"Ella" - (Mystery)

Hi, I'm Jelly, I'm the one narrating this story. This is something and a story I've experienced. During that time, back in 1973, something terrifying keeps occuring everytime whenever the sun rises very early in the morning. And I'm about to break it down to you.

It's something that became life's routine. Everytime we gather by the withering oak tree, there we witness a hanging body, a severed corpse to be exact. "Another girl" says by the local cops. Everyone keeps murmuring, and the family of the victim were all grieving in loss, in pity. "Poor girl" says by mom, sad. Later night, I was on my way outside to do my usual chores. "Be careful out there, Jel" mom says worryingly. I responded with usual "I will, mom" before heading out.

Next morning, another girl was hung by. Then there it is again, the whole scene. But to seemingly wonder, the murders seem to have a pattern. The girls were all from my school where me and my deceased friend used to study to. Time passed and it was night, and so there I am again, to do my usual chores out of our home. "Be careful, I don't want you to be next" says mom, anxiously. Then there's my usual response, "I will, mom".

Next morning, another girl was hung by the same withering tree. It was Jenna, the bully from my school. There the scene happens once again, grieving, murmuring, worrying. My mom grew even more anxious for me. Now all of the bullies from my school were hanged dead and severed.

Now they finally experienced what it felt to be hanged by the same withering tree that my friend died on, hanged up. If only they weren't bullies, none of these would have happened. Now, I've finally avenged my friend, Ella…

[Backstory]

(2 Years Ago)

"Jel, don't move!" Ella says with a frown, while applying makeup on Jelly's face.

"Ell, lemme just scratch…" Jelly says with a quiet tone.

"No!"

Ella quickly gets ahold of Jelly's reaching hand, then slowly, Ella's fingers intertwined with her's, while Ella's other hand applies the eyeliner.

Jelly doesn't move anymore, but focuses on Ella's concentrating face which is currently trying to emphasize Jelly's charm.

"There!" Ella exclaims happily with arms raised as to cheer for her friend's success in retouching.

"Isn't this too much? Like it's a bit itchy…" Jelly tries not to scratch her face despite the feeling of her skin being irritated and itchy.

"No, no, it's perfect, I might just go gay!"

Ella says with a hint of playfulness while gazing at Jelly as if she was being tempted.

"Woah, Ell, chill"

Jelly says innocently, playing along with Ella's statement.

Suddenly, a bang in the door was heard. The bullies entered the classroom. It was Jenna with her two bully friends which they were about to cause another scene.

"Well, well, well… What does bitchy Jelly and pick-me Ella do??"

Jenna exclaims with a proud smug on her face, shoulders up and having an eyebrow raised, looking at them with pure malice.

"What do you want?" says Jelly, no longer having a face plastered to her face, replaced with a frown and a fist clenched under the table as she was seated.

Whilst out of reflex, Ella hides behind Jelly, then holds her shoulders gently. She seemed like a child hiding behind her parent.

Out of blue, Jenna threw an eraser at Jelly which hit her hair.

Ella then tries to clear her friend's hair quickly and not wanting Jelly to get into a fight with the bullies.

"There! Goes with your style, Bitch-themed"

Jenna exclaims and snickers along with the other two bullies. She had a proud face which says "What a joke" along with her hand half-covering her mouth.

When the teacher suddenly enters the classroom, Jenna acted like the victim which her two friends went along her scheme.

As a result, the teacher got mad at Jelly again.

"This is the third time this week, Jelly!" says the teacher with a ruler on her hand.

"Arms. Lay. Now." she exclaims, ordering Jelly to lay her hands as she's going to hit it with the ruler made out of wood.

After Jelly was "disciplined", the class was dismissed because the teacher said that the lesson for that day was finished. But the teacher made Jelly stay for detention.

An hour later, Jelly was only able to leave after writing "I will behave from now on" a hundred times on the blackboard.

When Jelly came out, Ella was there, sitting and was waiting for Jelly. She was sad before noticing Jelly then quickly changing her face to a smiling one.

"Jel!"

She exclaims happily with a tender hug before pulling away.

"You weren't beat up again, were you?" Ella says worryingly. Her face saddens a bit like a puppy whimpering.

"As if" says Jelly, reassuring Ella with a smirk while her thumb pointed at her.

Ella then brightens again. "That's my Jel" she claims happily.

Back then…

 When Ella and Jelly were just new to the school, Jelly was an ill-tempered girl, while Ella was a very nervous and shy girl.

Ella had a bob hairstyle which had a color of bright pink. Her wide pinkish eyes were charming. She was about 5'2 in height.

On the other hand, Jelly had a long messy black-hair, seemingly brushed halfway. Her siren eyes were black, and her lashes were long. Her face always having a frown. She was seemingly as tall as Ella.

Their friendship was born during that lunchtime, when Jelly forgot her lunchbox, Ella wanted to share her lunch with Jelly which was wholesome as Ella was shy and nervous. She seemed to be worrying and trembling that Jelly might lash out at her or reject her.

But despite the sight, Jelly accepted. They ate together and became friends with a flash.

After weeks of hanging out, eating and sleeping together, their friendship blossomed. Jelly became more open and softened at Ella, while Ella became a joyful and kinder person.

That's when Jenna noticed this little friendship and started to tarnish such a beautiful dynamic duo. She would always threaten this friendship everytime she spots them. This worsened when Jelly started standing up for the two of them, whilst Jenna, being the popular girl, had her on terrible ways of manipulating strings around.

Present…

After Jelly and Ella had hang out for an hour, they went separate ways home. They were both living decently, just enough to eat and afford things they need.

One morning, Jelly's father had a heated argument with her mother. They were fighting over between money and some other things.

The fight resulted with a divorce. Jelly's father forcibly took Jelly with him in which Jelly desperately tried every way to resist and even defy her father.

Jelly was not worrying about her mother, but none other than her friend whom she'd leave behind, all alone.

She knows Ella has an abusive father who always beats her up and treats her horribly.

Jelly was crying anxiously. She was so desperate to go back, but her father got ahold of her.

A week later, Jelly's father got into a car accident which resulted in his death.

Jelly was then able to go back to her mother's place.

After arriving, she quickly goes to the playground where Ella and her usually hangs out, as Ella's father would always be drinking at their house and that Ella would only go home when he's asleep to avoid conflict.

Upon arriving there, she doesn't spot Ella. Worryingly, she goes to find her everywhere. Jelly then goes to the street food vendor where they would also hang out and eat near their school.

She hurried to the old vendor which was a good and blunt fella that they share stories to.

Jelly catches her breath upon arrival.

"Have you seen my frie—"

"She's gone"

The vendor cuts off Jelly, bluntly. But the sorrow was present in his face, while having a stern direction of eyes.

"What do you me—"

"She's dead"

Jelly stops breathing for a moment, falling to her knees while shock was visible to her expression. Her eyes were as if she was stabbed from behind, violently.

"What…" she mutters, not wanting to believe.

However, knowing that the old vendor wasn't a humorous person, her eyes started shedding tears.

"She hung herself by the oak tree. She had enough…"

The old vendor says sadly and serious.

"Where were you when she needed you??"

Says by the old vendor. He had a bit of anger inside him. But he didn't want to seem like he's blaming her.

Jelly then had trouble in breathing and started grasping for air. Her heart sank with tremendous pain swelling within her.

Days after confirming Ella's death through everyone at all places in their town, she was filled with ravaging hatred and resentment.

She planned and swore revenge which consumed her. She played her cards carefully, and swayed her fingers to tug the strings behind the stage.

Jelly spared Ella's father alive because she knows that Ella never hated her father, instead truly loved him despite everything he did to Ella.

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