Chapter Two

Iris couldn't feel herself falling, and she was absolutely positive that she had jumped from the windowsill. She slowly opened her eyes, and almost screamed. At that moment, Iris found herself floating in mid- air.

Iris was extremely scared, and very confused. How is this happening? She thought to herself. What's going on? Am I dreaming? Will I be able to get back to the ground?

At that last thought, Iris started to feel herself start to slowly float toward the ground. She was still having rambling thoughts as her feet gently touched the ground. Her legs were shaking as the fact that she was actually floating started to sink in. But then she heard something crash behind her. Iris turned around, and was reminded that the orphanage was on fire.

So, Iris did the only thing that seemed logical. She turned back around, and started to walk away from the orphanage, no longer caring about Ethel's Home for Parent- less Children. Taking Gunther with her, as her only companion.

….

Iris walked for what seemed like hours. She was on a narrow road in the country side. Grass was growing on both sides of the narrow road, and she was walking in the grass because her feet were starting to get cuts on them. The sky had started to get dark when she actually left the town about an hour earlier.

Iris looked down at her little companion, Gunther looked even more dingy and ragged now that he was out of the orphanage. The little brown toy rabbit looked like he was about to fall apart at the seams. Iris looked back at the road, and then to the sky. She realized then just how dark it had gotten. She was tired and hungry, but she wanted to keep going. But in order to do that, she needed light.

Iris would never admit it to anyone, but she was quite afraid of the dark. Her whole life she had been able to put up with the dark because she knew that she was safe inside the orphanage. But now, she was outside with no where to go, and it was now officially night time. As the stars started to shine in the night sky, Iris became more and more frantic. She held on tighter to Gunther as a gust of wind blew the grass to and fro, making a rustling sound, and in turn, causing Iris to jump a few feet.

Her heart started pounding in her chest. She could hear sounds that made the narrow road feel like a nightmare. At every sound she heard, Iris walked a little faster, until she was in a full sprint. She started crying, and became even more terrified. All of a sudden, she tripped over something she couldn't see.

As Iris hit the ground, she dropped Gunther. She started searching for him, but to no avail. She began to cry harder. Iris was just about to give up, when she heard something walking up behind her.

Iris felt her heart stop. Whatever it was, it was getting closer. It was when the thing growled that Iris turned around and put up her hand to try and protect herself. As she put up her hand, Iris was suddenly blinded by a bright light that appeared out of no where, and she closed her eyes. The thing that was come toward Iris started barking and yelping, it too had been blinded. Iris could hear the creature running away from her.

With her hand still out, Iris opened her eyes slowly. The light was still there, but it had dimmed down. She stared at the light for a time before she realized just where it was coming from. Iris was in complete shock, the light seemed to be coming from her, from her hand. She didn't understand. How can I be making light appear in my hand? She thought to herself. Iris moved her other hand, and felt something soft. She turned, and there was Gunther. She picked up the little rabbit with her free hand, and then she stood up.

Iris looked back at the little light in her hand. It had dimmed down even more now. In fact, it was almost gone completely. Iris watched as the little light slowly faded away. She was back in the dark, but for some strange reason, Iris felt completely calm.

And then the strangest thing of the day happened. Iris heard a loud crack. She spun around, just in time to see a very large, purple vehicle pull up next to her. There were doors in front of her, and they slid open to reveal a very old man in a drivers uniform at the steering wheel of the vehicle.

"Welcome to the Night Bus," he said in a very friendly voice, "Were you the one that called us?"