Chapter 1: Rumors

"Have you heard the rumors?" Ron whispered, his face darkening as his eyebrows furrowed.

I shook my head. "No," I replied directly.

Suddenly, Ren appeared behind Ron.

"How could she know, you idiot!" Ren exclaimed, gently hitting Ron on the head.

Ren and Ron are the famous twins at our school. Ren is an artist whose simplicity and beauty make the boys swoon. Her art is as stunning as her face. Ron, on the other hand, is the heartthrob of the campus. He is part of both the basketball and soccer teams. He's not only popular among the girls but also highly regarded by the boys.

Some boys even question their sexual orientation when they see him. As to the fans of these two, they often turn green with envy because of how close I am to them. They always ask me the same question, but I ignore them all.

"So, what's the rumor?" I asked, interjecting in the middle of their heated argument. Both of them paused, momentarily ceasing their quarrel and straightening themselves up.

Ron took a seat directly in front of me, while Ren stood behind him. "There's a rumor about a street near the alley on 22nd Street. Every girl who ventures there disappears one by one. The most intriguing part is that when the parents report it to the police, they claim to have no leads about their missing daughters," Ron explained, pausing abruptly as the professor entered the room.

"I'll tell you later," he said, and they both settled down beside each other. My seat mate occupied the spot next to me.

"Okay, turn your books to page 139," the teacher instructed promptly. I swiftly retrieved my book from my backpack. Sneaking a glance at my seat mate, I noticed him gazing intently at the teacher.

It was then that I noticed the pronounced bags under his eyes. However, I decided not to dwell on it and instead focused on the subject at hand, which happened to be physics.

As the bell rang, I instinctively flinched when someone tapped my right shoulder. Swiveling my head to identify the person, I was taken aback to find my seat mate standing before me.

"Have you seen my sister?" he weakly whispered, his demeanor noticeably different. It was the first time he initiated a conversation with me. "No," I replied plainly.

"I think you should go to the clinic. You don't seem well," I advised, expressing genuine concern. My usual apathy rarely extended beyond my grades, my grandmother, and my two cousins.

"Nah, I need to find my sister. It's been two days since I last saw her," he responded determinedly before promptly leaving. I stared after him, perplexed. Moments later, someone tapped my shoulder once again.

"Kel, Ren said she wants to go to that eerie street. She's incredibly curious about it. Can you stop her? I'm worried something might happen," his friend explained, his voice filled with concern and gloominess.

"I'll try," I simply responded before departing in search of Ren. I asked our classmates about her whereabouts, but it appeared that she had already left the school.

Letting out a sigh, I neatly arranged my belongings and placed them neatly into my backpack, leaving only my book and pen.

A gust of strong wind made its presence known, causing the open window to sway. I contemplated closing it, but my ballpoint pen rolled to my right side. Reacting quickly, I reached out to retrieve it.

However, my eyes widened and my body trembled with fear as I noticed a mysterious shadow perched near the window.

Swallowing hard, afraid to turn around, I summoned my courage and faced the enigma before me. A boy, donning a peculiar mask and tattered clothing, sat idly on the windowsill. I instinctively recoiled.

"Your cousin is in trouble," he stated, shrouded by the curtain. When the forceful wind ceased blowing, the curtain fell back into place. However, the boy had vanished.

Without hesitation, I left my belongings in the room and sprinted as fast as I could to find Ron.

I inquired with his teammates and friends, but none of them had any information. Biting my lower lip nervously, I dashed towards the street where the rumors were said to originate.

I ran and ran, pushing my limits. Just as I was about to reach the destination, someone leaped in front of me, causing me to halt abruptly. "What the...?" I exclaimed.

"Ron?"

"Kel, you won't believe what happened. Ren was taken by an old lady! I tried to save her, but the old lady vanished into thin air. What should I do?" Ron panicked, falling to his knees.

"Don't panic," I assured him, attempting to convey a sense of calm.

"Don't panic? Yeah! I haven't told you the whole rumor. When the police claimed to have no leads, her mother shockingly said, 'I had a daughter?' As if her daughter never existed! I refuse to forget my twin," he shouted, tears streaming down his face as he cried like a baby.

"I—I understand, and I don't want to forget you two either, especially Grandma. You're my only family, the best cousins I have," I said, my voice filled with sincerity.

"Kel!" he cried out, pulling me into a tight embrace.

"You're right, we should focus on helping her instead of crying," I suggested, feeling a surge of determination pulsating within me. Ron held onto my shoulder tightly, his eyes widening with anticipation and surprise.

"Yeah! Let's go!" he exclaimed, taking a firm grip of my hand and leading me forward. We hurried towards the notorious street, our steps quickening with each passing second.

Minutes later, we reached our destination, only to find ourselves standing in what seemed like a desolate, ghostly landscape. There was not a soul in sight, only the two of us, filled with a sense of foreboding.

"Kel, I have a strange feeling about this," he whispered, his grip tightening as we exchanged worried glances. A mysterious mist swirled around us, enveloping us in its dark embrace.

I blinked, and as my eyes reopened, my heart skipped a beat - Ron was no longer by my side. Panic surged through my veins, "Ron!?" I frantically called out his name, only to be met with silence.

Suddenly, a haunting figure emerged from the shadows. Each step it took was accompanied by a chilling sound that echoed throughout the empty street. Fear coursed through my veins as the figure drew closer, its intentions shrouded in darkness.

"Such pretty eyes," a chilling voice murmured, sending shivers down my spine. Despite my fear, I mustered the courage to confront this enigmatic presence.

"Who are you?!" I shouted, trying to break free, but my feet were frozen in place. "You have the same pretty eyes as that girl," she said. It dawned on me that it must be Ren. "Where is Ren?!" I demanded.

The figure's eyes met mine, and in that moment, time seemed to stand still. It uttered only three words, each one delivering a jolt of disbelief straight to my core.

"I ate her."

My world came crashing down as the weight of those words sank in. Ren, my beloved cousin, had become a victim of this sinister force. Tears welled up in my eyes, streaming down my face uncontrollably. I stood frozen, helpless and overwhelmed by a mix of sorrow, anger, and disbelief.

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