It was August 25th. The last day of my true freedom from the prison I was forced to attend for the last eighteen years, and what a way to end it—I got the chance to board the bus that'd ship me off to the next prison—and this one is gonna hold me for another four years. Well, I can't say it'd be too bad. I got my darling and buddy boarding with me.

"Edward, shut up," the girl next to him said. It didn't take a second warning to make him to do as she said.

"Aw, come on," he groaned as he looked away. "I need something to do on this boring trip to the campus."

"If you need to do something, try to figure out why there's only about four of us on the bus," she responded with a growl.

"What do you think I am? Some ace detective that can solve any problem just by looking at it?" He retorted as he stuck his tongue out at her. "If anything, I'm just a horror writer with an extremely ordinary life."

"You can't have an ordinary life to be able to get into this college," she laughed as she pulled out her earbuds. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to fill my time more wisely."

Edward sighed as he leaned back into the seat of the bus. He saw the trees fly by his face as he looked out the window. He turned back to the girl he argued with. She looked out the opposite window with her head in the palm of her hand connected to the armrest. Truth be told, this was the first time they had actually met. Before the four students boarded the bus, the counselor had them introduce themselves with their names and a little about themselves.

XXX

"Alright, the little geniuses of the next generation, before we board, I want to go over a little exercise with all of you. I want you to go around in the circle and introduce yourself," the counselor said as he smiled. "I'll start you guys off. My name is Alexander Lincoln, and I'm the Ultimate Guidance Counselor," he smiled wider as he turned towards Edward. "How about you go now?"

Edward sighed and turned to the other three students. If anything he had to just speak to the two girls, as he was best friends with the other boy. "My name is Edward Dean and I'm the Ultimate Horror Writer."

Edward Dean
Ultimate Horror Writer
Equipped with his book smarts, and his words, he was
ready to face the challenges that approached him.

"I guess I'll go next, since it doesn't seem too hard—especially since a writer managed to come up with a vivid description of himself," the girl next to him said. "My name is Taylor Elusory, and I'm the Ultimate Seamstress."

Taylor Elusory
Ultimate Seamstress
Standing at about five foot three, she is anything but tiny. Her voice is large
enough to carry a distance and her ego much larger than that.

"Ooh, me next," the girl to her left excitedly chimed in. "My name is Barbara Zalot and I'm the Ultimate Waitress, but you can just call me Babs. All of my friends do it."

Barbara Zalot
Ultimate Waitress
Energetic and wild, Babs likes to make sure that everyone around
her is happy. However, just make sure to never tell her she is wrong.

"Let's be the best of friends," she added before she was cut off by the seamstress.

"Tone it down a bit there, you little cupcake," she groaned as she crossed her arms and looked away. "I don't understand how any of you really got accepted into this school."

"And how exactly did you get accepted? I really don't see anything promising coming from you, nor that meager attire you decided to don," Edward spoke up as he, too, crossed his arms.

The seamstress laughed before she turned back to the writer. "Aren't we full of bunk? Listen, kid, it's best not to get involved in a matter of a cat fight."

"Now, now, let's not resort to violence. LU wants everyone to lead a life of peace and prosperity, not the unneeded violence and jealousy that has arisen from greed," Alex quickly interjected, placing a hand on both kids. "Now, we still have one more student that needs to introduce himself." He added as he motioned over to the giant boy to his left.

"My name? It's Richard Farran. I'm the Ultimate Lineman," he said practically emotionless.

Richard Farran
Ultimate Lineman
Richard is by no means a little man. His shoulders are broad
enough to hide the sun if you would stand behind him.

"There, now everyone has introduced themselves. Can we please get going? I'm getting tired of looking at an ugly excuse of a writer," Taylor said as she looked away from Edward.

"Yes, yes. You may now enter the bus," the Counselor nodded as he waved them on with his hand. "Unfortunately, I must wait here for the other buses to arrive. You four may go on ahead and wait inside the gymnasium for the rest of the students, alright?"

XXX

Edward sighed as he slid down into the bus seat a bit. He still had his anxiety, but nothing would be able to stop him from getting into the school of his dreams. He looked back over at the girl in the opposite seat. He had to admit, he liked the way she parted her hair—it definitely sat better than the hair on his head. His was always fluffed up, like what his mom considered "a bobcats' fur." Hers, on the other hand, was cut short—just to about the base of her neck and the front laid to the side of her head, tucked neatly behind her ear.

"Eddy, you're staring," his friend said as he leaned over into the writer's seat. The latter jumped up a bit before he turned to the lineman.

"Shut up, Frankenstein," the writer said as he motioned a neck slice with his hand. He placed his hand on his heart, feeling it beat a little faster.

The lineman rolled his eyes and motioned over to the girl Edward stared at. "So, you like her, eh?" He asked as raised his eyebrows twice consecutively.

"I said shut up, you big oaf," the writer groaned as he pushed the lineman back down into his own seat. The latter rolled his eye before moving over into the same seat as his friend. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Sitting with a friend, duh," he responded with an eye roll. "Look, I need your help. Babs, back there, decided to sit next to me, and you know how I am with girls. I need your help… Please?"

"You know I can't even help myself in the matter, so how would I be able to help you?" Edward asked. It was true; he did have a pretty bad track record with the ladies. "All I would be able to do is sit there with you. I don't think I would be able to help talk at all."

"That's good! That's all I need—I just need someone there to make it comfortable," he smiled as he got up. He grabbed onto the edge of the headrest to keep his balance as the bus rocked back and forth through the rugged terrain of the mountain. Edward followed him slowly as he walked back to the seat with Babs.

As soon as Richard sat down, Babs moved closer and stared up at him with a lovestruck look in her eyes. Edward sighed to himself as he sat down in the seat in front of them.

"Babs, this is my friend Edward," Richard motioned to the seat in front of him. "Edward, this is Babs. You two probably already remember each other from the meeting before we boarded the bus."

"Uh-huh," Barbara giggled before she sighed happily. "Edward, right?" She turned to the boy in front of her. "What do you think of Ricky here?"

"What do I think of him?" Edward repeated, a little shocked she would ask him almost immediately. "Well," he started, "he is a great friend when you need him the most and he usually will agree with anything you have to say."

"That's nice…" she slowly said as she sighed again. "I think he is a handsome guy that would protect you no matter the circumstance," she added in a coy giggle. Richard just blushed in response.

The three of them lurched forward as the bus halted to an immediate stop. "Alright, you sorry excuses of students, get off my bus, or I'll have to let the dean know you're being a public menace," the bus driver yelled back to the kids in the back. Edward immediately stood up and scurried off the bus. Richard and Babs took their time getting off—mainly as Babs stuck to Richard's arm.

There, in front of me, stood the most important place I would ever set foot in. Linback University. It looked better in person than it did in the pictures. Of course, everything looked better that way, but I digress. Armed with my book smarts, and the two friends from the bus, I looked forward to the best time of my life. Just imagine the joy and –– Murder and Sacrifice we would go through just in the first year of us attending…