“What happened to you guys,” Dominique asked as they stood outside their lockers, “why are you so shook up?”

            “Antonio ended up with his hands in the belt sander,” said Bryant, “Jasmine and Alex couldn’t get him out.”

“The machine wouldn’t shut off. We turned it off completely even the emergency break didn’t work,” Jasmine said continuing as she walked to the corner whispering to Alex, “I have an idea Alex.”

            “Oh joy we just almost lost Antonio from shock now you want to go do something completely foolish and crazy,” Alex said almost yelling.

“Alex I mean it. Something is going on because when I shut the sander off I shut the conveyer belt and released any tension on the belt but it still moved. Explain that. Not to mention two new freshmen just show up. I say we stay after school and figure out what the heck is going on. The four of us.”

             “How and when would we manage something like that?”

“I don’t know, we could figure out something I know we could. But for now lets get to Science class. We can tell Dominique and Bryant tomorrow,” Jasmine said.

            The bell rang and the four headed to their classes wondering what was going on. What is the curse? Or, was it just a sick prank. The next day, Tuesday, the two girls were sitting on Geography class when Jasmine told Alex about another story she heard.

            “My little sister told me that a girl died in the girls bathroom in the Jr. High gym.”

“Lets check it out than,” replied Alex.

            “How?”

“See if Mrs. Ston is down in the violin room and go down there to practice then ask if we can go to the bathroom in the since the nearest ones are in that gym.”

            “I guess but what if we get locked in,” said Jasmine a little concerned.

“If we did it during lunch we could bring Dominique and Bryant with,” said Alex.

            “Boys in the girls bathroom, yeah Alex nice plan,” Jasmine said sarcastically.

“No not in. Just to stand outside in case the door shuts and latches and we can’t get it open.”

            “I’ll talk to the guys about staying overnight,” said Jasmine.

The girls walked out of their Geography class to their lockers then down to the gym where they found the Bryant and Dominique shooting hoops.

            “Uh… were not going in the girls’ bathroom Jasmine. Besides its Sno Daze week and we may not even be in homeroom at all,” Dominique said.

            They played basketball and volleyball until homeroom and found out they couldn’t do as planned that day. Since Sno Daze week and their homeroom times were full of competitions that they wouldn’t be in at all that week for homeroom. They had a sled race the day before and today they had a karaoke competition.

            “Hey lets go down to Mrs. Ston’s room quick, we have about five minutes before the bell rings for third hour and we can sign up for lessons,” Alex said.

“But Mrs. Ston has class today not violin.”

            “Oh fine but let’s go down there anyway,”

“Fine but we need to hurry because we don’t want to be late for third hour,” Jasmine replied.

            “Like we will be doing anything special anyhow, after what happened to Antonio yesterday,” said Alex.

“Yeah true but let’s hurry anyhow, you never know what is going to happen.”

            Bryant, Alex, and Jasmine went down to the shop only to find a note on the door saying, ‘Everyone attending a shop class from Mr. Rayne is to report to the office at their block schedule. Notice: Only Mr. Rayne’s shop classes. Automotive and welding will still be present.’

            “Well lets go than,” said Alex.

“To the office away,” Jasmine said bored out of her mind.

            They went to the office and were sent to the library for study. The bell rang and they headed to Science class to work on their magnet words. The following day, Jasmine was really angry until Phy Ed when she blew it off with a game of basketball.

            “Hey Jasmine do we have lessons today for violin?”

“Depends if we can get out of choir.”

“Well you guys need to have a set day a week for violin okay. So today is going to be this weeks day,” asked their choir instructor.

            “Yes,” said Alex and Jasmine.

They headed down to Mrs. Ston’s room for violin and when she was ready to leave the two girls asked to go to the bathroom in the Jr. High gym because the other bathrooms were too far.

            “Of course you guys. I use them ones all the time,” said Mrs. Ston

Their instructor went to the elementary school since only Jr. High and High school were in Stine High. The two went to the gym to the bathrooms to see if the dead girl in the bathroom theory was true.

“Do you think it’s true? The dead girl rumor,” asked Jasmine.

            “Dunno. But after you,” said Alex holding the door open.

“Gee thanks but you go first even though I really need to go.”

            They stood in the bathroom for a minute and then they heard something.

“What was that noise,” Alex said a bit shakey.

            “Not sure I want to know,” replied Jasmine.

Jasmine and Alex ran out of the restroom and went back to turn off the lights in Mrs. Ston’s room.

            “Let’s go to Geography,” said Alex.

“But I need to go to the bathroom yet,” complained Jasmine.

            “Fine let’s go to the one in the hall by the commons area.”

“But the lunch room is where you know who always is.”

            “Are you talking about the Dean?”

“Oh yeah well lets go anyhow.”

            “You go first,” said Alex.

“Fine, whatever.”

            The girls walked into the bathroom and saw the facets running.

“Uh…Jasmine? Check the stalls will you because I don’t see anyone’s feet.”

            Jasmine pushed all the doors open. “Nothing here except a jacket.”

“Weird.”

            “Yeah weird let’s go to Geography class.”

“Fine by me,” said Alex.

            Jasmine went to her locker and since the bell was going to ring in about a minute she was the only one in that hall when she found a note on her locker saying, ‘You know too much. The thirteenth year has come. Pay now or suffer the cost.’ Jasmine grabbed her book and ran to Geography class where she showed Alex the note.

            “What’s that supposed to mean,” asked Alex.

“I’m not sure but who ever is doing this has a really sick sense of humor.”

            “Don’t worry you always get to the bottom of this kind of stuff. Just like that note I got from that one stupid kid saying another kid liked me.”

“Yeah but that wasn’t a threat,” said Jasmine.

            “Well let’s ask and see if anyone saw anyone in the halls between passing times or near your locker,” said Alex.

“Well it was in my locker so that narrows it down to you, Dominique, Bryant, and Gizmo. You guys are the only ones who know my combination.”

            “Why do they know it?”

“Because Bryant found it on the first day of school in my planner remember? Gizmo is always at my locker getting gym so I’m sure he knows it by now. Dominique just knows it because Bryant and you know it because she shove stuff in each others lockers all the time.”
            “Okay Jasmine settle down,” Alex said.

“Yeah I have to we have a test today in Geography remember?”

            “I hope I don’t fail this one like last time.”

“Yeah that was weird,” said Jasmine.

            “Did you know you say ‘yeah’ a lot?”

“Really?”

            “Yeah.”

“Anyway let’s get down with our test because it’s supposed to take all hour.”

            “Meaning I’ll finally get done tomorrow,” said Alex.

“Lets just do this test,” said Jasmine.

            “Fine,” replied Alex.

The two sat down in the back table and started their tests. When they were finished the bell just rang and they went to lunch.

            “Are you going to buy a Hershey kiss for Dominique,” asked Alex.

“Maybe. Are you going to buy one for Bryant?”

            “No. Why would I?”

“Oh I don’t know I was just wondering,” Jasmine said looking away.

            “Let’s go to the gym,” said Alex immediately.

“Fine by me. Bryant’s in there to you know.”

            “Shut up Jasmine.”

They went and played basket ball until the Sno Daze tug-o-war started, then they went outside. As soon as that was over, having the freshmen lose over the sophomores, they started their snow sculpture.

            “Hey Jasmine, I’m going in I have violin at noon. See ya during study,” Alex yelled from across the football field.

Jasmines helped build the first half of their sculpted and from the knee down her jeans were drenched. When they finished she headed to study to join Alex.

            “What do we do today, Alex?”

“Dunno, work on the article?

            “Why not. Nothing to do anyhow.”

“That’s because we always have our work in so we don’t have anything to do.”

            Alex worked on the article as Jasmine did some research on the computers. The bell rang and headed to their most favorite class…Science.

“Man why do we have to have Mr. Jalu as our Science instructor? He’s always doing something to us,” said Alex.

            “Yeah like throwing a grapefruit above our heads or squirting us with a spray bottle,” replied Jasmine.

Jasmine worked on the article all through Science while Alex took notes so she could lend them to Jasmine to copy after school.

            “Are you almost done? I thought you finished during Science,” said Alex shutting her locker.

“No, during study I looked up spirits and ghosts and found out that ghosts are the ones that haunt an object or place while spirits only want to protect a person, object excreta. So during Science I studied the notes and worked on the article.”

            “So we have a ghost on our hands,” Alex said excitedly.