• Chapter 1



    Brooke Tharp was sixteen years old. She was going into the eleventh grade. She had long, wavy, white-blonde hair and was tall and thin. She hated most sports, all except for cheerleading. She loved cheerleading. She was the team captain. She had a twin named Alyssa. Alyssa’s hair was shoulder length and it was blonde just like Brooke’s. Alyssa was tall and thin too. Even though the two looked alike they were very different. Alyssa loved all sports; all except for cheerleading. Even though she loved sports, she wasn’t on any sports teams. She just liked playing them.


    Brooke was outside on the trampoline practicing her stunts for cheerleading when she heard her mom call her in. Her mom gently set down the phone and said, “Do you remember how Aunt Hilda was supposed to be coming over for dinner tonight?” Brooke never really liked Aunt Hilda. She nodded. Her mom said, “Well, I’m afraid she won’t be able to make it.” Brooke was happy. She didn’t want to have Aunt Hilda over for dinner. Brooke acted concerned, “Why won’t she be coming?” Her mom replied, “Aunt Hilda is very sick.” Brooke, still trying to sound concerned said, “Oh, I hope she feels better.” Her mom gave her a small smile and said, “Me too.”

    Next, Alyssa was called in. Alyssa, out of breath, stumbled in. Brooke smiled at her sister. Alyssa said, “Yeah?” Her mom answered, “I know you were looking forward to Aunt Hilda’s visit, but I have some bad news.” Alyssa actually looked concerned. Alyssa liked Aunt Hilda much more than Brooke did. It had always been that way. Alyssa replied, “What’s wrong with her? Will she be okay? Can we visit her?” Her mom smiled and put one hand on Alyssa’s shoulder and one on Brooke’s. “She should be fine, don’t worry about her girls.” Alyssa jogged back outside and Brooke pulled away. She walked back out the door and mumbled, “I never said I was worried about her.”



    Chapter 2



    The ringing phone woke Brooke up. She glanced at her clock. 7:00. Wow, Brooke thought, nobody calls this early in the morning! The phone continued ringing. She remembered her friend Leah was supposed to call today. But not this early. She picked up the phone and pressed the ‘talk’ button. “Hello?” Brooke said in a sleepy, half-awake voice. The voice on the phone replied “Two days.” The voice was half whispering. Brooke was puzzled. “Who is this?” she asked. She heard a click. Then the dial tone.

    She decided it was just a prank call. At least she talked herself into believing that. She got out of bed even though it was Saturday and she could have slept in. She pulled off her pink tank top and green shorts and slipped on a pink and white polka dotted t-shirt and some short jean shorts. She trudged over to the mirror and looked at her frizzy blonde hair. Ugh. She brushed it roughly and pulled it into a side ponytail. She grabbed a pair of huge hoop earrings and slid them in. She turned around looking for her purse. She quickly stepped across her room and peered into the closet. There it was. She grabbed it and grabbed her blue cell phone out of it. She dialed Leah’s number. Ring Ring Ring. It rang a few more times and then a girl in a quiet voice answered, “Hello?”
    “Hi Leah, it’s Brooke”
    “Hey Brooke, what’s up?”
    “My phone just rang and someone said ‘Two days’ and then hung up, isn’t that weird?”
    “Who? Did you tell your parents?”
    “I don’t know who. My parents are still sleeping.”
    “Weird, can I call you back later? I have to go.”
    “Sure, I guess.”
    “Bye!”
    “Bye.”

    Brooke hung up and dropped her phone back into her purse. She turned around and saw the words
    ‘Two days’ written on her mirror in red marker. No, wait! The marker was dripping. Brooke felt sick. She realized that it wasn’t marker. It was blood



    Chapter 3



    Brooke sprinted out of her room and pounded on her sister’s door. Alyssa yelled “Hang on!” Brooke impatiently waited for her twin. Alyssa opened the door and gestured Brooke in. Brooke stomped in and plopped onto Alyssa’s bed. “Sure, make yourself at home. I was only sleeping.” Alyssa said sarcastically. Brooke ignored her and shuddered. Alyssa yawned and asked, “What do you need. You are not borrowing any of my CD’s!” Brooke frowned and said, “I don’t want CD’s!” “G-G-Go look in my room” she stuttered.
    “Why?”
    “There’s b-blood on my mirror”
    “Nice joke, now leave me alone.”
    “No! It’s not a joke, go look!”
    “Whatever. If you stop bothering me.”

    Alyssa padded through the hall and into Brooke’s room. Brooke followed closely behind. Alyssa looked at Brooke’s mirror and gave Brooke an annoyed look. “There is nothing there.” Brooke gasped and darted down the stairs. Had she imagined it? No. It was there. As real as anything. And now there was nothing she could do about it. Her twin thinks she is crazy. Her parents would too. She sat down on the couch. She screamed.




    Chapter 4



    She stared at the dead body. It was her friend’s body. Leah. The body was laying there in a puddle of blood. Her parents ran down the steps and froze in terror. Her dad’s mouth in an ‘O’ of terror. Her mom with no emotion at all. Brooke stood there crying. Leah’s eyes were wide open, gazing at the ceiling. Her limbs limp. Her throat cut. A vein sticking out. Blood flowing out. Pumping out. Almost like a fountain. Brooke felt dizzy.

    Alyssa trudged down the steps, not realizing what was going on. She asked, “What’s with the gathering? You guys all woke me up. Again. Could you try to be more-” She stopped. She covered her mouth with her hands. She bent down onto her knees, startled, scared. She gaped at the bloody, gory, body. She was acquaintances with Leah, not great friends, but friends. Used to be.

    Brooke screamed and ran up to her room. She collapsed onto her bed. The phone rang. Brooke decided not to pick it up. It continued ringing, and ringing, and ringing. She grabbed the phone and sobbed, “Hello?” The voice said, “Remember, two days Brooke, two days.” Brooke screamed, “Stop! What will happen in two days?” The voice whispered, “Bad things Brooke, deadly things.” Then the voice whispered something else. She couldn’t quite make it out but it sounded like, “Aunt Hilda.”