Discovery

The Mance's place, almost 07:00pm.

Elena, her siblings and her dog are in front of their lawn, appreciating the cool fresh evening air.

ELVIS: Elena, it's Tuesday, remember? Do you still intend on going to the school archives tonight?

ELENA: This whole thing is weird, I must say. I've been getting mysterious cards and having mysterious encounters with a mysterious girl. If you're in my shoes, you'd wanna understand clearly what's going on.

ERIC: I guess I'll take that as a yes.

ELVIS: I'm going with you.

ERIC: Me too.

Sheen barks, wagging its tail, signifying that it wants to come along too.

ELVIS: No way, everyone can't go, to avoid being suspected by the janitor. You know he stays in school till that time. Just I and Elena would go. Eric, you've been the one covering our asses whenever we screw up, do the same tonight, in case mom and dad start suspecting that we ain't home... just come up with an intelligent lie.

Sheen barks again in disagreement.

ELENA: Come on buddy, we can't take you along.

ELVIS: Does he even understand what we're saying?

ERIC: Of course, dogs are very smart and sensitive, you know. They reason like humans.

ELENA: Fact.

ERIC: Alright, you guys go, I'll stay home. Sheen would keep me company while I use the opportunity to figure out the message behind those paper cards, I'm betting it's an anagram.

An hour and a half later, Elena and Elvis are in front of the main entrance.

ELENA: How do we get in? It's locked.

ELVIS: Quiet. (whispering) I hear footsteps. That must be the janitor, he must be...

There's a sound of metals clinging. On hearing that and seeing the door open, he and Elena sneak away quickly, hiding themselves behind some flower hedges.

ELVIS: That's him. It seems he's leaving, probably done with his shift. (Still whispering, watching the janitor)

Elena taps on her phone screen to check the time, it displays 08:27pm.

ELENA: Now I see why Peggy asked us to be here at 08:30pm. But how did she know?

ELVIS: She's mysterious, remember? (Elena laughs) Or she could just have taken note of his schedule.

08:43pm, time seems to go by so fast.

UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS

ARE PROHIBITED

This is what the sign on the door of the school archives reads.

Elvis and Elena manage to break into the archives after much effort.

ELENA: Alright, Peggy! We're here now... (she pauses like she's expecting a response) Show yourself mysteriously, since that's what you know how to do best.

ELVIS: This archives contains students information and past records. She probably wants us to go through these and discover something.

ELENA: Let's start with the students data before going through the other records.

ELVIS: Good idea. You check that cabinet while I check this one.

An hour later, approximately...

ELVIS: Elena! I think I found something. It's a file containing a student's data. It reads...

Name: Peggy Roosevelt

Age: 16

Grade: Senior year

ID number: 126684CH

Session: 2012 - 2013

Year: 2012

ELVIS: There's a passport on this file, come over and take a look to confirm if it's the Peggy we're talking about or not.

Elena lets out a reaction immediately she glances at the file.

ELENA: It's her! This is Peggy! The mysterious girl.

ELVIS: She was a senior as at 2012? At sixteen years? That's young. She should be nineteen now, probably in college.

ELENA: So what does she want from me? Why doesn't she...

ELVIS: There's a torn old poster on the floor by the wall... no, not there, behind you, beside those boxes... yes, right there! It has a picture on it... seen it?

ELENA: Yeah, it's Peggy's picture. Let's see what it says.

She picks up the paper, blows off the dust covering it so as to make it more legible, she coughs in the process.

ELVIS: Sorry, use this instead. (Offering her his handkerchief)

She takes it from him and uses it to wipe off a layer of dust before reading.

MISSING GIRL

PEGGY ROOSEVELT

STUDENT OF CLEAVE HILLS

HIGHSCHOOL

ASHLAND, MICHIGAN

NOVEMBER 2012

PLEASE CONTACT THE

POLICE IF FOUND

ELENA: Peggy went missing two months into her senior year? This was three years ago. I don't get it, why's she sneaking around the school and sneaking up on me? Is she missing again or deliberately avoiding home?

ELVIS: I don't have the answers to any of that... And I think we've seen enough for tonight, let's go home, we've got school tomorrow.

11:07pm. It is a quiet night, only the hooting of owls and the sound of the wind can be heard... and distant video game sounds from their neighbor's place.

ERIC: What took you guys so long? (He asks his siblings who just sneaked in through his bedroom window) Relax, dad and mom are asleep)

Elvis lets off a sigh of relief. Elena tells Eric about their findings in the archive and she shows him the stuff they found.

ERIC: She went missing in 2012? Okay, this is getting creepy. I really don't wanna believe my suspicions.

ELVIS: What are you talking about?

ERIC: Since you guys left, I've been trying different words with those cards... but there are two words that struck me. (Pointing to the floor, in front of his closet, showing them the rearranged paper cards)

[A][V][E][N][G][E] [M][E]

ELENA: Avenge me?

ERIC: Peggy isn't missing... (he pauses, sharing a look with them) ...she's dead. She's been dead for three years. She was murdered.

ELENA: Wait a minute, I've been talking to a ghost? Oh my g—

Her eyes close slowly till she blacks out, falling and losing consciousness.