Serial Surprise

"This is what you wanted, Susan! Are you happy now?", Scarlet said.

Susan's laughter was light and tinkling. "Absolutely, darling. It's entirely your choice. But wouldn't it be fun?"

"We need to go, now! If we don't pick up the pace, we'll lose her!"

"She's hampered by her lack of clothing. We should be able to catch up."

***

Melissa's lungs burned with each pounding step, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. A sliver of fear gnawed at her, laced with a surprising jolt of exhilaration. This escape, this reckless plunge into the unknown, ignited a spark within her. The Melissa staring back from the reflection in a passing store window was a stranger, a girl who craved adventure.

But the thrill was quickly overshadowed by a looming problem: Scarlet. How would she ever face her friend after this? The weight of betrayal settled in her stomach, a bitter counterpoint to the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

Suddenly, the question of clothes, the very reason for her **** dash, struck her. Where on earth could she find something to replace what she'd discarded? Lost in thought, Melissa nearly tripped as she reached the second floor, the sudden yelp escaping her lips a dead giveaway.

"I'm not sure if leaving was the best idea. Maybe we should reconsider...?" the girl trailed off, unsure.

"Come on, is that all you've got? We need some new ideas, and fast!", a boy said.

“A girl in her birthday suit at school—why not engage with her more?” She chuckled.

She strained to decipher the hushed conversation drifting from around the corner. Relief washed over her as the familiar tones of Bradd and Teresa solidified. But the relief was short-lived, replaced by a jolt of terror. They were definitely coming back, and for her. Panic surged through her, a cold sweat prickling her skin. With a **** glance down the hallway, she spotted a narrow alcove tucked into the corner, leading towards the staircase that spiraled up to the third floor. It was a risky move, a gamble on shadows and silence. Classrooms lined both sides of the corridor, their windows like watchful eyes. Every passing second felt amplified, the distant murmur of voices growing closer. One wrong move, one creak of floorboard, and she'd be exposed.

"She's not here anymore. Maybe she went downstairs?"

"There's a donation room on the first floor, filled with clothes people no longer need. Maybe she's down there looking for something specific?"

The hushed murmur of voices echoed down the stairwell, sending a tremor through Melissa. Straining to identify the speakers, her heart lurched. It was Scarlet, her new friend, accompanied by another girl's voice. Panic welled up, a **** urge to warn Scarlet before it was too late. But fate, or perhaps morbid curiosity, had other plans. Just then, two figures materialized from the floor below, their ascent halted by the unexpected encounter. Trapped in a human traffic jam, four pairs of eyes met on the third floor – Melissa pressed against the wall, Scarlet and her companion frozen in mid-descent, the other two bewildered by the sudden tableau. The tense silence stretched, thick with unspoken questions and a simmering undercurrent of unease.

Bradd's eyes bulged. "What the...? Another one? There's another girl here, and she's...wearing nothing", A sardonic chuckle escaped Bradd's lips.