Ashwock Academy ✓

C H A P T E R - T W E L V E

*takes deep breath* Oh god

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"I don't get it!" Marisa looked around, confused. "It's just an attic!"

"How many times have we assumed something and it ended up being more in this academy?" Fletcher asked. "Mr. Barla can't fool us that much. There is something else in here."

"Exactly," Jackson agreed, nodding his head. Jackson walked around the ground, and, seeing a loose floorboard, pounded extremely hard at the ground. Marisa gasped.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asked. "You're going to break the ceiling."

"Genius," Fletcher said under his breath. They kept kicking and once his shoe slid under one of the wooden boards, she understood.

"Dang, Jackson when you're not acting like a bad boy you're actually pretty smart." He rolled his eyes, and hit a few more, excited when one of them popped out with ease. He examined the board, noticing that it opened. He took off the top, revealing a rather large note. He cleared his throat, and read it aloud.

"I have been followed, and I have no choice but to protect my findings with all of my ability. But don't worry, I have taught you all that you need. On the back of this seat of paper is the incantation you said on the first day that you came to my school, and I have hidden the reverse spell in this attic as well. Once you find it, you must perform it on one of yourselves and then quickly undo it, making them completely immune to possessions from now on. Don't worry, it might just be right under your nose. But a word of caution, one thing done wrong and the magic will get to their head and they will be killed. I know you can do this."

"No, no, no!" Marisa cried. "I can't take it anymore! I know you're going to pick me, admit it! I know I'm going to risk my life because I caused all of this, because I've made a huge mistake and there is no way to fix it!" She was choking now. "I'll do it. What do I have to lose now."

"Marisa, you don't have to," Fletcher said. "I'll do it if you want. I don't blame you anymore, and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Me neither," Jackson agreed. "None of us are immune or even close, I don't think you should risk your life for us."

"It's alright," She lied. "I'm gonna end up dead anyways, and almost everybody is against me. I'd rather you live." She was obviously lying, but tried to look heroic. But instead, she felt like passing out. The boys looked at each other, and regrettingly nodded.

"Only if he find the clue, though," Fletcher stated. Marisa nodded, thanking him in a way, and they thought about where it could be. Jackson suggested the floor again, but Marisa insisted that it would be too obvious.

"The floor is under our nose," said Fletcher.

They didn't know where else to look, the only other place being the window, pictures and the old furniture. Jackson took the furniture, Fletcher and Marisa looking behind the pictures. And as Fletcher took off one of the pictures he shrieked, dropping it onto the ground. It wasn't the picture that frightened him, but more like what was behind it. Being the painting was a hole in the wall, and in that hole sat a skeleton, looking straight at him.

"Fletcher!" Marisa exclaimed, and they both ran toward the picture, gasping from what was in the wall. Jackson scrunched his nose up in disgust as he walked closer, despite the other's efforts to keep him away. He looked around at it with his hands, once touching it not as grossed out. He inspected it for a clue but didn't find anything.