She's Really Gone

Spencer and the girls minus Hanna arrive at Alison’s front door. Aria begins knocking and they wait a few minutes, there is no answer so she knocks again and still no answer. “Maybe she went to bed.” Says a plausible Emily. “At eight O’clock? It’s Ali. Her version of an early night in is midnight plus.” Elaborates Spencer. “Well you said she was freaking out right. Maybe she isn’t home.” Adds Aria. “Where is Hanna? She should be here by now.” Says a concerned Spencer. “Did you SOS?” Asks Aria. Spencer just gives Aria that look she gives when she knows you’ve just asked a stupid question.

 

Suddenly a set of headlights brightens up the street and out of the car comes Hanna. She rushes over to the others. “Sorry I’m late. Got held up scrapping the old skin off Caleb’s grandmother’s feet.” She says in a monotone way. The others just cringe on the very thought and Aria knocks again. After her third stern knock the door lightly creaks open. “Oh that can’t be a good sign can it?” Asks a now creeped out Aria. “Normally not.” Adds Emily. Spencer is the first to tip toe inside and the others all follow on close behind her.

 

Hanna’s fingers are rubbing on the back end of Spencer’s expensive plaid skirt. “Dude can you get your nails off of my butt please.” Says Spencer in a we’re just friends sort of tone. “Sorry. I’m scared.” Replies Hanna. The girls bunch up as they head into the dark living room.

 

Emily reaches for the light switch and turns it on. The living room is almost in one piece aside from a picture of Alison and Jason lying near the piano, broken. They move towards the kitchen. “I got a bad feeling about this.” Adds Hanna as if not making the feeling any easier. “Quiet. It’s probably just Ali getting ready to scare us or something.” Replies Spencer. “Scare us. Spencer the girl has been traumatised. We all have. I don’t think she’s the same Ali she used to be.” Follows Aria. “A leopard never changes their spots Aria. Even if you prod and poke them.” Adds Spencer.

 

They reach the kitchen door and push it open gently. “Emily get the light.” Asks Hanna. “Why me?” Asks a reserved Emily. “Well because you’re the sporty one.” Adds Hanna. “WOW could you think of a worse excuse?” Asks Emily. Emily turns on the kitchen light and all their hearts skip a beat. Aria lets out a loud horrified scream and Hanna pukes. Emily shoots into tears and Spencer just stares.

 

Rosewood Police Station-A Few Hours Later.

 

Aria is seated in the interrogation room and is still shook up and shaking. The coffee mug in her hands looks like a major earthquake is attacking it. Officer Holbrook walks in slowly and sits across from her. “Aria. I’m so sorry I have to ask but can you recount what happened for me?” He asks her tenderly. She looks up at him very faintly and tries to open her mouth but only crying comes out. “I know this is difficult but it’s important if you want us to get the person who did this to Alison.” He explains.

Aria takes a few deep breaths and steadily opens her mouth. “I knocked, a few times but there was no answer. After a few more knocks the door just creaked open and we went inside. It was dark so we turned on the lights and when we got to the kitchen we.” Aria starts to cry again. Holbrook looks at her with sympathy passing through his eyes. “Spencer said there was a note. What did it say?” He asks her. Aria looks up at him and with a horrified look on her face she whispers “Kisses B*****s.”

 

Holbrook sits back stunned at what he has heard. “Aria listen to me we are going to get the person who did this to Alison you hear?” Holbrook says quite confidently. “Can I please go now?” Aria asks him gently. He gives her the okay nod and she picks up her bag and heads out into the corridor. Ella is waiting for her and upon sight Aria runs to her mother like a five year old child after dinging up her knee. She bursts into tears in her arms. “I know, I know come on. Let’s get you home huh. You could use a rest.” Ella tells her in a motherly way.

 

They head out to Ella’s car and get in to drive away. As they take off up the dark road from out of the bushes surfaces A. She watches them leave from a careful distance.

 

Aria and Ella arrive home to be met by Byron and Mike who both throw their arms around Aria in hopes of comforting her but it only makes her cry more. “I’m so sorry honey.” Says her father in his best sympathetic voice. Aria just toddles over to the stairs and heads up to her room. “I’m worried about her Ella.” Explains Byron. “She’s been through a lot but she’s a tough girl. She’ll pull through. She always does.” Retaliates Ella.

 

Aria opens the door to her room and enters slowly, heading straight for the bed. She falls onto it like a piece of mail being thrown and slides herself over towards the wall. Aria then continues to sulk to herself and she reaches under her pillow and takes out a picture of her and all of friends. The picture describes Alison and the others as relatively happy group of girls. Aria struggles a little smile out but manages to get there but it is followed up by more sulking and tears.

 

Hanna sits at her kitchen bench almost in total darkness eating from a tub of ice cream. The light switches on and in walks her mother Ashley. “Another late one. Why don’t you try and get some rest?” Urges Ashley. Hanna just scoops more into her mouth and looks at her mother with sad eyes. “Alison isn’t sleeping mom. Alison is dead and it’s for real this time.” Says Hanna as she packs up the ice cream and heads up stairs. Ashley sighs and watches her walk depressively up to her room, bang! The door slams shut.

 

Emily lays in bed wide-awake despite her clock reading 2am. The window is rattling from the high velocity winds outside and she gets out of bed and walks over to close it. On her study desk next to her computer she finds a small photograph of her and Alison kissing. Emily’s eyes begin to well up with tears and she takes it back over to her bed and gives it a gentle peck before placing it under pillow and actually trying to get some sleep.

 

Spencer is surfing the internet looking for signs of A activity in Ravenswood. She is drowsy and her searches are not that successful. Spencer shoots awake and takes a sip of her coffee and continues to sift through the tonnes of info on her laptop screen. All hope seems lost and Spencer is about to close her laptop when an email sound prompts her to open it back up and she does with haste. Spencer opens the email, which is from Anonymous and she reads it: If you are seeking information about who killed your friend meet me at the lake tomorrow night at 9pm. Come alone. Anonymous.

 

“Whoa.” Spencer Gasps.