“Aurora, Raven, stay here and see if you can get an email back from Quist. Kilo, you’re with me. Let’s get a move-on!” 

On a mission, Detective Wright marched into the front office, Kilo close on her heels. If Ms. Quist was really in trouble, they’d have to find her—and fast. Perhaps the office has some more information. Upon entering, she immediately spotted Josh and Brandon playing “Talking Ben” in the corner, repeating the phrase “Let’s go!” with the careless vigor of two sports reporters who were most definitely late for class. 

“You two, class started 15 minutes ago. Why aren’t you working on your articles?” Detective Wright questioned, “We need the scoop in your next issue, not your game stats of Talking Ben.”

Brandon caved like a child begging for candy. “Yeah, sorry about that, boss. I’ll head over.” With that, he scrambled up from his seat and left in the direction of the newsroom. “Hey, Brandon, wait a minute!” Detective Wright called after him. “There’s a sub in charge of the class and—well, I guess he’ll figure it out.” 

The Detective turned to Josh, who hadn’t moved since she came in. “That goes for you too. What’s your alibi?” The boy rolled his eyes and clicked his phone off. “I heard Quist was missing. Can I at least help with the investigation?”

“Will you actually work on your article afterwards?” Kilo joked.

Josh failed to hold back laughter. “As soon as we find our beloved teacher, I will totally be able to work.” 

Detective Wright glared at Josh. “You and I both know you don’t work no matter what. But—” The Detective was cut off when the lights flickered off and an ear splitting scream of pure fear pierced the frozen air. If a light was there, no one saw it. When lights came back on a moment later, Josh bolted towards the source of the sound. “It’s from the lunchroom! Meet ya there, Detective!”

Detective Wright rolled her eyes and started after him, stopping momentarily at Porky the Pig, where Aurora and Raven were still scrolling on their phones. “I need to track Josh and the scream. Go back to class. You too, Kilo. I’ll let you know what happens.”

At the lunch room, Josh and Detective Wright discovered a shaking Mrs. Andersen who had fallen victim to a rat. “It was running at me. I didn’t know what to do.”

“Don’t worry Ms A. We will find the rascal.” Josh laughed. “How? It’s a rat. It ran away. There’s no way—” As he gestured in the direction that the rat and run, Josh accidentally smacked the wall behind him, knocking a poster away to reveal…

“A tunnel?” Detective Wright gasped. “This school has secret tunnels?” Mrs. Andersen, who had since calmed down from her encounter, shrugged. “I’ve never heard anything about them. Good luck, Detective.” Then she started away, leaving Detective Wright and Josh staring down the dark walkway. “Well,” the Detective started, “Ready to go check it out?”
“You’re kidding, right? It looks like something out of a horror movie, and if we die here, I blame you. And a dumb rat has nothing to do with Quist being missing,” Josh spat, following her anyway.

“There’s probably a million twists and turns down here. And we might be able to find the source of the electrical outage somewhere down here.”

After some time venturing through many different twists and turns, Josh pulled his hoodie up and rubbed his hands together in the cold. “Admit it Detective, we are lost.” 

“I know where we are, and if we need anything we can call for backup. Look on the ground there. It’s a piece of paper.” The detective picked up the soggy scrap. “What if this is related to Quist’s disappearance? We have to show the others.”

“Well what are you waiting for?” Josh asked, taking a right turn and running ahead. 

“That’s the wrong way!” Detective Wright called after him as he took a left turn at the next fork. He slunk back and matched his pace to the Detective’s. 

Back in the classroom…

Josh and Detective Wright slipped in through the back door for the classroom, gasping and red-faced, the new clue in Josh’s hand and the pilfered ring of keys to the classroom clutched in the Detective’s. Aurora pointed to her chromebook with google docs opened on it.

Sky: So what happened??

Lynn: Umm Detective did you just run a marathon… or perform in Newsies or something? Why are you guys so out of breath?

Josh: We found something. We were in the basement chasing a rat.

Evan: Wait, how big was the rat?

Sky: Focus @Evan, What did you guys find?

Josh: Yeah, stop interrupting @Evan or the dino shirt gets it.

Evan: You don’t even know what a brachiosaurus eats loser 

Detective W.: You two separate now. Go to opposite sides of the doc. I think the paper was a torn page from a book. It said “The dawn breaks, but the sun risen blood does not taste good.”

Sky: No more Shakespeare man. I already have enough of that in English.

Penelope: That’s from the “Dawn Breaks,” a “Twilight” book.

Detective W: I have heard Quist quoting Edward a lot lately…maybe she was reading it.

Suddenly, the front door handle started to shake. Someone was trying to get in the room! Ms. Cunningham stood and opened the door.

The entire room held their breath for what evil awaited on the other side of the door.

“You’re late,” the devil hissed.

“Sorry, got a little caught up in something,” Brandon shrugged. Detective Wright rolled her eyes. How did they beat him back?

“I did not give you permission to speak, youngling!” Cunningham snarled.

Brandon went around her, “Well, I have stuff to do. So excuse me, I need to talk to the Detective.”

“No one will be talking today, I am your substitute, and I have the power here.” The short devil stated firmly.

Brandon rolled his eyes. “Detective, I found something for you. Also who is this annoying lady?”

Detective mouthed, “Google Doc. Now.”

“Why can’t we talk? It’s a newsroom and we are the staff. It’s not supposed to be quiet!” Brandon’s face scrunched into a puzzled look.

“SILENCE!” The sub screeched. “Young man, this is your last warning before you suffer the same fate as your past teacher…”