Chapter One:

Aunts and Art

The sun was casting slanted pockets of gold throughout the hallways so that every few steps, one would be forced to step into and out of the shadows. Bright grey eyes marveled at this, stopping a minute to take in the unusual view. A pair of strong hazelnut eyes stopped to glare exasperatedly at the delay. The tall, well-built blonde with knee length hair, to whom the grey eyes belonged, smiled amusedly at the lean, small brunette with shoulder length hair, to whom the hazelnut eyes belonged.

"Look at it. Isn't it beautiful?" the blonde asked dreamily. The brunette sighed but none-the-less conceded the point with a small twitch of her lips.

"We're going to be late again, thanks to you," the brunette said, turning to leave.

"I am never late, everyone else is simply early," she replied flippantly and fell into step with her. "Really, Missa darling, we've been over this before."

"Only you Scarlett, only you," Marissa said, fighting a grin.

"Well, considering the fact you've dragged me off to stare at some strange rich woman's idea of art, I simply thought it appropriate to appreciate something that deserves it before I burn my retinas."

"That crazy old rich woman happens to be my aunt," Marissa said dryly.

"So you do think she's crazy!"

"No, I'm simply re-iterating what you've said at least twenty times since we've arrived."

"I've said it thirteen times," Scarlett sniffed.

"You've counted?" The disbelief was tinged with amusement. "Never mind," she shook her head, "It's you. You just learn not to question it eventually." Scarlett grinned at that and looked out the windows. She paused.

"Say, if I said that I saw a twister touch down about three hundred yards away from here, you'd tell me I was hallucinating, right?"

Marissa froze and looked out the windows. Sure enough, an ugly grey funnel of wind and water vapor had landed about three hundred yards from the school with a menacing thunderstorm swirling angrily around it.

"Well, doesn't that beat all," Scarlett said dreamily and adjusted her heavy black backpack.

"Run you idiot!" Marissa grabbed her hand as they began a mad dash for the gymnasium - the cafeteria - the teacher's lounge - make that, anywhere without windows and the possibility of being shredded by a thousand and one itty bitty pieces of glass that would embed in your skin for years to come.

"Where are we going?" Scarlett panted out.

"Gym," Marissa replied shortly as they pounded down the stairs. The severe weather siren began blaring and Scarlett fell against the wall clutching her ears and heart. Her unnatural sensitivity to sound had caused them problems on more than one occasion in the past. Marissa cursed mentally, pulled at her arms and they stumbled ahead. The sounds of panic reached their ears as they drew closer to the gym.

"Missa, we shouldn't go in there." Annoyed and on edge, she rounded on Scarlett.

"And, why not?"

The sound of fragile ceramic things being smashed against the floor and screaming answered her question. Missa glared at her and she shrugged in return, too worn out from the run to say anything. Gritting her teeth, Marissa ran towards the cafeteria, dragging Scarlett along behind her.

"You have got to get in shape!" she growled out as they slid into the cafeteria. "A two minute run is not enough to make anyone collapse, even you!" Scarlett stuck her tongue out in lieu of a scathing reply and flopped down on the ground, trying desperately to get her breath back. After three minutes, she sat up and fixed her ponytail.

"Well, I knew it was going to storm today, I just didn't think it was going to be this bad," Scarlett said conversationally.

"The forecast for this week was sunny with a high of 90!"

"I could feel it when I woke up this morning," she shrugged as Marissa glared.

"And you didn't tell me this, why?"

"It's Texas! The weather here changes faster than you can blink, let alone think to prepare for it! 'If you don't like the weather just wait a few days, it'll change!'" she quoted. "Really! You've lived here longer than me!"

"A warning would still be nice, thanks ever so much!"

Scarlett rolled her eyes good naturedly as an apology. An eerie howling ripped through the cafeteria, a mix between a wolf and a train whistle; it raised goose bumps along their arms. Suddenly the cafeteria seemed, far too large and the storm all too close. Marissa walked up and touched the wall, Scarlett a step behind. The wooden and stone wall began trembling beneath her fingers.

"It's here," Marissa said grimly.

Scarlett nodded. "Any plans?"

"Ride it out and pray to any god that's listening we don't die."

"Sounds good." She turned to look at the cafeteria doors, nothing more than plywood thanks to recent construction. "But I don't think the doors are gonna last that long." Marissa turned to look at them. They looked at each other.

"You have any plans?"

Scarlett winced. "One."

Marissa raised an eyebrow. "Do tell."

"Head straight into the storm."

The reaction she received was anything but expected. No shouting she was crazy, deranged out of her mind, insane, should be locked up for all eternity or even a glare. The reaction was simply a question.

"You sure?"

Scarlett nodded. "Although, statistically speaking it's suicide."

"Give me the percent."

"Less than one. Only two people have ever done it and one of them was inside a storm cellar. "

"Let's do it."

Scarlett's jaw dropped. But after a grim look, shook her head back into the right mentality. Slowly they walked to the shivering doors, side by side.

"As we walk hand in hand-"

"To the very gates of hell."

They pushed open the door.