The smell of fresh rain and wet, decomposing leaves hung in the forest. It was a cool, autumn day. The sun didn't look like it would be making an appearance today, leaving a gloomy, misty fog to cover the school grounds. Students weren't technically allowed to wander off into the woods outside of the fence, but many did anyways. Olivia and Marceline were no different. Besides, this weather was perfect for collecting new worms!

"Here's another one, Marcy," Olivia held out a thick, squirming worm and plopped it into a paper cup they'd brought with them. Her black boots were absolutely covered in fresh mud, and her tight fitted black jeans were not much better. But it was okay; she was used to scrubbing earth off her clothes. "But yeah, they were trying to tell everyone she got in a car with some random guy. Can you see Lisa doing that? I sure can't."

The subject of their missing classmate, and the school's lazily crafted excuse, had come up. Olivia was sure it was just that: an excuse. She'd heard plenty of them since starting at Vinehurst. Suddenly, the quiet, reserved boy decides to get drunk and go swimming at the beach? Yeah, okay. The straight A student girl decides she wants to run away one night? Sure. But then...what was really going on here?

Olivia glanced back towards the school, the tallest tower still watching over them from beyond the trees. It was barely visible in the fog.

Marceline glanced up from the patch of mushrooms she was observing to see the worm her friend had caught, a little smirk appearing on her lips. It disappeared upon the subject of Lisa's vanishing. The two had known each other enough not to be acquaintances but not fully friends. "She was a little boy crazy, but she's not dumb enough to get into a stranger's car. Especially knowing the rules of the school." She said before straightening her posture and holding her head up high.

"Girls are not to fraternize with the boys in any of the dorms." She recited, putting on her best Mrs. Evenold impression which caused her to laugh afterwards.

Mason's eyes narrowed as he focused on the pen in his hand. *click , click , click*

"This is useless." He said, tossing the pen onto the pile of wrinkled papers scattered across his desk. His gaze traveled across the room to the open window facing the forest on the edge of the Vinehurst campus. "I hate this place. All day, every day, this is what I get. This crappy dorm room and this crappy view of that crappy forest. Takes a murder to make this place exciting."

He'd heard the whispers of the missing girl. Well, not really whispers... everyone seemed to talk about it almost casually. At least the student body, that is. "Heh" Mason chuckled, "Student body. Good one." He leaned over the desk pressing himself up to him feet, still smiling at his joke as he checked himself out in the mirror before heading out the door.