- 5 -
She pulled up her book bag to keep it from slipping off her shoulders, as she looked over at the post light beside her as it slowly turned off, as the sun rose from the east. Justice Sims was your average girl, she wasn't the smartest, wasn't the dumbest, she wasn't even the prettiest, but for sure, she definitely wasn't the ugliest. Justice was just your normal 15 year old Asian girl, like her name, she always thought.
No one of importance, according to Justice, stood beside her at the bus stop, which seemed to be taking forever to arrive. The neighborhood was fast asleep at least until Shane Sutton busted out his house. Anyone in miles of range could hear his loud voice early every morning, Monday through Friday. "HEY JUSTICE WHAT'S UP", he yelled over to her as he runs up thinking he had missed the bus. The neighborhood bus stop was on a corner off a hill, so you would have to run up the hill to see if the bus was coming. Even though Shane was loud and annoying, Shane and Justice were good neighborhood friends.
They played with each other every weekend went to the same church and were in every class together at school all 7 periods. "You know you're 15 and you still act like a 5 year old, yelling like that." Justice slowly told him as she turned around and greeted him with a smile. "WHAT", what was that, I couldn't hear you". He said to her as he lowered his voice and walked up to her and smiled. "Your book bag is open again", said Justice. "It's supposed to be, it looks cooler, that way", he said to her as he nodded his head trying to be cool. "No, it's just because you need to get a new book-bag", said Justice.
Shane was tall, slender boy, all the girls thought he was cute, but oddly never dated any of them. "I don't get it", blurted out Shane. "What do you not get", Justice questioned. "You know", he answered. "I don't think I do" she said to him slowly, especially when you just come out of no where saying things as if you think I can read you mind". "I don't get why our school is called Telefar, doesn't that mean far far High",
He questioned. "It is a stupid name, the big chief probably came up with this idea and said lets name it Farfar High because we're far into the future of education, and everyone didn't really want to say how lame it is, and just agreed so they wouldn't get fired" Justice said while sort of acting as each member of the school board.
Shane was cracking up and his laugh was so weird Justice busted out laughing with him, forgetting they are still waiting for the school bus. "But for real that's probably did happen that way"' said Justice as their laughter slowly ended. "Yeah, that's funny" Shane said as he looked around the corner. The big yellow bus had finally pulled up. The driver opened the doors slowly. "Good morning", the bus driver greeted them, as she waited for them to take their seats. Being consistence with their daily morning routine they always ignored her greeting.
The driver closed the doors and drove on to the next stop, which happen to be the next street over. That's when Harmony Cole hopped on the bus. Harmony was a bumble gum chewing, Ipod listening, always had something to eat type of girl. "Sup Justice" she greeted, smacking her gum, "want some cookies', she asked. Cole was so nice, always offering something to anyone she happen to be speaking to. She always had a positive attitude.
Harmony sat next to Justice. "Hey Harmony", greeted Justice. Shane sat in the seat in front of them. He was turned around to look at Harmony, everyone knew he liked her. Harmony was a hippy like girl, with straight long blonde hair and always has on jeans, flip-flops, even in the winter, and a hair band.
Harmony never cared what people thought of her. Justice pulled one of ear phones out of ear. "Hippy music again", questioned Justice. "No it's called Peace", answered Harmony as she placed her plug back in her ear and tuned herself back into the music.
Shane stared at her and finally decided to say hey. "Hey Harmony", he said in a tone he thought is cool. Harmony blushed and took out her earphones. "Hey Shane" she said softly as she looked up at him. "What cha doing", she questioned. "I'm just sitting here", he answered. "Can I join you", she asked. He smiled at her, "sure at the next stop, I don't want you to get hurt by getting up while the bus is moving". "Ok", she said smiling shyly. "Oh just get up", Justice shouted, "you two love birds disgust me".
Shane shrugged as the bus came to a stop. They were both smiling as Harmony took her time picking up her stuff to go sit next to Shane. Jordan Quarterman jumped up on the bus and pushed Harmony out of the way and hopped into his seat near the back of the bus. Harmony got up slowly with Shane's help. "What's your problem", Shane shouted.
"Say sorry, she's a girl, you don't do that". "I'm ok Shane, I am", said Harmony as she seated him and sat down beside him. "Hey, don't try that again", Justice told Jordan as she turned to face him. Jordan reacted by winking at Justice and calling her hot stuff.
Justice rolled her eyes and slowly turned around and mumbled to herself, "dummy". Shane and Harmony talked the entire bus ride. They talk about flirting and how rude Jordan was. Justice just sat there day dreaming about Dustin, the guy she like and wondering if he will ever know who she is.
The bus pulled up at the school, finally. They went to their classes. Shane talked about how cool and great Harmony was all throughout first and six periods. The Monday was going good for once, judging that everyone hates Monday. Everything was well until, BOOM! "what was that", said Mrs. Cope as she stepped out her room to investigate. "I have no clue", answered Mrs. Parker. The boom didn't stop it kept happening. Everyone started running out of their classrooms.
"Shane", Justice yelled out, "what's going on". Harmony had met up with Shane and Justice in the middle of the hallway. "Like I'm suppose to know" he yelled in Justice face. Everyone was out of the school by now. Justice, Shane and Harmony ran to an exit but before they knew it, rocks were falling down. Shane tries to shied both Justice and Harmony with his arms. His arm is scrape by one of the sharp falling rocks, "let's go in here" said Shane as he led them into a classroom, thinking it's safer than the hallway.
"Is that" asks Harmony "it is …."Shane answers. Jordan comes up from under a student desk. "What I thought it was an earthquake so I went under the desk like we're supposed to…" Justice and Shane laugh a little as Harmony walks up to the window and looks out it. "So I'm not alone?" Jordan asked them." Of course not why would you think that?" Justice answers. "Because everyone evacuated the school…at least I think they did..." Shocked justice responded quickly "No it can't be." "What I want to know is what the heck is attacking the school…." Shane told everyone cornering.
"Shane…Honey…I think I just found out…"harmony frighten, exclaimed to him. "What do you mean…?" Shane questions her as he runs up to the window to see what she was talking about. Justice and Jordan look at each other and run up to the window. "Oh my gosh." Justice slowly said sounding shocked. "Holly cow what the heck is that thing." Harmony shudders in shock and scarce.
"DUCK!!!!!" yelled Shane as he took cover over Justice and Harmony and pushed them towards the ground for safety. Jordan ducked and covered his neck for protection. The glass from the window scratches off scraps of Shane's shirt little cuts are pieced on there backs. Harmony looked up over Shane's shoulder looks emulated and look at his cut open wounds and shivered at the horrifying sight. The back of his shirt was torn like shredded paper. Frighten with tremendous fear Harmony cries out for her wounded friend. "Shane you're hurt!" Shane shook his head to shake off the worry from his concerned friend. "I'm ok, come on we got to get out of here." he said trying to keep his voice from sounding puzzled and hurt. Justice shoved Shane off of her with a gentle push. "Thanks….Shane….but perhaps we should take cover under a desk next time." Justice said in a modest tone. "YOU THINK?!" Jordan sarcastically exclaimed. Shane got onto his feet and grasped Harmony's hand as he yanked her up to stand. Harmony stood up and stood beside Shane. Justice let out her small hand and waited for Shane to lift her up as well. Shane grasped her hand as well and lifted her on to her feet. "Enough! There is no time for foolishness we need to get out of this place. Look! Just look out that door…It doesn't even look like are school anymore!" Harmony deeply announced as she glanced back over at Shane's back. The deep tears of Shane's flesh and stained blood made her hand slowly lift and gently touch upon his wound.
The pain surged through every bone in Shane's body and brought out a distressed cry. "Ahhhh….ouch Harmony I told you I was ok…"he warned her as he drew her hands away from his injured back. "Please Shane" Harmony begged. "At least let me wash it out with some water." She pleaded with a gentle voice. "Yeah Shane those are some deeps cuts…..Just let her clean them out" Justice said slowly pointing to a sink in the ruined science class. That was the first time the four friends actually looked around to see where they were. They had landed in the chemistry science lab. Bunsen burners where broken and smashed, Glass was shattered everywhere, posters and papers where scattered across the floor smashed or torn, and the chairs and tables where flipped over all over the place. Rocks where piled up from the massive shake, the floor was cracked and the ceiling was to. Most of the lights that hung above them where off accepted for about five that kept flicking off and on.
"Good thinking Shane we jumped into a science class" Jordan announced annoyed as he carefully walked up to the door. "Come on Justice no need to waste time with these two love birds. Let's see if we can find a way out of here." He said as he looked down the dark, empty hallway. Justice silently agreed with him. Seeing Shane wince every time Harmony touched his wound was not much fun to watch. She carefully guided herself through the broken glass and flipped chairs to where Jordan was standing. The two of them proceeded down the dark, silent hallway. "Creek" a piped went as Justice jumped and walked closer to Jordan who seemed not to be fazed by the darkness or monster at all. They tried several doors but they all were covered by falling rocks and it would be too much of a strain to lift them up out of the way. As the two friends came across another jammed door Jordan let out an angry scream. "NOOOO!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "There's no way out…we are stuck here" Justice said with sorrow in her voice. Jordan slammed his head against the hard brick wall and then had an idea spark widely in his head. "The cafeteria! There's a door that leads outside in there isn't it?" Jordan said as he whirled around and started running towards the place. "Wait up!" Justice yelled as she stumbled trying to catch up to her friend. Jordan reached the cafeteria doors which where jammed together. "Ugh…Justice get your scrawny butt over here and help me pull these doors open." Jordan said yanking franticly on the door handles. Justice frowned and helped him yank the door open. "Come on budge" Jordan demanded as he kept tugging. Suddenly the doors opened with a force so power full the two of them slammed into the ground. Slowly they got up on there knees to see a tall figure standing inside the dark cafeteria. A frightening silence fell upon the friends.
The figure slowly began to walk out towards the two stunned friend sitting on their knees. Justices was frozen and Jordan looked frightened. The figure kept creeping forward towards them. A spike of confidence rose up in Jordan and in a split second he was in front of Justice ready to protect her. The figure entered the light and a black headed boy appeared in front of them. "What you doing here by yourself boy?" Jordan asked as he brushed him self off like nothing happened. The black haired boy looked curious himself. "I don't remember…Last I remember I was eating lunch with some friends and then this earthquake happened. Everyone panic and some junior pushed me and I fell and hit my head hard…A poster that was ripped off the wall covered me and I think everyone was in to much of a frenzy to notice me laying on the side. When I woke up and uncovered myself everyone else was gone. I tried opening all the doors but they where jammed. I thought I was trapped." "We thought we where too." Jordan said laughing a little as he helped Justice up. "Man you had it rough kid" Jordan said shoving his hands into his pocket. The black haired boy looked at Jordan a little annoyed. "I have a name you know" Jordan eyes twinkled and he deepened his voice. "Yeah what is it?" he demanded. "It's Dustin….Dustin Williams." he exclaimed frowning at Jordan. All Justice could do was blush. After all she was in the presence of her crush and she didn't want to seem stupid, but the way Jordan was acting towards Dustin was making her seem like she didn't care. "Jordan! Enough! Stop harassing Dustin…he's obviously been through a lot." Justice said shyly and smiled towards Dustin. "Hi I'm Justice and this is my rude acquaintance Jordan." Jordan faked barfing and rolled his eyes at Justice. "Nice to meet you Justice" Dustin said smiling. "Can we go?" Jordan said dreary. Dustin looked confused "to where?" he asked. "Oh yeah….Along with us two other students are trapped here…you can come to if you like?" Justice said blushing tremendously. Dustin eagerly agreed to go because he didn't want to be alone again. The three students made their way back to the ruined science class.
Meanwhile with Shane and Harmony still in the ruined science class, Harmony is looking through the broken cabinets for rubbing alcohol and a towel. She comes across a towel but no alcohol. It must have spilled in the earthquake. She took it quickly and twisted the handle praying that water would flow down onto the towel. The water actually turned on and it was nice and warm. Shane lifted his shirt so she could clean the wound properly. "Now stay still this might sting" She said to him motherly as she began dabbing his wound. One of her hands rested on his shoulder as the other dabbed lightly on his wound. His soft skin made Harmony blush and feel warm. "Oh..ahhh..oowww..that hurts." Shane said squirming around under the wet towel. Harmony hummed a sweet melody as she cleaned to try and ease his pain and stop the awkward silence in the room. Shane squalled another time. "It's okay Shane…Relax I'm almost done just stay still for a little bit longer ok?"She said as she finished up her cleaning. "There" she smiles and washes out the towel. Harmony wraps some bandages she found in a broken emergency kit around his back. Shane turns around and smiles sweetly at her. Harmony smiles the same way back. The air was still but the two love birds could feel the magic that was happening between them. Shane pushed some of Harmony's long blonde hair back behind her ear and touched her face gently. Harmony blushed as red as a tomato and stared into his hazel eyes. Shane stared into her baby blue eyes and blushed a little himself. Slowly Shane began to lean in for a kiss and Harmony leaned in a little her self eyes closed and ready for impact.
BAM! The crooked door went open Justice, Jordan and Dustin interrupted the love scene Shane quickly puts on his shirt and looks to see what the hurry is all about. "What's going on…and who's he…?"Shane questions freaked out by the new company they have. "No time for that….the rescue team is here and they're looking for us..." Justice excitedly jumps. Carefully watching every step they took to escape the building to find were the rescue team was so that they could be saved and finally let out of this wrecked up school that was falling apart by the second. The rescue team sees the students standing at a window. "We've found them over…" the man on the team spoke into the microphone. The team tells them to step back so the can burst down the window and safely help them out and down to land and not on the falling second floor. "FINALLY OUT OF THERE!!!!" Shane blurts out with relief of the freedom he now has. Harmony pulls him over to her and hugs him tight. 'ugh you're hurting my back…"Shane whined so harmony holds back a little but still holds tight, Shane hugs her back. "So…what happened to the monster or creature whatever that thing was…?" Justice questioned the man. "Oh don't worry about that kid. The army's taking care of that thing…"the man had said. Bunches oh news cast stood around wanting to know the story on the kids survival. Kids from the school looked at there fallen school and wounded what could have happened if they were still in there. "Phew it's all over now glad... kind of but now I have to finish my homework…aaaggghhh mmmmaannn…"Jordan complained. Dustin walks up to Justice as Justice starts to blush. "Hey maybe sometime we could go see a movie or something…..."Dustin asked her. Justice takes a while to make up her mind looks back at her friends about to have a good time together and thinks about Jordan for a minute. "Thanks Dustin I'd really like too but I think I have planes…ill see you around." She tells him. 'Well that's all good see you round too." He exclaims as he walks away. She slowly turns around and runs up to her friends and walks close to Jordan's side and smiles up at him. "Hey what's you're problem I don't have anything on my face do I because we're on television." he questioned her. Giggling she says "no silly…"A news lady comes up to Shane and ask "can you tell us what happened here..." the lady questions. Shane thinks but cant find a good answer. "Ask her" points to Justice "she knows this stuff." The lady turns her attention towards Justice and asks her "ma'am do you know how this all started…?" the lady questioned Justice. She pauses for a while trying to think back. "hmmmmmm well it all started at the bus stop…."