Bellmont School Auditorium – Two Weeks Before the Annual Play
"Rossie Marie… you are officially the head of Bellmont's annual play production," announced Principal Mr. Gregson with a satisfied smile.
Applause echoed through the auditorium some genuine, some half-hearted. Rossie stood in front of the stage, her hands trembling with nervousness. She never expected that her idea a semi-improvised play titled Silent Footprints would beat Sienna's more flamboyant and light-filled proposal.
"I still can't believe you won with that absurd idea," Sienna whispered from the right row, her fake smile firmly in place.
Rossie turned with a faint smile. "Sometimes absurd ideas are the ones that stick."
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Behind Bellmont's Stage
That afternoon, Rossie explored the old storage room behind the auditorium stage. As the production leader, she was assigned to check props and backdrops from previous years. But something else caught her attention a small door in the back corner with a sign: ARCHIVE – BELL 1990s.
The door was half-open, creaking slightly as Rossie pushed it.
Inside, rows of old metal cabinets stood quietly. Thick layers of dust covered everything. But what made Rossie's heart race was a strange symbol carved onto an old script board—a bell with an eye in the center.
That symbol… it was the same as the one in her mother's photo she secretly found last week in the archive room.
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"Don't touch that unless you're ready," Liam's voice suddenly broke the silence. Rossie jumped.
"You followed me?"
Liam shrugged, also staring at the symbol. "I just wanted to make sure you don't open something that can't be shut again."
Rossie glared at him. "Do you know what this symbol means?"
"I've seen it. But I think we'll need help… from someone who knows Bellmont's drama history."
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First Week of Rehearsal – Bellmont Auditorium
Ms. Arlena, the new drama teacher assigned this year, was a mysterious figure. Her jet-black hair flowed down her back, and her style was calm yet elegant. But her eyes were sharp, like they could read minds.
She welcomed Rossie with an enigmatic smile. "I heard you came up with Silent Footprints. Interesting. Very… familiar."
"Familiar?" Rossie frowned.
Ms. Arlena didn't answer, simply flipping through Rossie's script and staring at the first page for a long time. Then she pointed at the bottom. "Why did you choose this title?"
Rossie was caught off guard. "Because… I believe the voices of the past matter, even if they're never heard."
"Good," Ms. Arlena said with a slight smile. "A very honest title."
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In the Script Archive Room
The next day, Liam and Rossie snuck into the school's drama script archive. Rossie had a duplicate key, secretly given by Ms. Ellie, the librarian who wasn't too strict about rules.
They opened a box labeled Drama 1999. It was nearly empty. But among the old papers, there was one script titled The Silent Bell.
Its first page was dusty and scribbled with red ink. The author's name had been torn off. But Rossie recognized the handwriting in the side notes: her mother's.
"This is the play that was never performed," Liam murmured.
Rossie skimmed the synopsis: a story about a girl who disappeared during the school's play preparations. Gone… because of a family secret that was silenced.
The more she read, the more Rossie realized this wasn't just fiction.
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Rehearsal Conflict
Rehearsals became more intense. Sienna—originally cast as the lead—was suddenly demoted to a supporting role after Ms. Arlena said her acting was "too stiff and artificial."
Sienna was furious.
"You think you can take everything from me, Rossie?" she snapped in the dressing room.
"I didn't take anything. I'm just doing my part," Rossie replied calmly.
"Just wait. You'll see who the real star of this school is."
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A New Clue
While sorting props, Rossie found an old mask in the prop room. It was cracked on one side, with a small bell symbol etched on the cheek. When she turned it over, an inscription read: For N—1999. Return when all is silent.
Rossie clutched the mask tightly. She knew this was connected.
Liam stepped closer and read the inscription too. "N… could be your mother. Or someone else."
"I need to know how this story ends," Rossie whispered.
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Night at Bellmont
In her room, Rossie turned on a flashlight and reread The Silent Bell. The story ended ambiguously—the lead character disappeared as the school bell rang, never to be found again.
In the corner of the last page, a small note was scribbled—Not all voices can be erased. The voice of the heart will keep echoing behind the mask.
Rossie closed the script. Her gaze was blank, but her resolve was solid.
"This year's play… isn't just a play," she said softly. "It's a message from the past. And I'm going to perform it to the end."
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Chapter Ending
Rossie stared at her reflection in the Bellmont dressing room mirror, wearing the old mask.
In the glass, her eyes looked sharper—like someone no longer just seeking the truth… but ready to confront the lies.
"Maybe I came here with wounds… but I won't leave in silence.