Jam-Packed

In the heart of Sacramento, there lived a spirited young girl named Anastasia. Her world revolved around two passions: cycling through the sun-kissed streets and savoring the simple joy of strawberry and jam sandwiches. By her side since kindergarten were her closest friends, Marli and Xavier. Their bond was unbreakable, until the winds of change swept through their sophomore year of high school, causing them to drift apart.

One sweltering afternoon, as Anastasia strolled down the familiar Court Lane, the very street where her childhood had blossomed, she heard a peculiar murmur in the air. Memories from their shared past stirred, for they once had a fourth comrade, Yonni. With her flaming red hair and a fascination for Anime, Yonni was the quirky heart of their gang. But, Yonni's parents, strict and unyielding, had whisked her away to another school, severing the ties that bound them.

The distant murmurs persisted, teasing Anastasia's curiosity. She was the group's inquisitive soul, their unspoken leader. Always armed with top grades and a heart that sought to help, she found joy in the rhythm of roller-skating and the art of reveling in the moment. And so, compelled by an urge she couldn't resist, she decided to follow the elusive sounds.

With each step she took towards the source of the murmurs, the world around her fell into an eerie silence. Anxiety gnawed at her, and she froze in her tracks. The murmurs grew, morphing into desperate, unintelligible whispers. Anastasia's nerves tingled as she strained to make out the words, yet all she could hear was a haunting whimper. Her heartbeat quickened, and an unsettling realization washed over her — something unusual and perhaps even sinister was afoot on the streets of Court Lane.

And just as she was about to retreat, her curiosity burning, the murmurings coalesced into one chilling, unmistakable word: "Anastasia..."