Location: James' House, 3:27 AM
James sat on his bed, wide-eyed, staring at the Black Club President badge like it had grown teeth.
I'm going to die. This is how I go. Crushed under school pressure and weird club expectations."
He googled: *"How to lead a secret club without dying,"* but all he got were weird YouTube videos about lizard people running governments.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed. A text from Henry:
"Tomorrow: we investigate the club room. Wear black. It makes you look smart."
James sighed and replied:
"I'll wear black if you promise not to wear sunglasses indoors again."
Next Morning: Black Clubroom – Room B13 (Behind the Library's Broken Bookshelf)
The door creaked open with a sound that screamed "you're going to regret this."
Inside, it was dusty, half-lit, and... oddly cold. A worn-out couch sat in the corner like it hadn't been cleaned since dinosaurs took exams.
There were also:
Three chairs
One creepy owl statue
A whiteboard with the words: "NEVER TRUST THE JANITOR"
Henry whispered, "Bro. Do you feel that? The vibe? Like ghosts are watching?"
James smacked him with a rolled-up file. "It's called air-conditioning, genius."
Then — something clattered.
They both froze.
A locker in the corner slowly creaked open on its own.
James whispered, "Nope. Nope. Nooope. I'm going home. I hear my mom calling—"
But curiosity won. He stepped toward it.
Inside the locker was… a **note**, taped to the back.
It read:
"They're always watching. Never speak freely. I had to leave before THEY got me. You're next. – ex-Black Pres"
James blinked. "Is this a prank? Please say it's a prank. Please let Ashton Kutcher pop out and say I'm on a hidden camera show."
Henry grabbed the note. "What if the ex-president was… taken?"
James: "Taken?! This is a school, not Area 51!"
Henry: "Yeah but remember Sam? The guy who ran the Literature Club? One day he said he was quitting. The next day — BOOM! Gone. Moved to another country. Or so they say."
James: "No one even liked Sam! He once made us write 3-page essays on *pencils*! Of course he was kicked out!"
Then suddenly… the lights flickered.
Click… click… CLICK.
A drawer flew open by itself, revealing a USB drive labeled:
"For the next president. If you're not scared, plug it in."
Henry: "...You first."
James: "You're my vice president. That means you do the dangerous stuff."
Henry: "I thought it meant I get a cool chair and snacks?!"
Computer Lab – 10 Minutes Later
They plugged in the USB into a school laptop (which sounded like it might explode any second). A single video played. The footage was dark, shaky, and recorded like a horror film.
A voice whispered:
"This is President #6. If you're watching this, I'm probably already gone. Do NOT trust Principal Ghani. He knows about the club. And he wants control over it. They tried to make me resign… but I ran. I had to."
In the background, a creepy figure moved across the hallway on the screen.
Henry paused the video. "Why does this feel like a Netflix show and a fever dream had a baby?"
James: "Why is the principal always involved in school conspiracies? Can't he just stick to budget reports?!"
Then suddenly… the door to the lab creaked open.
Henry: "We're dead."
James: "Be cool. Maybe it's just a janitor."
A tall shadow stepped inside.
Janitor: "What are you two doing here?"
Henry dropped the USB drive and screamed, "IT'S HIM! IT'S *THEM*! TAKE MY SNACKS, BUT SPARE MY LIFE!"
James fumbled to grab the drive, stuffing it in his sock like a spy.
Janitor just stared blankly. "You kids are weird."
Later, Outside the Clubroom
The two sat on the stairs, exhausted.
Henry: "So… our club has secrets, the old president might be on the run, the principal might be evil, and the janitor thinks we're on drugs."
James: "Yep. Welcome to the Black Club."
Then James glanced down.
His hand had black ink on it. From the note?
He flipped it over.
There was a second hidden message:
"To learn more… follow the red lockers. Room 3C. Midnight."
Henry read it and grinned. "Bro. Our lives just got way more interesting."
James: "Our deaths too."