Hey Everyone! Thanks for clicking on my story. I’m a little surprised, honestly, because my summery was HORRIBLE! But the story is much, MUCH better! I’ve been working on this story for a while as an independent “book” but thought, “Awh, what the heck? Let’s just put it on fictionpress!” But my point is, I didn’t really make it in the usual ficpress way, so my chapters are ubber long and I had to cut them in half for this, or in thirds even for later chapters. Anywho, this chapter may end kinda randomly due to this, and I’m sorry for that, but the next chap will pick up right away! ENJOY READING!

The fence surrounding the courtyard was made of the purest gold and silver, sparkling in the sun light. Beautifully twisting vines ran up the bars, white flowers blooming at perfect intervals. The golden gate was vine free with a large, silver lock in the shape of a dragon.

She stepped up to the gate and placed a hand on the lock. Immediately, it came apart, crumbling into dust at her feet. The gate swung open on its own accord.

Stepping across the line separating the brown and grey stones from the shinning path, she looked around the garden.

The grass was manicured with such perfecting, every blade an unwavering green and none out of shape. The hedges and shrubs were cared for and cut with such precision; it must have taken days to trim just one of them. More flowers of every color sprouted from the ground and reached for the sky.

None of these wonders attracted her attention. Instead, her eyes fell on a tree, sitting a little off center of the courtyard. The tree was unextraordinary; a single oak with strong, thick branches, but in the center of the trunk was a hole. And in the hole sat a key.

The key was old fashion and large, but polished until it shown. Transfixed, she walked up to the tree, stretching out a hand for the key’s handle. She was so close, almost there; her fingers were touching the gold metal. But suddenly, the tree sprung to life, the hole closed up, trapping her hand as the branches came down on her, reaching for her neck, ready to strangle the life out of her.

Matty Monroe woke with a start, struggling against her murderous sheets. Attempting to free herself, she only succeeded in tightening the fabric around her neck, until finally she fell from the bed onto the hard wood flooring with a loud thump.

Panting, she took in her surroundings. Clothes, books, and other various objects littered the floor, making the ground nearly invisible. The desk in the corner was also piled high with books and loose paper, leaving no room on the surface for work. And, of course, a bed which had been stripped of its blankets. Yes, it was the same old room. The garden had vanished, as it always did, once she woke, leaving nothing but the image of the hollow tree and old key.

She sighed deeply. She was getting bored of walking through the garden, annoyed at the fact that she could never reach the key, and damn tired of waking up nearly strangled to death by her blankets. It was the eighth time this month she had visited the courtyard, but she was no nearer getting the key or finding out why she kept dreaming about it.

Carefully untangling herself from the sheets, Matty stood up and stretched. For a girl of near sixteen, Matty’s appearance was unremarkable. Her blondish brown hair hung unkempt to her mid back and overgrown side bangs crossing her narrow face. She was short, sizing around five foot three or four, but she had the build of an athlete, with long muscular legs. The only thing that was really interesting about her face was her eyes. They were a type of blue and green one could find only in the clearest ocean, though never in a human’s gaze.

She pushed her bangs away from the ‘ocean eyes’ as her friends had come to call them and looked over at the alarm clock on her bed side table. It took a while for the sleep to step aside so she could take in the numbers. 7, 3, 8. 7:38? 7:38!

“Oh, crap!”

She as late! Very late! School would start in thirty two minutes, and it took her twenty of that just to get there. Twelve minutes to get dressed and ready.

In a panic, Matty grabbed the first thing she could reach in her closet, a pair of old, worn and torn jeans and a Guns N’ roses shirt that belonged to her friend, Chaise. Shoving her books into a green messenger bag, she checked off the subjects she had packed. English? Check. History? Check. Chemistry? Check. Math? Che-

Wait, no. Where was her math book? She racked her brains as she spun around the room, cursing her lack of memory. It wasn’t on her desk, or her bed, or the floor.

“Where are you?” She asked the inanimate object under her breath. “Come her, little algebra book, come here.”

She rechecked the floor, the most likely place for it to be, but it wasn’t there. Deciding she could just explain to Mr. Derveni that the book ran away, she went to close her bag, only to find her algebra book staring up at her from inside.

She looked around, sure it had not been there earlier, but pushed it to the back of her mind. That saved her an uncomfortable meeting with the strict math teacher. She snapped the bag shut, feeling a strange tickle on her upper right arm. Ignoring it, she swung the strap onto her shoulder and dashed from the room.

Jumping the steps three at a time, Matty landed unsteadily on the bottom and ran into the kitchen. Here she met her two brothers, Chad and Jeremy, sitting at the table. Chad looked up at her with a smirk on his face, savoring the feeling of her rushing around to get to school while he was taking the day off. Three year old Jeremy just smiled in delight and stretched his short, chubby arms towards her while chanting “Mady, Mady!”

“You’re late.” Her mother sang from over by the stove as she passed a piece of toast wrapped in a paper towel to her daughter.

“I know, I’m sorry.” Matty grabbed the toast and took a grateful bit from it. “I’ll be back before four.” She said thickly through the bread and jam.

“Okay, dear, have fun at school.”

Matty grunted in reply as she hurried to the door, stopping to kiss Jeremy on top of his fine blonde hair while casting a disgusted look the laughing seventeen year old. “See you later, Jem.”

“Have fun at school, sis! Let me know how it feels to be a sophomore again!” Chad yelled after her, snickering.

Matty nearly slammed the door shut behind her before turning around and adding to her brother with a sickly sweet smile on her face. “Oh, and Chad, since you’re ditching school today, I’ll be taking the car. Toddles!”

“You get a scratch on her, I swear to God, Mat-” But Matty had already closed the door, drowning out his voice. The sky outside was a gray and blue mix, threatening rain later. Winds were stirring in every direction, making Matty’s hair dance about her. She looked the 1976 baby blue Thunderbird over and laughed to herself. Finally!

The drive from 118 Cheshire St. to Oak Burge High takes about twenty or so minutes, that is if the driver is conscious of the speed limit. But for a desperate teenager fresh out of Drivers Ed, Matty pulled into the school parking lot in a little less then fifteen. There were no students remaining outside, so the first bell must have already rung, leaving her with absolutely no time to linger. The engine of the T-bird slowly rumbled into silence as Matty slammed the door shut and began to half walk, half run, to the entrance.

The late bell rang just as she stepped through the door of her homeroom class and she silently slid into an empty desk. Karen Janes turned around in her seat and raised a pencil tine eyebrow at her friend. “Guns n’ Roses?” She inquired.

“Oh, shut up!” Said Matty, tossing a lock of sandy hair from her face. “I was running late and it was the first thing I could find.” She lowering her voice as Mr. Keller entered the room. Mr. Keller, who doubled as Matty’s homeroom and physic teacher, was not one you wanted to over hear a conversation. A man with almost no sense of humor at all, he was a master at detecting any thing around the school that was “Inappropriate”.

Matty waited till he was well on the other side of the room before adding, “I need to tell you something. But not around Chaise, if he ever decides to show up.”

“Nice shirt.” Speak of the devil, Chaise had just entering the room as well. Chaise Winser and Matty could have been twins. He had the same shade of hair that couldn’t decide if it wanted to be blonde of brunet and the same athletic build, though his facial features were much more masculine. And, of course, his eyes were no where near the dazzling turquoise of Matty’s. He took a seat and scanned a hassle eye over her. “Wait a sec, that’s mine!”

“Yeah. Think twice before leaving clothes at my house again.” Said Matty, a playful smile spreading across her thin lips.

“Give it back!” He demanded.

“Er- No! Unless you want me to walk around all day in my bra!”

Chaise shrugged. It’d be a nice change!

Matty looked appalled and punched him hard on the shoulder. “What!”

“You pervert!” She said as she turned away dramatically.

“I didn’t say anything!”

“Yeah, sure.” Matty rolled her eyes, and as she did so Chaise caught a gold glint flash in them. How could her eyes laugh when she wasn’t?

“What I want to know,” Said Karen slowly as if the question had given her a lot of thought, “Is how the shirt got there in the first place.” She smiled devilishly.

Matty gaped at both her friend. Sure, she knew they were joking, but she felt slightly amazed, and perplexed, at how the two thought. Luckily, she was saved from having to come up with a response by the teacher. “Mr. Winser, kindly explain to me why you were late.”

Chaise looked around at Mr. Keller, who was eyeing him carefully. “I could tell you I had car trouble.” Chaise said, putting on a false tone of innocents. Karen laughed again.

“You’d have to own a car, Chaise!” She pointed out.

He slapped his hand on the desk and pointed at Mr. Keller. “See, there’s the problem, Mr. Keller.”

Everyone laughed, except Mr. Keller, who found the excuse not only humorless, but childish as well. Matty was the only other who was not laughing or smiling at Chaise’s joke. She was clutching her shoulder again, which had began to tickling again, but this time more obvious, and slightly more painful. “You okay?” Asked Karen.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Matty tried to ignore it, to push it to the back of her mind. “Must have been from falling out of the bed.”

“Again?” Karen was surprised. “Was it the same dream?” She asked in a whisper. Matty nodded. Karen was the only one she had talked to about it. She didn’t really know why, but for some reason she didn’t want everyone to hear she was being haunted by a flower bed. “And you’re sure you have no idea why you’re dreaming about it?”

“Completely sure. I’ve never even seen the garden before!” Matty hit her head with frustration. “I just want to know what’s so damn important about that stupid key! I mean, why would my brain keep showing me it if it had no meaning?”

Karen shook her head. She had never taken Psychology and never wished to.

“Ladies, would you please listen to the announcements?” Called Mr. Keller. Karen turned around after giving Matty a one shouldered shrug.

Matty didn’t listen to the announcements that morning. She was lost in thought. Lost, once again, in that garden. Seeing as the lock magically came apart and the tree suddenly burst to life, anyone would be content with saying it was just a dream. But for some reason, she didn’t believe it. It was too real, minus the fact that the tree could strangle you, but the flowers were so life like and she could even hear her footsteps as she walked. She could hear her breath get short with excitement, excitement she couldn’t describe, as she neared the tree. Was that normal in a mere dream?

Distantly, she heard the bell signal that homeroom was over and next class would be starting soon. She was yanked out of her thoughts by the sound of people all around getting up and moving to the door. She stood up as well and followed her classmates into the already crowded hallway.

Karen caught up with her at her locker three minutes later. They had seven minutes till the first class, which was Matty’s foreign language. “So, why were you late?”Karen asked. “Was Chad worried he was gonna kill his car if he drove it over 30 miles per hour?”

“No, Chad didn’t come today.” Matty replied, shoving a Spanish book into her bag.

“Why?”

“Senior ditch day.” Matty said simply.

“Oh! So did you walk here?”

“Nope.” She slammed the locker door shut and turned, smiling at her friend.

“So you parents drove you?” Karen tried again.

“Nope.”

“Well, how’d you get here?” Her friend demanded, curiosity taking over.

“I drove.” Matty smiled.

“You drove? But you don’t have a- Oh!” Realization hit her. “You got a car!”

Matty laughed and put a hand on Karen’s shoulder. “You’re hopeless. I took the T-bird. And that thing can fly!”

“Chad let you?” Karen’s voice was full of amazement.

“Hell no! Are you kidding? He would sooner die then let me take his car. I barrowed it, lets say. But I’ve got to get to class.”

“What do you have now?”

“Spanish test.” Said Matty, beginning to walk away.

“Oh, that should be fun!”

“Ya know it!” Said Matty as she put up a horrible imitation of gansta fingers. Karen laughed sadly at her, shaking her head.

“Oh, and don’t forget to talk to your parents about going to my Cape house in June. I need to know if you’re coming so I can find a way out of it if you’re not!”

Matty gave her a salute to show she heard and turned to see where she was going. Know her, she was surprised she hadn’t already tripped, and was silently congratulating herself on her awesome backing skills. The hall was beginning to clear up as students made their way to classes. Only a few remained, those running late (Matty being one of them), slackers who liked running late, and the fortunate few who had free periods.

Matty glanced at her watch. One minute till class. Looking around, she was the only one still out, except for two people a little ways up. She recognized Marissa Ken’s dark brown hair, flawlessly cascading from her empty head. Marissa was leaning casually against the wall, chatting to a Junior Matty didn’t know. She could hear Marissa’s fake laugh and knew she was perusing another fling, the last one only lasting two weeks.

Matty didn’t look over at them as she passed, not wanting to “disturb” them. The Junior said something and Marissa let out another false laugh and tossed her hair over her shoulder. That was when she saw Matty and raised an eyebrow. What the hell is she wearing? Guns N’ Roses?

Matty stopped, astounded, and turned slowly till she faced the girl. “Excuse me?” She said, offensively.

“What?” Marissa said, her eyebrows still raised as she looked down on the other girl.

“Did you say something?” Matty challenged.

Marissa gave a short laugh and pushed herself off the wall. “No.” She said casually, and as she passed she added, “I like your shirt.”

Matty glared after her but it was then that the late bell rang. Cursing, she hitched up her bag and ran off to Spanish.

By the time last period was let out, rain was falling heavily on the soddened school grounds and battered against the windows. The trees outside bowed to the wind as great howls went gushing past. Matty gave a small sigh of relief. Thursday was over, which meant Friday was on its way.

She stopped at her locker for the last time that day and discarded her math and science books into its dark interior. She thanked her teachers silently for being light on homework recently so the students could study for the upcoming exams. She had nearly no work due the next day, except an essay for history which she had not even started.

Slamming her locker shut, she jumped in surprise at the sight of Chaise, who had been standing behind the door hiding. “God, Chaise. Don’t do that!”

“Sorry.” He replied simply with a shrug. They began to walk together, neither talking for a minute. Then finally Chaise turned to her. “What did you think I said this morning in homeroom?”

Matty stared at him for a moment, confused. “You said it would be a nice change. For me to walk around without a shirt.”

Chaise turned slightly red at this. “I never said that.” He said weakly.

“Come on, Chaise, I know you were joking. I was too. I’ve seen worse pervs. then you before. ”

“No, seriously, I never said that!” His voice had become stronger, offensive.

“Okay, I believe you.” By her tone plainly said that was a lie. “But what’s so big about it? I mean, you don’t seriously want to see my bra, right?”

Chaise response was a little too fast as he shook his head. Matty laughed. She knew her friend had had a crush on her for the last two or three years, but if he wouldn’t come out with it, then she wasn’t going to say anything. He was like her brother, and that would just be too weird.

“So, how are you getting home?” She asked, wanting to move the subject away from her bra. “You’re not walking, are you?”

“Well, as Karen so coldly pointed out this morning,” He put on an obviously false sad face. “I don’t have a car, so I guess so.”

“I’ll give you a ride. I’ve got the T-bird.”

“Will Chad mind?”

“Well, since he’s not here, I see no reason why he’ll need to find out.”

Chaise gaped. “You took his car! He’s gonna kill you! You know that, right?”

Matty laughed. Why did everyone think her brother loved his car more then her? Because it’s true. Said a voice in the back of her head. Matty shook it off. “You want a ride or not?”

They had reached the exit to the student parking lot, and for the first time they experienced the full force of the storm. Thunder sounded in the distance and the rain was like a constant curtain of wet bullets falling from the sky. Chaise grimaced at the thought of walking in this. “You’re the best.” Was his final answer.

He pulled his black hood up, and with a scared face, began out into the downpour. Matty placed her messenger bag on top of her head in hopes of keeping out the rain. Why hadn’t she brought a hood or umbrella?

They didn’t talk as they made their way across the parking lot, afraid their words would get lost in the wind and rain. Lightning danced across the sky, illuminating the dark clouds with electric blue. Thunder pounded again on their eardrums.

Finally, and none too soon, Matty found where she had left the car, but nothing was there. She stood, staring at it for a moment as if hoping it was a trick or she had the wrong parking spot. But there was no mistake, it was no trick. The T-bird was gone. He’s going to kill me! She thought as she ran forward, her bag forgotten on the soaked pavement. Chaise had a horrified look on his face as he stared at the empty spot, wondering if he would ever see his friend again after she told her brother.

Frantically, she searched the spot. For what, she didn’t know, but it felt like there was supposed to be something there. Maybe her brother had taken it home, mad at her for driving it without him. She stood up and walked back over to her friend and bag. “How are you going to tell him?”

Matty bit her lip, thinking. “I’ll make sure he has no weapons around.” She concluded, joking.

“Good idea. Well, hopefully I’ll see ya tomorrow. Call me so I’m sure you’re not dead.”

Matty laughed and tried to respond, but was cut short by a clap of thunder and lightning. After a brief hug, they went their separate ways, Chaise to the city and Matty to the suburbs.

Within two minutes, she was soaked to the bone. Her blonde hair had water dripping restlessly from the tips and her bag was no long a guard from the down pour. Finally, she gave up on it and walked without anything over her head. At least rain is good for your hair. She thought.

As thunder sounded and lightning cracked, Matty ran it over and over in her head. “Hi Chad, how was your day? Um, I have some bad news. Oh, there’s no need to stand up. Chad, just put the knife down.” She practiced.

Mud splattered her feet as she splashed through a puddle. She was shivering slightly, her small Hollister sweater doing almost nothing against the piercing wind. More lightning and thunder. Matty had had enough. She looked up at the sky, receiving an eyeful of water, but blinked it away and began to yell.

“Will you please give it a rest?” She asked the clouds. As if waiting for the command, the bullet like rain slowly faded to fat drops, then a heavy drizzle, and finally to a fine mist. Matty didn’t think much of it, she was just relieved. Her hair was still dripping and she still shivered, but the fact that she would be walking the rest of the way home in relatively dry weather comforted her.

The walk took forty three minutes and it was well past four when she entered through the kitchen door, slopping mud and water everywhere. Her mother looked up from the stove. It seemed like she hadn’t moved since Matty had left that morning. She wore a look of surprise and concern. “Matty, you’re soaking. Where have you been?”

Matty didn’t reply. She was fuming. As she walked up to the house, her heart beating double time at the prospect of having to tell her brother his beloved car was stolen, she spotted the baby blue Thunderbird parked neatly under the cover of the garage. It finally clicked with her what had happened. “Where’s Chad?” She finally said through gritted teeth, her tone murderous.

If her mother had detected her daughter’s attitude, she ignored it and pointed into the living room. Matty threw off her sweater and shoes, which were oozing brown liquid, and stormed after her brother.

The television was on, showing the disgusting site of grown men wearing leotards and beating each other. Matty had no idea what Chad saw in the sport, but she didn’t bother to lecture him this time as she always does on how stupid it is. Instead, she just yelled at him.

“Chad Jonathan, why the hell did you take the car?!”

Chad turned to look at her, take in her wet form and muddy appearance. Then he did the only thing that could have ticked her off even more. He laughed. “Nothing like a nice long walk in the rain, eh Mat?” He said.

It took everything in her not to punch him. He knew it was raining, he knew she would have to walk home. Taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself, she repeated slowly, “Why did you take the car?”

“I had to go to town.” Her brother said simply, turning back to the TV.

Matty lost it. “You could have taken Mom’s car! Or walked! I’m sure it wasn’t raining when you left. You’re too lazy to walk to school in the rain to get your ancient, metal box on wheels!”

She knew she had done it now. To insult his car was a bigger offense then insulting him. It was his baby, his life, and Matty knew that now she had crossed his line.

He got up and approached her, fire in his eyes. “What did you say about the T-bird?”

Matty stood her ground, glaring. “I said, you care more about that bucket of bolts then anyone in the world, don’t you? You don’t give a damn that I nearly drowned out in that downpour. You just don’t give a-”

“Matty Monroe!” Mrs. Monroe had just entered the room. “What is going on?”

“I just walked fifteen miles in the rain, because he,” She pointed accusingly at Chad, “had to ‘go to town’! I’m sick of his obliviousness, his self-centeredness, his carelessness. And I am aware that half those word don’t exist!” She concluded before stomping out of the room back into the kitchen.

A minute later, Mrs. Monroe returned to the kitchen and sat down opposite her daughter at the counter. Matty was busy ringing out her hair, looking furious. Her mother sighed softly. “Well, how was your day?” She finally asked.

Matty shrugged. “Okay.” She answered. She never told her parents about her school life, apart from the occasional I got an A on my test. Her mother was used to it by now and her father never even bothered to ask anymore.

“Well, your father and I are going out tonight once he gets home, so you and Chad are in charge of taking care of Jeremy.”

Matty snorted. “Don’t count on Chad to do it. He’s so-”

“Matty, I know you’re mad, but it is his car. He bought it with his own money and you did take it without asking.”

“Whatever.” Matty flicked the last of the water off her hands and turned away, ignoring her mom. “I’m taking a shower.”

Casting a disgusted look at the back of Chad’s head as he cheered a man to punch another, she began up the stairs and closed her door a little louder then she meant to.

Well??? What do ya think? Let me know if ya love it, hate it, or just have no feeling about it. Reviews are ALWAYS welcome, so don’t hesitate! Also, sorry again at the abrupt ending, but if I kept going this chapter would have added up to seventeen pages on word. So, again, thanks for reading and hopefully I’ve hooked ya enough to see you next chapter. Till then…