Author's Note: Hey y'all! I've decided to write a fanfiction about Stevie Rae Johnson (the Okie dork) from the House of Night series. I will apologize for any spelling or grammar errors. I seem to miss them when I am typing fast. If you would like me to continue with this fanfiction, all you have to do is review my story. I will be glad to write more if I know people are enjoying it. No copyright is intended. All characters from HoN belong to P.C. and Kristin Cast. I only own the characters and plots of my own creating. ENJOY!
I woke up to the bright rays of the Oklahoma sunshine pouring in to my room via the cracks in the pale blue blinds that cover my window. My first instinct was to pull my warm, green blankets up over my head and burrow beneath them like a groundhog. But that was pushed from my mind the minute I heard my oldest brother, Austin, open my bedroom door.
"S.R." He called into my room, using my initials as a nickname. "Mama's made bacon." He told me as he closed my door again. I heard his footsteps running down the hall and into the kitchen of our single story ranch house.
Then it hit me. The smell of fresh bacon. My mouth began to water as I quickly jumped out of my bed, threw on my fuzzy cow slippers, and grabbed my light summertime robe. The weather here in Oklahoma can be quite strange. It was the middle of July, but there was a brisk nip in the air that made walking around in short pajama pants and a tank top quite uncomfortable. I walked over to the mirror that was hung above my dresser and shook my head to rid myself of the awful bedhead I always woke up with. I smiled as my short, blonde curls bounced on my shoulders. Finally satisfied with myself, I made my way to the kitchen.
My mama was standing in front of the gas stove with an oven mitt on, frying strips of bacon in one of her many cast-iron pans. She turned around and smiled when she saw me. "G'mornin' darlin'." She said. "Your brothers went outside to get your daddy for breakfast. When they get back, we'll eat." She explained as she turned her attention back to the bacon. I also noticed there was toast in the toaster and eggs (sunny-side up) on a plate on the counter.
"Yum." I said to myself as I took a seat at the table, waiting for my daddy and brothers.
My mama finished up with the bacon, and the toaster signaled that the slices of toast were ready. She quickly prepared each individual plate with the way everyone likes it and carefully brought them to the correct places at the table. I always admired my mama's coordination. She used to be a waitress at Obbe's Diner when I was little, so she knew how to balance so many plates at once. I could never do that. I was too much of a klutz.
Just then, my daddy and three brothers came piling through the side door and into their seats at the kitchen table.
"What took y'all so long?" I asked, looking from one of them to the others. "I'm starved."
My daddy leaned towards me from his spot at the head of the table at ruffled my curls with his hands. "Mornin' Stevie Rae."
I laughed lightly to myself. "Mornin' daddy." I reached across the table to grab the strawberry jam and a knife to cover my toast with it. I sure did love my strawberry jam. But my actions were cut short by a cough. I cleared my throat and picked up the jar of jam. "Frog in my throat." I explained to my family.
"You feelin' okay?" My second oldest brother, Trevor, asked me. I could see the concern in his eyes. I rarely got sick. And when I did, it was usually something that required multiple trips to Doctor Connick's office.
I nodded. I wasn't particularly feeling 100%, but I didn't feel too sick either. I just had a bit of a cough. Nothing major. Seriously. My folks needed to stop worrying so much. I shook it off, and didn't cough for the rest of breakfast. Once I was finished with my eggs, bacon, and toast, I cleared my place at the table like a good daughter and went to go get ready for the day.
Today was the Henrietta town summer carnival. Everyone would be there (all 6,200 of us). I decided to wear my cream-colored halter top with the embroidered flowers and a light denim vest to match. I threw on my lightwashed roper jeans (to match the vest), my lucky brown belt with the solid brass buckle, and my favorite pair of brown cowgirl boots. Lastly, I brushed out my hair and grabbed my cowgirl hat with the brown heart on the front. Happy with my appearance, I skipped out of my bedroom, stopping to cough once more, and out to the front porch to join my family.
Everyone was already waiting in the pickup. My daddy was driving and my mama was sitting shotgun. My three brothers were occupying the back of the truck. I climbed in with them. Then, our family's good old Australian shepherd, Dex (short for Dexter), hopped in with us and off we went to the Henrietta Town Summer Carnival.
When we arrived there, my daddy parked the pickup on the grass that was designated as a temporary parking lot. "I'm gonna go find Cheyenne and Dakota." I told my parents as I climbed out of the back of the truck and made may way over to the go-karts. I knew I would find them there.
Cheyenne McNash and Dakota Elas were my two best friends. The three of us had been inseparable since kindergarten. Me and Cheyenne had known each other since we were in diapers. It also helped that she was my next door neighbor. Dakota had moved to Henrietta from Plano, Texas halfway through our kindergarten year. Me and Cheyenne were the only kids in the class to accept her. We've been close ever since.
"Stevie Rae! Over here!" I heard Dakota call my name. She and Cheyenne were standing by the entrance to the go-kart track, flirting with Jesse Brooks, the Henrietta High School hottie and captain of the Fighting Hen's baseball team (yeah, our mascot is the Fighting Hens- isn't that sad?). I walked over to them, having to clear my throat several times before joining in their conversation.
"Hey y'all." I smiled.
Jesse tipped his cowboy hat at me. "Howdy." He winked.
I could feel my cheeks turning red as I blushed like an idiot. I did my best to ignore how cute Jesse was and turn my attention to my two best friends.
"What'd I miss?" I asked, hoping the answer was not a lot.
"Nothin' really." Cheyenne replied, pushing her straight red hair out of her freckled face. "It's still early. Plenty of time to see Wayne Graga barf pumpkin pie all over the tilt-a-whirl."
"You think that kid would'a learned not to ride after the pie eatin' contest." Jesse said. "It happens every year."
We all started to laugh. It was true. Every year since any of us could remember, Wayne Graga had entered the pie eating contest. He always won, but that's not a surprise considering how fat he is. But then Wayne thinks it's alright for him to ride the tilt-a-whirl immediately after. That never ends well for him as well as the innocent bystanders in the path of his projectile vomit.
Our laughter was cut short by Dakota telling us about the creepy guy looking our way. We all turned to follow her gaze. Sure enough, there was a tall man staring at us. But that wasn't the worst of it.
"Is he a-" Jesse started to say, but was cut off by Cheyenne.
"Shh. Don't say the 'v' word."
She was talking about the word 'vampyre'. I knew what she was referring to and took a closer look at the man. Jesse was right. Sure enough, this creepy man was pale and possessed the blue crescent moon on his forehead that is the classic Mark of a vampyre. He also had the intricate knotwork of an adult vamp framing his eyes and cheeks.
"He's a Tracker." I whispered to my friends.
"Yeah, and he's looking right at you." Cheyenne told me.
I gulped. I knew she was right. This vampyre Tracker was looking straight at me. He began walking towards our group. The four of us huddled closer together. We were all afraid, and we should've been by what happened next.
"Stephanie Johnson! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to Her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!" His ceremonial words cut through the air like a knife through warm butter.
The Tracker lifted his long finger and pointed at me. At that instant, searing pain shot through my forehead then down my entire body. At that instant, I knew life as I once knew it was over forever. And then, my world went dark.