It was a bright, early day. Hanna and her friends were getting ready for school. They had had a sleepover the night before, and were planning on another tonight.
"Where is my bag, Hanna?" Martha, the oldest, asked. She had long blond hair and hazel eyes.
"Check under the bed." Hanna had opened the closet door to get her own clothes.
"It's not there!" Martha walked over to the opposite side.
"Do you want to wear some of my clothes?" Cairn, the youngest, asked. She had light brown hair and brown eyes.
"Yes. Thank you!" Martha sat by Cairn and looked through her bag. She picked out a blue shirt and pants.
After the three got dressed and ate, they headed to the bus stop. The sun was beating down on everyone, and they were all complaining. They stopped at the bus stop, and waited for the bus. As soon as they got on, they headed for the two middle seats that were empty. Hanna and Cairn sat together while Martha sat on the edge of the other seat. There, they continued a conversation about the weather.
"I can't believe how hot it is today," Martha said. "I mean, really. Summer is over now, so you'd think it'd get colder." Cairn and Hanna nodded their heads in agreement.
"I wonder how long it'll take to cool down this year," Hanna said. Cairn shrugged.
They arrived at the school a little while later. All three said their goodbyes as they headed to their classes. Cairn was a grade under Hanna and Martha, but has been Martha's neighbor for as long as she can remember. Hanna had just moved into the house next to them, so of course, the sleepovers were necessary. They picked Hanna's house because she still had a lot of room left in her room, meaning the three of them could sit up or lay down on the floor without bumping into anything.
Martha and Hanna met at lunch and sat together. They didn't say anything until after they were done eating. They had both piled their plates with a taco, milk, and refried beans. Afterwards, though, their conversation filled the entire table.
"So, what movie are we going to watch tonight?" Martha asked.
Hanna shrugged. "I don't know. My mom said she would take us to rent a movie from the Redbox in Walmart. We have to get bread, anyway." They both got up to put their trays away. Before they could sit back down, the bell had rung, and they were off to their next class.
After school, they had went to Walmart with Hanna's mom, left behind at the red box.
"I vote horror," Martha said. Hanna agreed while Cairn didn't.
"I don't like horror movies. They give me the creeps. How about a comedy instead?"
"I really don't care, to be honest," Martha said. Hanna nodded her head, and Cairn smiled while she picked the movie.
Hanna's mom was back with a bag of bread. The girls had already got their movie, and were ready to ride back. They walked to the car, got in, and drove to Hanna's house, where they all piled on the bed in her room to watch the movie. They had laughed through the whole thing, and after it was over, they sat in a circle on the floor to play a small, harmless game of truth or dare.
"Alright, alright! I think it's time for bed," Hanna said. As if to prove what she said, Cairn yawned.
Martha nodded. "Yeah, but first, I have to head to my house."
"How come?" Cairn asked.
"Remember, I lost my bag. I have to go get school clothes."
"Why didn't you earlier?" Hanna questioned.
"I forgot. I was too busy thinking about the sleep over." Martha laughed. Hanna yawned and nodded.
"Alright. You are just a little ways away. But, don't forget to lock the door back when you come back in," Hanna said.
"Okay! I won't!" Martha opened the bedroom door and walked down the hallway to the living room. She unlocked the front door, opened and closed it, and ran to her house. When she finally got there, she knocked on her front door for her mom to let her in. Instead, she got her little brother, who left her outside until their mom woke up from constant yelling and banging.
"Martha! What are you doing outside?" Martha's mother was in her pajamas. "Hurry up and come in!" Martha did as she was told.
"What's the rush?" Martha asked. Her mother just looked at her with a horrified expression.
"There is a murderous man on the loose! He's already killed twelve girls around your age! I thought I already explained to you," Martha's mother said. "I guess I did, but you must have forgotten. Short memory runs in the family, after all."
Martha laughed. "You're joking, right?" she said. Her mom shook her head, but before she could say anything, Martha quieted her. "Here, let me explain to you why we shouldn't worry."
Back at Hanna's, both girls were asleep. That is, before Hanna wakes up to the sound of a door slam shut. "Martha must be back," she whispers to herself. She tried to go back to sleep, but to no avail. Finally, she got up to use the bathroom.
Cairn awoke next, only to a different sound. She told herself it was just a dream, but not long after did she hear it again. A gun shot. And it sounded close.
"Um, Hanna?" Cairn called. She looked in the bed above her, but Hanna wasn't there. "Hanna!" Cairn was starting to freak out. Just then, the door of the bed room opened. "Wh-who's there?" she asked.
"Don't worry. It's only me. Martha." Martha walked in, closing and locking the door behind her. She had cloths in her arms that hid her hands.
"Oh. Thank goodness!" Cairn said. Martha walked closer, slowly. She sat the clothe down and looked at Cairn with a wide smile.
"Martha," Cairn had a shivery voice. "What is in your hand?"
Martha held a gun up to Cairn's head. "The tool to give us all a new beginning!" she said. Cairn didn't have time to scream out. Martha had pulled the trigger. "Hm, I guess I forgot to tell them something very important," Martha said to herself. "Oh, well. Guess it wasn't that important." She unlocked the bedroom door and went through the backdoor connected to the kitchen.
"Besides," she said. "Short memory runs in the family."