1EightYearsLater

Katelyn Anderson never knew who her real parents were. She didn't know why she couldn't remember a single memory before she had been found wondering the woods in a strange dress. She didn't know anything. Two girls riding horseback had found her as she sat against the trunk of a tree in tears. Coincidently, those two girls would become her best friends. Their names were Abbey Rhine, and Samantha Morrison. Katelyn was fostered by Leila and Matthew Anderson, who owned the property she had been found on. They raised her as their own, sending her to the same high-school and college as Sam and Abbey.

Since Katelyn couldn't remember anything about her past, she didn't question things like computers, and television. She didn't find it hard to understand anything, and learned quickly. The one skill that she didn't have to learn, was horse-back riding. It came much easier to her than anything else she was taught. Katelyn was the average brown eyed blonde haired seventeen year old. Thin waist, perfect complexion, smooth skin, etc. Many of the high-school boys wanted to be her boyfriend, but much to their displeasure, she declined to all of them. "I just feel like I shouldn't be committed to anyone. It's hard to explain... but I simply think that there's somebody else waiting for me somewhere..." she told Abbey and Samantha during their Anatomy class, after a handsome jock asked her to go out with him.

"Kate, sometimes I just don't understand you..." Abbey sighed, pulling her short, thick, dark blonde hair up into a bun as they prepared to analyze the heart of a sheep. She glanced over at the boy, and let out an annoyed utterance. "When the hottest guy in the school asks you out, you don't say no, you are supposed to say 'What time should you pick me up for our date?'"

Samantha laughed quietly at this, her grey-blue eyes glittering brightly. Samantha was taller than Katelyn, and she had silver-blonde hair that fell a few inches above her shoulders. She was very thin, and had a beautiful face that got quite an amount of attention from the boys.

"The Student Council is throwing a Medieval Masquerade Ball in the Gym tomorrow. It's supposed to be really fun. You get to dress up in cool costumes, and there's going to be games and stuff." Abbey said, pulling on some latex gloves, and picking up a sharp scalpel to begin the dissection of her sheep's heart.

"I've never been to a dance before..." Katelyn said in a disheartened tone. "Or, at least none that I can remember... Even if I did decide to go, I don't have a dress."

"I have one you could wear. It's absolutely stunning!" Samantha piped in, examining some muscle tissue on a slide under a microscope. "It's blue and silver silks with a little train, and sleeves that kinda' bell out in an magisterial sort of way. It's really gorgeous."

"It sounds lovely, but I don't really want to go..." said Katelyn, now taking up her pencil and beginning to fill in the answers to the questions on her worksheet that had been assigned.

"Too bad." Abbey retorted, holding the scalpel threateningly with a feigned evil look on her face.

"Because I am saying that you ARE going, and there's nothing you can do about it. I demand that you attend the dance, or else I shall rip off one of your arms."

"Oh! Woe is me!" Katelyn gasped, slapping a hand to her forehead with a distressed look and voice as fake as Abbey's evil one.

Katelyn walked into the gymnasium, and couldn't help but gasp. The decorations were stunning, and the music fit the theme. Everyone was dressed in medieval gowns and shirts and armor. Those who weren't wearing helmets were covering their faces with intricately designed masks. Some people stopped dancing to look at her as she walked inside, scanning the dance floor for signs of Abbey or Sam.

Dressed in the gown Samantha had given her, with her hair braided beautifully, and a silver tiara set upon her head, she looked like an angel. As she walked around, her hem trailed out behind her, and her sleeves flowed elegantly. "Hey Lady Katelyn!" a familiar voice called with amusement. She turned and saw Abbey and Samantha waving at her. Samantha was dressed in white chiffon that hugged her body in all the right places, and Abbey was wearing a dark navy velvet dress with golden trim, that flared out nicely at the waist. Abbey was holding a mask on a stick up to her face to conceal it. It was dark navy to match her gown, sprinkled with golden glitter in pretty designs. Samantha too had a mask, save for it was attached on her face so she didn't have to hold it. It was white, and lacy, but had silver gems dotted here and there.

"Here." she said, holding out a mask to Katelyn, "I got this for you." Katelyn thanked her, and looked at the mask. It was like Abbey's, but different in colors and such. The mask had white crystals dotting the outer edges, and silver glitter. It was powder blue, and silver colored. Katelyn smiled; she thought the mask was beautiful. It reminded her of early mornings, when the sun had only started to rise over a cloud streaked sky.

"You won't believe what they've done to the garden's by the forest." Samantha said with a grin. The forests were several yards away, but in between that and the school, was a lovely garden. "They've turned it into a type of grotto, with pretty lights and fountains. It's so beautiful! You have to see it!" She took hold of Katelyn's hand, and led her over to the double doors that led outside. Katelyn had known the gardens an alternative place for the students to eat lunch if they didn't want to stay in the cafeteria or on the front lawns of the college. She hadn't really been there much.

Abbey opened the door to the gardens, and ushered Katelyn and Sam through, before shutting the door behind them. Samantha was right; the garden's were beautiful. The rosebushes were filled with twinkling lights, and extraordinary fountains were tinkling merrily as they walked down the stone pathway that wound around the flowerbeds and trees. The sweet aroma of lavender, roses, honeysuckle, peony, sweet pea, and every other flower imaginable seemed to fill Katelyn's senses as she followed the two down the path. They chatted at ease, seeing as how no one else was there to enjoy the beauty of the gardens with them. The reached the edge of the garden's where they sat down on a long intricately carved stone bench that faced the woods beyond.

Samantha and Abbey began to happily chat about odds and ends, while Katelyn stared out into the darkness. It was so peaceful out here compared to the noise and bustle of the gym. She was unaware that Abbey and Sam had stopped talking.

"What's that?" Samantha asked, pointing toward the edge of the forest. Katelyn looked to where she was pointing, her gaze trying to see what her friend saw. Standing in the shadows, she could see the faintest outline of a figure. It was definitely a person, but she couldn't see it's face, which was obscured in the darkness.

Katelyn stood up, and called, "Hello!" out to the figure. She did not receive an answer. It shifted uncomfortably, as though it wanted to approach, but daren't take a step. As it did so, she caught a sight of shimmering silver-blonde hair the same color as Samantha's, as the bright moonlight shone down upon it. Katelyn exchanged a glance with them, before taking a few tentative steps toward the forest. The figure instantly turned and ran swiftly into the darkness of the woods, like a deer evading a predator.

"What was all that about?" Abbey asked, still staring at the spot where the figure had stood only moments ago. Her light brown eyes were glistening with bemusement and curiosity.

Sam shook her head dismally and said, "I don't know..."

Katelyn didn't either. Who would want to wander those woods in the dead of night? And why did they not answer her calls? Puzzled, the three went back into the gymnasium where they spent the rest of their time dancing and chatting. Even though at least five guys danced with her without her asking, her mind was still focused on the mysterious figure.