Chapter 2
I had been lying in bed for about half an hour, unable to sleep, when there was a soft tap at the window. Frowning, I raised myself up and glanced out. Zeke's face appeared at the window. I started.
"Zeke!" I whispered, casting a furtive glance around the beach-house/cabin. The other girls were still fast asleep. "What are you doing here?"
He grinned. "Wanna go for a walk?"
I feigned an indecisive frown. If we were caught, Bishop wasn't going to let us off lightly. But then again, I couldn't sleep anyway.
"I don't know, Zeke..." I began, biting my lip in mock reluctance. But then I smiled, "Just kidding. Sure, why not?"
His face split into a grin. Grabbing a jacket, I slid open the window further and climbed out with Zeke's help. He slipped his warm hand over mine and led me along the wood-planked walkway. We crept past the other student's cabins, ducking below Bishop's window on the way. The stairs creaked noisily as we descended to the beach. I paused, half expecting someone to come out to investigate, but no one did. Letting out a breath, I proceeded down to the sand with Zeke.
It was a beautiful, cloudless night. The waves were touched with silver from reflected moonlight, and stars glittered like diamond pin-pricks across an endless expanse of midnight sky. I breathed in the cool, clear air. I loved the sea. In companionable silence, Zeke and I strolled along the water's edge, the waves gently lapping our feet.
After a time, we stopped and gazed out over the ocean. Zeke wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, holding me warmly. I leaned back, relaxing in the peaceful moment. I glanced up at Zeke. A soft sea-breeze gently stirred stray strands of his hair. I had the urge to run my hand through that tousled hair. He smiled down at me. I returned his smile and went back to gazing out at the sea.
Not many people got to see this side of him. At school, he maintained his drug-dealing bad boy reputation, but I had a glimpse of his sweet side that time we sneaked into the science storeroom and overheard the others discussing the possibility of alien invasion.
I closed my eyes, listening to the steady sound of the waves.
"It's so peaceful..." I murmured.
Zeke didn't answer. It suddenly occurred to me that I couldn't feel his arms around me anymore. I opened my eyes. "Zeke?"
He was gone.
"Zeke!" I turned, scanning the empty beach. Where had he gone?
Then I heard it. Something big, behind me. I spun around.
From the sea, a colossal monstrous shape rose out of the waves. I gasped in shocked disbelief. It was a creature I thought I would never have to see again. Only this one was a hundred times its size. Water ran off its long, rippling tentacles in rivulets. Bulbous green eyes fixed sentiently on my comparatively small frame. Opening an immense maw lined with rows of razor- sharp teeth, it let out an ear-splitting shriek.
Then it came charging through the water towards me.
I screamed –
I had been lying in bed for about half an hour, unable to sleep, when there was a soft tap at the window. Frowning, I raised myself up and glanced out. Zeke's face appeared at the window. I started.
"Zeke!" I whispered, casting a furtive glance around the beach-house/cabin. The other girls were still fast asleep. "What are you doing here?"
He grinned. "Wanna go for a walk?"
I feigned an indecisive frown. If we were caught, Bishop wasn't going to let us off lightly. But then again, I couldn't sleep anyway.
"I don't know, Zeke..." I began, biting my lip in mock reluctance. But then I smiled, "Just kidding. Sure, why not?"
His face split into a grin. Grabbing a jacket, I slid open the window further and climbed out with Zeke's help. He slipped his warm hand over mine and led me along the wood-planked walkway. We crept past the other student's cabins, ducking below Bishop's window on the way. The stairs creaked noisily as we descended to the beach. I paused, half expecting someone to come out to investigate, but no one did. Letting out a breath, I proceeded down to the sand with Zeke.
It was a beautiful, cloudless night. The waves were touched with silver from reflected moonlight, and stars glittered like diamond pin-pricks across an endless expanse of midnight sky. I breathed in the cool, clear air. I loved the sea. In companionable silence, Zeke and I strolled along the water's edge, the waves gently lapping our feet.
After a time, we stopped and gazed out over the ocean. Zeke wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, holding me warmly. I leaned back, relaxing in the peaceful moment. I glanced up at Zeke. A soft sea-breeze gently stirred stray strands of his hair. I had the urge to run my hand through that tousled hair. He smiled down at me. I returned his smile and went back to gazing out at the sea.
Not many people got to see this side of him. At school, he maintained his drug-dealing bad boy reputation, but I had a glimpse of his sweet side that time we sneaked into the science storeroom and overheard the others discussing the possibility of alien invasion.
I closed my eyes, listening to the steady sound of the waves.
"It's so peaceful..." I murmured.
Zeke didn't answer. It suddenly occurred to me that I couldn't feel his arms around me anymore. I opened my eyes. "Zeke?"
He was gone.
"Zeke!" I turned, scanning the empty beach. Where had he gone?
Then I heard it. Something big, behind me. I spun around.
From the sea, a colossal monstrous shape rose out of the waves. I gasped in shocked disbelief. It was a creature I thought I would never have to see again. Only this one was a hundred times its size. Water ran off its long, rippling tentacles in rivulets. Bulbous green eyes fixed sentiently on my comparatively small frame. Opening an immense maw lined with rows of razor- sharp teeth, it let out an ear-splitting shriek.
Then it came charging through the water towards me.
I screamed –