My stomach gurgled happily as we sat in Taco Bell, or as we call it, The Greatest Restaurant Ever. The two Hard Tacos and the Volcano Double Beef Burrito sat well in my stomach. Danielle paid for the food, thankful she did too. I left my money at home, forgetting that we were eating out today. I continued to munch on my Cinnamon Twists and sip my Mountain Dew.

Emily, also known as Tami, continued to chat with Danielle, who was munching on her Burrito Supreme. I paid no heed to them, just only listening to one of my favorite songs from the 80's, Tainted Love. It was dumb luck I found the old CD my daddy dearest had, The Rock Of The 80's, and uploaded it to my MP3 player, along with Ace of Base. Some would say I have a fond liking to old songs.

I just say I'm expanding my musical horizons.

Aside from the workers and us, there were no one else in the place, at the moment. Usually it would be packed, but it seems like a lazy day, being that it's a Monday. My bulging backpack laid precariously on the seat on my right, and Tami on my left. Danielle was excited we were eating out with her, being that her parents are strict and don't want her eating with us.

We had just gotten out of Lirchik Maint High School, and walked a few odd miles to Taco Bell. It was, by far, the closest eat-out place near our school, being that not one of us had cars. Suddenly, students started piling into the place. The noise level had reached loud enough to hear bits and pieces of others conversations, and to interrupt my peaceful time.

I turned off the MP3 player and stuffed it on my hoodie pocket.

"So," I started, "How'll we get home?"

"What'chu mean," Danielle swallowed the last bit of the Burrito, "Choji?"

We each were nicknamed, with the excepting on Tami, a different person in Naruto, the only anime I watch as of now. We have yet to give her a name that no one picked out yet. Danielle had three nicknames. Unfair yes, but that was how she was. She had Tobi, Hidan and Kakuzu. Tobi for her outrageous and spontaneous, and not to mention overly touchy, personality. The other two I had no clue.

And then there's me. I gotten the nickname Choji. I love to eat but not overly so. It was Danielle's idea once she managed to put two and two together. I wasn't overly fat, but I wasn't stick skinny either. I had a medium built, but only because I was big boned. I was 'heavy' for my age, only because I sit on my computer and do nothing. No stomach flab anymore, thankfully.

I yawned as Tami rambled on and sipped my nearly empty cup. I gotten up to throw away my trash and shouldered my back pack. Danielle asked where I was going. I told her I needed to take a breather.

I threw away my food and walked outside, grabbing a large handful of mints on the way out. The cool air ghosted over my face, goose bumps forming on my arms. I love it when it gets this way. Not too hot, not too cold. I stretched, my back cracking a little, and popped a mint in my mouth. The taste of cheap peppermint entered my taste buds and my saliva coating the inside of my mouth with the flavor.

I yawned again and taken out a pack of what used to be cigarettes. I opened the top and dumped out the precious memories in it onto my palm.

A large shark's tooth Danielle gave me, a horse figurine, and a small orange clay mask that I'd done for Danielle, no bigger than my thumb pad.

I never gave it to her. Yet, I never wanted to do so anyway. I pulled my head in and told the duo that I'd walk around in the forest near the place. They yelled loudly at something, but I paid no heed to it. With a clear mind, I walked to the secluded forest and shoved past most of the shrubbery and the thick vines.

I popped on my large headphones and turned my MP3 player to shuffle. To my surprise, She Wolf started, not often I was able to listen to it.

The trees started to clear up slightly and a large open area immerged. I took a quick glance around to make sure I wasn't followed and dropped my luggage on the floor deftly and opened it up.

I hit the pause button and sifted through the wreckage until my fingers touched a small speaker. I pulled it out and unplugged my headphones, wrapping the cord around it and stuffing it in the bag. I connected the devices together and rewound the song to the beginning.

SOS she's in disguise

SOS she's in disguise

There's a she wolf in disguise

Coming out, coming out, coming out

The music guided my body. The beat guided my feet and the bass made my hips sway. The music was soon over and I laid on the grass spent. My mind reeled and I pulled my yellow and black bandanna, folded it, pre-knot it and forced it over my eyes.

"Boo!"

"Holy-!"

I fell, hand clutching over my heart. I ripped off the bandanna to find Tami hunched over with her hand over her mouth, while Danielle laughed hysterically and pounding on an old brittle decomposing tree. I pulled on Tami's arm, causing her to fall beside me from the sudden movement. Danielle soon joined us on the ground and started spewing off random information. One thing led to another, I found my self lying next to a sleepy Tami and a passed out snoring Danielle. Not wanting to be left out, I gave a brief yawn and laid my head against my arm, the noises of the forest lulling me to sleep.

I wiped my eyes and was greeted with a bright unnatural light. Blinking away the spots I got up, only to realize that I wasn't on the soft forest floor anymore. Instead, I was laid on a steel gurney. To my left was Tami and Danielle, still sleeping, with IVs in their arms. I looked down. There's one in me too. My clothes were still on, same with the other two.

There was a hissing noise from the ceiling. I looked up and seen a machine that was connected to the IV needles. A goopy liquid flowed through the tubes, but each a different color. The one connecting to Danielle's was a silver accented with blue. The one to Tami, black with a hint of brown. Then the one to mine was a sickly brown that seemed to scream at me. For once in my life, I done something I never do.

I panicked.

I yanked the IV from my arm. A blaring alarm entered my ears and I clasped them tightly. The sound of a door opening roughly and hands grabbing me. I shut my eyes and clawed at whatever I could. A mask was forced on my head, over my mouth. They proceeded to strap me down and connect a tube to the mask. The gas started to flow through and sleep hit hard on me. I fought to stay awake, but the gas was too much.

I breathed in hard, or as hard as one can with restraints over their chest. The mask was removed before I woke, thankful that it was. Everything ached and throbbed. My bones felt brittle, muscles on fire, and skin pinched uncomfortably. A groan escaped me as the bindings compressed my chest down. Millions of questions started buzzing around in my skull.

Where am I?

What had I done to deserve this?

How could this have happened?

Am I dreaming?

I couldn't answer my own questions. I wish I hadn't ripped out the IV. The spot where it used to be stings now. Not to mention, being able to actually move would be nice right now. I want to curl up into a little ball. I released a sigh and closed my sore eyes.

I hope the other two are having better luck with this than me.

A soft groan sounded from my left, Tami I believe, followed by a gasp, and then a shrill scream that almost made my ears bleed.

But then I could be wrong.