Drop Dead Darlings: Daughters of Liberty, #1.1

By Poppy Havoc

Quantum University is a sturdy fort. Unfortunately, students are trapped alongside a serial killer. Will they make it alive?

 

Opia: She has been homeschooled, eternally existing just behind the gates. She's desperate to live a regular life of friendship, love, and mischief. She wouldn't let a homicide ruin her chances.

 

Barti: He was her perfect match; her soul mate. She would go to any lengths to make him hers. Even betray a friend.

 

Amara: She thought she was being hunted by monsters all her life. What if she was the one doing the hunting?

 

One year into Quantum University and playing around with power dynamics, now the three friends, Amara, Barti and Opia are cosily at the top of the college hierarchy. But when someone decides to perch a severed head on the common notice board, tension rises. And the victim is rumoured to be one of the Drop Dead Darlings, an elitist clique.

 

People go missing and in an attempt to safeguard the University's pristine reputation, the admins do everything they can to cut off students from communicating with the outside world. Curfews are in place and private investigators roam the campus, sniffing around for clues. Eventually, circumstances point fingers at the three friends. But what will happen when one of them goes missing?

 

There's a serial killer at large on the campus. With all exits locked down and no one to help, one question nags the minds of every student: Who's going to be next?

This absolutely addictive young adult thriller is guaranteed to make you gasp. If you loved Pretty Little Liars, Big Little Lies and Paper dolls, this book is for you.

 

 

WHAT READERS SAY

 

"Havoc does an excellent job of building tension throughout the book, using a combination of suspenseful pacing and well-timed plot twists to keep readers engaged."

~Prasad Babu Galla, Author of Ten Little Dead Bodies.

 

 

"I can't pick a favourite part from the book because I loved everything... I'm excited for the sequel. 

~Meenal, Instagram Influencer

 

 

"...a brilliant read in plot, world-building, exposition, and the execution of suspense and horror. The twists and turns are downright ingenious and will have your jaw dropping to the floor." 

~Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews

 

 

"Your head will roll. Literally. The mix of gore, horror, total psychological thriller made this a fast and fun read!" 

~Reagan, Instagram Influencer

 

 

"Oh my god ! I'm left with emotions that I can't decipher myself. The book was nothing like I expected. With all the plots and twists, the book was an amazing thriller! ...Can't wait for the sequel."

~Savi, Instagram Influencer.

 

 

"I was left feeling disturbed after this book which is definitely what I want after reading a thriller!"

~Amazon Reviewer.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Poppy Havoc
• Release date: May 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224566143

Book preview

Drop Dead Darlings

Poppy Havoc

Copyright © 2023 Poppy Havoc

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

ISBN-13: 9798385593057

To my husband for being supportive and encouraging. Without him, I wouldn't have found the courage to write this book. To my brother who was kind and enthusiastic throughout all my brainstorming sessions.

Disclaimer

This book contains disturbing, graphic details of practices including but not limited to graphics descriptions of death, blood and gore, psychopathic behaviors, bullying and hallucinations, human sacrifice, cannibalism, etc.,

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Disclaimer

Opia

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Barti

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Amara

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

Epilogue

The Sequel

Acknowledgement

About The Author

Afterword

Opia

1

December,1999

It started one wicked morning.

Quantum University's campus was blissfully calm and covered in the morning fog. Students were safe in their beds, deep asleep—staff in their own colony—for Quantum University was the only resident university for the elites of Asia.

Not anymore!

But at that time, people were ready to walk with their heads on the ground if it would get them enrolled in Quantum.

One catch though!

You must conform to the elitist culture and the stressful academic situation Quantum would impose on its residents.

Else you vanish, just like that. Poof!

Waves lapped on the rocky private beach lining the west part of the campus. Lights from the private lighthouse shone on the horizon. A gentle breeze caressed the trees lining Dead Stone Creek, a small coastal town, well-known for its proximity to Quantum University. The sound of leaves rustling floated in through the open dorm window.

On the writing table, a set of carelessly laid papers with a half-written essay on it fluttered beneath a tiny table clock. The faint orange glow squeezing in through the open window revealed that the clock indicated six hours and ten minutes. A queen-sized bed stood next to the writing table.

Wrapped up in a red comforter, Opia laid on the bed with exhausted eyes, staring out the window. Her hair was a mess and the skin beneath her eyes was dark. She had been lying awake throughout the night.

With a long, miserable sigh, she untangled herself from the sheets and slid her feet to the ground. Her fragile body shivered from the lack of warmth of the cozy bed; her head pounded as she shifted her weight onto the floor.

Staying up through the night just to cry it out wasn't the best idea, she thought, brushing her hair aside.

Opia wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to face Leo after the stunt her friend Amara pulled the other day.

Why would you change boyfriends every other day? Amara had asked when she ran into Opia in the diner.

Leo was right beside the duo.

Even with all the hassle and clatter in the diner, Leo must have heard her as clear as day.

He was shocked at the comment as anyone would be.

Opia prided herself that she was the most loyal person amidst the lying, perfidious bitches of Quantum. What might Amara have had against Opia to ask such a nasty question in front of her lover was a mystery.

That day, Leo left without a word.

Opia hadn't seen or heard from him for about a week and… it hurt.

She shook the thought away, washed her teeth and face and brushed her hair to smooth down the tangles, shifting it to one side just like Amara would do. As much as she was mad at Amara, she loved her style—simple and elegant with just a touch of rebellion.

Rebellion! That's what set Amara apart from the crowd.

Opia had started to imitate Amara a lot lately. She idolized Amara's quirkiness and attitude.

However, her mother, Ciandra Delvin, was not going to be happy with the little changes in her daughter when she would come back from her business trip.

The thought of her mother made Opia feel queasy. She secretly prayed her mother would never come back. Opia didn’t hate her mother. She loved her. It was just, not having someone hovering over her, night and day, was addicting and liberating. She prayed for the feeling to stay forever.

The queasy feeling remained in her chest like a worst case of heartburn.

She blinked twice and remembering something, she frantically searched the bathroom cabinet. Minutes later, she unearthed a tiny pink package labeled 'Home Pregnancy Test Kit'. She carefully placed the package over the counter and clicked her fingers, standing there for a long while.

Her last menstrual period was forty-seven days ago. She had never been late ever since puberty. In addition to that, she experienced nausea.

Opia carefully opened the package with trembling fingers and placed the kit on the bathroom counter. She read the instructions again and again before collecting an ounce of urine sample in the sterile cup that came with the kit. She read the instructions one more time before dropping three meticulous drops into the sample well.

The hcg strip absorbed the wetness gradually revealing two pink lines—one after the other.

The taste and smell of mint toothpaste lingering on her tongue and nostrils, she stared at the home pregnancy test kit sitting on the toilet counter. Her breath hitched. She held her head between both hands and sighed.

Opia was seventeen and had zero knowledge about pregnancy. However, the thought that Leo's child was growing inside her brought delightful goosebumps over her skin.

Leaving the kit on the counter and not bothering to change the nightclothes, she wrapped a thick cotton shawl around her neck.

When she stepped out of the room, the dormitory was still dark; the gradually brightening sun casted giant-like shadows on the walls and floors. Amara and Barti were asleep in their rooms. Opia decided to slip into the diner quickly, load up on caffeine and hope that it would keep her awake all day.

A Quantum resident could never dream of batting an eye during class hours.

Good thing Weirdo Wasim opened at six in the morning to clean up the place for his customers. Opia might get him to whip something strong for her.

***

Wind was stiflingly cold outside. Opia braced herself stretching the shawl over her bare arms. Winter days were almost over but early mornings were freezing nonetheless. Seasons were changing unpredictably, and nature was losing its patience over humans.

Now and then, a gentle breeze ruffled the canopies of trees and bushes. Opia regretted stepping out that early. Yet she kept walking as the administrative block came into view. From there, the diner was less than five minutes away.

It might be warm inside, she thought.

But then, she felt an invisible-something crawling in the back of her neck as though someone was watching her. She snuggled deep into the shawl, gazing in all directions. Since it was way too early in the morning for Quantum to be active, the campus was predominantly empty except for the couple of cleaners who swept tree litter off the ground, a gardener who trimmed the plants to preserve the aesthetics of the campus and… a head that popped from behind the common notice board bordering the clearing.

Through the lazy morning fog, Opia could only make out the outline.

Yet, there was something wrong—

She couldn't discover a body below the notice board, only a head above.

Heads never existed without bodies, did they? Except in sloppy horror movies. But life wasn't a sloppy horror movie. To Opia, it was a cheesy fairy tale with happily ever afters—or so she thought. Then it must be her sleep deprived mind playing tricks on her. Maybe she was hallucinating. Maybe she should ignore the view and go on with her life. Perhaps, just perhaps, then she would have lived her 'happily ever after'. But life decided to not be easy on her and so, Opia decided to take a closer look, just to be sure.

The thick layer of fog thinned as she moved closer. That must be a football or a basketball perched on the notice board for fun. But footballs wouldn’t grow hair, would they?

Fear, heavy like lead, settled down her belly. That wasn't some engaging thriller movie you would binge on Webflix. It was real life and Opia was no hero. Sweat formed on her forehead and her fingertips grew numb from the cold wind. The silhouette became creepier the closer she moved. Her intellect screamed to turn away before she saw anything she shouldn't. But curious as she was, Opia pushed forward, thinning down the layer of fog enough to make out the details.

A horrible smell hit her nose.

It was indeed a head.

A severed head!

The head was mangled with chunks of rotting flesh and dried blood. Some parts of it were a mushy brown, disgusting enough to make you puke. Long tangled strands of hair stuck out from the crown part and the eyes gawed to render itself spookier.

Revulsion crept up her throat. A chilling scream pierced the silence of the beach-side campus. Only after a beat did she realize that it was her screaming. Her hands flew to shut her mouth both to muffle the screams and to stop herself from vomiting right there on the dirt.

She turned back and sprinted towards the Curie sub-campus, barely reaching the right dormitory.

In her haste and panic, Opia pushed the door open and fell face down on the floor.

Amara, who had just stepped out from her room, yawning, rushed to her side.

Hey, what happened? She lifted Opia's head onto her lap.

I just… Opia mumbled in between uncontrollable whimpers, I saw… I saw a head.

A head? Whose head?

Words betrayed Opia. She sobbed a long time before choking out those dreadful words, Cyra’s head.

2

Opia filled her friends with information between sobs. A while later, when she was relatively calm, she led Amara and Barti to the common notice board. But this time, a loosely formed crowd was gathered around the spot; some of them were mumbling and some, cussing. Opia's scream attracted passers-by to the place and then it was only a matter of seconds for the topic to spread. Even as classy as it was, Quantum University still had its own share of gossipers. Authorities arrived shortly and took charge, ordering the audience to not tamper with the scene. Students were instructed to stay in their respective dormitories, classes were canceled and staff were requested to gather for an emergency meeting.

Who was the first to witness the scene? A man who looked like he was way up in command asked the general crowd. A few people pointed fingers at Opia, making her tense up. Amara and Barti tightened their holds on her hand, gently reassuring her.

The man nodded.

Investigators were called up and while waiting, the authorities impelled the crowd leaving only the three girls to stay behind. Opia shuffled on her feet sandwiched between her friends. Their reassuring hold of each other's palm provided her with the much-needed moral support.

The wind picked up speed and the sun burned overhead. Droplets of sweat that formed on their skin instantly dried up in the wind. Minutes later, two officers stomped the ground into the clearing: a middle-aged man with a plumpy build, enormous mustache, grumpy stubble and a protruding belly; and a younger one who was the exact opposite of him with a tall, lanky physique and clean-shaven face. After a few initial questions, the girls were sent back to their dormitory.

Opia had calmed down by then; the shock had waned. The main campus was silent and empty. It was weird compared to how active the place would be on normal days. Contrary to that, the Curie sub-campus was in chaos when they entered the gate. Girls were gathered outside their respective dorms in small groups and were gossiping in hushed tones. They seemed disgruntled.

They can't be serious?

That's obnoxious!

Opia could hear occasional outbursts as she passed in the direction of her dormitory. But she didn't stop to scrutinize the reason. Her stomach was rumbling. She hoped for some packaged food to be left in the mini-fridge.

Once inside, she dashed to the kitchenette and opened the mini-fridge to find half a pizza. She grabbed it and, not bothering about the cold and hard texture, stuffed it into her mouth like a tramp. Staying up all night had depleted her energy. Being pregnant didn't help either.

Barti opened the windows to let some fresh air in. Amara slumped into the plush loveseat, turning on the ceiling fan.

The interior had warmed up. By the time Opia finished the pizza, someone knocked on the open door and the warden's head popped in.

Hey sweetie, how are you doing? She cautiously stepped inside addressing Opia.

Opia tossed the pizza box into the trash bin. Still a bit shocked, she said, washing her hands in the sink, but better.

Barti moved to the loveseat and slumped on the other side. It's been a day! She commented.

Yeah, the warden twiddled near the door.

Amara scrunched her forehead, What?

What? The warden breathed.

You're nervous. And you're here. That's unusual.

Oh, the warden looked down at her fingers and sighed, We-received-an-order-to-seize-all-the-mobile-phones-from-students. She recited in a hasty manner as if she wished for them to not decipher the words slipping out her tongue. They are toughening up the rules… you know, because of… she trailed.

Toughening up my nuts! Amara snapped, shuffling to her feet. Opia flinched at the harshness in her voice. Sometimes, Opia hoped she had Amara's boldness. But otherwise, Amara was plain rude.

Pia, Amara continued, closing the distance between them, have you informed your mother?

The warden looked terrified.

What the outside world knew was all bluff. Quantum wasn't run by a panel of talented administrators, nor a powerful owner. It was funded and run by the wealthiest parents of Asia. If at least one of them discovered the morning's events, Quantum would be doomed to ruin forever.

And so the warden shivered in fear of