CHAPTER ONE: THE HALLOWED HALLS OF HARKEN ACADEMY

Hallowed Academy, a prestigious boarding school nestled in the hearts of the countryside stood like a sentinel, it’s Gothic structures and turrets reaching towards the sky.

The imposing spires discharged an air of excellence and tradition, it’s stone front view bearing the scars and cracks of centuries past. The straggling campus broods a variegated diversity of well kept lawns, century old trees and involved paths which whispered secrets of legends and their generations.

Within the school’s hallowed halls, the mixture of society’s crop congregated, their entitled lives a far cry from the harsh realities that engulfed the outside world.

Harken Academy was a citadel of wealth and influence, where the next lineage of leaders, business tycoons and power brokers were groomed. In such a world where status and printed paper reigned supreme, two orphaned sisters who were more or less twins seemed like an irregularity. Their acceptance into the academy remained quiet a mystery, a testament to the girls’ hardwork, perseverance and remarkable talents. Their backstory however was deeply engulfed in the unknown, their parents’ tragic passing a whispered rumour among the majority of students.

As Bianca the timid one stepped into the grand entrance hall, an intimidating bag of murmurs fell over the crowd of students. She was greeted by a chorus of snickers as if her very presence stains the elite of the Harken Academy.

“Look at what the cat dragged in”, a voice scorned. “The charity case of Harken Academy.”

Bianca scanned the crowd, her eyes sinking alongside her heart, realizing that she was the ridicule.

“Welcome home orphan”, another student almost touched her. “I’m sure we have nannies to bathe you daily.”

Gina, the one who looked like a real life tiger stepped forward to save her twin.

“Leave her alone”, she warned, her tone brooding with malice.

The crowd gave way revealing a tall slender blonde who had a rather degrading smile.

“Oh don’t worry Miss Gina”, she quickly glanced on her name tag. “We are just welcoming your twin to our little family.”

“My…..My…..How identical”, she muttered.

Bianca’s eyes met hers and for a moment it was the contest of the fiercest stares.

“I’m Josie”, the blonde girl said. “And you twins are a bunch of nobodies.”

Just as her words sank like toxin, two of the school’s hottest boys stepped in to rescue what would have become “A Gina Situation.”

“Hey Josie! Leave them alone”, Kyle said, his smile calm and welcoming.

Taves, his second nodded in agreement. “Yeah we really don’t tolerate bullying especially in senior year.”

Josie’s smile cracked for a bit as she sized both of them. “Oh how sweet, the duo of the school’s Supermen coming to save their next victim.”

Kyle and Taves ignored her fixing their eyes on Bianca not Gina.

“Hey are you cool?”, Kyle asked offering her his hand.

Bianca nodded, a small smirk to show gratitude as she took his hand.

“We’ve got your back Bia. Would you mind if I called you Bia, it’s kind of my thing”, Taves helped her with the bags as the three walked away to the female dormitory.

The crowd began to disperse as Josie’s eyes narrowed down to Gina. She felt insulted at how her moment of success was snatched by Kyle and Taves.

“This isn’t over orphan baby”, she whispered into the ears of the fierce one.

“I was thinking the same thing”, Gina left as well making Josie almost panic.

Kyle and Taves became Bianca’s shield and for the first time since their arrival, she felt a sense of belonging. Maybe, just maybe she found allies in the treacherous Harken Academy.

But as time went on, Gina couldn’t help but notice the great deal of fine detail around the stone carvings. The symbols were more or less words written by ancient gods as they gave meaning to the torches around the library at night.

Three days into their sessions he kept her eyes ablaze at that place standing for minutes on end not until a book slipped from it’s shelf, creaking as it hits the floor. She looked around and noticed only a dizzy librarian.

“Who could have thrown this down here?”, she pondered as she glanced through it’s leather bound cover.

“Days of Arthur”,it reads but a small piece of paper fell right on her left polished shoe.

“A love note”, she smiled hoping she could learn some new boy tactics but the words written on it read something else.

“The eyes that see are not the ones that look.”

“What in the hell?”, she squeezed the paper bug her mind raced those words as questions fell on her like rain. What did it meant? Who was behind this mysterious message? Was it a warning of an impending doom ahead?

As she suddenly dropped the book on the desk, her eyes caught Kyle and Taves exchanging a dark glance hinting at a well known fact.

“Days of Arthur”, they both smiled at each other but Gina understood perfectly. It was almost like a certified gameplay.

“Oh Bianca”, she exhaled terribly.

Her twin was not fond of listening to her but then there was Josie at the entrance of the library in a much sinister grin.

“Move” Gina gnashed her teeth as Josie stared her down.

In order not to wake the librarian she moved away slowly locking eyes with her now nemesis. The air was thick with tension as heavy unspoken words transpired in their minds. Gina walked away with a premise to her sister but with the paper squeezed in her hands, the words were barely seen.

Something mysterious for you to read and share with friends – Detective Flaw

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