Chapter 1

Imagine your biggest fear. Heights, vampires, clowns, whatever. Now multiply that amount of fear by 10. Now multiply that by infinity. That amount of fear is created by one thing and one thing only. Middle school. Even thinking about it makes me shudder. If you were like me, you'd understand. I'm a 12 year old 7th grader who's diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia.

I've always been going around from school to school, town to town, my whole life. I've lived from the dirty streets of Delaware to the clean as a toxic waste dump California. Now, I'm in the Big Apple. The city that never sleeps. The mother of Broadway. New York City. I've never been more miserable.

I used to live in New Jersey until a week ago. I was so happy there, but then I got kicked out. Why? Well… you see, I'm a fighter. My dad's a retired pro-boxer so I learned everything from him. Now when someone or something gets me mad, I instinctively punch it or hurt it. It's not my best quality.

But anyway, today's my first day of school in P.S. 523. Everything went so fast. One minute I'm saying good morning to my dad and the next I walking with some principal assistant down a so- bright- it- burns-your-eyes color blue hallway. The assistant lady handed me off too some old lady who's supposed to be my history teacher.

Her name was , which was the exact opposite of what she was. She wore a long dreary, gray dress. Her gray hair was tied in a bun with a hairnet over it. She reminded me of a gray cloud that was going to shoot me with lightning. She gave me a look that said you're in for it, missy. I've seen that look enough.

The principal assistant whispered something into Hairnet's ear and left.

"Class, this is Gwen Wood," Hairnet said in an icy voice "She will be our new… friend. Please be nice to her." It was like it hurt her to say that. I sighed and flipped my shoulder- length caramel colored hair. I slowly walked down to where Hairnet told me to sit. Maybe it was just me, but I swear that I saw Hairnet's eyes flash a bright yellow when I sat down. Well this is New York, I thought it's got to be full of drunkards and hookers. Who said she couldn't be one.

The some scrawny boy with crutches who was sitting next to me spoke up,

"H-hi. My name's T-Tommy.' I stared at him with my bright green eyes.

"Really? Good for you." I said darkly. Yes, I know, that was uncalled for. But I was pretty miffed for having to go to this stupid school and live in this stupid city. Somehow, Tommy didn't seem to mind. In fact, he actually tried harder to talk to me. He had guts, I'll give him that.

For the next hour, Hairnet was rambling on about Greek history or something. All of the letters flipped and skipped around the chalkboard. By the time the bell rang, my brain was mush and Tommy was treating me like his best friend.

While everyone filed out, Hairnet asked me to stay behind. Tommy kept on going, thinking that I was still next to him. Hairnet then just starred at me.

"Um, yes?" I said. She looked like she was going to choke me with her garbage scented lotionized hands.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with an angry voice.

"Excuse me?" I asked. Now I was getting sort of nervous.

"How dare you mock me! I know who you are after and I will not even let you live to see her!" She shrieked. I knew it, I thought I knew, I knew it, I knew it. She IS drunk! Geez, and everyone says that this school's teachers are so great.

Then it happened. Hairnet's eyes started to glow a sickly yellow color. Her hairnet grew with her now incredibly long hair until I realized that her hairnet was her hair. EW. Her white skin became scales and her well manicured nails became claws. Then I watched as Hairnet Head lunged at me with her knife-like claws and oozing fangs.