It's been two weeks since what we now call Judgment Day, when all the lives of me and my friends would change forever. It was an ordinary day for me and all of friends at Oak Park River Forest High school, I was wearing my sky blue pants and blue shirt and white tennis shoes. If you hadn't guessed it my favorite color was blue. My hair was curlier than ever that day but unusually calm looking it actually looked good. Anyway it was three o'clock and school got out, I decided to go see a movie that day so I headed towards the Lake Theater, for some reason every single freshmen was going that way too, but I didn't think much of it at the time….that is until I heard a scream. It sounded like Hannah's so I ran as fast as I could towards the scream, I threw my backpack off me as I was running, and there was already a crowd when I got there. I pushed my way through the crowd to see what everyone was staring at. When I got to front I couldn't believe my eyes. Every adult had been slaughtered. I just looked at the ground not wanting to see my mom's body on the ground. I heard girls crying and boys gasping at the site, and then suddenly it stopped. Then I heard hushed whispers and pointing then I heard one whisper very clearly that made me look up. Who is he…I looked up and who I saw made anger rise up in me like a boiling hot water. There stood Camui, grinning at me with his fangs showing and his sword out covered in blood….our parent's blood! I stepped forward and I felt everyone go silent but I didn't care. I was filled with too much rage. "You….you did this…..you killed them…" I said looking at the ground clenching my fist. I wanted to strike him so much. Then I heard a gasp of everyone watching us and I suddenly saw his feet. I felt his icy cold hands grasp my chin forcing me to look up at him; his grip was loose, so he thought I was no threat. I looked into his eyes with hatred in mine. He was smirking so much I wanted to hit him so bad!
"Yes, young one….I did" I did…I did those words stung into my mind. I couldn't take it! I couldn't take looking at the person who killed my parents and many others. I couldn't take having the person who killed them touch me. WHAM! Next thing I knew, Camui wasn't holding my chin, I wasn't even looking at him and I heard cheers of everyone around me saying. My right hand was in a fist on the other side of me. Yeah! You go girl! Give him what he deserves! I also heard clapping. I looked at Camui who was at least two feet away from me, his cheek red. I never knew I could hit that hard, but I did and he deserved it. I guess I just needed the right motivation for strength to come to me. I looked at Camui having a confidence boost. "You wench" he said his voice icily cold. "You think a mere human can defeat me?" It was suddenly quiet and I heard soft whispers all saying the exact same thing. He's not human? Suddenly Camui was by me in an instant and grabbed my neck and lifted me off the ground. "You think you can defeat a demon like me!" He said, his eyes flashing red as he threw across the street as I hit a brick wall. Oyi! Did that brick wall hurt. I moaned in pain as I slid down the wall. I could hear Camui walking towards me. I suddenly felt his hands on my chin and his cold voice asking…no demanding "Open your eyes" I opened my eyes, I looked into his eyes and saw no emotion, he was coating it well. "If you do not stop this now, I will kill more; I will kill the little children of every house. Do you want that?" He asked menacingly. My eyes went wide when he said he'd kill the kids. I just shook my head not being able to speak. Camui picked me up and threw me two the crowd who caught me. A girl I didn't know asked me if was I was ok, I just nodded meekly. "LISTEN UP!" I heard Camui yell. It was silent and all eyes were on him. "I've killed all your parents…..and every other adult that walks this earth" I could hear some gasps and cries. "Demons have taken over the world. I've been given in charge of this land. For all I know, you may be the last humans to walk this earth. You will be slaves in my palace as a rule this land. I've also made you so you'll live as long as demons. You'll live to be a thousand maybe older." Camui said. I couldn't believe it….last humans on this earth! Slaves! Was my nightmare coming true? I broke away from thought when I heard a boy far back in the crowd shout WHAT PALACE Camui just took out his sword and slashed it diagonally at us. A wave of light came at us and we braced for impact and the light, but it never came. I opened my eyes and gasped, for we weren't in Oak Park anymore. I soon heard more gasps around me. It The area suddenly looked like Feudal era Japan. I looked back to where our school used to be and there stood a big white palace looking like it came out of a storybook. Camui was suddenly not behind me but at the other end of the crowd and beckoned us to follow him. We all followed, to scared to stray. My friend Kyra and other friend Danielle ran to me and helped me walk. We walked through these big wooden doors of the palace, we were all in a hallway and Camui was at the top of the staircase. He started talked about what we were gonna ware and how we were gonna behave and sent us to our sleeping quarters. When we got there it was just this big room with sad excuses for pillows and blankets. We all started to cry, us girls anyways. We all started to cry….for this would be our life….forever.
Life has been horrible since that day. We seamed to grow closer together but Camui was evil and mean. I was whipped often, usually for no reason at all, but today…was gonna be different. It started as everyday starts. I, Jack, Kyra, Leslie, Hannah and Zack got up at six in the morning. I walked over to Hannah after I got dressed. We still had our cloths from Judgment Day but Camui made us wear this rags he called dresses. "Hannah, get up" I said in a quiet voice as I nudged her. All she did was make a noise of not wanting to get up. "Hannah! Get up all ready! We have to start Lord Camui's breakfast!" I said as I pulled the pillow from under her head.
"Ow!" She said as her head hit the ground. "Alright I'm up! I'll meet you in the kitchen Laura." Hannah said sitting upright, rubbing the back of her head. I ran out of the Slaves sleeping courtiers and to the Kitchen. It looked like a human kitchen but with less technology. Kyra was already mixing the ingredients for the muffins and Leslie was out in the garden picking the fruit. Jack was putting a loaf of bread in the oven. "Morning guys" I said sleepily.
"Morning Laura" said Kyra, looking up briefly from her work and went back to it. Kyra hand long silky black hair, and had no acne, actually no girl had em' because Lady Kina, wife to Camui knew of an excellent acne solution that cleared everyone's up.
"Morning" Jack said, not even looking up, too busy with his bread.
"Where's Hannah?" Asked Kyra, putting the mix into muffin pans.
"Hannah's getting dressed. I feel bad for her." I said, putting my head down on the table.
"Yeah, I hear her crying every night over Liz. Camui let all the other students at the high school go….but it's slim that there alive" said Jack, taking out his bread and put Kyra's muffins in.
"Been two weeks since Judgment Day….I wish life would be better than it is" I said standing up then looked at Kyra. "So what can I do?"
"You can go help Leslie with the fruit. I'll have Hannah set the table" Kyra said.
"K" I ran out the back door of the kitchen and to the outside and took a deep breath. It was nice being outside. It was one good thing we got that Camui brought….nature. Untouched by mankind. I saw Leslie in the garden and ran to her. "Hey Leslie, need any help?" I asked.
"Yeah" Leslie looked up. She had blond curly wavy hair and freckles. She's a very good person. Probably the person trying to cheer everyone up. "I need you to carry those baskets to the kitchen" Leslie pointed to about five baskets and went back to work. Five baskets….one person….x.x ok! I put two in each hand and one on my head. As I walked into the kitchen the one on my head was getting wobbly.
"Uh…guys……guys!" The basket was falling then Jack caught it. I put the other four baskets on the table. "Nice catch Jack!"
"No problem!" Jack said as her put the basket on the table also. Jack and I put all the fruit in nice bowls. When Kyra and Hannah came into the Kitchen so did Leslie. All the food smelled so good.
"Time to serve it?" I asked. They all nodded, so we put covers over everything and walked into the dinning room single file. As every other room in the palace the walks were white and there were big window and since it was seven, the sun was just beginning to rise. There was a big long table with Camui sitting at the far end, Kina at the other and their friend Kouga, a wolf demon in the middle. We put the food in the middle and left. Everyone sighed once we left the dinning room. "My god! It never gets easer. So what's for breakfast?" I asked.
"Same as always" Jack said
"Dry bread and Oatmeal" We all said it together. Camui was likely to starve us to death. We all walked into the servants dinning hall which was a lot more crowded. We ate, and then we went off to do our chores. Today, my group which included the same from breakfast and some more people, today we were gonna scrub the upstairs floor. We got started on it and at noon, I started singing. No one minded. Then we heard footsteps coming up the stairs and we looked towards the stairs. And there was Kouga, The wolf demon, sly but friendly.
"Laura!" Kouga shouted. I stood up immediately and ran to him.
"Yes?" I asked, already knowing what he was going to say.
"Lord Camui requests your presence in the courtyard." Kouga said all official like.
"Right!" I slid down the railing to the floor.
"Kouga come on you slowpoke!" I shouted back to him. I started walking down the hallway to the courtyard, I soon heard Kouga right behind me.
"I am not slow" he said.
"What was with 'Lord Camui request' stuff? I know Camui has good hearing but not that good!" I said walking towards the Courtyard. I waved by to Kouga and walked to Camui….who was looking out towards the forest….suddenly I was knocked off by feet and was on the ground. I put my hand on my cheek and found out I was bleeding. Camui walked towards me and lifted me up. His icily cold hands touched my neck making me shiver even though I didn't want to.
"I see I still have this effect on you…..you are still weak…." Camui said, circling me.
"Did you want something my lord?" I asked, with hatred. "Where is Lady Kina?"
"Do not question me! And Lady Kina is dead! I killed her…and as did I with Kouga!" Camui said clearly not himself, but I did not doubt he die, he had blood stains on his clothes. "And now….I will kill you!" Camui said walking towards me with his hand raised. My life flashed before my eyes….until I heard a voice.
"Step away from the girl" The voice was calming, very manly. I looked up and towards the forest and saw man with wavy brown hair. His clothes were brown and looked like they were made out of animal hides….he looked like he lived in the wild.
"Who dares order me?" Camui said menacingly. He was at the stranger's side in an instant. "Who are you?" He asked the stranger. WHISH! It happened so fast I couldn't believe it. The stranger's sword was out and where Camui's head should be. And Camui's head was on the ground.
"Just call me Strider" he said. Strider…Strider was the man's name who killed Camui, who killed the man who murdered half of the world. Camui's body fell to ground and disintegrated in an instant. I was still in shock that the man called Strider killed Camui. Strider walked up to me and held out his hand to me. "You ok miss?" He asked in a sweat voice that you would never think he'd be the one to kill someone. I took his hand and he helped me stand up.
"Yeah, I'm ok…..he's really gone….." I said softly. "Sorry! My name's Laura. You're Strider?" I asked.
"Yes, My Lady, all the demons in your world are dead. You are free….you are welcome to come to my world to live" He said. Free….Free! We are free. I must tell everyone immediately.
"Yes! Of course we'd love to. And please just call me Laura." I said and faced the palace. "CLASS OF 2008!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. Suddenly everyone was at the long balcony on the 3rd and 2nd floor. "MY FELLOW CLASSMATES. TWO WEEKS AGO CAMUI KILLED EVERY LAST ADULT ON THIS EARTH AND MADE US HIS SLAVES. TODAY'S DIFFERENT! TODAY HE IS DEAD! EVERY LAST DEMON IS DEAD! WE ARE FREE!" I shouted, I was followed by a loud yeah! Like when we made a touchdown. I put my hand up and everyone got quiet again. "NOW THAT WE ARE FREE, THE MAN WHO KILLED CAMUI, STRIDER HAS INVITED US TO HIS WORLD. AND I SAY WE GO! NOTHING IS LEFT FOR US HERE. WHO'S WITH ME!" There was a big I! "SO GET DRESSED IN THE CLOTHES FROM JUDGMENT DAY AND COME ON DOWN! WE ARE GOING TO A NEW HOME!" I shouted. It was followed by a big yay! And it sounded like a stampede as everyone raced into the palace to get there things.
"That was well done my lady" Strider commented.
"Please, call me Laura, Strider" I said then I saw Kyra run towards me with hers and my thing and we hugged each other. After everyone was in the courtyard, Strider led us to the sea which was not too far away. There were thousands of boats. They were like Viking ships but much more eloquent. Everyone got into sixes. I got in boat with me, Kyra, Danielle, Jill, Corin, and Carolina. Strider got on it too. When everyone got on their ships and set sail it was dusk. I looked up at the sky as we were sailing across the ocean to a new place and a new life again. I heard someone walking up to me. "Beautiful isn't it." I said.
"Yeah, and we can now enjoy it." Kyra said.
"I'm gonna go to bed. See you tomorrow Kyra." I said heading down into the lower deck
"Yeah, night" said Kyra. I laid there in my hammock thinking. We're free….another new life…..and a better one at that.
I woke up and I felt better than I had ever had. I looked around the cabin and I saw that everyone was still asleep in their hammocks. I couldn't sleep anymore. I got dressed. I put on my sky blue jeans and blue shirt and walked up onto the deck. The sun just rose and the sky was pink. I walked to the Bow of the ship and looked at the Horizon. It was so beautiful, I couldn't believe it. The ocean was a clear I could see little fishes swimming. I looked back at the horizon and I smiled. I actually smiled. I hadn't smiled in a long time….or was even happy for that matter. " I see you're awake" I heard a voice behind me walking up the steps to the deck.
"Yeah, I just couldn't sleep" I said looking at him. "Strider, thanks for everything" He just smiled and looked at the horizon. I also looked at the horizon then back at him. "How soon till we reach your world?" I asked, standing up.
"An hour maybe two" He said. I looked back at the horizon wondering what new adventures awaited me and my classmates.