Gem

Chapter 14

When Ashley and Sapphire left the bathroom, they walked down the halls slowly. The bell had rung and apparently, word had got out about Miss Jade's outburst. Students glanced at the two and pointed as they whispered to their friends. From what the pair could hear, there were a couple of different versions of what happened floating around, none of them were the truth, but they were creative. 

The pair decided it would be best to leave school, maybe start again the next day. The next day was Friday and after that, a long-awaited and well-deserved weekend. It had been a long week. 

They caught the bus towards the inn, the Inn was 20 minutes by bus and sat near the edge of town, right behind the Inn was a beautiful lake. You had to climb a pretty steep hill to get there but it was worth the small hike. 

The Inn seemed busy on the outside given the number of cars outside, but on the inside, it was quiet and still. Sapphire followed Ashley inside and waved at the man behind the counter. He was a tall man and well built. He always wore a veteran's hat that looked worn and old. Despite this being a small town where everyone knew everyone, the two knew nothing of this man. 

Obviously, he wasn't a man who liked to talk so he simply nodded his head in acknowlegement before he turned in the opposite direction as the two started up the stairs. 

Ashley waited until they were up in their room and the door was locked before she spoke. "Where do you think the book is?" She flopped on her bed face down. 

"It disappeared, I don't think it wants to be found" She bit at her nails as she thought about what to do. "Maybe it's in the house in the basement, we can go-" 

"No!" Ashley yelled causing Sapphire to jump. "Sorry. It's just that, that house freaks me out. I'd rather not go there ever again" 

Silence filled the air and Sapphire walked towards the window. She admired the lake in the distance, She had never been down there, never knew it even existed. Besides as she looked out the window she noticed an unpaved road leading into some trees. There were signs that read 'private property, 'enter at your own risk' , 'trespassers will be shot' She frowned at the last one, that was a bit much. She imagined a wooden house in front of the lake, most likely belonging to the Innkeeper. "I could go alone" 

"No. Too dangerous and you don't make good judgments" Sapphire rolled her eyes at that. "Maybe tomorrow you can talk to her. Tell her, that you like her and I don't and that if she doesn't leave me alone, I'll go to the cops and she'll lose her job and be placed into prison" 

"I don't think she'll go to jail. You're over 18 and her Mom is the principal. You think she'll fire her own daughter?" 

"She most certainly will go to prison for assault. There is no age limit against that" 

"Okay, I'll talk to her-" Sapphire squinted her eyes as she spotted movement in the trees. Perhaps she needed new glasses. She called Ashley over. She heard her cousin groan as she stood and heard her stomp her foot lazily over the carpet. 

"What?" Her cousin questioned as she stood beside her. 

She pulled Ashley in front of her and pointed. "Right down there, right near the tree that's leaning slightly, is that a person standing there?" 

"I don't see anything" 

As if the person could hear, it took a step forward and Sapphire and Ashley both gasped. 

Looking right up at them was Miss Jade. Ashley pulled the curtain closed as she screamed and clutched her chest. 

Sapphire couldn't help but laugh. "Relax Ashley it's just our teacher" 

"Yeah, whose bat shit crazy and possessed by something" 

"She's not possessed. I'm going to go talk to her" 

"Why don't we just call the cops?" 

"No." Sapphire called out as she left the room.