Book of Secrets

They All Fall Down

Title: They All Fall Down

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Teen Fiction

Description:

Ring around the Rosies

Pocket full of Posies

Ashes, Ashes

They All Fall Down

Cast:

Olivia Thirbly as Gwen Foster

Elise Gatien as Ariel Grand

Munro Chambers as Kage Martin

Dakota Fanning as Lily McDolly

Jared Padalecki as Devin Halder

Britt Robertson as Mara Jones

Michael Copon as Drake Long

Piece:

Prologue

Storm clouds brewed overhead, consuming the sapphire blue skies and threatening a raging storm. Fresh fallen autumn leaves tumbled against the pavement, pushed by the whipping wind and dancing in the air. Below, cars raced down the highway, disappearing under the bridge and coming back out the other side.

Shaky and numb, Kage intertwined his pale fingers with Ariel's, looking down at her with soft, hollow eyes. He was so tired, so empty, and Ariel could see that as he tucked her long black hair behind her ear. She looked back at him, her misty grey eyes glassy with the unshed tears they both shared. She gave him a half-hearted smile, the only sincere gesture she could offer.

                "I love you," Kage whispered to her, her hand clutched tightly in his as they faced each other. Ariel allowed a single tear to roll freely down her white china cheek, one little drop from a sea of tears that lay captured behind her eyes, before she softly pressed her magenta lips to his in a gentle kiss. Leaves twirled around their ankles, brushing eerily along their bruised skin.

                "I love you, too," she responded, her voice pure and innocent as though her words were laced with silk. Her black lace dress swirled around her knees, her free hand clutching the red velvet choker that decorated her neck, her fingers running along the onyx that was nestled in the center. It was Ariel’s favorite piece of jewelry, given to her from no other than Kage. However, on her finger rested a silver band ring, a cut garnet taking pride in the middle, given to her from her clueless parents on her birthday almost a year before.

Pushing all memories from their minds and replacing it with each other, Kage and Ariel looked at each other for a second longer before filling their lungs with air, allowing their legs to collapse.  

A car screeched, the sound of a woman’s blood curdling screams broke the silence of the cold November day. The two ninth graders lay broken and bloody on the windshield of a Chevrolet Delux, their hearts no longer beating as no more air filled their lungs, but their hands were still locked in a strong embrace.

Chapter 1 ~ Slowly Falling Apart

"Hey, Gwen. Love your outfit," Lily sneered, her group of popular friends giggling as they strutted by, their high ponytails swaying behind them as their bright colored skirts twirled around their knees and their tight jeans failed to conceal anything. They casted dark looks at the petite, outcast-of-a-girl. Gwen barely glanced back at them as she shoved her things into her locker before looking down at her outfit of the day; torn jeans, a black Batman hoodie, black, beat up All Star converse. Her usual style. 

Sighing, she tucked her dark, mahogany brown hair behind her ear, collecting her binders and notebooks for her next classes. She clutched them close to her chest like a shield, her bangs falling back across her face like a curtain. She didn’t bother to brush them away. With her head low and her green eyes casted towards the ground, Gwen made her way towards History, trying desperately to ignore the glares and grunts she got from her peers. They all hated her; each and every one of them. Gwen didn't know why, but they always would laugh or glare at her, make fun of her clothes or her appearance in general, even made fun of her because of what she was into; art, theater, criminology.

Suddenly, Gwen walked into something that felt like a brick wall. She fell back into the crowded hallway; her books sprawled across the floor and her papers being carelessly stepped on. Not wasting a second, she clambered to her hands and knees, scrambling to grab her notebooks and attempting to rescue her homework and drawings from any more abuse.

                “Maybe watch where you’re going next time, Freak-ster,” Drakehissed, a taunting smirk playing his lips as he used Gwen’s most common nickname. Gwen mumbled an apology as she collected her notebooks with shaky hands, unable to bring her eyes up to his. Cautiously, she reached for the paper that was caught beneath his foot, struggling to pry it out from under his weight. When the bell rang, startling Gwen, Drake heedlessly removed his foot and weaved his way around her as she grimaced at the dirty boot impression that was mocking her history homework. As the second bell rang, warning her of her one minute time slot, she pressed the paper against her chest and scurried down the hallway, walking through the door just as the last bell rang.

                “Glad you could make it, Miss Foster,” Mr. Donner greeted monotonously, looking over at her from his desk. She gave a slight, nervous nod of her head before making her way to her adopted seat in the back corner, trying to ignore the crude snickers and mocking whispers that followed her down the row. She slid smoothly into the seat, pulling out her History binder from the pile of no-longer-organized notebooks and papers, also finding her persecuted History homework.

                “Now, if you all will place last night’s study packets on your desk, I’ll be around to check them,” Mr. Donner announced as he picked up his clipboard and clicked his pen loudly, starting towards the first row of students. Gwen still clutched her homework in her hand, looking down at it with darkened eyes. What will Mr. Donner say this time? Will he send her to the principal’s office like he threatened? Give her another detention? Gwen was too busy fretting the possibilities to notice the teacher standing beside her.

                “Miss Foster,” Mr. Donner snapped Gwen from her thoughts, making her skittishly jump. “Your homework please,” he said, looking down at her expectantly. Hesitating, she slowly placed the packet on the desk in front of her, her hands visibly shaking. Mr. Donner released a disappointed sigh that made Gwen flinch.

                “I’m going to have to write you up again, Gwen,” Mr. Donner sighed dolefully. “This is the third time this week you’ve come in with destroyed assignments. Not to mention the countless times over the course of the month.” Gwen nodded, looking down at her folded hands that rested in her lap. She heard whispers being passed around the room, but the words were drowned out by Mr. Donner’s scolding tongue. However, she was positive she heard Freak-ster being tossed about.

                “I’m very disappointed, Miss Foster,” the superior finished, continuing to move down the aisle. Gwen ran a nervous hand through her hair before she rested her elbows on the desk and held her face in her palms. If it weren’t for those few people, Gwen would have straight As. Unfortunately, she has to bring home to her parents a report card lined with grades ranging anywhere from high Cs and low As. Maintaining an –A was already hard enough with her ADHD, but the fact that a few specific people were deliberately damaging her homework didn’t make the matters any better. 

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