There was no way I was going outside. Outside into the chilling winter morning air.

Had anyone been walking past the window of our beautiful French-style house they would see a young girl of probably a few months past sixteen sat on a cream, cane armchair. Cup of fragrant coffee in one hand and a plate of toast and raspberry jam in the other. Her long hair hung around her shoulders, slightly tangled, betraying the fact it hadn't been brushed yet. Around her neck hung a black string ending in a silver curling wire that held safely inside a strange metallic black stone with an eerie quality that drew the eye.

Her eyes were a stormy grey and she was in a white strapless top with dark black jeans. A grey jacket with white fake fur was curled tightly around her thin frame to keep her warm. I looked out the window at the motionless street outside. Not many cars drove past, especially at this hour of the morning and not past her house, tucked away near the bushland. The roads only lead to one place so unless you wanted to visit someone there was no reason to come in to the quite little suburb.

I checked her large silver watch, surveying the information it gave me, date, day, seconds, digital time as well as analogue.

6:30am

Well. It was time to get up and get ready for school. I sighed as I crammed the last piece of toast into my mouth I made my way to my room, pausing only to set the plate and now empty cup on the Kitchen Bench, ready to be washed then the morning cycle of cleaning came around.

As I closed her door and turned on the radio before I heard my two brothers stir in the rooms next to me and I turned the radio down a little.

7:37am

I picked up my black standard school shoulder bag. Thankful that at least I got a free dress day which was a welcome change from the cold scratchy uniforms. That was how it was in Australian schools though. Uniforms only. Something about creating equality among students or something.

"Bye Nix," I heard my mother say, putting down the brush she was using even though her long black hair was perfectly brushed anyway. I smiled, my mother had always been quite fashionable, keeping up with the latest trends and such,

"See ya," I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek and doing the same for my father,

"Have a good day," He told me with a smile,

"You too," I replied automatically, already half out the door where my little brother was already half way down the street.

I huffed in annoyance but I wasn't about to run to catch up with him. No that would give him too much satisfaction. Even though my brother was two years younger than me he still acted like a typical teenager, apathetic and irritating.

8:45am

"Oh, lovely! Homeroom time!" I grumbled in annoyance, climbing the almost infinite blue steps toward the second floor of the pristine white building. Books in arms I felt like a juggler, attempting to keep them all in a somewhat orderly stack. Other students in clothes of various descriptions walked past me, chatting animatedly about their week for probably the fourth or fifth time that day. I don't mind walking alone. I was quite able to strike up a conversation however for now I just preferred the silence in my own head to the torrent of noise that surrounded me. The door came into sight and with a sharp tug it admitted me to the hallway where right across from her was a glass door. Walking up I attempted to use the handle but to no avail. I huffed irritably and moved to lean against the hallway wall. Placing my books on the fire box to relieve the weight for a while.

Almost immediately the door opened once more to admit about three more girls and two boys, two girls had black hair while one other had blond and the remainder brown,

"Try the door?" One of the girls named Izzy asked moving toward the door. I simply shrugged in reply.

"Locked. We need our own key." I answered apathetically although not unfriendly,

"'Cus the teachers would be dumb enough to do that." Ryan put in sarcastically and we all laughed along. It was about that time though that the teacher walked through the doors with a big self satisfied smile on his face,

"Morning students!" He crowed too chipper. As he walked past we exchanged the pleasantries required by social etiquette. Much rolling of eyes and shaking of heads when we knew he couldn't see us.

We each walked into the empty classroom and chose our regular places, mine being in the corner of the classroom where I could observe everything rather than be in the centre of it all,

"Sup." A girl greeted apathetically, sitting down heavily on the chair opposite me with a thin smile. I grinned back although the grin didn't touch my eyes. I knew Sally as cynical and temperamental. One moment I attempt to be friendly and she shoots me down. Then she is the one trying to be friendly. At the moment however I was unwilling to get involved in conversation. I didn't feel like dealing with her antics at present. So I simply ignored her, opening my book and pretending to jot down some notes for my upcoming English class. Thankfully she seemed content to do the same. Leaving my to my own devices for the rest of the beginning class.

"Hey!" I heard a friendly voice call out. I spun around to see the bright happy face of one of my best friends,
"Aiki! Amici!" I called in return, walking over to greet my friend,

"Ready for English?" She asked as we met,

"Nope!" I replied with a laugh,

"Good. 'Cus neither am I." She returned with her own giggle as we walked toward the dusty old classroom at the end of the hall. Peering around the door we both realized the teacher was already in class and staring at is in accusation,

"You're late girls." She droned in an angry monotone. I looked around the class room, my guess would have been half the class wasn't there yet,

"Uh, sorry miss." Aiki apologised sheepishly, causing me to mumble out my own apology.

"Well next time I won't be so forgiving. Get to your desks." She snapped. Stepping forward to confront some more students who seemed to have come 'late'.

As we sat down at our table, my friend across from me gave me a sympathetic smile,

"Did you get in trouble?" I hissed quietly to her, glancing at the teacher who seemed to be engrossed in punishing the remaining students.

"Of course not. Miss Vach loooooves Misty!" Ethan put in from the table beside my friend,

"Hey, not my fault." Misty protested defensively with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Nix! Ethan! One more peep out of you and it's two weeks detention!" Miss Vach screeched causing both me and my friend to flinch and recoil in our seats. I contented myself with staring daggers into the teachers back as she turned around to continue writing a rather lengthy set of questions on the board,

"Sorry." Mist whispered to me from behind her hand. I casually flicked my own hand to let her know it was ok before turning my attention to the paper in front of me.

No sooner than I had completed the first question however a note fluttered onto my page. I turned to see Aiki grin at me while she pretended to be focused on the task at hand. I raised an eyebrow at her however she was unable to run the risk of glancing at me. I unfolded the paper as discreetly as I could.

What are you doing this weekend?

I could do no more because the paper had been snatched from my desk. My heart leaped and started to beat frantically as I looked up into the cold eyes of the teacher as she read the note.

"Friday dentation is what you are doing." She practically spat with rage. I felt like a deer in the headlights of a hunters truck but surprisingly anger welled up within me. My eyes went from being widened in terror to becoming narrowed in anger however I didn't say anything. Doing that would be suicide.

I kicked a rock. Allowing it to fly forward under my feet as I walked along the road to home, past the dense woodland. The streets were deserted, it wasn't often people left their cosy homes unless necessary. It gave an eerie feeling of silence that surrounded my like a deep blanket smothering all emotions but unease.

Anger still swirled, directed toward the foul tempered teacher. Thanks to whom I now had a Friday detention.

I adjusted my school bag so the straps didn't dig into my shoulder when the clash of metal pierced my ears. It briefly crossed my mind that some construction was going on but that just wasn't what it sounded like.

I couldn't help but be drawn toward the bush from where it had emanated. As I reached the border, another clash sounded. My curiosity was rising by the second and I knew I couldn't go home and ignore it or it would eat me alive. Dropping my bag behind a near by bush so I wouldn't have to carry it I began to make my way through the bush.

I was hyper aware of both the sound of metal, and for any spider webs that might be lying in wait.

The sound of metal quickly got louder as I moved further away from the houses. Screeching and tearing became terrifyingly loud.

I skipped over some roots and dodged another spider web when I became aware that thudding of something large against the ground was intertwined in the noise. Grunts of anger were also added. My breath caught in my chest, for some reason I was terrified but something kept me on my course. I felt an overwhelming feeling that I was out of control, that I couldn't turn back if I tried. I felt myself shaking but still I moved forward. That was when I saw something large and silver, crash into a silver ghost gumtree...