Mysteries of Riverwood

Chapter 46 :- Clash at the Lockers

ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ ɴᴏᴛᴇ : ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀɪɴs ɪɴᴛᴇɴsᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴇs ᴏғ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴄᴇ. ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ᴅɪsᴄʀᴇᴛɪᴏɴ ɪs ᴀᴅᴠɪsᴇᴅ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴍғᴏʀᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ɪᴛ, ᴋɪɴᴅʟʏ sᴋɪᴘ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ sɪɢɴs ○○○
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The Monday after Mateo's death, Alex stepped out of the police car in front of his school. He turned to the officer and said, "Thank you for the ride."

The cop nodded and drove off, leaving Alex to face the day ahead.

As he turned toward the school, he saw his friends hurrying towards him. Their faces were filled with lots of concern.

"Are you okay, Alex?" Lily asked, her eyes wide with worry.

Andy chimed in, "Bro! What happened after the party?"

"Is it true they found Mateo dead? At your house?" Kimmy added, her voice trembling slightly.

Alex shuddered as memories of Saturday night flooded back. He could still see the image of Mateo's lifeless body dangling from the tree outside his bedroom window. Taking a deep breath, he tried to steady himself.

"Yeah, it's true," Alex began, his voice barely above a whisper. "I went home from the party on saturday and... Mateo was in my tree... dead."

Kimmy's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God. Do your parents know?"

"Yeah," Alex replied, his voice strained.

"My mom's freaking out. They're trying to find a flight back, but the weather over there is really bad."

Ava, who had been listening intently, leaned in closer. "Are you a suspect? My dad wouldn't tell me anything!"

Alex shook his head. "I'm not a suspect. The cops said... based on Mateo's wounds, he fell into the tree."

Noah furrowed his brow. "How do you fall into a tree?"

Andy looked puzzled. "Hold on, was he on your roof or something, Alex?"

Alex glanced around, feeling the weight of their stares. "The cops think he was trying to break in..."

Before Alex could elaborate, Leo interjected, "Okay, so what do you think Alex?"

Dwayne, who had been silent until now, spoke up, his tone dark. "I think it's Dylan who killed him."

Everyone exchanged nervous glances. The implication hung in the air, heavy and unsettling.

Alex's heart raced as he struggled to find the right words to express the whirlwind of emotions swirling within him.

"This is messed up," Alex finally managed to say, his voice tinged with disbelief and sorrow.

"Mateo was a jerk, but he didn't deserve to die, I mean not like this."

Leo nodded gravely, his expression mirroring Alex's turmoil. "So, it means things are getting even worse. If Dylan is willing to kill for us... there's no telling what else he'll do."

Noah's voice broke the heavy silence. "Okay guys, let's put a stop to it, once and for all. We march into those woods, find Dylan's ruins, and kill it."

But Lucy's voice trembled with apprehension. "That's what started this mess! The closer we all get to him, the stronger he becomes! And clearly, he's too strong already!"

Kimmy's eyes widened in fear.

"Seriously? What are we even supposed to do against a freaking shadow monster that impales people on trees?!"