The New Arrivals

Prologue

When I found it, I didn't know what troubles it would bring. I was just trying to have some fun. I was with friends… Unfortunately. I wish they didn't have to go through the terrible pain and peril. This is my story, but I am just a boy.

Chapter 1: The Beginning

My name is Sonny. Just Sonny.

I was with my friends: Joey, Jake, Tansy, and Gina. It was a really hot day, was the worst part of the year… Summer. Most people think, "Yeah, summer! All right!" Nah, it's nothing like that. Just really HOT and BORING! TORTURE!

Bored out of our minds, lying under a tree, we talked, boring. Tansy spoke first. "Why are we outside, in the HOT SUN, frying our brains?" "Well," said Joey, tiring of her constant nagging. "Maybe, my fine, beautiful friend, because THE A.C. IS BROKEN! I told you a million times!" Tansy sighed, and then continued. "Why are we outside, in the !HOT SUN! Frying our brains? "Why do I try," Joey mumbled to no one.

To explain Joey, hmm… Where do I start...? Ok, Joey and I have been friends since first grade, when he beat me up for stumbling into him. Since then though, we've been like Siamese twins; you can't separate us. I don't know how that worked itself out but gee whiz and potato peels. At some points I may just blurt things out whether it be in quotations or not. So just be aware of that so you won't get freaked out.

Jake is more of a quiet guy who Tansy obviously likes, I don't know why. He used to get swirlies on an everyday basis. Well I thought that it was just plain mean. So! Back to Jake… Where was I uncle Bob...? Anywho, the guys who were doing it saw him as a pawn in their flawless plan, although they stopped when Joey and I threatened to put stink-bombs in their backpacks and backyards and back… As I was saying, no one doubts what me and Joey would do, us being popular and all. ::ahem, cough; LIE! cough some more::

Tansy, she's more like one of those mall-rat kind of girls. She has to get the newest shoes on sale every week, but don't be deceived by her good looks and fashion statements; she'll kick your but if she wanted to. She's one of those people that can jump into a mosh-pit, cross it, and come out completely clean. But… She's my cousin, so I have to love her even if she's an ego-maniac psycho.

Gina… Well there's no other word to describe her than beautiful. She's smart, caring, and currently, kind-of my girlfriend. We really like each other, even if we are too embarrassed to admit it. She lights up my day even if it's been the worst one of my life. She just, I don't know, I can't explain it. If something or someone is supposed to be there and they aren't, she somehow knows. It's like her sixth sense or something. If there's one person you can't lie to, it's Gina.

Now, to break the silence, I said, "Hey, why don't we all go to my house and go swimming?" Tansy, her mind catching up with her, said, "Yeah, let me go get my new bikini. It was on sale. Only forty-nine-ninety-five! Great deal isn't it?!" We all gave her exasperated looks. Gina, a look of concern on her face, said, "We don't all have bathing suits. Do you guys," she asked, nodding towards Jake and Joey. "That's alright, Joey doesn't need a bathing suit; he's already a fish enough." Rachel was the obvious culprit behind that remark.

I didn't want them to yap the day away, so I suddenly, out of the deep blue sea, had an idea. "How about you lend Gina a bathing suit, and I can give the guys some of the ones that I have extra. Now, was that so hard, dearest cousin of mine?" I was mocking Tansy, and she knew it. "All right, but I hope Joey's is ready to show us his 'big muscles' as he says," Tansy retorted. "I got a big muscle for you right here," Joey said, gesturing just below his waist.

Tansy made a face and said, "That's so gross!"

We all agreed that we would go to the store first, since I said I would buy everyone sodas. Gina and Tansy were wearing their bikinis—only—but sadly, they had towels wrapped around them. We were just about to turn the corner and go into the store, when Tansy—blah—said, "What's that?" She was pointing in the alley that was to the left of us.

Joey inched toward it and touched it. It orbed. That sure brought up some confusion. Obviously, Joey was first to speak. "Wow! What was that?" He sometimes asks dumb questions, like I'm supposed to know the answer. "I don't know. I don't think you should touch it again though." Jake finally spoke up, for once! Gosh, it took him long enough!

I reached out, and picked it up. YOU ALL MUST TOUCH THE BOX. Huh? I thought to myself. Who said that? Gina was, it was very clear, freaked out. She whispered something to herself, then spoke louder; "What was that?" Joey said, I guess trying to brake the silence (as always in stories like this) "I heard it, but I didn't hear it." "Weird. It seems so familiar though, in a way." Tansy surprised me when she said that.

Jake, talking again, gee, this is contagious, said, "I heard it, in my head." We were all officially freaked out by then. "I think we should trust the voice," said Tansy. "What's it going to hurt to touch the ball anyway?" DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED There it was again! I wonder who was saying this.

I guess I have to be the brave one. I spoke to the thing, whatever was talking to me.

"Who are you? What do you want?"