Prologue

The paper rustled in the breeze.

Rachel Zucker sat on the curb of the street with a notebook on her lap and a math textbook near her feet. She pulled back her blonde hair, which had originally been brown, but then was introduced to the term ‘highlighted’, as another gust of February wind whistled through the air. The bus to school was ten minutes late, so to pass time, she’d decided to start the math homework she’d left off for yesterday but had forgotten to do. As serious as she was about school, the week had been tough, and she was forced to procrastinate. She could have done her homework in that short time she’d been just watching Spongebob Squarepants, but the thought had never crossed her mind in her indulgence of laziness. She wasn’t worried about getting it done; of course she would, she always did. She was what one might call an over-achiever.

Rachel squinted as another frosty gale blew by. Her blue-green eyes watered as she cursed winter in Buffalo. Had she stood up, a wind gust probably would have knocked her down. Being only five foot two, she’d been on the end of a lot of short jokes recently. Most of her friends were taller than her, but Rachel would always stubbornly deny she was the shortest. But stubbornness was just an avid part of her personality, as her mom always said. It had nothing to do with being born in Russia the day after Christmas. Aside from being not so tall, Rachel was athletic, since she’d get more than enough of a workout everyday at track practice. It was frustrating for her; she loved and hated it. She was a competitive person, and although she wanted to be the best on the team, she knew she definitely wasn’t. It forced her to work harder but be under constant pressure, of the kind she didn’t work well under. It was her determined streak to finish things and win that kept her being totally angry at everything. Eighth grade had helped give her back some confidence, but Rachel knew it was not until she faced an impossible overwhelming challenge, such as trying to save another world from destruction, for instance, that she would truly ever think she could do anything she put her heart to.

She was more outgoing and fun with her friends, but more competitive. She’d known Ray since fifth grade, and they shared a lunch table. They had become fast friends, and she’d gotten to know him a lot better. Christina, whom she didn’t even know had existed before ninth grade, was friendly, loved gymnastics and she and Rachel had a lot of things in common. She could be annoying sometimes, but Rachel didn’t care. Ben Sternberg was a new ninth grade friend also. He had black hair and brown eyes and always wore his yamacha, thus the nickname yamacha boy. He said random things and sometimes got on everybody’s nerves, but he was friendly just the same. Julie was even more laid back than Ray or Ben. She had brown hair, brown eyes, and a height of five foot. She was obnoxious in a friendly way and funny and liked to have poking wars along with Rachel and Christina. Ray was five foot six, with black hair and brown eyes. He was unique in his own ways. He was Chinese, and had slanted eyes. Rachel wished she could have eyes like that too, but of course, she didn’t. It probably wouldn’t have fit her other features anyway. She still wasn’t sure where she fit exactly in the equation. But her four friends had been exactly what she could have wished for.

Flashing lights up from down the street caught her attention. Rachel looked up, and shoved her homework and textbook into the bag as the bus drew nearer. She tripped and stumbled as she walked toward the door, and glanced over her shoulder before getting on and taking her seat in the first row. She peered out the fogged up window at the snowy landscape and her house, silent, yet welcoming.

It would be the last time she would see her house in a long time.