Title: Key To The First
Chapter: Dark Cloud (1/?)
Author: Anna
E-Mail: mostunstableone@aol.com
Rating: PG-13
Website:
Feedback: yes! PLEASE!
Disclaimer: I don't own BtVS… but I'm pretty sure you knew that already
Note: takes place after 'Storyteller'
Math class. It was the bane of every teenager's existence, and the same held true for Dawn Summers. The teacher, Mr. Douglas, was droning on about circumference and diameter of a circle and Dawn just didn't have the energy to pay attention. It was only third period but her morning had been beyond busy.
The night before, Buffy had held a meeting in the living room and distributed jobs for everyone to complete the next day. The Seal of Danthalzar still needed to be covered, so during school the next day the potentials would bring shovels and bury it. Spike was assigned to go with them, because he knew the intricate maze of basement walls better than any of them. It was also important that they find out more about the demon language that was carved on the knife. Giles and Willow were assigned that task and Anya was to work with them. After all, they had the most knowledge on those kinds of things.
Mr. Douglas called Dawn's name and she was pulled back into the present time.
"Uh, what?" she asked. Mr. Douglas merely shook his head and called on another student, not wanting to waste time. Discouraged and slightly embarrassed, Dawn slouched in her seat. Across the room, Amanda gave her a sympathetic smile. Amanda had been the only potential not assigned to 'seal-duty' because she had to attend class. Dawn smiled back and then turned to look out the window. She could see the football field and the geese that inhabited it in the morning hours. She rested her head on one hand and began to daydream again.
Buffy had woken her early that morning and ushered her, Spike and the potentials out of the house. Since there was no tunnel from the Summer's basement to that of the school's, the only solution was to have Spike get there before sunrise and to leave after sunset. As bad as it was waking up so early, the fact that they had to walk was even worse. They all didn't fit in one car and Buffy insisted that they stay together. They must have made a strange sight, a bunch of girls walking down the street carrying shovels and being led by a man in a black leather duster in the pre-dawn hours. Not that anyone in Sunnydale would have noticed anyway. Anyone who was the least bit perceptive would have noticed the demonic activity long ago, and proceeded to get out of that town as fast as possible.
A flurry of geese taking flight from the football field brought Dawn out of her daydream and drew her attention. It was strange, seeing all those geese take off at the same time. Something must have scared them. Dawn thought. Her gaze followed the geese as they flew towards and then over the school and out of her sight. As her eyes traveled back to the football field she suddenly noticed a dark cloud in the distance. I didn't think there was going to be a storm today she thought. But as she watched the cloud she noticed it was moving at an unbelievable speed. That's definitely not a cloud. Dawn continued to watch as the 'cloud' grew larger and darker as it soared towards the school building. When the shock wore off a few seconds later, Dawn jumped up from her seat.
"Everyone! We've gotta get out of here! Come on." Dawn shouted as she moved towards the door. The teacher objected and the students didn't know what to do. Only Amanda reacted to her ramblings. Dawn looked back at the window and saw that the cloud was dangerously close. "Come on! I'm serious. Look out the window!"
The students all turned to the window and started to scream. Dawn figured that they got the hint and she pulled Amanda with her as she ran towards the main office. They raced down the hallways and down the stairs while teachers and aids yelled at them to stop. Buffy heard the commotion and turned in her chair to look out her office window. She saw Dawn and Amanda sprinting down the hallway and immediately rushed out to meet them. Slightly out of breath, Dawn explained to Buffy about the mysterious black cloud.
"Okay, I want you guys to get out of here. I'll get Wood to evacuate the school. Go. Now." Buffy commanded and then hurried back into the office. Dawn turned toward the closest exit but Amanda looked to the basement door.
"Amanda, come on. What's wrong?" Dawn questioned her.
"The other potentials. They won't hear an announcement if they're in the basement. I have to go get them." Before Dawn could protest, Amanda was already gone through the basement door. Dawn was about to follow when she heard a loud rumbling sound. She looked towards the main hallway and seconds later the window at the front of the school shattered from the impact of the emerging black cloud. Pieces of glass flew across the room and students and teachers screamed as the sharp material cut their skin. Dawn shielded her eyes with her arm and then turned toward the opposite exit. She ran as fast as she could and was at least a block away from the school before she looked back.
When she did, she felt her stomach tie in knots. The entire school was engulfed in a dark black mist. At the doorways, she saw students trying to get free only to be repelled back into the school. They were trapped. Buffy was trapped. Spike and the potentials were trapped. Dawn was the only one who had managed to get out.
"Crap."
