Quondam

-- Ch.1

The dark skinned girl shifted her weight one from another. She felt the water sway to her toes. Her shoulder length hair breezed wildly in the mild wind. Her dark brown eyes reflected in the suns light.

She took one step forward as the water began to rise to her ankles. When the silence broke, a girl with long straight black hair stepped from behind some trees.

"Claude, you ready?" the girl asked. Claudia turned around and faced the Japanese girl with a small smirk.

"I guess," she said. When she barely walked to her friend she felt her feet step on something sharp. She moaned in pain, but ignored it and kept walking.

"You okay, Claude?" asked Emma, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Never better," she replied with an easy smile. Emma's eyebrow cocked and shook her head, disagreeing.

"You know," started Emma as they begin to walk on a trail that led up to a hill. "Minnesota was the only place I could find to live for a while. When I first moved up to here, you were my first friend. I remembered you, that small little girl that almost reminds me of a boy."

"Hey don't get me started. That's not my fault of having boy hair," she pouted crossing her arms across her chest. Blush appeared on her face. "Besides… I was quite the stupid one." This made Emma laugh.

Claudia also laughed as Emma faced her. "You are sure the smart one, Claude. I'm so glad we're friends." Those words made Claudia feel weird. She turned back walking the trail.

Emma quickly followed her from behind. "What's wrong? Was it something I said?" Emma asked grabbing her friends arm feeling guilty already. No reply came from the dark girl.

The sun was shooting through Claudia's body, feeling all sorts of weariness go through her nerves and muscles. She stared at the ground thoughtfully.

"…..yes," she replied to Emma's question. "When you said that, that made me feel weird." Emma gave her a confused look.

"How was that weird, Claude? We've been best friends for eleven years, and you still won't talk to me?!" she explained her voice getting louder. Claudia's eyes felt watery, and her nose felt burning with sorrow.

A small tear crept from her eye. "I'm so sorry, Emma," she sobbed.

"So that's it?! Just an 'I'm Sorry?!' You should be apologizing more than that, Claude! You have to tell me everything or else or friendship will die! Die the way our families did! Your lucky that were alive or else I wouldn't have anyone else! I'm--"

BANG!

Emma's face turned pale white, her eyes stiffened, and so did her body. "--I-I'm sorry, Claude," she grunted and collapsed next to Claudia.

Claudia's eyes were now full with tears. Her mouth hung down in fear. Out came a man with long black hair that was tied up in a pony tail. He had cold dark blue eyes. Eyes that meant to kill anything that was in his way.

Claudia fell on her knees, feeling useless already. She ruffled her fingers in her now-dead friend's hair. Her skin was cold and stiff. The man gave a smirk as he threw the cigarette that he had in his mouth, and stomped on it.

"Why?" asked Claudia. He grinned at her and walked next to her, crouching down and played with her hair.

"What's wrong, Chrissie? There's no more hope left in you?" he chuckled as he placed his big hand to her cheek.

Her body remained frozen, feeling the evil man's breath go in her face. "Why?" she asked again.

He shook his head. "Times almost up, Chrissie. So you better be finding hope soon, or else you'll see 'Death' everywhere you go." He stood up and walked away.

She started to shiver as she placed her friend into her lap. Her face was cold, and the bullet went right through her. She was bleeding rapidly, staining the dark skinned girl's clothing. A small wail came from Claudia, and then her voice got louder and began to cry.

End of Chapter