Chapter Eight: GAME ON

My mouth gaped wide open. I was shocked and terrified to realise my name was spelt. I could feel everyone eyes burning at me

"Nobody takes their hands off this board we could leave the door to the other side open" whatever Jason said sounded dangerous but I had to, I couldn't stand looking at the damn board that just said I would kill Caitlin. I quickly dragged my fingers off that planchette shuddering in fear

"What did you do Veronika" Jason quickly took his hands off the planchette and placed them on his temple "now you just left the door to the other side open. This is going to have grave consequences" but I didn't care, I just wanted to get out of here. I took the bottle of tequila and chugged down whatever remained in a fluid motion. Everywhere was quiet, they all stared at me like I was a nutcase

"OK, who moved the piece?" Dave stood up casting a interrogative gaze on everyone

"Don't you understand, Dave we just connected to the other side and now that connection is still open thanks to your ex"

"Veronika are you okay?" Riley asked with the look of concern all over her face. I stood up glaring at everyone face right before I stormed out of the room, I almost hit my shoulder on the door frame I guess the alcohol was starting to kick in.

Damon POV

We just made a connection with the other side? Hah! What a joke someone among us was definitely messing with the board but who would and what is the endgame?

"I'll go with her" I stood up glaring at their suspecting faces and rushed out into the cold night air.

Dave POV

"Serious guys who moved the fucking planchette" I asked

"Chill bro, it was Madison" Scott placed his hands on my shoulder trying to laugh off what happened like it was nothing

"Kara why did you ask such a question" I turned to Kara who drank from a can

"My bad, it just came out" Kara rolled her eyes looking into a dark corner of the room. Could this really be what the other side think or could someone have set this whole show up if so what would they stand to achieve.

Sophie POV

He still cares about her although he denies it when asked, I can feel his love slowly drifting away. I need to do something fast, something to drive him away from Veronika. I'm going to do what it takes I'm not going to loose Dave not to Veronika.

Gabe POV

Just perfect. Someone is out to ruin Veronika's life. I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as the afterlife, the other side or even ghosts who is summoned by playing a stupid board game. I chuckled staring at everyone as they tried to cover up what just happened with conversation. Someone here was pulling the strings tied to this puppet show, but the two questions at the center of this mystery is who and why Veronika. Now that is a cool Scooby-doo mystery.

Riley POV

Oh my gosh! I wonder how poor Veronika is feeling. But why would a ghost accuse Veronika of killing Caitlin. I just don't understand what's going on. My daze was overrode by Caitlin who without saying a word left. This definitely wasn't how I planned my first party in college to be like.

Damon POV

"Slow down nik nik" I ran towards her. She tripped on her steps she was evidently drunk. I trailed her, watching her from behind

"Why is it so cold tonight" she shouted at the cold night air as she ran her hands up and down her arm. I couldn't help myself I wrapped my jacket round her. She looked at me with surprised eyes, scrutinying me

"Hey! If it isn't my saviour" she smiled at me as she positioned the leather jacket around her "hey one question?"

"What?" I paused and looked at her

"Why are you being so nice to me?" yeah why was I all of a sudden becoming nice to her. This was something even I wanted to know. Was I falling in love with her? All I knew is that I'm at peace when I'm with her. We stood staring at each other while the gust of wind sent dried up maple leaves to the ground all around us

"I don't know Veronika" I answered with all honesty. Not really able to discern what I felt

"Well... Then maybe I know why" she giggled then sprinted off. I watched her gaining some distance away from me in a twist she fell to the ground. I raced to her yelling out

"Are you hurt" I helped her up but all I received was a snicker

"See what I'm saying" she giggled "ow! it hurts" she fell back. I knelt down to get a look at her ankle and it was evidently sprained

"Hey you should be more careful" I scolded at her but all I got from her was a funny laughter

"Can you walk" I let go of her leg, she held on to my hand and tried to gain balance but ended up stumbling back to the ground

"Ouch! That hurt" it was followed with a clumsy laugh which made me sigh. This situation left me with only one more thing to do

I faced my back against her "get on" I ordered. She gave out a high pitch laughter "saviour what do you think you are doing?" she questioned, I turned back knitting my brow at her "I'm giving you a piggyback, so come on." I faced ahead again. I have never given someone a piggyback ride or even got this close but why does everything change when it comes to her? Most importantly why do I change? I questioned my actions till I felt her atop me. I began to move.

She began to speak"Do you like stargazing" yeah once I did, when my mom and dad would camp out we used to stare at the stars while he told me some stories about what they represented

"No. I don't" I said coldly not wanting to divulge

"Well I do, when I was little my mom and dad always took me camping, he would tell me stories about what the stars represented. Well that was until---" she stopped. Why did she stop I was actually interested in learning more about her

"Until what Veronika?"

"It was until my mum died." I felt warm tears land upon my neck but I was more intrigued with the revelation I just found out "how?"

"She was killed during a stupid robbery and ever since then my dad and my entire family hates me and says I killed her" she sobbed. For some reason I felt hurt. Maybe it because we had that in common

"Do you think I'm a killer Damon?" I didn't actually perceive her to be someone capable of such a deed

"No Veronika I don't think you are and everyone who thinks that is a chuckle head" I comforted her in hope to stop her tears

"My mom is also dead" I couldn't hear her crying anymore "she jumped off a building right in front of me" I told her the tale only Caitlin knew well now both of them

"So sorry Damon" she stopped her crying

"And my dad and step family hates me. Gosh I haven't seen him or any of them in years" I blinked away the tears that welled in my eyes "but do you know the one person who stuck with me through it all? Caitlin. She is like the only one that could really understand me" I chuckled remembering the day me and Caitlin swore to be always there for each other in joy and in pain, but strangely I couldn't hear anything from Veronika

"Veronika are you there?" I didn't get any reply. I scoffed out to the air thinking how stupid I was to think she actually cared about my fucking life. I continued to trudge ahead

Finally I could see our dorm it was a few feet away. I opened it with my key and led us into the living room, luckily her room wasn't locked I lead her in and carefully placed her down on her mattress. In an instant I could have sworn I caught her eyes open looking at me with a wild flair but less than a split second it wasn't. I probably was seeing things. She couldn't be awake. I returned to my room, and laid with the thoughts of what occurred at the party. Were we indeed in contact with a supernatural entity like Jason claims or was someone just pulling the strings all the while? If someone was the million dollar question was what is the endgame?

Veronika POV

I sprung up to action as I heard loud bangs on my door. Immediately I was struck with a severe headache I placed my left hand up to keep my head steady from spinning but all that feeling drowned when I noticed my fingers withheld dirt. How did this happen? The loud assault on my wooden door persisted driving my senses wild. Why was all this happening?

"Veronika!" My door was pushed open by Damon who barged in. Something was different about him. His eyes looked like a wild fire, I feared if I stared into it so long I would be consumed by it burning flames so I looked away.

"How is there dirt on your face Veronika?" He touched his cheeks indicating to me where the dirt was. I swiftly rubbed at it "I don't know."

He moved back a little till his back rested against the door frame.

"Did you do it?" He stared at me his red eyes unmoving

"I have no idea what you mean Damon" for some reason I had a weird feeling just staring at his red eyes it made me sob a little on the inside

"I mean did you kill Caitlin?" My heart clenched. Oh my god! Was Caitlin dead? He had just said that Caitlin was dead.

"What! How?" My thoughts spiralled round through a million questions but I only managed to put one through

"Riley just spoke to me. They found her dead near a lake. So please tell me the truth did you kill her?"

"What are you thinking Damon, that I killed her?" He drew himself close to me, his heavy eyes didn't let go of the tears it has been holding back "I don't want to believe that Veronika but first the game and now I find you covered in dirt. I-I-I just don't know what to believe anymore she meant a lot to me" he finally sobbed. I instinctively brushed down his pitch black hair

"Look me in the eyes Veronika and tell me you didn't do it" he raised his head looking straight into my eyes "I promise you, I didn't kill Caitlin" I confessed staring back into his eyes

"Ok. The cops are coming if the police ask you what you were doing last night you say you and I were together all night in your room" he stood up and crossed his hands over his chest but I couldn't understand why he wanted me to lie to the authorities

"Why?" I dared to ask

"Jason told the cops that he thinks you killed Caitlin and all the crazy stuff about Madison and the game so it would help if you had an alibi" I understood this much. If I couldn't provide a alibi for my activities all through the night that could raise up suspicion for no good reason. After taking a quick bath I came to the kitchen to make some cereals I heard chattering from outside then the door was pushed open letting in the detective and his partner. Damon trailed them from behind

"Hello Miss McAllister, we would like to ask you some questions" he paused studying me "about Caitlin Reid"

"What about Caitlin?" I feigned oblivious about the dreadful predicament that had happened to her

"She is DEAD" I fell the ceramic bowl which I had filled with my breakfast just to make my surprise about the news believable replaying in my head the clear warning Damon had told me "you must make sure they believe you didn't know anything"

The detective watched me closely. Could he tell I was lying if he could he didn't let it show "I would like to ask you some questions alone" he looked at Amalia who at once took Damon back outside.

"Where you at the little dorm party yesterday?" He took out his sunglasses from his coat pocket and cleaned it glass with his right thumb

"Yes I was"

"what did you do after it ended?" He ran his thumb over and over his glasses not giving me his eyes

"I and Damon went straight home--"

"Weren't you drunk?" He interrupted casually not taking his eyes off the object he held in his hands

"Um yeah I was a little bit drunk, that's why Damon helped me home, then we both went to sleep in my room" he finally looked at me directly in the eyes, I could hear my heart beating loudly like it was about to explode right out my chest. I tried to get a hold of myself so detective Derrick wouldn't know I was lying through my teeth

"Oh so you are saying that you and Damon slept in the same room correct?" He raised an eyebrow looking at me skeptically

"Yeah" I blinked my eyes twice. Oh God I hope he doesn't know I blink my eyes when I tell a lie, because if he did our plan of creating an alibi for me would be burning in the oven.

After an intensely long time of staring at each other and my legs quaking as every second passed by he finally smirked looking very satisfied

"Thanks so much for your cooperation and time" he fixed the glasses he had been holding in his eyes the backed me, walking straight for the door leaving with Amalia.

"What did he ask?" Damon quickly asked as he got inside

"He just asked where I was after last night party" I crossed my hands over my chest in attempt to warm up myself

"Yeah she asked me the same thing, so what did you tell him?"

"Exactly as we rehearsed" I replied

"Great then our activities would allign, now all we need to do is find this killer before whoever it is kills anyone else" he spoke with anger

"Why don't we leave this to the cops" I asked right before I heard my phone beep inside on my Jean's pocket. I quickly fastened it out and saw it was a anonymous message I tapped on the notification and my heart sank as I saw the two words written in bold letters 'GAME ON'. why and who would send me such message? I placed my hands over my mouth as my entire body trembled resonating in pure fear. I knew whatever game was going on here was only just beginning.