Chapter one

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

Beeeeee-

Melanie rolled over in bed and hit the snooze button. She slid slowly out of bed and walked to her closet. She looked at the mirror on her closet door and groaned when she saw her hair. She pulled it up into a scraggly ponytail then threw on jeans and a T-shirt. She trudged out into her apartment kitchen and poured herself some cereal. She glanced out the window as she ate and froze. She thought she had seen someone watching her from the street below, but they had quickly disappeared. Melanie waved it away and headed toward work.

The small bookshop where she worked was crowded. Books were piled on shelves, tables,and the floor. The counter was almost hidden. Melanie spent her day selling books until it turned dark and she turned around the sign on the door so it read CLOSED. She crouched behind a shelf and was organizing books when she heard the little bell on the door ding.

"We're closed!" she yelled at whoever had walked in.

"I know," a dark hooded figure appeared, "But I need some help."

"Well," Melanie stood up, "You'll just have to come back tomorrow." Melanie towered over the small person.

"You won't help an old friend?" he lowered his hood and Melanie smiled.

"Alan Smith," she said, "Never thought I'd see you again."

"I told you I would always come back," Alan said.

"I thought you were dead," Melanie said grimly, "I haven't heard from you in a year."

"Yeah," Alan said dismissively, "Sorry about that. But we need you back."

"John won't approve," Melanie said quickly.

"Mel! Johnathan hasn't known you as long as I have," Alan said, "And I know that we need you."

"And yet," Melanie strolled behind the counter, "You havn't contacted me in a year."

"If I had," Alan leaned over the counter towards her, "They would have known, and they would have taken you."

"It's been a year!" Melanie crouched to his level, "You can't honestly tell me they're still following you!"

"I'm not sure," Alan shook his head, "They could have given up, or they could be standing in the darkness outside this shop at this very moment."

They both looked out the window.

"I don't see anybody," Melanie said.

"They have their ways of being invisible," Alan turned back to her, "So will you help us?"

"You're putting me in danger again?"

Alan nodded sadly.

"Then I will," Melanie grinned, "For a price."

"I hate it when those words leave your mouth," Alan said reluctantly, "But I'm glad to have you back."