brokenwolf13

Chapter 9

The wind was strong this October day. The little girl didn’t mind though. She spent all day outside, as always. Shadow followed her as usual and when the day ended, they returned to the house together. But today was different, something was off, the night seemed quieter than usual.

She passed it off and the evening went as usual. School was tomorrow and Sasha had to get to bed early. Only in the fourth grade, that was still pretty early. So by eight thirty she was ready for bed and snuggled under the blankets, the sound of Shadow nearby was almost a lullaby.

But tonight was different, there was no sleep in store for her it seemed. She simply couldn’t fall into peaceful silence of sleep. There was some thing wrong. So terribly wrong but nothing seemed to be out of place. The air was different but she couldn’t figure out why. It seemed she was the only one with this strange fear, everyone else was already asleep.

As she continued to roll around in the bed, her necklace, a glass heart on a bras chain, started to irritate her skin. She took it off and told herself that she would put it on before she left for school in the morning.

Then the phone rang. It was three in the morning according to the Sister’s alarm clock. Who would be calling at this unholy hour? Because she was the only one with some what aware senses, she was the one nominated by the continued snores of her family to answer the phone.

When she picked the phone the panicked voice of the neighbor made her stomach do flip flops. “Sasha, get you parents on the phone, right now!”

“Okay.” The little girl ran to her parent’s room and shook her mom into awareness.

“What? Why aren’t you asleep?”

Sasha shoved the phone into her mom’s hands and dashed outside. Something was propelling her to the front yard, though she wasn’t sure what.

But when she reached her desired destination, all her fears were realized in that instance. It was as if the world had gone to hell, the sky a deep blood red and heat was everywhere, it was hard to breath and hard to see, Sasha’s world seemed to be dyeing in front of her eyes. Only a mile away, a suddenly painfully short distance, was a wall of red fire, engulfing anything and everything in the way

Chapter 11

-Poison-

Sam sunk into the shadows of her new cell. Fear, anger, hate swirled around in her head. Hate for Cal, for betraying all that she knew. He was her mentor when her mother had died. She felt sickened by his betrayal.

Hate for her father, for only seeing her as an Animar and not a daughter. For not believing in her cause, all her hard work. For not believing her reason when he had wrongly blamed the Animars for the death of the queen.

Hate for her mother for leaving her with such a large burden. She was so young when her mother was killed. The king had been told that it was an Animar but it was actually a guard that had stabbed her in the back. She was an Animar just like her and had been trying to pull off a raid to destroy the labs. It had almost worked when, on her way out, Saffa was stabbed in the struggle to escape before the detonation went off.

Sam soon found out that she was an Animar. Her mother had never told her of the adventures she had at night so Sam had thought that she was sick like her father had always told her. Then Cal told her what Saffa had done and Sam wanted to be just like her.

Now she felt so alone, so afraid of the future. She had never been afraid of what lie around the corner, but now she was terrified. Tears slipped from her eyes, as she remembered the bodies being dragged away. It hadn't seemed real but now it sunk in at last. Nat was gone, Cree, her Cal, and perhaps all the other Animars in the junkyard. They had all gone. And now here she sat, in the underground labs, the last place she wanted to be, sitting in the darkness of her cell, crying in her ragged and beyond recognition night gown. And she could do nothing.

She fell into an uneasy sleep. She thought she heard Nat next to her. He was talking to her, telling her he still loved her and always would. Then she realized it wasn't Nat, it was her father. The king crouched over, whispering word of comfort and sorrow. Sam kept her eyes closed, afraid that if she opened them, the words she had wanted to hear for so long would disappear. Then she realized that she didn't care anymore. The cause was over, everyone was dead, she didn't want to remember, and she didn't want to exist.

"Please wake up." She heard him say. She found that she could not deny him this.

"Have you given me the cure?" She asked, surprising him.

"It's fatal..." The sorrow in his voice was evident.

"But Cal-"

"Is dead," he cut her off. She vaguely wondered how long she out when her father started talking again. "The effects where slow but once it had time long enough in the body, it turned to poison."

"What about all the people in the junkyard?"

"When we thought we were curing them, we didn't know of the long term affects."

Sam stared in disbelief. Not only where all the people she had worked with been cured, but now they where dead, gone for good. "Now do you believe me?"

"Samantha, no matter what, there is always a search for a cure,” the way he said it made Sam want to cringe away. She hoped that her father could see the truth but that was squished like a bug under a boot. She had to get out, to escape. She saw that the king had left the door open and that there were no guards around to stop her. She pushed her father out of the way and bolted for the cell door. She ran down the hall and that was when she realized that all the Animars in the cages lay still and cold eyed. They where all dead. Why hadn't she been cured?

Her moment's hesitation was a mistake though thankfully, not fatal. She could hear her father yelling for the guards to stop her from leaving but she was one step ahead. She bolted down hallway after cage lined hallway until she could see the door in front of her, just in her reach. She could smell the fresh air leaking in, mingling the smell of dead. She burst out into the open air and took flight, away from the cold hell she had just escaped.

Chapter 8

I stare out my window longingly, hoping for any kind of sign of my beloved. We’ve been traversing for almost fifteen minutes, traveling deeper and deeper into the dirt road community. I spotted movement in the headlights of an on-coming car. I suddenly open the door without warning and dash out of the still moving car. Papa yells and stops the car, getting out as well.

I run to meet the two dogs, one thick and sturdy like Riley and the other thin and lithe like George. I run up to them but stop short of wrapping my arms around the thick shape. He wasn’t Riley, nor was the other one George. They were massive and the Rottweiler growled. The on-coming car stopped and the passenger window rolled down.

“What the hell are you doing?” The black skinned man in the car asked. Though I could hardly see him in the shadow, his beady eyes gleamed in menace.

“I thought they were my dogs.” I mumbled back.

“Well, they ain’t.” He stared pulling forward but not before, “Dumb bitch.”

Part of me wanted to hurl a rock at his back window but, knowing it would only cause unnecessary trouble, trouble we didn’t have time for, I shuffled back to the truck.

“Who was that?” Papa asked as we climbed in.

“I don’t know, some asshole,” I retorted.

He mumbled something was did not say what on his mind as we continued down the way. Just then, the phone rang. We both jumped at the obnoxious noise and Papa fumbled to pick the device up. He opened and put to his ear, “Yeah, Ma? … Okay.”

He snapped it shut and did a tail spin in the dust, facing the direction we had just come and took off at a ridiculous pace. “Mom found them.”

Chapter 10

-Traitor-

"Brutal." Cree raised and eye brow at her friend.

"It was necessary," Sam replied seriously. "We need to find Cal."

"I saw them take him down that way." Nat said, pointing off down a hallway made of cages. Each one was filled with raging, screaming Animars. People they had once known, torn apart beyond recognition. Sam shivered; the grey walls seemed to closing in around her. Nat left the king where he lay and slung a protective arm around Sam. That simple gesture comforted her, knowing he was there for her, that he loved her and would never leave her side. She smiled warmly at her lover, pulling him to a tender kiss.

"Did I miss something?" Cree looked confused and slightly hurt at being out of the loop. Sam laughed when Nat did.

"Don't worry, ya didn't miss much," he replied, the laughter still shining in his eyes making him seem so much more alive in contrast to there current situation. He suddenly turned serious when the heavy sound of boots on concrete alerted him to approaching guards. He swore and darted down the path in the direction he had pointed only moments before. Sam and Cree exchanged a glance before taking off after him, catching up easily. They raced down hallway after hallway, in search of their friend.

They found him, crouched in a corner, seemingly talking to himself. He glared over his shoulder at them, "I thought I told you to- Oh!" He brightened when he realized it was them and stood, stuffing something in his torn jeans pocket. Sam wanted to find out what it was but trusted him enough to not ask.

Nat was having a hard time getting the lock on Cal's cage to open. His brown eyes darted around, worriedly. "What's the problem?" His voice was anxious and on edge.

"Got it!" Nat's voice rang out triumphantly. Cal shoved him aside in his hurry to open the cage.

"Now!" He yowled like he used to when they where about to go into a raid. He grabbed Sam ragged pajamas and threw her into the cage that he had just escaped when a seemingly infinite number of guards surrounded them. She heard gunshots and screaming, until she realized that she was the one screaming. Her wails were drowned out by yowling and roaring of other Animars in cages.

The struggle didn't take long. Severely outnumbered and already weak and unarmed from mistreatment, Nat and Cree where taken out quickly. Sam couldn't believe what had just happened. A second ago, they where freeing Cal, the next Nat was lying dying on the ground as his life blood draining out of him, and Cree was already gone, probably already with her brother.

"Take there bodies away to be recycled,” Cal spoke coldly. He turned to her, still trapped in the cage. She glared at him, still praying it was a horrible nightmare. "Samantha, my dear. No need for hostilities." he smiled an average human smile and it hit Sam like a brick wall. He wasn't an Animar anymore. She couldn't figure out why she hadn't smelt it before when it could have made a difference.

"They found a cure!" He seemed like an excited child and Sam thought for a second she could still see her mentor.

Her mouth was frozen, her whole being was frozen. Anger and resentment bubbled in her stomach like a deadly acid. Cal stood in front of her, smiling and talking to her like he hadn't just killed they're friends, her lover. Sound seemed like a weight in her ears, bring everything crashing down as Cal continued to move his lips to form words that didn't make it to Sam's ears.

Except five words, "It's for your own good."

"You spineless, backstabbing traitor!" Sam screamed. Her anger made her hot from inside out, creating a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Such harsh words from a princess. You should be better mannered." He stated it so calmly and matter-o-factly it made Sam sick. She spat in his face, leaving it spattered with mucus. "You insolent little girl!" He brought his hand back to hit her stopped himself. "You should be thanking me; I'm trying to help you!"

"All you've done is betray hundreds of people that put their trust in your hands. You make me sick!" She turned her back from him and sunk deep into the darkness of the cell. She noticed the deathly silence that had bestowed the lab. Almost as if the world was holding its breath, waiting to see what happens next. Sam glanced over her shoulder and Cal was gone.

Chapter 7

“Daddy!” I screamed, panic rising so fast that I became suddenly dizzy. I hear his heavy footsteps on the pavement and his gasp a second later. He curses loudly but I hardly notice as I’m sprinting back to the house, bare feet thankfully avoiding any crippling rocks.

I burst through the door and Grandma jumps where she is laying on the couch. She sits up and asks, “What’s going on?”

“The gate is open, the dogs are gone.” I’m already at the kitchen bar, getting the keys to Dad’s truck and racing back through the living room. Grandma is already in her room, looking for the keys to her own truck. I meet Papa at the door and shove the keys in his hands. “You’re driving!”

He doesn’t hesitate and is already half way out the door. We get into the red truck, we watch Grandma waddle quickly over to her own truck and a second the diesel engine come to life. She pulls up next to us and yells through the passenger window at Papa. You take the south route and I’ll go north. We should meet up back here half an hour if haven’t found them by then.”

She then pulled forward and turned left down the street, disappearing save for the red tail lights.

Chapter 9

Prison

Sam could hear voices, for she was very awake. She just didn't want people to know that. She didn't feel like getting off the strangely cool ground for the people that kept saying her name. She was content. Even with the bitter cold that seemed to have sunk into her skin, the screams all around her, she was content to lay there. Was it because she was ready to die yet? No, not while she had friends on the outside, waiting for the impossible. Not while she had allies on the inside, hoping she wouldn't sleep forever.

"Why is she still asleep?" She recognized the voice immediately as her father's. "The one she was caught with have woken up, so why hasn't she?"

"Well, Animars have an increased immune system and a faster metabolism. Perhaps-"

"I don't care about all the Scientifics if we're talking about my daughter!"

"Sir, perhaps she's not an Animar and the sedative is taking longer to ware off."

"Then explain to me why they where in her room."

"Maybe they where attacking her."

"In the middle of the day? That's unlike them in so many ways."

"Maybe that was the point, they where trying to surprise people."

"And what about the guard that claimed to see her in last weeks attack on my quarters?"

Last week? Was I out for that long?

"An influx of imagination caused by panic."

"What I want to know is why you argue against the fact that your own daughter may not be an Animar." Another voice, Cree. Why is she here?

"Quiet you," the scientist growled.

"Make me, ya big slagger!"

A shuffle of movement, a man yelled, an animalistic howl came from Cree. Then all was silent, even all the Animars in surrounding cages who had also been watching and listening. A mournful whimper, the batting of wings, sobbing, labored breath.

"Was that really necessary?!" Nat this time. That was expected. The scientist shuffled his feet away from Cree's cage. Nat spoke again, this time to Cree, "Are you alright."

She didn't hear a reply and got worried. She opened her eyes and sat up, looking toward the heap of feathers that had to be her friend. She whimpering and holding herself in a protected position, the black wings sprouting from her back made it hard to see her form.

Nat caught sight of her as well as the scientist and the King. They all yelled her name at one time making her already pounding head throb.

"Sam! Sam! I'm so glad you're okay!

"Samantha, my daughter! I was so worried!"

"Princess, you have been revived. Before I can release you I must run some tests to make sure that you are not an Animar."

"Of course she's not an Animar! My Daughter is not an Animar!"

"Who are ya tryin' ta convince? Him or you?"

"Shut up!"

"Take your own advice."

"SHUT UP!! Both of you!" Silence reined after Sam's outburst. Her throbbing headache seemed to be obscuring her vision, causing it to blur now and then. She shook her head, trying to set herself on the right path. "Please, just shut up..."

Her cage opened and she watched as her father entered, looking less dangerous then usual. His arms up in an 'I not going to hurt you' fashion. It angered her.
"What? Am I an animal to you, now? Your own daughter, an Animar, amazing isn't it!" She knew she sounded insane. She heard Nat chuckle, and Cree shuffle. Her father had stopped walking toward her and looked shocked. She also noted that he looked like he going to shit his pants soon. She smiled at him, showing fangs that had newly grown.

Chaos seemed to break out. The scientist, who had been standing too close to Cree's cage, was suddenly grabbed and dropped when his neck snapped. There was a jingle of keys and Cree and Nat where holding her father captive. All the while, the wails and yowls of other trapped Animars bore into her headache.

"Wish to do the honors, love?" Nat smiled and the same fanged smile.

She nodded, balling her fist and raising it above her head. She put all her anger and fury into that one swing. The King dropped out cold. She looked at him for a second; a wave guilt passed over her but she shook it off, telling herself that he deserved it. She vowed silently that she would never hit her father again. She walked past the other two and out to find Cal's cage.

Chapter 6

"Sash, will you let the boys out front?" Grandma asked groggily.

I complied, standing up and walking to the front door. George was aroused out of sleep by my feet moving by his face and sat up better on his side, floppy ears doing their best to straighten them selves out. He saw he approached the door and stood up, wagging his stub of a tail. He was quickly by my side, though Riley had taken some encouragement, his hips already becoming stiff from sleep, he too joined me a minute later.

I opened the door and they shot out from behind my legs. They disappeared in the shadows that the flood lights could illuminate. I went back inside to wait for them to knock when they where done.

The show we where watching ended and the next one started. About halfway through the hour-long program, Dad noticed they still hadn't come in. He playfully scolded me for not getting them earlier and sent me to do such task. I reopened the door and was slightly peeved to find neither of the dogs where at the door. I stepped out, barefoot, and walked forward, toward the gate.

Gaping opened like a black abyss, the driveway gate stood wide open, not touched by the last person that had driven in this evening. The dogs had run away.

Chapter 5

The moon was full and the starshine bright above me. Shooting stars of all different colors flash across the sky, filling me with energy and hope. Here I am happy, here I am free, and here I am home.

The field across from me, the spring time grass long and lush. I long to run through it, to feel the grass brush against my bare ankles and feet. The dogs, one on each side of me, stare off in the same direction, sharing the same longing.

Shadow and Porchop are gone from the world but not my memory. I still love them both, but now I have two more guardians. Two young, energetic, full of life dogs to keep me company.

The swing set beckons closer and I get on. This is like a express train to my day dreams. I can delve straight in without having to think much on it. Already I have a scene I want to play in my mind, to see what happens.

Jaze growled in annoyance, this wasn’t what was supposed to happen! The spy was right under their noses and the Commander didn’t believe him! Dag was not the traitor, it was Civ, it had to be.

He heard someone coming down the hall and walked to the gate of his cell to see his cousin looking in on him. They open a link via their visors.

Unbeknownst to either of them, they where being watched by Commander Scop and Mayla, the communications officer. “Can you hack the line without being found?” Scop asked.

“I can hack a Clan frequency and not be found!” She bragged, unknown to the irony of her statement.

“—of all people should know that I don’t make mistakes like this.” Jaze was saying when the link opened.

“This is a different situation, Bridge.” ‘Bridge?’ Scop wondered.

“How so? Do you not trust me anymore? I’m your family!”

“And a traitor yourself, why should I. That dunder-head of a commander was right about this one.”

“Fly!” ‘Fly’ now? “Please! You can’t believe that loud of bull that was put in your head by that liar. He was the one that lead the attack, it pure dumb luck that we where not there at the massacre.”

“What kind of proof do you have then?”

“None that you would believe…”

“Then that settles it.”

“No!” Sigh “Talk to Tal.” Who is Tal? “We made an agreement that if I came up with the right name, the she would confirm it and help me give real proof.”

Gash’s voice suddenly became softer. “Why would she help you like that?”

“She is my sister.” That who… “Besides she’s loyal to her own cause, she hates who she works for.” Jaze growled suddenly. “Perhaps you should take the example.”

“Was she in this too?! How many where following you?”

“Nobody! I was not conspiring against anyone! Why won’t you believe me! I full, one hundred percent—“

“Shh!” There was a long silence between them both until Gash or Fly or whoever he was, whispered, “I think someone hacked the line.”

There was sudden static and Mayla cursed loudly, “they pushed the signal back, the exchange got erased.”

“Did you put it on the back up drive?”

“Yeah but it’s gone from there, too.” She laughed a little. “When you put Jaze in head of Black Ops, he wasn’t kiddin’ when he said he could hack a line backwards. I think this what he meant.” She laughed again.

“Can you find out who ‘Tal’ is and research those names they used.”

“I doubt I’ll find anything, whatever they where talking about, not even the best talk about so freely. It may also be a personal matter they’re talkin’ ‘bout. Jaze did state they’re fam.”

“What do you think they meant by the massacre and their own cause?”

“Dunno.”

Dad suddenly appeared at the back door and called me in. I sighed, a little disappointed but heeded to his word anyway.

Chapter 4

My cell phone went off at 5:20 on the dot, signifying that Papa was here. I had already thrown as many unfolded, dirty clothes in my big red suite case and had tied my messy, half dried hair up in a ponytail before walking out the door. Mom wasn't home yet but I didn't care, I just wanted to get out of this over crowded, over loud, over annoying suburb as fast as I could!

My mood lifted dramatically when I saw the familiar frame of Dad's bright red (albeit dirty) Toyota truck. He revved the mud covered vehicle and waved from the window when he saw me. He got out, leaving the engine running, so he could help me lift the heavy suite case into the bed as I put my over stuffed backpack and laptop into the back seat. I climbed in as he did and we drove off together.

We got on the highway, speeding past the 5:30 traffic, talking on and on about random things we encountered since the last time we saw each other earlier in the week on Tuesday. Slowly, we left the overhead ramps and non-stop traffic behind us. It being replaced by a small two lane road the led over hills until winding its way into the tall mountains. The sun was setting, casting orange light everywhere, and the sliver of ocean at the farthest length behind us glowing with the drowning sun.

Our favorite Sound Garden Song came on the radio, 'Black Hole Sun'. We started belting lyrics and laughing at each other.

"Black hole sun, won't you come, won't you come. Black hole sun won't you come wash away the rain."

Soon we where pulling into the driveway at Dad's house in a very spread out, dirt road community. He helped me take my stuff in while I greeted by elderly grandmother. After I talked to her, I went outside to my two energetic dogs, Riley; a fat, eight year old Dalmatian; and George; a young, yearling fawn boxer puppy. These two where my best friends, my favorite companions, my beloveds.

Chapter 3

Friday afternoon and I'm finally home. Well at my apartment at least. My name is Sasha Lavrick, I'm fourteen and in my freshman year in high school. I'm tall, blond and have hazel eyes. I'm not a genius, I don't have magical powers. I’m nothing special. Today is the fourth of April and it's the first day that things are warm enough to go swimming since October.

I'm excited, I love swimming. I love water in general. I change quickly and grab a towel and keys and head out to the public pool that my apartment complex holds. The pool is clean and deep and just the thing I need. I set aside my thing and walk to the edge of the...

...rock face, looking down. Hundreds of gallons of cascading water rush down the side into the deep pool below. It's not far in reality but to a nine year old, it can be hundreds of feet in the air. She looks down and a grin breaks her face as she closes her eyes and steps off without hesitation.

The air slips past her, pulling her hair up and her clothes fluttering and flapping. She hits the water, feet first and her moment of flight is over. The cool water envelopes her, protecting her. She feels rocks and sand graze her bare feet and settles down at the bottom. She feels the current drifting around her, brushing past her face like soft, gentle hand.

She opens her eyes and looks up. The sun shines through the water at her, the surface turning into a barrier. Reality and peace sanctuary here, under the silent depths...

... pool. I breathe in deep, pushing the memory back and taking a leap into the deep end. The water encircles me and silence engulfs my being. I'm at peace at last. All the conflicting emotions and stress of the week seem to wash away and disappear forever. I open my eyes and look up. The sun is shining down on me, turning the surface into a barrier. Reality and a Sanctuary. Pain and Relief. Trapped and Free.

Reality is where I am ground and I will never be able to fly again...

Chapter 2

I hate math... I glance at the clock. It reads 11:10. Eight minutes left. I try to pay attention a little. Okay, it has to have been at least five minutes. I look at the clock again. 11:11. I sigh and bring my knee up to my face and lay a big kiss on it. The girl next to me looks at the clock and follows suit. I don't know, I think I started a trend for my half of the classroom. Like a chain reaction half the class kisses their knee in good luck. The teacher notices for the first time all year and pulls a funny look. He opens him mouth like he want to say something in that strangly attractive Australian accent but seems to deem it on his 'I don't want to know' list.

I couldn't help but giggle. Then the bell rings. I sigh as I slowly start to pack my bag up. Mr. Pennefather reminds us of the test on Monday and to have a good weekend as the freshmen pile out of the room. I'm last out again and say good bye to Mr. Pennefather and start on the walk to my Tree.

My Tree is in the back of the campus. No one sits by it and that's preferred. It's also the biggest tree on campus. Its canopy stretches and shades the entire clearing it sits it. It's unscared and untrimmed, just perfect. I sit on its trunk and eat my apples all the while staring off into nothing.

The morning air stings the inside of my nose. I can still smell the night in the air. It's not cold enough that I can see my breath but goosbumps prickle my skin. I'm sure it's not from the cold but from the excitement of going out into a new day. Shadow is next to me, her warm brown eyes silently asking me to lead the way. I did so. I led her down into the jungle, the densest part of bushes on the whole property. It was a rose bush that grew around a path in the ground and that cat's claw bush blocked out most light.

I always left the house before my sister woke up but after my parent left for work so that I was alone for awhile. I enjoyed the cold air that the sun had not touched yet. I usually slept off the rest of the morning here in a bed of grass. Shadow already knows where to go and is already sitting in the bed waiting for me to join her. I lie down and wake up when the dog underneath me shifts into a sitting position. In the distance, I here my sister calling Shadow and her mate, Porchop.

"Go, I'll meet you at Sanctuary." I spoke into her ear before she padded through the whole in the bush. I use the main entrance and on my way out I pick a blossoming white rose. I enjoy the sweet fragrance and soft feel of the petals on the pad of my fingers. I climb rocks and trees up the side of the mountain till I reach Sanctuary.

Sanctuary is built by one single ancient oak tree. It grown right in the center of a pool of rocks. It is the biggest tree on the property and the biggest tree I've ever seen. Ancient Oak grows on an uprising of land in the middle of a stream. One that runs even in the hottest days of summer. It has no fish but is the clearest, best tasting water I've ever drunken. Much better that the water that comes out of the facet at Grandma's house.

The Ancient Oak's canopy spanned out over the entire pool of rocks. The river led up the mountain out of sight but I knew what was up there. Up the mountain was a-

The bell rang in my ears, make me jump. It doesn't matter how many times I hear that danm bell, it will always scared the living shit out of me. I stuff the last apple slice in my mouth and crumple up the plastic bag. I've never seen a tree as big as Ancient Oak and I don't think I ever will. I don't live in that place I grew up at, I never will. I'll never live any place like it again even if I could. But sometimes, I wish that night had never happened, and I wonder where I would be if it hadn't...

Chapter 1

The teacher seemed to drone... Drone... I like that word... The drone swung its arm around, exposing a small cannon. Internal targeting systems pinpointed the fleshlings in the area. Oh, how this mechanical being hated-

"Sasha" My head snapped around to stare at Senora Jacobs. "Rapido, Rapido! Senorita!"

"What? Oh, I mean Que?"

"Aye! Chica, participate!" Shocking, she actually said a real English word, in English! The monster that can't speak coherent English (or Spanish for that matter) moved on to the next victim with only a glare that could set heaven on fire in my general direction. Though I'm sure it only made touchdown with dude next to me (is she blind I wonder...).

The bell rang and her recent victim stood up in such a fury, Senora Poop head flinched. I pictured the five ton backpack swatting her and sending her flying across the room. I bowed my head and pretended to concentrate on feet to hide the grin that split my face. The whole of the class tried to escape out the door at once causing a traffic jam of sorts. At least it's not like the stairs during passing period.

I escape out the last, as usual, and head for said stairs. The sun was a wonderful contrast to the starch white walls of Spanish class. Today was warm with a strong breeze. It ruffled my long hair and I couldn't help but stop and look in the direction it was coming from. I closed my eyes and pictured myself somewhere else...

The soft breeze caressed the soft skin; the warm sun sank lower behind the mountain range. The little girl, no older than six, continued to sit watching the sky turn pink then purple. Stars winked down on her, the big ancient oaks rustled there leave in the warm summer wind, the small stream nearby gurgled and coughed it's way down the mountain side, a fox mother watched the still figure before picking up her cub and darting into the underbrush before the Guardian Sentry spotted her. The Guardian Sentry was the little girls best and only friend and also a dog. Large and muscular, with long black fur and a thick tail. Massive teeth and sharp eyes from her German Shepherd sire, but with a sleek head that accented her natural beauty, like her Black Lab Dam.

This dog was known as Shadow, and that's what she was. She followed the little girl like a shadow, keeping her company but also watching, guarding, protecting. Through all her hair-brain schemes or simply sitting in peace, like what they where doing now. A bush rattled and the dog whined her displeasure at being out so late after the sun had gone down.

The purple and violet colors had long faded into darkness, blanketing the earth with its sweet peace. The girl sighed, murmuring soft sounds of comfort to the motherly she-dog beside her. She stood without a warning and started quickly down the side of the boulder, her bare feet gripped the rough rock face like hands. Shadow scrabbled noisily down after her. At the bottom, the she-dog looked to the silent girl for a sense of what direction to take.

"Let's go home," the girl stated softly, and, knowing exactly where to go, she padded down the path that led the only clue to civilization for miles around. The little girl took pace beside her friend, bare feet avoiding rocks even in the darkness.

Shadow's ears pricked for any sound of danger that could harm her little girl. But nothing was there as the pair strode confidently down the path. She approached a small house. A woman stepped out onto the porch and called her name.

"I'm here, Mom," the girl called back. She could smell dinner though the doorway and her stomach growled in anticapa-

I lurched forward as someone slammed in to me from behind. I fell forward, landing sharply on the concrete as my binder and all it's contents flew everywhere. My knee felt wet under my jeans and I knew I had scraped it. I got no apology, no helping hand, not even the guys who had knocked me down looked at me as they kept walking, laughing, shoving, and playing with each other. I heard someone laugh and hurried to pick up my scattered papers. Embarrassment and anger burned my face and churned in my stomach.

I picked up my papers and hurried to math, all the while berating myself for letting my mind wander so aimlessly.