The Snow

When we got into school, everybody was in little groups of no more than four, whispering and gossiping about the murder. We went to join our friends and started chatting away.

"... she thinks they were supposed to kill his wife but they murdered him by accident!"

"No, that couldn't be right because they stole some of his most precious possessions."

"I heard he had a secret lover, but he was jealous of his wife, so she murdered him and took his stuff so she couldn't have any of it."

"But he loved his wife too much, he wouldn't have done that, would he?"

"Shut up, everyone!" screamed Jo, Lauren's best friend, "All these rumours are just pure and utter LIES!" Lauren's dad was murdered, and why do we need to know any more than that? It's hard enough for Lauren, her family and all of Mr. Barnes' friends. We shouldn't be making rumours about him!"

The room fell silent. We all knew she was right, and we felt guilty. Mr. Barnes had always been so generous to us all, yet now we were gossiping about him, betraying the good name he had left behind.

For the rest of the day everybody felt depressed, even the teachers were more depressed than usual. But while everyone was carrying on with their schoolwork, I was hatching a plan. A horrible, brilliant plan, which may take days to perform. But I will have to frame someone, but who...