It was a cold, rainy night at 9 p.m., and an unidentified figure covered in blood and wearing black was walking around the streets. With a knife in hand, everyone was sound asleep in the orphanage. Paige was the only 13-year-old girl who was obsessed with murder mysteries. After all, you never know how lucky you are until something bad happens.
She was an introverted 13-year-old who was well‑behaved and an orphan. Layla, her best friend, was also the same age. Both had phones, but hid them under their pillows or mattresses every night because they weren’t allowed. Paige had Snapchat, a social media app that lets you make online friends. She friend‑requested a random guy and they started talking. She found him fun because he liked murder mysteries too. But Layla was always against friending strangers online and warned Paige all the time.
Thursday, December 5th, 2024
Paige talked to him every day after school. She learned his name was Evan and that he lived in North Carolina. Paige started telling him some private things about herself, and Layla got worried. Then Evan started asking where she lived. Without thinking, Paige said, “Virginia.” She should’ve known that was the first red flag.
“Why do you trust strangers online? He even asked you where you lived and if you lived alone,” Layla said.“I don’t get why you’re overreacting, Layla. He’s just a kid like me,” Paige said.Layla wasn’t convinced. “He’s not just a kid. People lie online. You don’t know anything about him.”After Layla walked away, Paige thought for a minute. “Was I trusting him too much? What if he really is a creep?” But then she told herself she was overthinking.
The next day, Layla avoided her. Paige sat alone during lunch with nothing to do. Anger built up inside her. Jealousy grew. Later, she told Evan about it, thinking he would help her, but his replies sounded more controlling.“You should show her you can live your own life and that you’re not five years old anymore…” “But she’s my best friend. I would never hurt her. We’ll probably get over it.”But they didn’t, and things only got worse between them.
After school, Paige sat in the orphanage watching TV with the other kids. Then a news report came on. A murder had happened. The victim was a 13‑year‑old girl named Layla Woods.“Is this Layla from the orphanage?" the other kids gasped. Paige’s whole body tensed. Layla hadn’t come back from 6th period yet. Her vision went black and she passed out.
When she woke up, she was in the hospital with the warden next to her. She wanted to get up and solve the mystery, but the doctors told her to rest. When they weren’t looking, she slipped out and went to the crime scene. There it was, Layla’s body. Detectives said the killer wore gloves, so there were no fingerprints.
Paige turned to Evan to calm herself down. She told him about it.“Paige, you’ll be fine. It’s not like you needed her anyway. Plus, he did you a favor by ending all that drama.” “He? Wait, how do you know it was a boy?” “Oh, uh… I just assumed.”Paige felt something was off, but she went to bed. She couldn’t stop thinking about his response.
The next morning, Paige sat alone in the common room with her head buried in a book. The other kids were playing cards or watching TV. Paige couldn’t focus. Her mind was racing.
At school, she wondered, “What if the killer went to the school and killed Layla because they didn’t like her?” Layla was popular. People either loved her or hated her. Another thought hit her: “What if it was Evan?” But she pushed it away.
That night, the orphanage felt too quiet. The air felt heavy, and Paige suddenly felt like someone was watching her. She looked at the window. Rain pounded against the glass. Then she saw it, the figure again. The same one covered in black. She blinked, and it was gone.
Her phone buzzed. “You should go check the window. He’s watching you.” Her stomach dropped. It was from Evan. But she had told him nothing about the window. Nothing about feeling watched. She hadn't said anything. How did he know?
Later that night, Paige couldn’t sleep. She kept thinking about Evan and how he always seemed to know more than he should. She scrolled through their old messages, looking for clues. Then a notification popped up. Evan had sent a Snap. It was dark, blurry. But in the background, Paige could see a shadowy figure standing outside the orphanage window. The same figure she had seen earlier.
A message came right after: “You’re next.” Paige tried to pretend it was just a dream, but she knew it wasn’t. The next day, she walked into the cafeteria, tired from not sleeping. Something felt wrong. The room was quiet. Kids whispered in groups. Layla was gone, and Paige felt completely alone.
She couldn’t stay in the orphanage. She needed to know what happened to Layla, and she needed to know if Evan was involved. Maybe he was mad she didn’t take his side.
One afternoon, while the kids watched a movie, Paige snuck into the warden’s office. She looked through the papers on his desk, searching for anything strange. Then she saw a file with Layla’s name. Her heart dropped.Most of it was normal school stuff, but one page stood out. A complaint saying Layla had been fighting with other kids and throwing hands.
It was written by the warden who absolutely hated Layla, Mr. Evan. “Evan?” Paige whispered. “That name sounds familiar…” When she realized it was the same Evan from Snapchat, her blood boiled.
She hid in the closet when she heard footsteps. She texted him “Wyd? 🤔😄”A notification sounded from his phone. Her heart almost exploded. He texted back: “Nothing, just reading a book.” After he left, Paige rushed out and checked her phone. A message appeared: “Where are you, Paige? I think I know what you’re looking for…” A shiver ran through her body. “How does he know?” she whispered. She texted back: “What do you mean?” His reply came fast: “I’m always watching. You won’t find anything. Not there.”
Paige ran back to her room, shaking. She cried so hard the other girls thought she was still upset over Layla. Later, she heard the warden’s voice. “Paige?” She froze and hid her phone. “Who is it?” she asked. “It’s Mr. Evan. Just checking on you.” Why at this hour? “I’m fine… just tired,” she said. “Well,” he said, “don’t snoop through people’s things. Bad things happen when you do.” Her blood ran cold.
The next morning, Paige went back to his office. She had to know more. She opened the door and thought he wasn’t there. She started looking through files again. Suddenly the chair spun. “Well, well, well,” the warden said. “Look who’s here.” Paige froze. He stared at her with a calm but scary look. “I was just… um… wanting to talk to you,” she lied. “Oh really? About Layla? Would you like to speak to the counselor.” Paige panicked. “Oh, maybe later.”
He grabbed her arm and whispered something she couldn’t understand. But she clearly heard: “You’re next.” Paige ran out of the room shaking. His voice, his words, wouldn’t stop replaying in her head. Evan hadn't noticed but she had taken his file with her. All the files that belong to the warden contain their backgrounds and more personal information. She was going to find the truth.
After researching all the files and the web, she found some private information about Evan. Or should I say Nathan. The file stated:
Name: Nathan Willington
Age: 42
Background: Catfishing, Stealing, and Murder
Paige couldn't believe what she had just seen. This guy was 42, catfishing girls less than half his age. He was included in many dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble. He's gotten a bail from a girl named Kyla Woods twice. Researchers say they were dating and she didn't know of his master plans. When she found out she called a divorce, and she took her daughter with her. Kyla Woods sounds familiar doesn't it? " Kyla is the name of Layla's mom who died because of a murder. Which is probably why, Layla is an orphan." she thought.
Layla had said that her mom found her boyfriend on a dating app. She also said her mother told her to stay away from dating apps. Which is why, she was so paranoid. "My mom always got catfished and look where she ended, Paige." she kept playing that thought all over again and again. If she had listened wouldn't have been in this mess.
Footsteps approached, and with all her might, Paige ran off. The footsteps kept getting faster.
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