Qia
Master Crim
Lord Wraith
Ti
BlackRoseSiren
Fallenreaper
Sep
Retired
Roman
Hound55
C H L O E B R O N S E
S T. B E T R A N M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H
Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 - 06:47pm | Outside, in the cemetery.
It was easy to forget how old the Hollow was sometimes. For a small town, it held a lot of cemeteries, but St. Betran's was the oldest. The lot had been expanded to accommodate, and while the west end had neatly ordered flat plaques for easy maintenance, the original graves nearer the church were random in size, placement, and condition. It was there a dark shadow crossed Chloe's path. A dark hound running through the graves. No wonder Crestwood had such an eerie reputation. Stray or not, the sight was familiar enough and the sunset light enough to keep Chloe's own superstitions at bay.
Fortunately, Hannah and her crew had chosen to set up on the newer end of the graveyard, though there were only two when Chloe reached them.
"You're late." Mikaela approached her, arms cross and expression petulant, while Hannah bent over four buckets behind them.
"Doesn't seem like I missed much Kiki" Chloe replied with the hated childhood nickname alongside a mockingly sweet smile as he dropped her purse to the ground and went to inspect the buckets. Mikaela wasn't high enough on the totem pole for Chloe to give much thought to her opinion. "Did someone bring their dog or something?"
It wasn't until she was standing right next to her that Hannah seemed to notice her existence. "Dog? No. You're here, though which is good. Nadine should be here with the girls in a minute, and Gabby's just picking up a few last minute things. Want something to drink?" A thermos with a suspiciously dark liquid in her hand as Hannah vanished from sight. The buckets were filled with ice.
"Going to give me a clue as to what we're doing?" But Hannah had forgotten her existence all over again, digging through a duffle-bag for another drinking vessel.
"Not really." Mikaela smiled sweetly at her. Chloe drank.
"I've arrived ladies!" Gabby joined the group holding an unmarked box at arms length in front of her. None of the girls were wearing their uniforms at least.
"Oh Chloe you made it! I'm glad, we're going to have such a good time."
"You're late."
"Oh boo hoo K, did you want my job?" Hannah stood straight and waved for them to be quiet before Mikaela could respond.
"Shut up they're right there, Gabby put the box next to the grave." Chloe's attention snapped to the giant empty hole that lay less than five free from where they all stood.
"What-"
"Shh- Shut up!"
She managed to get a last swig before Gabby stole the thermos, abandoning the mysterious box. "Old lady Mitras died two days ago funeral is day after tomorrow." She explain in hushed tone before downing the rest of the drink.
Chloe felt very cold as the final six girls approached. Nadine led three blindfolded freshmen through the grave yard. Whatever directions she was gave couldn't stop the girls from tripping over the flat gravestones and the ten yard walk over ended up taking a very awkward three minutes. Still the four waiting seniors remained silent until they were all neatly lined in front of them, and Chloe realized why she was there, and almost had to hold back a laugh.
She was Kaitlyn's replacement. Five seniors for five freshmen. It would have been hilarious that she had taken on one of her former tormentor's position's, if it wasn't on the same day half the town was out looking for her body. And here were her supposed best friends, not even taking part in the effort.
"Welcome girls to your official Raven initiation ceremony. Each of you have been assigned a mentor from the senior year to help you through the process." One by one each of the freshmen was paired off. Chloe found herself guiding a barely five foot tall blonde away from the perilously close grave. Whatever their blind trek had entailed, the girls hadn't come out clean or unscathed, and Chloe's was shivering already.
"I'm Shannon." Chloe ignored her, eyeing the bucket, box, grave, and Hannah with equal levels of suspicion. The captain herself had chosen the odd girl out, and Chloe's grip on the small girl's shoulder tightened enough to make her whimper. Hannah's chosen 'initiate' was going to have a rough night. It was a fat girl. There wasn't any way around it, whatever her face looked like behind the blindfold there was no way Hannah Ellis; the girl that had pulled Chloe's frizzing curls and cut the straps off her bra in gym was letting a fat girl onto the ravens cheer squad. There wasn't much left to deduce from there, four buckets, five girls desperate to fit in, and a very deep hole. She wasn't about to hold out that Gabby's box was filled with celebratory donuts.
"Hannah"
"Seniors, bring your freshmen each a bucket." It wouldn't be a gentle fall. How deep were graves? It looked deep, too deep for anyone to get her out without serious help.
Chloe didn't move. "Hannah" Ellis gave her a glare that stripped away whatever protest she'd been preparing, if she wasn't careful she'd be the one finding out exactly how deep that hole went. Gabby handed her the bucket full of ice, while Chloe stood staring at the blindfolded fat girl wile Shannon fidgeted endlessly beside her.
"Take it." She finally managed, placing the weight in the younger girls hands and looked away as the official cheerleaders all converged around Hannah's girl.
It wasn't a gentle fall. Chloe winced as the girl screamed and the resounding thump. There might have been a snapping bone, but it was impossible to be sure as panic struck the other freshmen, calling out for each-other and asking what was happening. Hannah put an end to the unrest by simply clapping her hands twice.
"Ladies! Blindfolds off!" Chloe's hand was steady as she undid the knot. It wasn't her that was screaming at the bottom of a hole, what did she care? The muttering began again as the initiates realized what had happened to their peer. Another clap for order came from Hannah.
"To be a part of the Raven Cheer Team is to join the elites in the history of Crestwood Hollow. There is a reason Mather is the best high-school around, and we're it." She paused for dramatic effect, eyeing each of the girls, daring any one of them to say anything. Pleas for help and confusion came from the grave in the center of them all.
"We're the best cheer team in the state- hell we're best in the entire east coast, and with that comes responsibility." With every word, Hannah looked somewhat less high-school teen, and more commanding officer. She began pacing in front of her recruits.
"We've already lost one of our sisters this semester, but that doesn't diminish us. That doesn't make the Raven's Cheer team an open extra-curricular for just anyone. We are a sisterhood, and tonight you forge yours." Finally she gestured to the hole where the confused cries for help had subsided to loud sobs.
"Allison" Mikeala pushed her freshman forward. "Are you ready to be a Raven?" The girl looked around nervously and nodded. At the direction of the two older girls she poured the partially melted crushed ice into the hole. Chloe winced at the resulting cry before bracing herself for the following rounds.
"Trisha" Another splash, again Chloe turned away, opting to look at the sky. It was a full moon. Or close enough at least.
"Becky" The fat girl had again stopped screaming. Chloe wondered if the stray was still wandering the cemetery somewhere.
"Shannon" Nothing happened. Chloe looked down to trembling girl in front of her. She wasn't moving. A dangerous look of annoyance began to creep across Hannah's face.
"Is there a problem Shannon?" Chloe held her breath while Shannon remained rooted, the sound of crying came to an abrupt stop. Shannon still didn't move
"God damn it." Chloe muttered, barely audible as she snatched the bucket from Shannon's hands and dumped it down the grave herself.
"What the hell Chloe! She-"
"It's done. You've had your fun. Move on already." Hannah was glaring at her, but Chloe had conceded too much for the night already, and glared right back.
"Fine. She'll just-"
"This way! It came from over here!"
It had grown too dark to see much past their small gathering place, sparely lit as it was, but the voices weren't far and in the seconds the group were struck still, small pricks of flashlights became visible. Everyone looked to Hannah, who broke the stillness by lunging for her duffel-bag. When she turned around again to see everyone still staring at her she gave an exasperated but urgent "Move!" to kick them all in motion.
There was chaos as the seniors stumbled over freshmen to retrieve their items, while avoiding the pit.
"Gabby the bugs-"
"I'm not touching them!"
"You're all utterly useless"
She didn't see who's shoe kicked the box over, but Chloe did see the contents; thousands of dead crickets, went flying everywhere, in the grave, through the air, and towards the girls; inciting further panic. Chloe was vaguely aware of a few landing in her hair.
It took only a handful of seconds to find herself completely alone.
"I swear- It sounded like a girl too. Hello?! Anyone there?!" Chloe looked down at the hole. The sun was gone and without the other girls' lights, it was impossible to see. It would be easy to pull the kid out, there was no danger of dropping or slipping in herself.
"Kaitlyn?!" It would be so easy. The girl in the grave was too silent. A light landed on Chloe's boot, and she fled.
