Ch.1 - A New Friend

She arranged the last vase in the middle of the table and looked around smiling. "Finally, all done" she sighed and plopped on the couch. She loved this new place she moved in just today. "My own house, thank god mom and dad allowed and let me be free!" she jumped up and went to her room to take a shower and visit the neighbourhood to get familiar with others.

After a quick bath she wore a beautiful white cotton frock and let her hair open. She looked at the clock which showed 3:46 P.M. She locked the door and made her way to the neighbours. Feeling a little nervous she ringed the doorbell. She heard someone speak "coming!" from inside as she stood and waited.

She took a quick glance around herself to check out the neighbourhood. There was someone standing behind a tree in the middle of the houses who wore all black and looked strange and suspicious. She stared at the figure for a minute but looked away as it went out of her sight and behind the tree.

She looked a little more around and noticed a woman in her 40s smiling and waving at her from the house right in front of the one she was standing. She smiled and waved back when she heard the door clicked and opened revealing a pretty and young woman about same age as her. Her smile was the brightest and comeliest smile she'd have ever seen.

"Oh, I suppose you are the one who shifted here today. So glad to meet you. please come in!" She exclaimed and opened the door wide enough for her to enter. She smiled politely and said, "Thank you". She walked behind her inside as she admired the interior. "Please make yourself at home!" She said and leaded the way to the Living room and took a seat with her.

"oh, how silly of me, I even forgot to introduce myself. I'm Emma Wilson" She said and offered her hand for a handshake. "Oh, it's okay, I'm Michelle Rogers" she introduced herself as they shook hands. "Just make yourself comfy as I bring you something to eat" She said standing up. "Thanks a lot. You're really sweet!" Michelle genuinely smiled at her to which she received another warm smile in return.

They both talked and chatted for hours. They got along really well and became good friends. Emma forced Michelle to stay for dinner as well. They both never realised how time went by and the day ended. Michelle thanked Emma for the meal and left to go back to her house. She felt really happy to make a new friend right the day she shifted as she wasn't so good in talking to new people.

She went straight to bed as she felt a little tired. This might be the best day for her she would have spent in a while. She looked out of the window once again only to find that same person from before looking at her from in front of her house's main door. It kind of creeped her out so she quickly closed the curtains and went downstairs to just see if he is trying to break in or something. After checking thoroughly, she went up to her room to check if he was still there, but he was gone. She sighed and lied down but couldn't sleep as she was still unsure if he was really gone.

The next morning, she woke up with a smile and stretched before getting up and doing her morning routine. She went down to brew a cup of coffee for herself when she heard a few noises outside including sirens. She peeked out of the window when she saw a whole lot of people from neighbourhood gathering around Emma's house.

She didn't have a good feeling about it, so she went out to check. Upon reaching closer to the crowd She saw people crying whom she thought to be Emma's parents and younger sister. She asked someone from the crowd, "Um, sir, what happened? Why is there so much of chaos here?". "Oh, you see, the girl who used to live here, was found dead yesterday. Her parents discovered her body and reported straight away. Poor Emma" the man told her with a sorrowful look.

Michelle turned all pale as she couldn't believe any of this. She knew for sure it wasn't a suicide as she saw Emma yesterday and she was so full of life. She knew for sure it was a murder. She was in total disbelief and felt difficult to breathe. She walked a little away from the chaos to get some air. There was a stretcher coming out from the front door on which lied Emma's corpse. It was covered with a white cloth so she couldn't see her, but the blood stains were crystal clear.

Her eyes burned as tears dwelled up and she hit her back on the fence of her house. It was difficult for her to accept the fact that she got killed. She turned around and held the fence tight in her grasp in anger and sorrow. She closed her eyes tightly as tears rolled down. when she opened her eyes and wiped her tears, she noticed a piece of paper stuck inside one of the flowerpots.

She picked it out and opened it up to read it. The letter said, "I am the one who killed Emma. You don't know how bad you have become a part of this mess by meeting Emma yesterday. I will turn your life hell. And it starts from today itself. Let's see if you can defeat me. Game on." As she finished reading the letter her head started to spin. She was unable to process a single thing.

Just as she was trying to figure it all out, she heard a few people approach her. She turned around when she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Are you Ms. Rogers living here?" an officer asked her as he pointed towards her house. She was scared but she answered trying hard to speak, "Y-yes sir". "I am John Bryson, currently in charge of this case, we need you to come with us to the police station" he commanded her. "B-But why me sir? I-If you don't mind me asking" She asked hesitantly.

"We suspect you to be the one to murder Ms. Wilson yesterday on the basis of the information we received." He added and held her arm. "N-no sir please wait you are misunderstanding me. I didn't do it. Please just listen to me once!" She tried to free her arm and pleaded the officer to listen to her, but he only dragged her and pushed her to sit inside the car. All of the people there saw her being dragged away and whispered to each other, "So, she is the one who murdered her" "such an inhuman thing to do" "She murdered such a positive and kind girl" "may god rot her in hell". She was being taken away and getting false accusations for nothing. 'what wrong did I do? What mess have I gotten myself into? I guess I was better with my parents' she thought to herself and cried silently.

But she suddenly had a change of her mind as she thought of the letter which fell while she was getting dragged away, 'so, he is trying to frame me huh? Also, he challenged me, then I will defeat him and have justice for Emma. I won't lose to a heinous criminal like him. Game on."