No, that is not rust all over the gymnasium floor. It’s blood.  

        Surely you know what happened here. No? Oh, but I’m certain you’ve heard it…at least another version, perhaps?  

       Ah, I see. Yes, the police ruled it as several wild animal attacks, but it was no accident. If you ask me, the people that died in here had it coming.  

       However, since you are waiting for your grandmother to pick you up, I will gladly tell you the tale. I will start a month before, when everything was as normal as it could be. With graduation vastly approaching, Northwood High’s senior class got together for a bonfire in the woods. It was a typical high school party: loud music, alcohol, drugs, the works. Not being in a party mood, Ruby took her drink and went for a walk further into the forest. On her walk, she thought about her future and what it would entail. Even though she was the most popular girl in school, she couldn’t wait to leave this school behind. She was done with the labels and expectations, and hoped college would be different, if not better. She could still hear the music behind her, but it was voices ahead that made her stop. They sounded familiar but she wasn’t sure, so out of blind curiosity, she followed the sounds. Rounding a tree, she caught her boyfriend and her best friend in a passionate (noisy and utterly disgusting) embrace and came to a sudden halt. She was devastated.  

        But devastation quickly turned to anger as Ruby made her presence known. “Nice to see you’re doing better.” She said, referencing Damien’s so called being “too sick” excuse to come out tonight. On her words, both ceased their actions, horrified. “Hopefully you’re no longer contagious.” She added, sending a glare Caroline’s way,  

Damien turned around, guilt-ridden while Caroline stared at her shoes. “Ruby, I-”  

        “Save it.” Ruby snapped at him. “I’m done, with both of you.” She stormed past them, downing her drink and tossing the cup aside. They called her name, but she ignored them. After knowing each other since first grade, the betrayal was just too much. No excuse or explanation could fix this. Tears ran down her cheeks as she ventured along, not sure where she was going, but she didn’t care. It had gotten quiet around her. The only sounds she could hear were old leaves crunching underneath her shoes.  

         Then, there was snap of a twig and Ruby stopped, looking around, her heart racing. “Who’s there?” She asked, but there was no answer. Instead, bushes rustled to her left. Thinking it was someone pulling a prank, she sighed, irritated. “Whoever you are, I’m not in the mood. Show yourself!”  

         Suddenly, there was movement on her right as well, followed by a growl. Ruby froze, a chill running down her spine as two wolves emerged from the bushes, one brown and the other gray. She watched with sheer terror as the beasts effortlessly rose up on their hind legs, claws out and teeth bared, their eyes glowing an unnatural shade of green.  

         Now she managed to run, but she wasn’t fast enough. Ruby’s screams echoed through the trees, but no one came to her rescue. When her parents realized she was missing, they hurried over to the police station. That night, the entire force conducted a search through the forest. But when one of the dogs discovered a piece of clothing covered in blood, the officers no longer named her as a missing person. Case closed.  

Everyone mourned her death – even Caroline and Damien, the ones who had hurt her the most.  

        Eventually everyone moved on with their lives. Caroline became Damien’s new girlfriend and Queen Bee as they strutted hand in hand down the hallways, proudly and shamelessly parading their love. A month after Ruby’s death, it was Prom night. The gymnasium that you sit in now was once alive with music, disco lights, and people. It was the perfect example of a movie cliché. There was no care in the world.  

Yet little did they know, the night had only just begun.  

         Right as the sun went down, the doors burst open, hitting the walls with such a thunderous crash that it stilled everyone in the building as a group of people stepped inside. There were gasps among the crowd as the young woman leading the charge was no other than Ruby herself, wearing a long, bright red sleeveless gown with a slit.  

  Damien came forward, with Caroline not too far behind him. Both were completely dumbfounded. “Ruby?”  

         “Ah, so you do remember me. Here I was beginning to worry.” Ruby snarkily answered, finding her classmates reactions quite amusing. 

“We thought you were dead.” Caroline timidly spoke up.  

         Ruby’s red lips smiled mischievously, “Did you now? Well, obviously I’m not.” She turned to her companions who sneered and chuckled. Then she stared at the ground, “No, if anything I’m. Starving.” The last word was viciously growled as she lifted her head, her eyes glowing green. 

         Then, all the doors were barred, locking everyone in. The crowd helplessly watched as Ruby and her group began to change. Their bones loudly shifted and cracked, their clothes shredded to the floor, and hair grew everywhere. In a matter of seconds, a pack of werewolves stood in their place, eyeing the people in front of them hungrily.  

         That night, the senior class and staff of Northwood High tragically met their doom. The music was still playing, muffling their shrieks as blood splattered everywhere. As a wolf, Ruby wasted no time and went after her former friends. She knocked Damien to the ground. With her claws, she tore his chest open, relishing in his screams of agony. She grabbed his still warm and beating heart and ripped it right out, enjoying the sight of it in her hand before swallowing it whole. Then, she repeated the same ritual on Caroline.  

         Since then, the school has been closed. Oh, I see your grandmother is pulling up. Here, let me lend you my favorite cape growing up; for it is quite cold outside.  

         What about Ruby you ask? Well, let’s just say now she rules over entirely new subjects…..in a much bigger kingdom.   

The end.