It was 10:00 AM at Haul Academy's outdoor handball court, and the usual buzz of activity filled the air.
The sun was climbing higher, warming the concrete underfoot, and the students were eager to stretch their legs after a tense week.
Laughter and shouts echoed across the court as players darted back and forth, the sound a sharp contrast to the dark events that had unfolded just hours earlier.
Rossie, Michael, Ethan, Becky, and Angela sat on the sidelines, nursing sore muscles from their recent trek into the forest and the heated PTA meeting that followed.
The air still felt thick with unease, and Rossie kept her fingers curled tightly around the satchel holding the moonflower - a strange, glowing bloom that pulsed faintly, as if alive with its own heartbeat.
Detective James Carter, Rossie's father, had returned to the woods with his team, chasing leads, but Rossie couldn't shake the feeling that the danger was closer than anyone realized.
The game was in full swing when Rossie's gaze landed on two boys - Jake and Sam.
Jake was lanky and quick, a junior who moved with a restless energy, while Sam, a senior, was stockier, his presence commanding even in casual play.
They paused mid-game to adjust their shirts, and that's when Rossie noticed something that made her stomach drop.
"Guys," she whispered urgently, nudging Michael. "Look - on their backs. Those symbols…"
Michael squinted, leaning in to see what Rossie was pointing at. Faint, twisting patterns were etched into Jake and Sam's skin, just visible beneath the sweat and fabric. The symbols glowed subtly in the sunlight, blackened and charred like they'd been burned into flesh.
Rossie's mind flashed back to the altar in the forest - the same symbols her dad had shown her, the ones that seemed to pulse with dark energy.
"That's exactly what your dad found," Michael said, voice low and tense. "They're marked. But how? When?"
Rossie's heart pounded. "I don't know, but I have to find out. Maybe it's connected to the entity or the eclipse."
Ethan, sitting close by, nodded grimly. "I'm with you. I don't want that thing to get back at my uncle. If this is spreading, he could be next."
Becky clutched her Vine Codex tightly, flipping through its pages even as she listened.
"If those symbols are conduits, like the codex says, then whoever's marked might be part of some ritual network."
Angela, ever skeptical, rolled her eyes but stayed close. "Great. More mystery cult stuff. Just what we needed."
The game wound down, and Jake and Sam headed toward the locker rooms. Rossie stood up, determination settling in her bones.
"I'm going to follow them. Quietly."
Michael was already moving, ready to cover her. Ethan and Becky spread out to keep watch, and Angela, despite herself, stayed near.
Rossie kept her distance, slipping behind the boys as they veered off the main path near the old wing of the school.
Their pace quickened, nervous maybe, and Rossie's pulse raced to keep up. Around a corner, they disappeared into a storage shed, the door creaking shut behind them.
Rossie signaled the others to wait, then pressed her ear to the wood. Faint chanting drifted out, low and rhythmic, accompanied by the flicker of candlelight.
"They're performing some kind of ritual," Rossie breathed, the moonflower in her satchel pulsing brighter, as if warning her.
She cracked the door open just enough to peek inside. Jake and Sam knelt before a small altar, the symbols on their backs glowing with an eerie light.
Candles flickered around a crude drawing of the forest clearing—the very place where the artifact had been found.
A third figure, Mia, was there too, her eyes glazed and voice chanting softly, lost in trance.
Rossie's heart hammered in her chest.
"They're part of this. There might be more marked kids. We need to find out who else, and why."
Michael's jaw clenched. "Let's track them. Quietly. We can't let this spread."
Rossie ; One more thing...No one knows this yet....not even my father
Ethan and Becky began scanning the nearby halls.
The handball session's carefree energy had vanished, replaced by a heavy weight of dread. Rossie knew this was just the beginning of something much bigger—and darker.
••••••••••••••••••
Scene: The Dance Choreography Rehearsal and Ethan's Discovery
The gymnasium at Haul Academy was alive with the sound of music at 8:45 AM the next morning, a stark contrast to the ominous discoveries earlier that day.
The dance troupe was rehearsing, their movements sharp and precise, a bright attempt to lift everyone's spirits after the recent turmoil. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting long beams across the polished floor where students spun and stepped in time.
Rossie, Michael, Becky, and Angela watched from the sidelines, their minds still tangled with the symbols Rossie had spotted on Jake and Sam.
Ethan, however, had slipped away to observe the rehearsal from a distance, his thoughts heavy with concern for his uncle Harl and the growing threat they were uncovering.
Lila, the senior leading the troupe, called out instructions, her voice bright and encouraging. The dancers moved with practiced grace, their costumes shimmering under the gym lights..
Ethan leaned against a wall, eyes scanning the group carefully.
Then, something caught his attention.
As two dancers twirled, the loose fabric of their shirts lifted briefly, revealing faint glowing symbols etched on their lower backs. The same occult marks he'd seen before.
Ethan's breath hitched. "Not again," he muttered.
The marked students were Tom, a wiry junior known for his agility, and Sarah, a quiet girl with a sharp edge to her movements.
For a moment, their steps faltered, as if the symbols pulsed with an invisible rhythm, tugging at them.
Ethan motioned Rossie over, keeping his voice low.
"Look—Tom and Sarah. Same symbols. This is spreading faster than we thought."
Rossie's eyes widened, the moonflower in her satchel glowing brighter as if reacting to the new threat.
"That's four now—Jake, Sam, Tom, and Sarah. We need to find out what's going on."
Michael joined them, his expression darkening.
"We follow them after rehearsal. See if they're meeting again."
Becky hurried over, flipping through the Vine Codex. "If these symbols are conduits, like the codex says, then this could be a network of rituals. The entity might be using them to amplify its power."
Angela, arms crossed, rolled her eyes but stayed close enough to listen.
"Great. So now we've got a cult inside the school."
As the rehearsal ended, Tom and Sarah lingered, adjusting their costumes. Ethan gave Rossie a quick nod.
"I'll tail them. If they're involved with the shed ritual, we need to know what's next."
He slipped into the crowd, following the pair as they headed toward the locker rooms.
Rossie, Michael, Becky, and Angela trailed at a careful distance, the cheerful energy of the dance rehearsal now replaced by a creeping sense of dread.
The occult trail was deeper than any of them had imagined, and the school was more entangled in it than anyone had guessed. Rossie's resolve hardened...this mystery wasn't going to solve itself.