Angel had been feeling positive for the last few months. Since coming home from being on the run from -A, after Romeo helped her find out the identity of the bitch to keep her safe... she really had been feeling safer. More positive than she had since Alec had come to town and fucked her life upside down yet again. Angel had been traumatised by that man as a child and she was beyond angry now that he had ever been able to have power over her. He was nothing. He had always been a nothing and he’d died a nothing and Angel was glad he was gone - her only regret is that she hadn’t done it herself. Maybe she was jealous of -A for that in some way. They’d done what she clearly hadn’t been brave enough to do.
Angel had been getting her things ready for the past couple weeks. She had been making plans with Romeo to go back to Spain. Coming home had been nice, she liked that she didn’t have to stay out there on the run, but... Angel didn’t want this anymore. She didn’t have to look over her shoulder now, she could just live... with Romeo. Things might work out or they might not but either way Angel knew she wanted to do this. Walking back to her parents house, Angel was in fairly high spirits. She sent a couple texts to her sisters saying she loved them and would call them when she got to Spain in the next couple days. She was feeling happy, which was rare, and she was feeling positive, which was even rarer. For the first time, Angel wasn’t on the edge of anticipating some huge attack. Some plot or scheme or big bad thing. But maybe if she had stayed vigilant then what happened next, wouldn’t have happened.
It was getting darker as she made her way home, not paying as much attention to her surroundings as she would have in the more recent past. She knew that -A was aware that if anything happened to her, Romeo would shoot her identity everywhere he needed to without blinking. Because of this, Angel wasn’t anticipating an attack from anywhere else - and she should have. In the next few moments, she was knocked to the ground from behind, a nasty blow to the head. She could almost immediately feel blood but she was too stunned to even cry out. Angel twisted, trying to crawl away, but she was grabbed and pulled back. She turned onto her back, stared up at the red hooded figure staring down at her. “You.... you’re not....” -A. This wasn’t -A. She and Romeo knew who -A was now and this... was not her.
So what the hell was happening?
“I’m sorry, Angel. You’re just collateral damage. Getting rid of you is the only way I can get the proof outed.”
The proof? The proof that Romeo was holding onto for safe keeping? Angel felt sick as she tried to keep up and get free at the same time but the other person was stronger than she was and all she could feel was pain. Then she saw the flash of silver and shook her head. No... no, no, no, it could not end like this. “No...”
“It’s for the greater good....”
Then pain. Cold. Weakness. Blood pooling from the back of her head and the stab wound in her stomach onto the ground beneath her. Her eyes drifted closed. Angel Frazier... Elisa Dalton... after all this time, after coming out on top and beating her demons... was gone.
Charlie didn’t know why it happened. He hadn’t done anything. -A hadn’t contacted him again. Ruby would surely have said something if they’d gotten in touch with her, right? He figured she would. Still. It was a complete relief to open the front door and see her there. Sitting in the front garden on the grass and doing her best to grip it in her tiny fingers so she could pick it. Hope. Right there in front of him. Real. Then he was angry, as he moved to scoop her up. Not only because they’d left her out here with not one word, where she possibly could have been taken again, but because they’d stuck a massive red bow on the top of her head. Like she was a present. Yes, her safe return was a complete gift, but he knew it wasn’t meant nicely. It was juts another taunt. He took it off and promptly chucked it into the wheelie bin on his way past, letting the front door slam behind him before he turned to lock it.
A distant cry told him he’d woken one of the twins up but honestly, he wasn’t so worried about that. “Hi, little angel.... where’ve you been, hm?” He murmured, moving to sit down on the couch. “Ruby! C’mere! Now!” He was still tense but having her here, seemingly fine and well, had taken most of the strain off his shoulders. Though he hated that he’d probably never know where she’d been, what she’d been around, what could have happened. Who was -A? Jamie had been a monster. What was this person capable of? It was better not to think that way, looking up as Ruby finally came downstairs, baby in her arms. “We got her... she’s home.”
The bracelet Imogen had found by Annie’s grave all those years back still sat on her bedside table, draped over the edge of the framed photograph of her and all her friends a few months before Annie disappeared—died. She had to still tell herself to keep thinking of it as the night Annie died, was murdered, but it was hard to do that when it felt like she vanished that night and then was killed years later when her body was discovered. She’d still been so alive, so vivid and real, in Imogen’s memory so it was always difficult to connect those two as… the same. If that made sense, which it did to her so whatever. Now there were three people in that photo who she'd never see again. She reached over, looking up from the book she wasn’t able to concentrate on, and grabbed the bracelet from the table, turning it over in her hands. It was strange that someone would leave it lying there like they had. Imogen liked to see the best in everyone but she was pretty sure it could easily have been stolen. Right? Maybe. Or maybe it wouldn’t have been noticed. Who really visited Annie’s grave beside her and her friends, Annie’s family, and maybe a few others? She figured it was Chloe who put the bracelet there for some reason but she’d never really bothered to ask… maybe she should have left it where it was. She suddenly started to feel guilty as she thought about it, looked at the bracelet. If Chloe had put it there it would have been for a reason, it was a memorial. God. Yeah, she should have left it… she just didn’t have many things of Annie’s left. She’d just seen it and... hadn’t thought about taking it as she’d slipped it into her pocket after recognising it instantly. So long ago now she’d almost forgotten about that day altogether.
Her head was spinning a little too quickly for her to keep up. She kept seeing Sophie's body in the woods.. just lying there beside the river. Sophie used to be so full of life. She was the one Imogen always saw getting out of this town and making something big of herself. Not that she thought the others wouldn't be able to, it was just she'd always thought Sophie would be someone... now she’d never get the chance. Neither would Kelly. Imogen had always thought she’d be something of a fantastic investigative journalist. How many people really wanted them all dead? Imogen knew they had done terrible things when they’d been running with Annie... but was it worth all of this? Would it ever end? Something had changed in Imogen after seeing Sophie in the woods that night. Some part of her had closed off. She felt harsher. A bit numb, like she didn't really care, or that part of her could be capable of anything. Which she didn't understand because she was just Imogen. Naive, stupid little Immy. Immy who got scared all the time, who jumped at her own shadow, who hid in the house cowering from whatever -A was coming for her next.
Her thoughts turned back to the bracelet. Imogen wasn't sure about it but she needed a break anyway. Needed some air. Some time out of this house, away from packing. She sighed, slipping off the bed and sliding her feet into her boots. Brooklyn was at her mother’s. It was dark out, spooky looking almost but she put that down to the thoughts in her head. The ones of -A, of her friends, of Sasha, the Dollhouse, everything. It was hard not to think about them... and about the fact other people were being murdered. Innocent people. That it might all really be just because of her and her friends. Because of schoolgirl bullies... she hated that but she knew that’s what they had been. Maybe even worse. Even when they hadn’t participated in things... they’d stood by and let it happen.
By the time she got to the cemetery she was beginning to really think this was a bad idea. Imogen was still as easily spooked as she had been that first time she'd gone on an -A hunt in the woods with Kelly. Stop. Thinking. About. -A. It only freaked her out and it wasn't a feeling Imogen enjoyed having. She wanted to be nice and happy all the time, she wanted to be herself again, but it was getting a little harder to believe she’d ever find her way back. She peered through the darkness, certain there was a pair of eyes on her but she was being paranoid... or -A really was out and about. The thought caused a shiver to run down her spine and she unfolded her arms, dropping them loosely by her sides... in case she had to defend herself or something. Annie's bracelet was tucked safely away in her pocket. The darkness felt like it was crowding in on her by the time she got to Annie's grave. After finding out about Nina doing what she’d done to Annie’s headstone, Imogen had started coming back out here a little more often. She’d never stopped visiting her friends but it’s not like it was easy. She knew most people probably got cremated and their ashes scattered but not Annie... probably because it was better to keep her in one place instead of floating around everywhere, where people could keep an eye on her, even in death. Trouble is, she was still everywhere. Imogen could practically feel Annie standing next to her most of the time and every now and then she still had to stop herself from turning to the side to tell her something. She stood beside the grave, feeling a bit stupid and freaked out. All these dead people... not that she thought they were all going to dig themselves out of their graves and eat her or anything... at least not in the rational part of her mind.
She was standing there for a few minutes, the bracelet now in her hands, when she realised it was quiet... but the kind of quiet that was too quiet. That made you realise you weren't by yourself. Imogen turned around, trying to be sly as she glanced round, probably failing because let's face it, she wasn't very crafty. By the time she noticed the flash of red it was too late and she'd already been pushed out of the way. She was thrown to the side, crying out, and reached out for something to grab onto as she fell. The gravestone was the first thing she found, scraping her hands against the stone, and she almost sarcastically let out a thanks Annie, until she realised what had happened. Was that -A?! She was shaking as she looked around, thinking she saw movement in the distance but her eyes were playing tricks on her. There was nothing. "What?" She breathed, breathing shaky as she pulled her phone out of her pocket to call Eric or Ruby or her dad... anyone. She stopped dead when she saw the bright yellow sticky note now stuck to the gravestone. She cautiously moved towards it and read the note.
“I can find out who’s after you. If you want to take the bitch down it’ll cost you. I'll be in touch. - Red”
Imogen ripped the note off the stone and fled the cemetery, bracelet probably lying in the dirt at the foot of the grave but by this point she didn't care. She'd care later when she realised it was missing because deep down she'd wanted to keep it, to remember, but she had to get the hell away from there. She only started to process when she was safely shut away in her bedroom again. Not -A. Red? Who the hell was Red? She'd been wearing a red coat... no, it wasn't a coat. It had been more like a cloak. Like little red riding hood or something. Fairy tales. None of this felt like a fairy tale... could she not even enjoy her first few nights in her new home? Imogen curled up on her side of the bed and shivered the rest of the night away. She didn't know what was going on but she'd have to tell Ruby asap.
Lauren and Darren had come to pay him a little visit, probably hoping that he would talk. Jamie just kept his usual arrogant smirk on his face because why would he give them anything now? Lauren was still stuck on this accomplice story but Jamie wasn’t an easy one to crack even stuck in this place. He was still playing his games even though he’d pretty much been taken off the board. He could still have his fun, and he needed to keep Katie safe. She had covered for him, taken him in, loved him. She was loyal to a fault and he wasn’t going to let her end up in a place like this.
He smirked up at Lauren, brushing his thumb over the empty space where his finger had been before he’d cut it off to sell his own death. “You’re wasting your time.” He muttered, shaking his head. He wasn’t going to answer any of her questions. They tried for a while. Tried to break him into saying something, anything, but Jamie had a hard shell. Eventually Lauren got a phone call and stepped out of the room. He turned his smirk onto Darren until she came back in.
When she did, she returned with some news that would shake Jamie’s hard exterior for the first time since they got here. Sarah Clarke is alive. It wasn’t possible. How could they have found her? The Dollhouse was somewhere nobody would ever find, he had made damn sure of it. His expression dropped and he was visibly shocked. Lauren and Darren started talking, questioning, this time just focusing on Sarah and not his so-called accomplice or Hannah and Kelly... Jamie couldn’t think straight let alone respond and he definitely wasn’t giving them anything else. They had Sarah. She could tell them herself.
Another fucking loss and he was stuck in here unable to do anything about it.
Back in January of 2017, the body of tragic Sarah Clarke was found in the woods of “MurderVille”, Baberton, beside the body of Hannah Clarkson, who had been missing since the end of the previous year. At first, it was believed that Hannah Clarkson had run away abroad when there was clear updates to her social media accounts. Though it soon became clear that somebody had actually taken control of Hannah’s accounts and the case was again reopened.
When Sarah was found, her system was full of anti-psychotics and there was a suicide note found on her body. All leads pointed to murder/suicide and the cases were closed.
This should have been the end of it but, last month, new evidence was presented that proved Sarah Clarke did not kill Hannah Clarkson. There’s rumoured to be a video clip showing Kelly Sharpe (daughter of Police Chief Gregory Sharpe) murdering Hannah Clarkson. Whether this was in cold blood or accidental is not yet known publicly. Surely then, this means that Kelly then covered the murder up by hacking in to, and using, Hannah’s social media accounts to make it look like she had run away. Then, daughter of the police chief, fled the country too... with the boyfriend she had stolen from none other than the deceased Hannah Clarkson!
Was this a crime of passion? Jealousy? Did Kelly Sharpe also use Sarah Clarke as a scapegoat? Did Sarah really kill herself? The suicide note has been proven to be real so does this mean that Kelly came across Sarah after taking her own life and saw this as the perfect way to cover up her own crime? Did Kelly believe she was above the law, being the Chief’s daughter, and being the ex to one of the lead Detectives on the Annie Pierce case... the same Annie Pierce that just so happened to be Kelly Sharpe’s best friend? Or was it all, simply, covered up by the Big Bad Wolf himself, Jamie Kirk, as a means to blackmail Kelly Sharpe who, conveniently, killed herself just before this evidence broke. Did she know?
Sadly, this may be just another Baberton Mystery that we don’t get the answers to.
Food for thought: “Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action.” All roads seem to keep leading back to Annie Pierce and her Girl Gang of bullies.
Mitch had enjoyed his time off work. The museum had been undergoing a few renovations before reopening and he hadn’t been in since before Christmas. He was happy about that because he still wasn’t in security, which is where he knew he was heading, but Mitch just wanted to get there now. He didn’t like being a tour guide, he didn’t enjoy leading strangers around and telling them about a time long since past that Mitch quite frankly didn’t give a shit about. So walking back into the building after his time was up was pretty sad. He’d had a good last day off though, very good, and he was just a little high still from the night before.
He messed with the keys and unlocked the place, pushing inside. “Guess Scott's not in yet.” He muttered to himself as he stepped inside and went about starting up the day. Unlocking things and getting stuff ready for the inevitable flood of people who would come in. The kids and the history freaks. Mitch didn’t mind people, he just didn’t like the work and he didn’t like feeling stuck in a rut here. It was tiring and he was too lazy and he had his sights set elsewhere.
It was a normal morning. He whistled to himself as he readied up, wishing time would go faster already. Colleagues filtered into the building. A few tired hello’s. He stepped through the back to tidy up some things and that’s when the feeling hit him. The weird feeling that something was... off. What was it? Sticky. What? Sticky. Mitch looked down Something was sticking to his shoe. What was it? “Oh... fuck.” He looked behind him again, following the trail of faint boot prints. Back to the fake coffin they had set up against the wall. Red liquid oozed round one of the corners. Congealing and he’d gone and fucking walked right through it. Blood.
“Phil!” He shouted, panicking a little. “Phil, call the fucking police!” The rest was a bit of a blur, everything went quickly. There was lots of talking. Uniforms. A body. Someone had fucking killed someone and shoved their body in the coffin. How? How had they even got into the building?! Mitchell was a bit freaked out to say the least but he luckily didn’t have to be questioned for very long. It just shook him up a bit and he overheard some whispers about the body and the situation. Then, luckily, the museum was closed again. Crime scene.
Recently in a special gossip edition of a London paper
Baberton / Three girls still missing an no clues whatsoever. The police caught helpless and senseless, running around like chickens with their head cut off. But we got some exclusive insides to the background of the three missing girls and some interesting quotes from family and friends, that make some wonder, if they actually want the girls to be found.
Imogen, a cute blonde with a habit for cheating on school tests and a confusing sexuality is dearly missed by family. While she was admitted to the hospital a couple of times for psychological reasons she still seems to have the most friends of the three girls and so it seems is most missed. With her mother, Brooke, you can see that the crazy runs in the family. The 23 year old girl, recently in a relationship with a girl, was just suspect in the murder case of Jessy Wright, seeming obsessive and and jealous of the girl and her friend. Charges are dropped now, but question is, will Imogen ever find out? “She run away for attention,” was one of the quotes people were asked where they thought Imogen could be. And there were multiple answers in that sort, some think even her mental illness is just a play for attention, as well as the marriage to a guy that got annulled quickly after.
Kelly, the raven haired girl, who’s running the top of the polls when it comes to find a “New Annie Pierce” in Baberton. Known as the daughter of Chief Constable, the way she treats people, especially friends and so called love life it seems the only one who was concerned is her recent obsessive boy toy. While her family and some friends thought, the tomorrow to be 24 year old was just on a retreat in a foreign country, since she’s known for disappearing without any words, it almost seemed like all of Kelly’s former boyfriends, when not dead or out of town, teamed up to gather information. The least concerned is her brother, also known as the local Lothario, with words about her sister, that she’s just “flaky”. Other sources are to claim she lays in a pit overdosing on the “in-drug of the moment”, referring to her past, and maybe also recent, drug problem. Now we wonder if she just went home with the wrong guy this time, or if she’s in on Imogen’s ploy for attention.
Ruby, the invisible brunette of the three, was the last to disappear but also the one that seemed no one really noticed she was gone, other than her boyfriend, who’s also her former teacher. The 23 year old will probably always be remembered as the girl who slept with her English high school teacher in Baberton. While some just shrugged their shoulders when asked about Ruby, I got eye rolling from the rest of the crowd. The girl seemed to keep her head low after her scandal and it wasn’t even possible to find out what her job is, since there were many wrong leads about this. Some wonder if she’s a member of some secret society or a cult her lover got her into, who apparently puts all his concern he can’t put in his dead daughter now in his girlfriend, who is basically the same age. She’s the only one who doesn’t fit into the attention play from Imogen. Or does Ruby want to get out of her hole and claim up the ladder again?
Many guesses, not many answers. Dead or alive, join the poll on our blog.
Annie’s old friends were easy targets. This all started with Annie, after all. The game. Daisy. Jamie moving to pick up the pieces after she killed herself. His downfall. It all led here. The girls were always where most of the anger was directed and it was always too easy to go back to them. To give them the worst. But the game had grown and -A was now the backwards vigilante of the entire town. Spotting lies and deceits and vowing to do something about them. That was how they saw it. And if they got to have a little fun along the way or tell a few lies of their own to reach their goals, then so be it.
The next lie was another one for Imogen Ford. Another set up, to mess with her already weakened mental state. Not that any of their mental states were any good. The murder cases weren’t going anywhere and it was frustrating for the police, for the residents, and even for -A. Seeing someone innocent go to prison or at the very least be heavily questioned for these murders... that’s what they wanted.
So they were sending another envelope to the police for Imogen Ford. She’d done something in the Dollhouse to get herself off from being a Jessy Wright suspect but this wasn’t about Jessy. This was about Evan Johnson. First they put some photos into the envelope. The arguments between Imogen and Evan; Imogen looking angry, like she hated him. Angry enough to kill, perhaps. Then some texts. Imogen complaining about not wanting him in her life; in her mother’s life, bitter about his cheating with Kelly. They hadn’t all been sent but -A had managed to get them from her drafts folder long ago, long before they’d been deleted, and the screenshots were real enough. It was things that the police would at least have to look at. Even if it may not be as believed after the Jessy Wright thing... it wasn’t as hard hitting as the final piece of the puzzle they put into the envelope.
A security camera picture of Imogen Ford, drugged up from her first weeks in The Dollhouse, standing outside the back of the pub with a knife in her hands and blood all over her hands and shirt. The date on the picture had been changed to make it look like it was in December 2015 when Evan was killed, and not two years later like it really was, when the girls were taken. She looked glazed and she wasn’t all there which would probably make everyone think she was just... having one of her episodes. An episode that could have led to murder? That’s what they wanted it to look like anyway.
