The devil behind the mask

The puppet show

After breathing so hard Damon rushed to me asking what was wrong but I couldn't say a word all I could do was quiver in fear. Soon he snatched my phone from me and read the anonymous text, I couldn't even think I just wrapped my arms around him as warm tears rolled down my cheek profusely. The door without a warning blew open revealing the rest of my dorm mates. They all looked drained of energy. I quickly left the embrace of Damon who looked at me rather surprised.

"What happened here?" Gabe shot looking at the broken bowl and cereals that messed up the floor

"Um-- I fell it when I learned about the news" Natalie dashed off to her room looking really upset, Rebecca with her usual frown followed Natalie steps

Riley walked to me sobbing deeply "Veronika" she said dryly hugging me tightly as though her intent were to choke me to death "it was soo horrible" I led her away into her room to try to get her to rest. Once I shut the wooden door behind me I walked her to her bed

"It was horrible" she stated her eyes not moving as she stared at the wall blankly

"What was horrible?" I needed to know what got her like this

"Caitlin. She looked horrible. I was the one who found her dead body" Damon never mentioned that Riley was the one who spotted Caitlin's body

"She was slashed open, her blood-- her blood was everywhere" her tears continued to fall down her porcelain white cheeks. It was so weird to watch Riley cry this much, she never cried she usually said 'crying was a total waste of time and it never changes any thing'. Even when her cat moxie had to be put down because she had trouble breathing, although she tried to stop her mom from making that decision she never cried even the slightest, so seeing the crazy girl who dared me to do a lot of crazy things like getting my ears pierced breaking down in front of me wasn't a sight I was used to

"How did you feel?" She asked looking at me teary eyes

"I was devastated when I found Candice body I--"

"No Nikki" I was stopped "I meant when you were little and you saw a dead body for the first time?" I only felt comfortable talking about this topic with Riley, I wouldn't even talk about this with my therapist. Only she always knew how to make me feel better

"I was broken. I felt dead inside looking face to face at my mom's corpse. But more dead inside when I looked around to find everyone around me dead" I whimpered softly as I felt Riley's hands stroke my back

"I'm sorry for making you relive your childhood trauma" I met the eyes of my best friend

"Thanks Riles, you need to get some rest" I laid her down and covered her with her blanket

"Jason story is true" she confessed

"Which story?" I asked even though I had a hint on the story she referred to

"The story of the red ghoul. The mark of a crescent moon with thorns were etched on her forehead" yeah I just remembered the same mark was placed on Candice's forehead so it is the same killer responsible

"I think the red ghoul is back to kill us all" what she said along with the message I got inspired fear in me. But it also gave me an idea. Jason knows so much about the story of the first red ghoul maybe he could tell me more about what happened

"Rest Riley you need it" I closed the door of her room to return back to clean up the mess I made on the floor but it was already taken care off

"Don't worry Nikki, I cleaned it up for you" Charlie emerged from behind me with a tight smile hooked on his face

"Oh thanks Charlie, but you shouldn't have bothered" I smiled back. My blood went cold when I heard a snicker coming from the living room, we both instinctively turned around to catch Gabe lying on the couch casting us a watchful eye