I think I'm losing my mind. I must be. but I can't tell anybody because they would so send me to a crazy farm.

And maybe they should.

My name is Maya Hart and I see demons.

%%%

It all started at the subway station when I was heading to school with my best friend Riley. It was our first day in eighth grade. Riley was super excited as she pretty much is every day.

Crazy Hat came up to us. Crazy Hat is this psychic who has a tarot reading table at the subway station.

She's really just a bum peddling for cash.

"Hello dollies," she says waving her arms around. "I sense that today is going to be a very big day for you. I sense that your life will change today."

Riley opens her mouth in awe, "Yes it is our first day of school. How did you know that?"

"Because every school in New York starts today duh."

I had to protect Riley from being taken advantage of this woman so I pulled her away to the subway.

"I'll see you later Maya." Crazy Hat screams as we walk away.

"How did you know your name, Maya?" Riley whispers. "Maybe she is psychic?"

I shook my head, "No she's here every day. We're here every day. I'm sure she just heard you say my name."

We stared at the subway car waiting for it to stop. Then it happened.

I looked on top of the car and saw this hideous creature. It had this hunchback gray body with big black wings. And it's eyes. Its red eyes were terrifying.

"Oh my god, what is that?"

"What Maya?"

"That," I said pointing it.

"What are you talking about?"

Then the creature flew around the subway station. And people were just acting normal.

"Riley, you don't see it? Don't see that thing?"

"What are you talking about Maya?"

It stared right at me, its eyes just glaring at me.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and I jumped. Riley looked at me strangely.

"Hey, the doors are open."

I turned back around and it was gone. Both of us hopped on the subway car.

"Maya, did you have breakfast today? Maybe you're a little hungry. "

"Yeah maybe."

Riley unzips her backpack And pulls out a granola bar.

"Here you go peaches."

We really are the bestest friends in the world. Riley is the most…kind, sweetness, most amazing person I've ever met. I want her to have everything. So when I saw her staring at the blue-eyed boy in the back. I had to help her out. I pushed her down the subway.

Oh, it's alright. She landed right into his lap.

It was like a romantic comedy from the start. She landed on his lap and stared at him petrified. He on the other hand just smiled at her.

It kind of bothered me how he smiled at her. It kind of bothered me how he looked at her. He just looked up at her with his boring shit blue eyes and sweet cheesy ass smile.

Riley walked back to me, "That was the greatest moment of life."

%%%%

"So I have a special project for you guys this year. A writing project." Mr. Matthews says.

"Boring." I bit in.

To be honest, I tuned him

Then guess what. Subway boy walks in.

"Who are you? I don't know who you are."

Subway boy handed Mr. Matthews a paper and said in a slight southern accent, "I'm Lucas Friar. I just moved here from Texas."

So the subway boy turns out to be Ranger Rick.

Riley once again looked up at him all dopey eyed. And he sweetly smiled at Riley sitting down behind her.

Mr. Matthews looked like he was going to punch him. I'm not sure if that's Mr. Matthews's thing or father thing. I wouldn't know.

"Today's homework," He said to turn the attention back to him, "Something you believe so strongly enough, I would fight for it. Just write a two-page essay and then give a short speech about it."

"Well, I believe in no homework," I said to him. "So I'm not doing it."

He narrowed his eyes at me, "Well it's your grade."

I already hate History class.

As Mr. Matthews talked more and I tuned him out. One, because none of this was relevant to me. And two I couldn't stop thinking about the creature I saw at the subway station. How could one else see it? It wasn't like it was a little creature, it was huge.

The image just kept staying in my head. The bell rang. Riley tapped on my shoulder.

"What is that?"

I look down At my notepad. It was the creature. Sketched out in pencil.

"I don't really know."

Farkle came over, "Wow Maya. That's really good. What is that?"

"She doesn't know."

%%%%

I had no choice. I had to go look for answers. So instead of going back to Riley's apartment after school, I went to go see Crazy Hat.

"OK Crazy Hat what did you do to me?"

"Crazy Hat?"

"Whatever your name is, did you put a hex on me or something?"

"Dollie I have no idea what you're talking about. You got to give me more information here."

I lay down for five bucks on the table. She hands me a deck of tarot cards.

"Shuffle them. So they can feel your energy."

That was the stupidest thing I've ever heard, but I did and handed them back to her.

The first card she pulls out. It's the death card.

"Oh my god, I'm gonna die."

"Calm down Dollie it does not mean death."

"What? It says Death, how could it not mean Death?"

"Calm down. The death card doesn't necessarily mean death. It symbolizes a transformation in life or death. Is there anything new but you have experienced lately?"

I leaned in real close to her. "This morning I saw something."

"Saw what?"

I couldn't tell her. She would think I was Crazy. And that is coming from a Crazy Hat, that's even crazier than crazy.

I stormed off.

%%%%%

I tossed and turned all night. I kept having the weirdest dream. It wasn't even a dream but this flashing of images. The creatures. My face. Well, not really my face, but a girl that looks just like me. Wearing a hippie dress and a flower headband. She just kept looking at me and then there was a flash of a knife covered in blood.

I woke up and turned around. Then there it was the creature sitting on my nightstand. It roared at me and knocked over my lamp. I chased it out of the room into the living room.

"Honey, what are you doing?"

I turned to see my mom, in her robe yawning.

I looked around, it was not there anymore.

"I...I..."

She walked up to me and put her arm around me. "You had a bad dream."

I wasn't going to tell her so I just nodded.

%%%%

I didn't get much sleep. So I was a little groggy at school.

Oh, I did not do the homework. Like at all.

"So who's up first?"

Matthews looked at me and was about to raise his finger until...

"Farkle goes first. Farkle always goes first."

He had to be the teacher's pet. He was pretty much the image of a super nerdy white boy from an 80's movie. And wore turtleneck sweaters.

I honestly had no idea what I was going to do.

"May I go to the restroom?" I blurted out.

Matthews nodded as Farkle stood up in front of the class.

"I believe in valuing our education," he stated, "That we shouldn't take our opportunities for granted."

I stepped out of the classroom. And started walking down the yellow hallway.

"Why didn't I just do the homework?" I said to myself.

Come on tell me you've never talked to yourself when you're alone in a hallway. I passed through several classrooms, not sure where I was going anymore. Truth is I didn't know the bathroom was, but I kind of like walking down the hall alone.

"I was going to do it. Really." I went on, "Really I was but..."

I took another look at the yellow walls, "I have to go back. Maybe I can wing it. What do I believe in?"

I passed the bathroom, "I don't believe in anything I guess. Come on, what should I do?"

Then of course, it appears.

"Hey. What are you?" I yelled out.

I chased him across the hall. And then I saw it pull the fire alarm.

It was like hell broke loose.

The alarm banged through the halls of the school. The sparkles went off and were beeping although with the blaring fire alarm. Doors flying open. Teachers and students running out. Crowds stamping to the exits. Rained on students were screaming. Panicked teachers screaming louder. Moving in fast forward. Everything became blurred.

One blurry figure started growing larger. I blinked and Mr. Matthews came into focus.

I looked to see my hand was still on the fire alarm.

I opened my mouth, but I couldn't speak. There was no way to justify this.

"Miss Hart." Mr. Matthews yelled. God, he looked mad.

Mr. Matthews had to run around the whole school, with Farkle his back, to tell everyone that there wasn't a real fire. And I had to explain the whole thing to the principal. Yea, I got in trouble, a lot of trouble.

"You're looking at me pretty hard there Mr. Matthews," I said when he came up to us dripping wet.

"Down Farkle." he snickered releasing the Farkle.

Riley took my hand, "I'm just there to stand by my girl."

His cold eyes shifted to her, "You missed the chance to stand by your girl. You were so busy trying to be Maya you forgot to be Riley."

He took a breath.

"Riley, go take Farkle for a walk."

Riley and Farkle left and then Mr. Matthews turned back to me and started ripping on me about how real friends don't each other in trouble.

And I'm thinking, this guy really doesn't care about me. He doesn't really care about my life. He just wants me to sit down, shut up, and do his dumb homework. All Mr. Matthews cares about is homework and keeping his perfect little girl away from trouble. Maybe I should make him give a shit about me. It's like I just get all this anger inside of me.

And all this made me yell, "I have nobody at home that helps me with my homework."

I was kind of surprised. I don't think I ever thought that before.

I walked away without even caring about his reaction.

%%%%%

Riley and I rode the subway home.

"Hey so if your dad says we can't be friends anymore, it's okay."

"What are you talking about? He wouldn't do that," she said.

"He hates me."

"He loves you."

"He hates me."

"Maya…"

I took her shoulders to guide her to the opening subway door, "This is where you get off."

"It's not your choice to end your friendship" she barked, "I would never do that."

"But Riley I'm bad for you," I said.

She placed her on the pole right on top of mine.

"It's my world now right?" She sweetly said, "And if it's my world now, I want you to be the first person in it."

After she said that something happened.

Riley looked like the same old Riley but suddenly…there was…like…a rainbow around her. And I felt like I was eating marshmallows. And I saw a bunny. I know that sounds totally crazy and I wouldn't believe it myself. But I saw bunnies. All around her. Rainbows and bunnies. My head was light, my stomach got heavy. Riley then took our hands off the pole and crossed them. For some reason, holding her hand was different. It was…warmer…and my body….felt weird.

But for a moment. I wasn't scared.

%%%%

I got home to see a letter on my doorstep.

More will be revealed soon. You will get more information when you're ready to hear it. For now, read up on demons. Do your homework.