Whispers of Unity High – Episode 4: Operation Night Bell
The Bell That Shouldn’t Ring
The time was 11:45 PM when Mara jerked awake. A single bell had tolled somewhere in the dark corridors of Unity High—a bell only meant to ring at dawn or in emergencies. She sat up, heart pounding. Beside her, roommates slept soundly, unaware that something was terribly wrong.
Seconds later, her phone buzzed. Jude’s message glowed on her screen:
Jude: Mara, did you hear that bell? Meet me outside the Assembly Hall. Now. Bring your torch.
Mara slipped from her bed, careful not to wake anyone. She grabbed her torchlight and quietly stepped into the corridor. The darkness seemed thicker than usual, as if the walls were holding secrets they refused to reveal.
Into the Forbidden Hall
At the Assembly Hall, Jude was pacing. His eyes were wide.
“Mara,” he whispered, “there’s something happening tonight. I saw Mr. Lawal and Mrs. Ojo going toward the old conference room. And look…”
He held up a slip of paper with a strange series of letters and numbers:
“C12-L89 / E.M. / Reinstated 2022”
“Where did you get this?” Mara demanded.
“Slipped out of that book yesterday. I think it’s a code. ‘Reinstated’ means someone who was kicked out… came back.”
“A teacher?” Mara guessed.
Jude nodded grimly. “We’re going to find out who.”
The Secret Meeting
They crept around the back of the Assembly Hall and squeezed through a loose wooden panel. Inside, the air smelled like dust and forgotten memories. Flickering lantern light glowed beneath the door of the conference room.
Through a narrow crack, they saw Mr. Lawal, Mrs. Ojo, and two other teachers gathered around a table. Papers were scattered across it, along with a thick ledger.
Mrs. Ojo spoke in a low voice. “The Circle must stay invisible. Sarah Ukeje was a warning. If this new girl—Mara—keeps poking around, we’ll have to act.”
Mara felt Jude’s hand grip hers tightly.
Mr. Lawal flipped the ledger open. “E.M. is back. The Circle has approved his reinstatement. We’ll need him for the next phase.”
“E.M.?” Jude whispered. “That must be the initials from the note.”
Documents and Discoveries
The teachers began discussing names, punishments, and coded entries. Mara tried to memorize every detail. One entry jumped out:
“Student monitoring required: Mara Ibrahim, potential risk.”
“They’re watching you,” Jude hissed.
But Mara was already focused on something else. Mrs. Ojo pulled out a thin folder labeled “Sarah Ukeje – Disciplinary File.”
“We can’t keep this file any longer,” Mrs. Ojo said. “If it’s discovered, everything will unravel.”
Mr. Lawal nodded. “Burn it tomorrow. No trace.”
Mara felt a surge of panic. “Jude… we have to get that file.”
Jude clenched his jaw. “We’ll come back before dawn. When they’re gone.”
Close Call
Suddenly, the lantern light flared. Footsteps approached the door. Jude yanked Mara backward into the shadows. Mr. Lawal opened the door and peered into the hallway, his eyes sharp and suspicious.
After a long silence, he closed the door again.
Mara and Jude fled silently, hearts pounding.
Clues to the Past
Back in the dorm, Mara and Jude whispered urgently.
“Tomorrow,” Jude said, “we get that folder. And we find out who E.M. is.”
“But what if they catch us?” Mara asked.
“Then we’ll be like Sarah.”
Mara stared at her friend. The weight of their mission pressed down on her chest. But the image of Sarah’s name crossed out in red ink pushed her forward.
“We’re finishing what Sarah started.”
Outside, the wind howled across Unity High’s lawns. Somewhere in the shadows, secrets waited to be exposed.
To Be Continued…
Next Episode Preview
Episode 5: Prefect or Puppet?
Summary:
Jude runs for Head Boy, but someone hacks his campaign posters. Mara begins to suspect that the school’s leadership positions are controlled by an underground group. A warning is sent to them both: “Back out, or we will make you disappear like the others.”
→ Perviously on Episode 3: The Missing Senior.
→ Read Next Episode here: Episode 5: Prefect or Puppet?
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Very interesting, can’t wait for the next episode