, came to mind. Known for his brilliance and enigmatic nature, he was the perfect candidate. Their rivalry had been brewing since the first day of class. Both were highly intelligent, with a passion for the complexities of the human mind. However, their approaches to psychology were vastly different. She was more inclined towards the empirical, focusing on data and evidence-based research. Hades, on the other hand, was drawn to the more theoretical aspects of the field, delving into the depths of the unconscious mind and the power of symbolism.
Their differing perspectives often led to heated debates in class, each vying to prove their point of view. Despite their rivalry, she couldn't deny his intelligence. He had a unique ability to see patterns and connections that others missed. Perhaps, she thought, his sharp mind could help her unravel the mystery of the ancient text.
With a mixture of trepidation and determination, she sought him out. The dimly lit library, his usual haunt, was the perfect setting for such a peculiar encounter. As she approached his table, laden with obscure texts and cryptic diagrams, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. His intense gaze, fixed on a particularly complex equation, seemed to pierce through her very soul.
With a mixture of trepidation and determination, Marga sought him out. She found him in his usual haunt, the dimly lit campus library. Hades, engrossed in a thick tome, looked up, his eyes piercing through her.
"What do you want, Marga?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion.
"I need your help," she replied, her voice barely a whisper.
"And what makes you think I would be willing to assist you, of all people?" he inquired, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Allysa, my best friend, has gone missing. I found this file. It might be connected to her disappearance."
He paused, considering her words. A slow smile spread across his face, a sign that he was intrigued. Hades's interest piqued. He took the file, his fingers tracing the worn edges. "Intriguing," he murmured. "A puzzle, a challenge."
"Please, Hades," Marga pleaded. "Help me find her."
A sly smile crept across his lips. "I might consider it," he said, "but there's a price."
Marga's heart sank. She knew Hades was not one to do favours without expecting something in return. "What do you want?" she asked, bracing herself for the worst.
"Take my sister's exam. Disguise as her." he smiled wisely.
Marga knew Hades wouldn't help her if she won't do his proposal. This is why they are enemies. Hades just makes her blood boil for many reasons. But a life is at stake here, her best friend's. "Fine," she said with clarity.
Hades seemed satisfied. "Good. Now, let's get to work."
"What's your plan after class?" Allysa has asked me that question about three times now. I've already told her I don't know. It's raining, so I think taking a nap sounds good. "Maybe I'll take a nap," I said. She nodded and smiled, "I'll go with you then!"
I smiled back at her.
We were walking in the hallway of our university in Alabama. As we were walking, our sorority house Alpha Delta Pi president was crowded by a few people. My eyebrows raised in curiosity, so I quickened my pace, leaving Allysa no choice but to follow. "What do you think is going on?" she asked. I didn't answer. I went over to the group and interrupted them, "What's going on?" They looked at me. "Have you seen this girl?" she asked, showing me a printed photo of a girl with blonde hair. "She's from Delta Zeta. We've been looking for her since last night." I could sense their worry. Anyone would feel the same way if their sister hadn't come home.
"I'm sorry, but I haven't seen her around," I answered. They looked at Allysa for her answer. "I haven't seen her either," she said, her face showing sympathy. "When was the last time you saw her?" I asked. "Last night, after dinner. She went to her room, saying she wasn't feeling well, so we let her rest. Her roommate didn't see her that evening in their room. Her phone must be dead or something. It isn't ringing," the girl explained. "I'm sorry about that. Our sisterhood will help you guys find her. Thank you for letting us know." She smiled sadly and nodded. I patted her shoulder.
I turned to our house president, Rae. She looked at me and said, "That's alarming." I nodded, "We should have a meeting about this matter, Rae." She exhaled and nodded, turning to walk inside our sorority house.
The rain outside had intensified, mirroring the growing unease within the sorority house. As Allysa and I walked back to our room, the weight of the missing Delta Zeta sister hung heavy in the air.
"I can't believe this is happening," Allysa murmured, her voice barely audible over the downpour. "It's like something out of a movie."
"Yeah, a really bad one," I replied, my tone somber. "We need to do something."
We reached our room and flopped onto our beds. I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through social media, hoping for any updates on the missing girl. Nothing. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.
The next day, the entire campus was abuzz with the news. People were speculating about what could have happened, and theories were flying around. Some thought she might have run away, while others suspected foul play.
Rae, our sorority president, called an emergency meeting that afternoon. All the sisters gathered in the common room, their faces etched with concern. "We need to be cautious and vigilant," Rae said, her voice firm. "We should avoid walking alone at night and always let someone know where we're going. If anyone sees anything suspicious, report it immediately."
After the meeting, I decided to take a walk to clear my head. The rain had stopped, but the sky was still overcast. As I wandered through the campus, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. The missing girl's disappearance had cast a dark shadow over the entire university.
A few days later, a search party was organized to scour the surrounding areas. Volunteers from different sororities and fraternities joined forces, hoping to find any clues that could lead to the missing girl's whereabouts.
I was part of the search party, and we spent hours combing through the woods and nearby neighbourhoods. The search was exhausting and disheartening, but we refused to give up hope.
As the days turned into weeks, the case grew colder. The initial wave of media attention had died down, and the missing girl seemed to have been forgotten. But not by us.
"Sarah Jones has been missing for two weeks now. This is horrifying! I mean, what really happened? Are we in danger too?" Hannah, one of our sorority sisters, asked. "As long as we haven't heard about her, we are in danger," Josie said. "We don't know that! She may have had unpaid debts or something. I've heard her parents don't make much," Diane, the most irritating in the sisterhood, said. I looked at everyone and said, "The best thing we can do is to keep ourselves safe. Be mindful of our surroundings, and don't go out alone without letting someone know where we're going. Let's be safe."
After that conversation, we all went to our rooms. Allysa, while plucking her eyebrows, looked at me in the mirror and said, "I'm wondering how Sarah is doing right now. It makes me sad that there are no leads." I looked at her. "Let's just be careful and pray for her safety instead," I said, turning away and saying goodnight.
The next day, the rain had stopped.
I had a 9 AM class, so I got out of bed and tidied up my room before heading to the bathroom. I took a 10-minute shower and got dressed. I put on a white shirt, black flare pants, and gold accessories. I wondered what shoes to wear. "The red Mary Jane looks cute," Allysa pointed out. I smiled. She's the fashionable girl in Alpha Delta Pi. "It does go well with this outfit," I replied. I'm not really into dressing up, but I was in a good mood, so I decided to do it. "You know, I've always thought you're the 3-in-1 guys are looking for. Pretty face, killer body, and samurai mind. Just like the song," Allysa said, trying to cheer me up. "You've got it all too, Allysa. I don't think I have that killer body, though," I replied. "Are you kidding me? Girls in my class talk about you. They say you look like a Victoria's Secret model, and I agree!" I chuckled and let her talk.
Allysa became my best friend the day we were roommates. She talks a lot while I'm quieter. In class, I talk a lot if it's for a grade. But mostly, I'm just silent. She brings out the spark in me. Growing up, I didn't have a very affectionate family. And having friends felt like competing. When I went to college, I met so many different people with different stories. And there was only one person I really despised: Hades. My psychology class rival who thinks so highly of himself. I hated him.
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