Chapter Three

After All Was Said and Done

I could tell we were young and kind of scared but excited. Back then I had only known Jasmin, Nirall and Katelin had come into the

picture later. We were just starting high school and it was going to be great. I can still remember the knot in my stomach. In a weird way

it was a good feeling. I think that because Jasmin was there I was happy so long as she wasn't moving. Her parents had been thinking

about it and we'd been really scared. The look on my face was purely joy and relief.

I was still in my weird flashback mode when Mr. Leno started to talk. More like shout. Apparently he was in the Navy or Army or

whatever so all he ever did was yell his head off. Every year Mr. Leno made a big production of receiving the new students from Sharland

Middle. It was sad really, I think that he just wanted to use the amp system in the auditorium. In a pathetic way, it made him happy. I was

still cringing from his shout-speech when Ms. Renolds, the VP, took the microphone from him. Nirall had a huge crush on her. Anyone

would notice how absorbed he was with her unless they were completely oblivious, even now he was grinning, flushing, and looking like

a fool. But, honestly he was better than a good portion of the guys at Sharland High. The second she walked into a room all things male

started drooling- even if it didn't take much to work them up, it didn't help her case that she was single.

On the first day of school there was always a big entrance of the freshman. I can remember that I felt like a freak that was being judged

for a carnie job. The entire thing was one long boring ordeal but it did save us from going to first period and that was good any day.

Finally, after calling out sixty or so students, it ended. We had just escaped from the auditorium when I really started to hack. I had one

killer headache and my coughing was starting to get, well, just gross. Nirall looked at me with a strange expression on his face. I couldn't

understand it, I mean yeah it sounded bad but I was just coughing. Then it hit me- the rolling pain. It was really bad, not even a warning

to it. I thought that my head was going to burst.

It was really weird because I had been feeling perfectly fine this morning. I was well enough to scream my head off at my little brother

for getting into my CD collection. Right now I was either going to throw up or pass out but either way it wasn't going to be pretty. I

wasn't sure why but the strange feeling came back in full force. The ugly yellow, egg colored walls were starting to tilt and I was

swerving just a little bit to my left.

As always Jasmin could tell something was wrong but that might have to do with the fact that I was turning an unattractive green color.

She helped me over to the lockers questioning me frantically about what was wrong. I laid my forehead against the cool magenta lockers

trying to focus on where the pain was coming from. Mr. Lincoln had started to come over with a suspicious look on his face but Nirall had

distracted him for the moment. I was aware that there was a sharp pain twisting in my gut and my temples were burning. I knew that I

had to get out of the hall. (People at Sharland weren't always the most rude but they sure loved to get into other people's business for

some good gossip.) Tons of people were already starting to file out of the auditorium. Just then the warning bell rang. Jasmin turned to

Katelin and told her that she would take me outside to get some fresh air.

We had just walked outside when the noise from the hall was interrupted by Mr. Leno's "commander" voice. A couple minutes later it was

silent. I realized that I was slouched on the outside bench with Jasmin at my side still worrying about me. Jeez, I must look like hell.

What was she saying?

-"mean, really you look like you just saw a freakin' zombie, Lela."

"Well I guess I just don't feel like spreading rays of sunshine today." God I was snapping at her, I don't even know why I just felt like

going home.

"Well, Christ you didn't have to chew me out I just wanted to know if something was wrong." She still sounded worried, and I

immediately felt the sting of regret- she was only trying to help me out-

And then I saw him. He was standing next to the 1311 bus and as soon as he was sure he had my attention he spoke in a voice that was

eerily familiar-

"Lela Jennings, Night has chosen you as one of her own You death is now your birth. You have been chosen, answer to Night's call, Fate

awaits thee at Her House of Night." I screamed from the searing pain centered on my forehead and then I collapsed.