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about it, just a quartz crystal attached to a length of leather, but the way that she reached for it as she

passed each row caused me to focus in on it. The pair finally reached an empty seat to share, and as the

bus roared back to life, so did the atmosphere of chaos. It was as if nothing had happened. But I knew

something had. And if I knew then what I know now, things might have been different.

I tried looking for the two strangers from the bus a few times that morning, but no matter

where I looked, I seemed to be just a little bit behind them. I kept thinking about them, obsessing about

every detail I could remember from the looks on their faces to the clothes they wore. And every time I

would find myself thinking about their gloves, I got the feeling I was forgetting something, like the title

of my favorite song from a few years back. It wasnt until the bell for lunch rang that I realized just what

time it was. But even the thought of getting out of classes, enjoying the company of friends, and

munching down on this weeks Tuesday surprise couldnt distract me from the thoughts that plagued my

mind.

I shuffled along with the rest of the herd towards the trough we called the cafeteria. I looked

around me for some sign of them, but with no luck. Instead, I found friends here, invitations to tables

there, and of course, the smell of food that even flies wouldnt touch. I took one more look around, and

decided to abandon my search for now. If I cant find them in here, I thought, I may as well just wait till

this afternoon and try to talk to them on the bus. I grabbed what few items were safe; a cheeseburger

fresh from the grill, a hand full of partially stale fries, an apple that was only a little mushy, and a milkthat could have expired either next week, or the week before last. Then I saw them. They were sitting at

the back of the cafeteria, close to one of the windows, and I knew then where I was sitting. I paid the

lunch lady, completely forgot about what little change I was getting, and started for their table. Friends

here and there called to me on my quest, but I ignored them. No, I had to speak to them. It was as if

they were the only people who could save me from a fatal disease I had contracted over the years, or

possibly pull me from the doldrums of day to day life. I drew closer and closer, feeling like a treasure

hunter closing in on the final prize. I was almost there when-

THWACK! CRASH!

I looked up and tried to figure out what had just happened, and why I was on the floor.

Everyone around was laughing, and I couldnt tell if it was because of the French fries smeared all over

my shirt, the ketchup that stained my pants in a very inappropriate manner, or because I had fallen justbecause of my shoe laces. It had to be the shoe laces. It couldnt have been a foot, a table, a drunken

bum, no. That wouldnt have been as embarrassing as this.

Are you okay?

I looked up to see Tys face inches away from mine. Emotions began to flood me, and for a

moment, I couldnt say a word. No, I wouldnt say a word because I didnt know which one to say. Hi,

Ive been looking for you all day. Will you please take me away from this place? What do your gloves

say? Are you some stranger who is willing to take me from this place?Instead, I settled on the easiest

phrase I could muster.

Yeah.

He smiled at that and slowly helped me to the table. It was then that I realized that for that

moment since he had first spoken, the cafeteria had frozen in place. All eyes had immediately jumped

from whatever they were doing and landed on us. But once we sat down, the chaos of feeding time

arose once more, just as it did on the bus. I looked at Ty, and then at the strange girl. She didnt look too

happy at the fact that I was sitting there. She reached up to touch her necklace, and when she noticed

me staring, she tucked it away in her shirt.

My names Ty. Are you sure youre okay? That was quite a spill there.

Yeah, I replied as nonchalant as I could. It takes a lot more than that to keep me down. The

girl shook her head in disapproval.

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had to know the truth about everything, about what was going on, and I had to know right then and

there. I ran as fast as I could to the back of the house, hoping for some sort of answer to any of the

multitude of questions that my mind was racing through. However, as I came around the corner of the

dilapidated old shack, I saw nothing but a backyard full of weeds which had been allowed to run free

through the fenced area. I looked around, not sure if I should be afraid or confused, so instead settled

on both. When I was sure the backyard wasnt the destination I had I turned to face a creature that I was

positive couldnt exist in any way, shape, or form.

I still have nightmares from the thing I saw. Imagine a black shaggy dog that looks like a mix

between a Labrador and a German Sheppard. Then make it the size of a Hummer. Now, the sheer size

and intensity of this dog would have been frightening enough, but no, it had to be worse. Jutting from

the beasts back in an almost porcupine fashion were giant, black talons. Now, some of you might be

wondering why I say talons, and not spikes, claws, teeth, or something equally as sharp, to which I

respond something along the lines of them never seeing this beast. I use the phrase talons because even

though there was no wind, the giant black hooks swayed as if the beast were tapping large fingers all

along his back. And then there was the mouth. Now, normally, Labradors have that sort of smiling face

when their mouth is open. Not this thing. Instead, two fangs that looked like they were stolen from a

Saber-tooth Tiger pushed his cheek flaps open and revealed teeth stained and cracked with what I

prayed was red kool-aid. And I will never forget its eyes. If the eyes are the gateway to a persons soullike the saying goes, then I saw what it must have been like a ground zero in Hiroshima: total hell on

Earth. This thing was everything I feared, everything I wanted nothing of, and I couldnt do a thing. The

beast opened its mouth slowly, its eyes never leaving mine. I tried to run. I tried to force myself to run,

but there are just some situations where things dont work the way we want them to, and this was

definitely one of those situations. I braced myself as its mouth kept growing wider and wider, knowing

full well what was about to happen. The beasts breath was almost as horrible as its eyes, and as it drew

closer and closer to ending my life, I turned away, waiting for the inevitable crunch that would end my

boredom, that would finally put me out of my misery.

Thown.

I flinched at the sound, and then again as I heard the beast roar in pain. Then I heard it again.

Thown.Tink. Roar.I slowly unclosed my eyes to the sight of the monstrous dog with three burning arrows sticking

out of its chest. But this didnt surprise me near as much as what, or rather who, was standing in front of

me.

Hey Rinn, I think you need to work on your aim.

I couldnt believe it. Standing in before me, as if he had always been there, was Ty, but different.

He wore the same outfit he had been earlier that day, same white button up shirt unbuttoned, same

black pants, even his trademark gloves. However, he just seemed different, almost powerful. And then

there were the katanas. Two of them, just like the ones you see in the old samurai films, only these ones

had some sort of writing all over the blades. From the looks of the symbols, I thought they must have

been some early form of Japanese or something, but for some reason, I felt as though I had seen them

before, as if I could almost understand what they meant.

Kat, I need you to do something for me.

My head snapped to his head in an instant. I realized I had been completely lost in thought

when Ty spoke. I mumbled a little before finally getting out a response that sounded like a cross

between asking what was going on and agreeing to do whatever meant I wasnt going to become

dinner.

I want you to forgive me. And that was when I felt them; two katana blades, right to the

stomach. I would love to say that I had felt pain like that before, but the truth was, I hadnt, both

emotionally and physically. I reached down and felt the spot where my skin and the blades met, trying

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to figure out what had just happened. I pulled my hands away and looked down to see the crimson

liquid that was gushing out. I then looked up at Ty, but what I saw I didnt know if I liked. His expression

was so serious, I could tell that he had done this many, many times, and each one hurt just as much as

the first. I coughed, blood slowly rolling down my lips and past my chin. I tried to ask him why, to call

him a monster, to blame him for everything, but I couldnt. Instead, I started choking, but not on blood. I

was choking on air as it forced its way down my throat. I then watched as Ty moved his face close to

mine, right next to my ear.

Wake up if you want to live.

And with that, I bolted upright in my bed just as lightning streaked across the sky and the

thunder came tumbling after it. I turned on my lamp and looked at my alarm clock. 3:27 AM. I didnt

remember coming home, let alone actually crawling into bed and going to sleep. I sighed a little bit and

grabbed the empty glass that sat next to my bed. I walked into my bathroom, and filled it up, hoping the

water would calm my nerves like a stiff drink. It didnt. As I started to crawl back into bed, I noticed a

figure standing by the street lamp outside our house. As I went to my window, I could see the figure

more clearly. He was a teenager, maybe a year or two older than me. He wore a blue button up shirt,

khaki cargo pants, and had the bluest hair I had ever seen. But that wasnt what scared me about him.

What scared me was he was staring at my house, through my windows, and most importantly, at me.