Chapter 1:Spring Festivities
Twelve-year old Katriona Mayn just stared at the ground as her friends continued to talk about something. She neither smiled nor frowned as she gazed thoughtfully, but she was crying inside. Her parents, her family, and her friends all know her as the popular, happy, friendly, thoughtful friend that always helped you on your homework and is always willing to give advice. She was the leader of almost everything, a teacher's pet, and a perfect role-model. She was also an athlete, playing and practicing tennis almost everyday. Everybody thought she was perfect, except for herself.
You'd have to admit, she's a really good actress. She wasn't really this happy. Inside, she wanted to kill herself. She never meant one smile. She faked it all. Katriona hated herself. Why? She only acted this way to please everybody. She didn't want to scare anyone. For some reason, she believed that she didn't belong here..
This was what she was thinking right at that moment. Tears stung in her hazel-green eyes as she fought hard not to show that she wanted to run away. She started and looked up, flinging her long black hair wildly into the air. "Hmm.Sorry, I wasn't listening..."
One of her friends, Chennel, sighed deeply. "Kat, you never listen. You're always staring off as if your dreaming. I said will you be going to the Spring Fling tonight?"
Kat shook her head, glad she could get her mind on something else. "Not this year."
This time, it was Darla who talked. "Why not? You were the one who organized it all! You get to go for free! Heck, I wouldn't waste an opportunity like that!"
"I just don't want to go this year. I know it will be the biggest dance of the year, but getting it ready made me weary. I'm just too tired." Which was partly true at least.
There was still a few more protests until Karma finally said, "Leave Kat alone. It's really her decision. Now let's get some hot chocolate before we go to first period." This ended the conversation and they all agreed to something warm on such a windy April day. Kat had just slung her backpack over her shoulders when.
"Excuse me!"
In one quick motion, they all stopped and turned. Kat was faster, so she found herself staring into a boy's- more of a young man's really- face. He had raven black hair and the deepest blue-eyes ever. He sounded as if he was from Europe.
"Hey. I'm new here, and I'm a little lost. Can you help me?"
Kat was sure now. He was from Europe. It was quite embarrassing, because all Kat could do was stare. At last, Chennel elbowed her, hard. "Oh! Umm.. Can I see your schedule?"
Without a word, he handed it over. Kat examined the piece of paper closely. "Darien, is it?" looking up, "I'm Katriona, but my friends call me Kat." Without waiting for an answer she turned her attention onto the paper again. In the same grade as I am, she thought, but one year older than I am. That's not surprising. I am the youngest of my friends. She now looked at the schedule centered on the paper. Reading it, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "It's funny. Your in all my classes!"
Darien stepped forward, "Really?" He took another step forward, but the bell had rung. Kat looked up. "This shouldn't be a problem. Just follow me!"
~*****~
Now, let's skip a few hours, and now it is lunch.
"Don't EVER try the soup here at Kyton Jr. High!.On second thought, don't try any soup at any school at all! I just usually get the pizza, and it's really not that bad. Either way, it's your choice." Kat told Darien, as he followed behind staring at her constantly. If Kat noticed, she pretended not to. "Oh look! There's the others! That's where we mainly hang out. Most of us are from the same elementary school. We all stuck together. Of course, we also have other friends from other schools."
Darla was the first to see them coming and immediately rushed to their side. "Is Kat talking too much? Don't worry she always is! You should have seen her at the annual speech contest! I swear! Everyone was sleeping when she reached the middle of her speech!" she joked.
Kat gave Darla a look that made her stop laughing. "Haha. Very Funny!" She dropped her tray onto the cold metal tables which raised a clatter. She sighed deeply and sat.
Finally, Darien talked for one of the few times that he talked that day. "I couldn't help but I overheard. Will you be going to the Spring Fling?" This startled Kat, which made her stop and look up. "Why?"
Darien just shrugged and said "I'm just wondering."
"Well, I don't go to the dances. I may have organized each and every one of them, but I don't go to them. I'm just not that type of person"
"You should at least go for the heck of it"
Kat gave a very unladylike snort, and that was all anyone could've gotten out of her. She just resumed eating.
Darien did not stop there, however. "What if someone asked you to go with them? Would you really refuse them? After all, you are a model student. You wouldn't refuse someone who just came here, would you?"
As he spoke, Kat slowly looked up. How could he have said that with just a calm look? This drew a smile from her. "You're sly for someone who rarely talks. Okay, I'll go. Just this once. It would be rude if I don't."
~~~~~
Kat slowly rubbed her temples as the music continued to roar in the gym. This is one of the reasons why I don't go to dances, she thought.
"Are you okay?" Darien asked, his voice filled with concern.
Uh oh, Kat thought. She put on one of her fake smiles and said, "Yes, it's just hard to breathe in here. Can we go outside?"
Darien nodded and led her outside. A fresh breeze rushed by, and Kat smiled for real, which was very rare. She loved being outside. It was one reason why science was her best subject. Of course, she hated the bimonthly dissection projects. She took a deep breath. "That's better."
Darien just stared. He snapped himself out of the trance. Stop it! If she notices that you stare at her constantly, she'll think you're perverted! "I'm sorry?" Kat had said something.
"I asked where are you from?"
"Well, I'm from Ireland, but my father just got a new job here. That's why I moved to the U.S."
"I'm sorry. It must have been very hard for you to move so far away from your real home."
"Yes....it is. But I'm beginning to like it here."
This made Kat, once again, stare back at Darien's blue eyes. I think.. I think... I'm in... Her eyes sharpened. "What was that?"
Darien shifted. "What was what?"
"I-I thought I heard a scream... Come on!" Grabbing Darien's arm, she ran back into the gym. She was right. There was a scream. As she opened the door, a crowd of screaming people rushed out, almost trampling her. Fighting the current of the terrified people, Kat and Darien ran into the gym to see what had happened. Alas, they reached the middle. Kat stopped dead, and she wanted to scream with the crowd. On top of the food table was a giant bird. This bird was wrong, however. Not wrong as if it was sick, but it was..it was hard to explain really. It just felt wrong. It had a head and torso of an old man. The smell that surrounded the creature was terrible that Kat wanted to vomit. Suddenly the-the whatever it was raised its head and stared piercingly at Kat herself. The creature's eyes narrowed and it talked, which frightened the girl even more. Over the crowd, she could only hear "Found" and "Priestess." Suddenly, and fiercely, it began to flaps its wings which glistened in the light (another thing that sent a shiver down their spines) and rose high above them. She would've stayed there if Darien hadn't pulled her out of the trance and they both ran out of the gym. Then the earth gave way and both stepped back. There was now a giant crack in the ground before them. Now where could they go?
Think Kat think! An idea has to come! Oh I'm going to die!!! There was a shove of nothingness behind her. She turned and scream, squeezing harder on Darien's arm. The creature was now behind them. She stepped back, which was a fatal mistake. Dragging both her and Darien they fell into the crack.
Twelve-year old Katriona Mayn just stared at the ground as her friends continued to talk about something. She neither smiled nor frowned as she gazed thoughtfully, but she was crying inside. Her parents, her family, and her friends all know her as the popular, happy, friendly, thoughtful friend that always helped you on your homework and is always willing to give advice. She was the leader of almost everything, a teacher's pet, and a perfect role-model. She was also an athlete, playing and practicing tennis almost everyday. Everybody thought she was perfect, except for herself.
You'd have to admit, she's a really good actress. She wasn't really this happy. Inside, she wanted to kill herself. She never meant one smile. She faked it all. Katriona hated herself. Why? She only acted this way to please everybody. She didn't want to scare anyone. For some reason, she believed that she didn't belong here..
This was what she was thinking right at that moment. Tears stung in her hazel-green eyes as she fought hard not to show that she wanted to run away. She started and looked up, flinging her long black hair wildly into the air. "Hmm.Sorry, I wasn't listening..."
One of her friends, Chennel, sighed deeply. "Kat, you never listen. You're always staring off as if your dreaming. I said will you be going to the Spring Fling tonight?"
Kat shook her head, glad she could get her mind on something else. "Not this year."
This time, it was Darla who talked. "Why not? You were the one who organized it all! You get to go for free! Heck, I wouldn't waste an opportunity like that!"
"I just don't want to go this year. I know it will be the biggest dance of the year, but getting it ready made me weary. I'm just too tired." Which was partly true at least.
There was still a few more protests until Karma finally said, "Leave Kat alone. It's really her decision. Now let's get some hot chocolate before we go to first period." This ended the conversation and they all agreed to something warm on such a windy April day. Kat had just slung her backpack over her shoulders when.
"Excuse me!"
In one quick motion, they all stopped and turned. Kat was faster, so she found herself staring into a boy's- more of a young man's really- face. He had raven black hair and the deepest blue-eyes ever. He sounded as if he was from Europe.
"Hey. I'm new here, and I'm a little lost. Can you help me?"
Kat was sure now. He was from Europe. It was quite embarrassing, because all Kat could do was stare. At last, Chennel elbowed her, hard. "Oh! Umm.. Can I see your schedule?"
Without a word, he handed it over. Kat examined the piece of paper closely. "Darien, is it?" looking up, "I'm Katriona, but my friends call me Kat." Without waiting for an answer she turned her attention onto the paper again. In the same grade as I am, she thought, but one year older than I am. That's not surprising. I am the youngest of my friends. She now looked at the schedule centered on the paper. Reading it, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "It's funny. Your in all my classes!"
Darien stepped forward, "Really?" He took another step forward, but the bell had rung. Kat looked up. "This shouldn't be a problem. Just follow me!"
~*****~
Now, let's skip a few hours, and now it is lunch.
"Don't EVER try the soup here at Kyton Jr. High!.On second thought, don't try any soup at any school at all! I just usually get the pizza, and it's really not that bad. Either way, it's your choice." Kat told Darien, as he followed behind staring at her constantly. If Kat noticed, she pretended not to. "Oh look! There's the others! That's where we mainly hang out. Most of us are from the same elementary school. We all stuck together. Of course, we also have other friends from other schools."
Darla was the first to see them coming and immediately rushed to their side. "Is Kat talking too much? Don't worry she always is! You should have seen her at the annual speech contest! I swear! Everyone was sleeping when she reached the middle of her speech!" she joked.
Kat gave Darla a look that made her stop laughing. "Haha. Very Funny!" She dropped her tray onto the cold metal tables which raised a clatter. She sighed deeply and sat.
Finally, Darien talked for one of the few times that he talked that day. "I couldn't help but I overheard. Will you be going to the Spring Fling?" This startled Kat, which made her stop and look up. "Why?"
Darien just shrugged and said "I'm just wondering."
"Well, I don't go to the dances. I may have organized each and every one of them, but I don't go to them. I'm just not that type of person"
"You should at least go for the heck of it"
Kat gave a very unladylike snort, and that was all anyone could've gotten out of her. She just resumed eating.
Darien did not stop there, however. "What if someone asked you to go with them? Would you really refuse them? After all, you are a model student. You wouldn't refuse someone who just came here, would you?"
As he spoke, Kat slowly looked up. How could he have said that with just a calm look? This drew a smile from her. "You're sly for someone who rarely talks. Okay, I'll go. Just this once. It would be rude if I don't."
~~~~~
Kat slowly rubbed her temples as the music continued to roar in the gym. This is one of the reasons why I don't go to dances, she thought.
"Are you okay?" Darien asked, his voice filled with concern.
Uh oh, Kat thought. She put on one of her fake smiles and said, "Yes, it's just hard to breathe in here. Can we go outside?"
Darien nodded and led her outside. A fresh breeze rushed by, and Kat smiled for real, which was very rare. She loved being outside. It was one reason why science was her best subject. Of course, she hated the bimonthly dissection projects. She took a deep breath. "That's better."
Darien just stared. He snapped himself out of the trance. Stop it! If she notices that you stare at her constantly, she'll think you're perverted! "I'm sorry?" Kat had said something.
"I asked where are you from?"
"Well, I'm from Ireland, but my father just got a new job here. That's why I moved to the U.S."
"I'm sorry. It must have been very hard for you to move so far away from your real home."
"Yes....it is. But I'm beginning to like it here."
This made Kat, once again, stare back at Darien's blue eyes. I think.. I think... I'm in... Her eyes sharpened. "What was that?"
Darien shifted. "What was what?"
"I-I thought I heard a scream... Come on!" Grabbing Darien's arm, she ran back into the gym. She was right. There was a scream. As she opened the door, a crowd of screaming people rushed out, almost trampling her. Fighting the current of the terrified people, Kat and Darien ran into the gym to see what had happened. Alas, they reached the middle. Kat stopped dead, and she wanted to scream with the crowd. On top of the food table was a giant bird. This bird was wrong, however. Not wrong as if it was sick, but it was..it was hard to explain really. It just felt wrong. It had a head and torso of an old man. The smell that surrounded the creature was terrible that Kat wanted to vomit. Suddenly the-the whatever it was raised its head and stared piercingly at Kat herself. The creature's eyes narrowed and it talked, which frightened the girl even more. Over the crowd, she could only hear "Found" and "Priestess." Suddenly, and fiercely, it began to flaps its wings which glistened in the light (another thing that sent a shiver down their spines) and rose high above them. She would've stayed there if Darien hadn't pulled her out of the trance and they both ran out of the gym. Then the earth gave way and both stepped back. There was now a giant crack in the ground before them. Now where could they go?
Think Kat think! An idea has to come! Oh I'm going to die!!! There was a shove of nothingness behind her. She turned and scream, squeezing harder on Darien's arm. The creature was now behind them. She stepped back, which was a fatal mistake. Dragging both her and Darien they fell into the crack.