Howdy y'all.

No-one really answered my question from the previous chappy so here's the answer:

The name Zandicus was derived from the name 'Zeddicus', and so was a mixture of that, with Zander. Why 'Zander'? I don't know why, so don't ask me.

LOL jk

Zander just popped into my head. I used 'Zeddicus' coz it's just TOO AWESOME. Zeddicus Zule Zorrander (Yes, that's a full name) is a character from 'The Sword of Truth' book series, turned TV series called 'Legend of the Seeker', which i HIGHLY recommend to everyone and anyone.

And i'm STILL tempted to put Huang Xiaoming in this... but... don't know how yet. xD

:L

Maybe he could be Matt's rival. :O

OOOOOOHHHHH. LOL

DISCLAIMER: The 'Vampire Academy' world belongs to Richelle Mead. This is just my made-up world crossed with hers.

-Deni

The box didn't seem like a hallucination from all the craziness I felt earlier... because I could feel it, the same smooth texture I felt when I was in that… place.

The book!

I looked around frantically wanting to get rid of that book immediately. Whatever it had done, I definitely did not like and I so did not want to be in possession of.

It was next to me on my bed, still open at the page with the five pointed star and the little sharp edges that I had cut my finger on. I closed the book and threw it, yes, threw, into my bin. Maybe not the best place to get rid of it, but I wasn't really sure what to do with it. I would deal with it later, besides I didn't really want my parents finding it and being sucked in as well! And, I was exhausted as hell.

Then I set the box down in one of my drawers; I sure as hell didn't want anyone to find it.

I looked at my clock. It read 6:45am.

Holy crap! I was gone for that long? But it only seemed like half an hour or an hour and a half at most! Ok, who was I kidding? It seemed like forever. From when I sat behind the marble slab, the things I'd seen, and heard, they stayed stuck in my mind, time seemed to be non-existent. For that moment, it was only me and what my five senses could well, sense.

I heard the screams and cries of the Moroi, the sounds of them using their new and special but dangerous powers. I saw the Moroi losing to the Strigoi; blood spilled not knowing who it had come from, because there was just too much, and bodies everywhere. I felt the elements from the Moroi's powers, but I mostly felt the heat from the fire that engulfed most of the room. Then I tasted well… I didn't really taste anything, but my dry mouth. The heat had really worn me out and made me dehydrated. I smelt the sickening stench of blood, it's a smell that's difficult to describe, but it gives you a feeling of puking and it just doesn't smell… right. I mean, well the blood wasn't actually human blood, so maybe it had a smell of its own. But still, the blood was spilled through murder, and that gave it a stench that seemed… well… I don't know. The smell was just so distinct that you'd never forget it.

I got myself out of my memory and knew that I had to get ready for school, no matter how much I wanted to stay in bed and sleep, forever. And forget what I had witnessed.

You could call me crazy now, if you haven't already, but what else could I do? Chuck a sickie? What would be my excuse? That I was sucked into a strange book given to me by a psychotic girl that I knew for less than a day, and had suffered from a crap load of emotional and possibly psychological distress?

I didn't see that happening. People would ask questions. And I did not want to answer them.

I looked at myself in the large mirror attached to my bedside table. I was myself again. And my face was wet… and now kinda sticky with tears… the memories had brought them on, I realised. So I grabbed some tissues, wiped my eyes and face dry and blew my nose. Ick. Stuffy noses are hell.

After I got dressed and packed my bag, I was struggling not to think about the events that happened when I got sucked in, while eating my Crunchy Nut Cereal. Boy, I wondered if it would make me even nuttier than I already was.

I was definitely not looking forward to the day ahead of me.

I got on the bus and sat by myself. Judy wasn't on the bus today. There was no-one to talk to. And nothing to think about in particular, well I tried not to. I wanted to clear my mind. I stared blankly out the window.

"Hey Denise." That voice. That voice that had made my heart giddy didn't do it for me today. I was too engrossed in what had happened. Ah crap, I was thinking about it again.

I sent a smile his way, that didn't really feel real, but I tried very hard to look happy, or at least content. After all, Matt was sending his own really cute and joyful, somewhat flirty smile my way. I set my bag down next to me on purpose so that he couldn't sit next to me. It might've hurt him, but I knew it hurt me. Ok who was I kidding? I only knew the guy for a short time, why would it hurt him?

I sighed. Thinking about how my life was so messed up… and how my love life was still messed up.

Did I believe what I had witnessed was real?

Yes.

Did I believe what Rose had said?

Yes.

Did I believe that I was the last Ancient?

I didn't want to, but… yes.

I mean, I must be if I could read those weird markings that I only saw for the first time yesterday.

Ok, so I wasn't actually… human... this would take some getting used to.

Could I talk to my family about it?

Hell no!

Could I talk to my friends about it?

They'd think that I was actually crazy.

Could I talk to Rose about it?

Yes.

Ok, so I could talk to Rose, after all I had her number… but… I really didn't want to get sucked into this whole thing. I wanted my normal life back. I didn't want to be an Ancient. I never asked for this!

"Hey Denise… are you feeling ok?" The concern in his voice, that wasn't mocking, made my heart leap for joy. Ok maybe not, but it did make me feel slightly happier than I did when I was complaining about my life in my mind. I mean come on, if he was concerned about me, it had to mean something… if you get what I mean, wink wink.

"Oh...yeah…err…. I like wood." What. The. Hell? I LIKE WOOD? What kind of a response is that?!? I really had lost it. He tried to not laugh, but failed and it came out as a strange kinda snort. Now I laughed.

"I like wood too. In fact, my dad builds wooden furniture." He didn't sound angry at me laughing well at him, to my relief, but had a smile in his voice.

"Really?" I looked behind me, because has voice sounded from that direction, but was shocked and surprised to see that he really was behind me, leaning forward on the back of my seat.

Oh snap. Our faces were close. I mean, how could they not be, when he was leaning on my seat with his head resting on his folded arms and I had just turned around to face him? Ha, 'face him', literally.

Then I did something that I thought never possible.

No, I did not kiss him. Jeesh.

I froze.

Matt smiled, obviously knowing how close our faces were and probably sensing that I was dead nervous. His smile was cheeky and his eyes gleamed mischief. Oh brother…

"I could tell you more about my dad…. If I sat next to you," His voice sounded kinda suggestive, in a way that his message was for my ears only, and gee it sounded flirty. I had a feeling that he wasn't really going to talk about his dad.

I tried not to blush. I had never, I repeat, never, been in a situation like this before where a guy seemed actually interested in you and wanted to well… sit next to you. I wanted to run away, not that I didn't like Matt, but because of how nervous I was, and for some reason, how shy I get towards cute guys. Damn their cuteness. But bless it as well.

This cute guy in particular, made me feel… all sorts of emotions. Maybe he could cheer me up. Keeping that in mind, I murmured a soft 'Ok', hoping that he didn't go onto the topic of how he wanted to hook up or whatever, not that I wouldn't like that, but that I wasn't ready yet. I also didn't want to write him off as one of 'those guys'. You know… the ones that woo girls to get what they want... that rush the girl into things they might not want to do… and then leave...

I lifted my bag, put it on my lap and he sat next to me. It was obviously not the first time he did, but it felt like it, well I felt like it. I felt awkward and shy, like the first time we'd met.

"So… anyway about my dad," He started. Wait, he was actually going to talk about his dad? Matt seemed to be full of surprises. Hehe, now I knew that he was different. And I definitely liked that about him.

So he talked about his dad, who really was an interesting man… then somehow, our conversation changed to Stargate SG-1 and Star Trek, which really surprised me. I was getting to like Matt more and more. I mean come on; I'd rather a Spock than a Jock any day. And Stargate SG-1, for some odd reason, seemed kinda unknown to people of my generation, sadly, and so learning that it was one of his favourite shows when he was younger, really made me like him.

If he liked Marvel, Pokemon and the show Supernatural as well, yikes, I don't know what would've happened to my hormones.

Oh and if he liked to read, oh gee, I'd be in love.

Ha-ha so it's official, I'm a dork/geek. And I guess he could be a dork/geek too… whatever a dork/geek is.

Sadly, before I could ask him if he liked those wonderful things, he had to get off at his stop.

"Live long and prosper." He said to me as he stood up from the seat. I replied by doing the hand sign thing Spock does, and he did as well. The last thing I saw was his adorable smile that just felt… right.

Did he cheer me up?

He sure did, boy oh boy, he did.

I got to school and was greeted by my friends and the day was going well… until Textiles class.

I was sewing one of my assignments, to make a bag, and I pricked my finger with the needle by accident… the finger, the one that got cut by the sharp points in the pentagon in the five-pointed star in the book. The wound started to bleed again.

Then I felt really weird.

The sight of blood, even my own, made my head spin.

Then I remembered everything I had tried to keep out of my mind the entire day.

The bloodcurdling cries of pain, the fire, the dying, the Ancients… Flora and Jasper… me almost losing my life…

I started shaking. I couldn't control it. The fear that I felt when the memories came back to me took over my body.

I guess Matt's little 'pick-me-up' effect, was only temporary.

My Textiles teacher noticed and was worried, but I told her that I was only cold… even though it was 30 degrees that day. She still looked worried but went on with her work, pretending to believe me. I didn't want to go to the sick bay… if I did… the memories would probably taunt me…

I'd be alone in the sick bay room and no way would I want to be left alone.

The mood Matt had left me was definitely gone now. The sight of my own blood had brought back the vision of the blood of so many others.

The next classes after Textiles went by in a blur. I may have started crying, as my teachers kept staring at me, not really knowing what to do or say, but I wasn't sure because I was too engrossed in my memories. It truly did shock me to my inner organs. If you get what I mean.

Sleep did pull on me though, a couple of times, and in those short moments that it did, I felt relieved. In those moments between consciousness and unconsciousness, I could forget about everything and just be focused on well, trying to stay awake. I didn't want to get in trouble for falling asleep in class. Hell no, did I need a bad comment on my school report, to top the crappiness in my life off.

Then lunch came. My friends didn't really know what to do either, and I felt many eyes on me, as I wasn't talking or really doing anything else, but sitting on the ground, staring at one spot on the floor and barely blinking.

"Denise! Denise!" I finally looked up at that perky voice, as she seemed completely opposite of how I was feeling.

"Hi Kimmy," My voice sounded flat and cold, but I didn't mean it to come out that way. She cleared her throat and continued.

"I've come to cheer you up!" Oh great.

"Did my friends send you? Not that you're not my friend, but like, my group?" She looked at me blankly.

"I mean, did they-" I nodded over to my group of friends sitting to the right of me, "-send you?" I continued.

"Hmm… well I don't want to lie to you Denise. So yeah, they sent me." She gave me a huge hyper smile that made me wonder how she could stretch her face so far. She just looked so happy.

"I'm sorry but whatever you plan on doing, you can't cheer me up."

"Really?" She suddenly took my hand and pulled me up to my feet. And bear hugged me… I heard my supposed group of friends laughing at us.

"Um… Kimmy?"

"Mmhmm?" She asked as she was crushing my ribs.

"How is this supposed to make me happy?"

"Well hugs always cheer people up!"

"I beg to differ."

"Well then, since I'm hugging you so tight, wouldn't you be happy if I let go?" Hmm… Touché.

"Yes. Now please let go." She willingly let go and stepped back to look at me.

"Feel happier now that you can breathe?" I couldn't help but laugh, kind of painfully, at her question.

"Yes… now. Please don't hug me anymore."

"I don't believe you. You don't look 100% happy to me yet missy." She put her hands on her hips, trying to look bossy. But to me, it just didn't work; she was too cute to ever look like Ms Trunchbull or some other crazy mad woman.

My supposed group of friends had now continued with their munching and little 'convos', but I could still feel their eyes on Kimmy and me. I decided to ignore them and try and get away from Kimmy first.

"Then what?" I was panting. Seriously. That hug took too much out of me.

"I like ice-cream." She beamed at me.

"Yeah… me too. Ok, bye now." I kinda fake smiled to her and tried to walk away but she grabbed my right hand and pulled me back.

"We're going to the canteen and I am treating you to an ice-cream."

"Ok… why?"

"Because ice-cream always makes me happy." Honestly, her happiness was really bugging me. Did she have ice-cream everyday?

"And Jensen Ackles makes me happy, ok, I really need to go." I tried to shake her grip off but she still held on tightly. Jeesh, I didn't know Kimmy was so strong.

She practically dragged me to the canteen line. I started to wonder if she ever considered working as some kind of Westfield security guard, or perhaps a wrestler on WWE. She still had a hold on my right hand as we waited.

"What flavour do you want?"

"Seriously Kimmy, please let me go."

"Nup, not until you tell me what flavour you want." Ok, she was so happy that it seemed like someone put some kind of drug in her, and she was stubborn. This wasn't going to be easy.

"I want the flavour of freedom." I tugged her arm with mine, trying to break my hand free from hers.

"Hmmm… I don't think our canteen has that flavour."

"But I would like to taste the wonderful taste of freedom. Please let me taste it."

"No. How about Strawberry flavoured ice-cream?" Ok, it looked like this was going nowhere… So I eventually gave in.

"I like chocolate."

"Then chocolate it is." She smiled at her victory. I sighed.

She got me a chocolate Paddlepop and herself a caramel one and we started walking out of the canteen.

"Thanks Kimmy." I opened the ice-cream and began eating away. Damn it. She was right. Ice-cream did cheer you up. Kind of.

"Feel better now?" She pushed my shoulder lightly.

"Ha-ha, yeah. Thanks." Ok, now I had the best way to get back at her.

I bear hugged her.

"Ok, ok Denise. I won't do this to you ever again."

"No, no, I just don't want you to hold me against my will again. Treating me to an ice-cream however, feel free to do it anytime! I'm broke!" Ok, I wasn't really broke, but I practically never brought money to school. I let go of her and she laughed.

I changed my mind. It was nice to see someone so joyful, in a world that seemed so dark. Well, my world anyway… I believed Strigoi were real now… well, they had to be. That book showed me something that was just too real to not be real…

"Thanks again. I'll see you later okay?" My supposed friends' plan really worked. Kimmy had cheered me up.

"Okay!" She smiled and walked off with her caramel Paddlepop back to her group of friends.

Chocolate ice-cream really was my favourite. Chocolate seemed to always cheer me up in tough times, and really, I didn't care what it did to my thighs, almost. Besides, it's been proven that Chocolate has chemicals in it that give you endorphins or something along the lines of that and that's good enough for me!

Who needs men when you have chocolate?

Um, exclude Matt from this uh… quote…

I need chocolate and Matt.

And that's 'My Heaven'.

And I wished I had it right now.

But the chocolate ice-cream would do it for the time being.

"Hey!" Polina smiled at me. She really was an awesome friend that I felt lucky to have. "How are you?"

"Oh, hi Mrs Fuller," I gave her a nice smile. Polina had an adorable crush on Drew Fuller, an actor, and so I liked calling her by her future last name. I took a bite out of my Paddlepop.

"I'm good. You?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Then I realised something. If anyone at school, like a friend, Polina would be the best person to talk to about my strange experience brought on by the book. Polina was much into the whole 'supernatural' thing with witchcraft, palm reading and etc. which I truly admired about her. It made her different from the crowd. Plus, we often had the same tastes in books and TV shows, which made our conversations very interesting. Charmed FTW!

"Oh oh, Polina, I have something very important to ask you, but… we need to go somewhere more private."

"Alright… um, how about the Drama Shed?"

"Yeah ok, if no-one's in there."

The good old Drama shed. It was a nice place that we both knew we would be learning Drama in the next year, so we had to become familiar with it. As we walked towards it, I finished my Paddlepop ice-cream and threw the wrapper and etc. into the bin. The Drama shed was sometimes used for co-curricular activities at lunch time, so we crossed our fingers that it was empty.

We got there. And it was, phew.

We went in and closed the door behind us. Hopefully we wouldn't get in trouble by a teacher if this was out of bounds or whatever, I didn't really know.

"Ok." I tried to calm myself down. She giggled.

"What is it? It probably has to be very important if you wanted to be somewhere private."

"Yeah ok… well…" I didn't really know how to start off.

"Yeah? It's ok, you can trust me." And I knew I could.

"Ok…" I inhaled a deep breath. I finally knew what I had to ask about.

"Is it something... supernatural?" She asked.

"Yes." I answered. She looked at me, studying me; I could see the cogs working in her head, figuratively speaking of course.

"Is it something that I would know about?"

"Well I'm hoping so… have you ever heard of someone being sucked into an old book?"

"Well there is Harry Potter with the whole thing with Tom Riddle's diary-"

"No. I mean in real life. Have you ever heard stories of it?" I had to know if this had happened to anyone before.

"Hmm…"

"And the book isn't really just old, it's probably ancient." I didn't want to reveal too much to her. Heck, the book almost cost me my life, I didn't want to bring Polina too much into this, risking her life as well.

"No, I haven't seen real accounts of this. Is it witchcraft?"

"I don't know. I think it's some kind of really ancient magic." Well duh, this much, I knew.

"Well, I'm not really very acquainted with old magic, but I think I know where to look into it for you."

"Really? Oh God, thankyou Polina!" I threw my arms around her. I wanted to know as much as I could about this book. How the hell it could possess such powerful magic and how the hell I could try and sort my crappy life out. She giggled again.

"No problem." We started to walk towards the door of the Drama shed, when I turned back to her when a sudden thought hit me.

"Um, one more thing. Polina, do you believe in vampires?" She stared at me, and smiled slowly.

With fangs.

My eyes went wide. Polina was a vampire? But how could sh-

She laughed loudly and flung her head back.

Tingles went up and down my spine, and I knew, without looking, that my goose bumps had chosen this exact moment, to pop out.

It wasn't her laugh.

It wasn't her voice.

It was Flora's.

And to Julie who knows Huang Xiaoming's age... if he were to be in this, i'd probably make him younger. :L

Oh gosh. Now i'm making him sound like an old man. .

Which he ISN'T! :L

I hope you enjoyed this chappy. :)

Please review, otherwise i don't know if anyone reads this besides like... 3 people. :O

P.S. Do Caramel Paddlepops exist?

LOL