Meanwhile, Aiden hopped into his car, speeding off to redezevous with Nicole. While embracing the cool air, he caught something in the rearview mirror. Janice was treading along the side walk, moving absent-mindedly. His gaze lingered around her suspiciously with the fear of the unknown. From his disturbed expression, he could sense the uneasy shift in the atmosphere. Coincidentally, it all gravitated around janice. His car drifted around the side, arm gripping the steering wheel tight. He brushed off the tense feeling, reaching over for the brown file, laying neatly on the dashboard. Aiden had chosen to dart off his instincts, a fatal mistake indeed. Deep across the street, the same pair of eyes watched everything, calculating the right moment to strike. The night passed by rather quickly and the sun ushered in a new day. Light rays danced across the school building, reflecting the glory of its name. Faded pastels bordered along the skyline crafting a wonderful masterpiece. The students of Netherlands Academy had gathered in the general hall awaiting the big announcement.
"What do you think she wants to tell us", Giselle asked with arms crossed, impatiently tapping her foot. She wasn't waiting in anticipation, rather she needed to take her leave for another work-shoot.
Irene raised a brow, "Isn't it my place to ask you that?
I mean you have been in here longer", Giselle sighed, then leaned into Irene's ear
"That doesn't mean I actually attend any of these.", She said with a sly smile
"By the way, you're the calculated one that practically knows everything.
"I'm pretty sure you know why the sky is blue. So this should be easy for you to predict"
Irene gave her a look of confusion mixed with utter disbelief. Irene was about to lay her down, when Principal Elrod finally graced the auditorium with her presence. She donned a timeless black pant-suit, her hair was tied back into a perfect bun. Her iconic blue heels, representing her academy, scraped through the surface of the floor. With every step, the chatter of the students faded away. Elegantly, she mounted the podium, gently dabbing the microphone. Her lips parted, as she was about to break through the haunting silence.
"Good morning to you all. Trust your night was wonderful. Without wasting more time, I'll delve into the reason for this assembly". Her words flowed seamlessly like a river with the confidence of a full moon blooming.
"I'm here to officially announce the first school organized event of the semester
This Friday, we will be having our Picnic Perfect!"
If everyone was hooked in before, the fishing rod reeled them in deeper. The calm before the storm lasted for a millisecond. The Assembly erupted in shouts and applause. A quick view at the teachers, showed they were excited as well, but remained professional. Irene remained calm diving herself back into the mission. Her eyes drifted through the crowd. Time seemed to stand still for her; no ruckus, no movement, just an enduring moment. The distinct mix of freshers, sophomores, juniors and seniors perfectly blended like the cool breeze on a winter night. A curve of elite teachers shadowed the principal forming the base of angel wings. Which one of them could it be?. There are many pawns, but only one holds the power. Soon the board would be swept from their feet, plunging them into an inevitable doom.
The sea is capable of unraveling waved and aggravating the storm all at once. What better chance to seize than the dusk of night.
"Picnic Perfect would commence Wednesday and come to a close on Friday. After which, the school would go on a brief closure for two weeks. And you would be greeted with the semester tests upon arrival.
"A welcome party, as you may call it", her smile widened
One more tap on the lectern microphone hinting at the close of the assembly
"Have a great day", Principal Elrod ended her announcement, the sound of her heels trailing behind her as she retreated slowly from the podium. Students convened with one another, friends discussing, mixed feelings being expressed. Chatters filled the air, as they continued to their classes
"You can wear the hair pin I have you", Giselle had a lightbulb moment, stopping midway in the halls. The walls of their different classes separated the duo. Irene just smiled, nodding in response. The hallway buzzed, every corner was filled with elated conversations about the picnic.
Giselle noticed they already had something new to talk about . Gossip really sheds its skin quickly.
"My modelling schedule is very hectic this week. I don't think I may attend Picnic Perfect", A weak sigh escaped her lips. Exasperated, she continued,
"Coupled with the midterms and studying, going to the picnic is literally me walking to my own furnished grave". She pinched the skin between her brows trying to brace herself from the pending stress. Irene patted her back, trying to comfort her.
"You"ll be fine"
"Enjoy yourself, it's a very wonderful event", Giselle smiled.
***
Now that everything is settled, you may begin the titration experiment", Mr. Olson announced. Irene could feel the unsettling atmosphere in the chemistry lab. Not one, but two chemistry specialists, had been possessed by the paranom. Two weeks had passed with no news about Mr. Ryan's recovery or Mr. Neil's survival.
Irene was paired with Bexley, Alex with Janice and Maya with Jason.
"Can you do this?", Bexley asked, eyeing her with pure scepticism. She had hoped the teacher would pair her with Jason or literally just anyone else. Irene let out a sigh, grabbing the clear solution
"Slowly add Sodium hydroxide with the unknown acid in the conical flask. Since the indicator is Phenolphthalein, the end point should be a faint pink color. Then we record final volume"
"But then what do I know?", Irene added, with a smirk on her face
Bexley was genuinely impressed. After the classes, she missed, she was still able to catch up.
"Carrot hair just try and keep up. Words don't prove anything".
"You'll open the tap and I'll swirl", They nodded their heads in approval. Bexley had just finished adjusting the set up ensuring everything was perfect. Googles strapped on, the pair got to work.
"Initial volume, 0.00cm³", Bexley scribbled on the recording sheet.
3....2...1... Open!
Irene's fingers wrapped around the tap, slowly releasing volumes of sodium hydroxide into the flask. Bexley swirled the flask looking closely for the color change.She gestured for Irene to increase the flow. After a few seconds, a flash of pink briefly appeared.
"We're close", Irene's pace slowed down to avoid getting a sharp pink
Bexley continued to swirl, her gaze fixed on the color change.
"Stop"
Instantly, she closed the tap, admiring the faint pink they had achieved.
"Final volume, 25cm³", Bexley recorded, just in time for Mr. Olson to examine their work. Beads of sweat streamed down their face as he inspected the beaker in hand. Breaths were held, like they were in a popular cooking TV show. After what seemed like forever, Mr. Olson finally spoke up,
"Titration is very tricky, and a few specialists still struggle with this"
"But, you girls did a very good job. The color is standard, the readings are accurate and most importantly your teamwork is beaming", Mr. Olson commended, with a proud smile. Underneath was an expression that neither of them could read. They were not certain whether he somehow knew everything about them.
Bexley and Irene shared a look of awkward confusion but decided to go with the flow. Deep down, they had no regrets about the lab pairing
"You aren't so bad after all", Bexley said, as Mr. Olson headed to another pair.
"And you aren't the worst person to work with", Irene clapped back, earning a forced smile from Bexley.
Alex and Janice worked together in the far corner of the lab. As Alex gradually let the base flow, Janice swirled the flask, but her mind wandered elsewhere. Her gaze was fixed on the flask, eyes following every shift. She felt trapped in an endless daze, as a single memory replayed over like a broken record. Her face screamed one of distress. Briefly, her eyes darted to her bright screen on the table. It had slipped her mind to put it away before the experiment. One text took the breath away from her lungs, filling her with dread
"Jany, I'm home"
A bright pink color flashed before her eyes, but Janice saw her nightmare come alive.
"AAHH!"
Janice's screech cut through the calm air. The flask crashed to the ground, its pieces spreading quickly throughout the lab's floor. Everyone snapped their heads to their corner, eyes landing on the petrified Janice.