Todd, Lacey's older brother by a year, drove them all to school that Monday morning. The tall scrawny kid looked at Pamela who sat at the back through the rearview mirror, she didn't even notice. Her eyes were on the landscape as she bit her nail.

He grinned, "don't be so nervous,"

She drew her attention onto him, also watching his brown eyes from the mirror.

"I promise you, everyone at school is friendly, it's a small town, and you should be making friends in no time,"

She gave him a weak grin.

He neared the large school, she watched as the teens made it inside the building. While the others walked up to their friends. She grabbed her school bag and got out of the car. The siblings did too, Todd towered over the girls. He watched the school entrance with her, "I could walk you to the principal's office if you want?"

She gazed up at him and gave him an authentic smile, "yeah,"

He looked at Lacey "I'm going with her if she still hasn't settled in by lunch break, would you..."

"... Yeah," Lacey responded before he could finish, "she can sit with me and Gina,"

He bounded his head, "Good," then he placed his large hand on Pam's shoulder and looked at her, "Let's go."

He directed her to the office before showing her around a little bit, even showing her where she could find Lacey. Then they stopped before the door, his thumbs were hooked onto the straps of his bag. "Well, this is it. Good luck on your first day... Mr Wellington is a real nice guy,"

Pam nodded her head, "thanks, Todd,"

He smirked and waved at her with the four free fingers before turning and leaving.
She gulped before knocking on the door softly, as delicate as her knocks were, Mr Wellington still heard and called for her to enter.

She opened the door and a short man sat by his messy desk. He flashed her a warm smile and got up and welcomed her into his office.

He went over a few rules before giving her everything she needed. She took her schedule and left his office. Todd was right, he was a lovely man, he even attempted to crack a few jokes when he read the anxiety on her.

She left and found her locker. Pam stood by her locker when unexpectedly darkness crept over her. She shut her eyes hoping that the nightmare would go away. Then that same coldness was roaming all around her, and she felt an icy claw on her shoulder, the cold travelled down her entire body, the hair on her back stood tall and she could feel something against her cheek.

"Help them, set them free."

The voice said. Pam opened her eyes and her heart was beating against her ribcage.

"Trapped frozen..."

It said in a high-pitched squeaky voice and then finished off in a loud thunderous voice.

"And you're the one chosen."

Frightened, she hastily turned around to face the darkness, but it vanished the moment she did. She clenched her heart which was practically pumping in her hand. She tried to tame her breathing and leaned against the lockers.

"You okay?" Asked a boy at the locker next to hers, she didn't even notice him there. 

"Uh, ya," she lied and stood upright.

"Really? Because you look very spooked out,"

She looked at him and faked a convincing smile.

"Ya, I'm really good,"

"You're new, right? What's your name? I'm Roger," he shared and reached out his hand.

"I'm Pam, nice to meet you," they shook hands.

"Well take care, Pam, don't let this place creep you out," he opened his mouth to speak but shook his head, "forget it. I'll see you around then,"

"Yeah,"

He walked away.

She watched him leave and shook her head. There's something strange happening here and she has no idea what it is and who to talk to about it. Who's going to believe her?

She decided to brush it off and found her class.

"Take a seat next to Becca," instructed Mrs Scott, she slowly made her way to the back of the class where a tall, thick mean looking girl was seated.

"Hey! May I sit?" She asked scared, Becca looked up at Pam and flashed her a friendly welcoming smile.

"Sure, why not? I'm Rebecca," she introduced herself so pleasantly.

Pam took a seat, she thought about the way Becca replied. She spoke in a strong Australian accent, so she might be new too.

"I'm Pam,"

"Cool," she replied and continued what she did.

She was sketching an odd image of a bunch of faceless teens trapped in some sort of art room, they had no facial features, only droopy crystal blue eyes that mimicked ice.

"What's happening?" Pam wanted to know.

"I'm not quite sure, I see these sad trapped guys in my dreams. Crying to be set free."

Pam raised an eyebrow. It's strange, she felt that these two occurrences had to be connected. But how?

***

During the lunch break, after she took her food, Pamela was walking around with her tray looking for a place to sit.
Everywhere she laid her eyes, teenagers were already in groups and talking. They all belonged somewhere, and now she was walking around looking for an empty seat when she saw Roger sitting alone, listening to music as he softly sang with his music and banged his head.
She stood behind him and he took out his earphones.

She gave him an awkward smile and a wave to match.

"Hey," she greeted, "mind if I sit?"

He shook his head, "of course not,"

She sat down and took a bite from her sandwich, "you alone?"

"No, I'm not alone. My friend Austin will be here soon. But he won't mind you," he took his headset off entirely and grinned, "So, how's your first day going so far?"

She was going to reply that it was going pretty well when a group of teenagers at the table behind them laughed so loud that it caused all to turn around, including Pamela. She saw that it was Lacey and her friends. Roger grunted, then sighed hopelessly.

"You ought to stay away from those guys," he said, she turned and focused her attention on him.

"Why? Lacey's my cousin."

"Well stay away from your cousin, there's something very dark happening in that squad."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but they creep me out," he said and shuddered.

"And what might this be? A pretty lady here amongst us," said a boy wearing large glasses with a round rim, she assumed this was Austin.

"This is Pamela, Pam-Pam, this is Austin."

She raised her eyebrow and cocked her head to the side, "Pam-Pam?"

Roger's eyes grew large, "you don't mind, right? Or-or I could just remain calling you, Pam?"

Pamela smirked and folded her arms, "no, I like it actually,"

Roger's heart sunk in relief.

Austin sat down and stared at Pamela, "where you from?"

She sighed, "Everywhere,"

"No, don't say it with that energy," Austin half scolded her, "Roger and I have only ever been here,"

Roger bobbed his head, "we'll probably die here,"

"And he's not exaggerated,"

Pamela leaned forward, "Or you could save money and leave?"

They looked at each other then at her, "We-we've always wanted to, but we're bounded here. Ice kids can't leave the town,"

Ice. Ice. Ice. Pamela folded her arms as the word rang in her head, what is it with that word? Ice.

"What's an ice kid?"

They looked at each other and the table behind them at the same time, the same table that belonged to Lacey and her friends. "No," Austin said.

"We've said too much already. How about we just enjoy lunch?"

She slowly nodded her head, "Okay. Let's drop it then,"

She was going to find out what it is, one way or another. She was going to decipher Becca's sketch, and what that boy spoke about at that party. Something strange is happening here and she wants to know what it is.