Quick A/N: This may or may not suck. I'm doing this as an experiment, actually. I've never tried to pull off a story in present tense, or with so many characters and events. I'm probably worrying too much, since I never expect anything I do to turn out well anyway, but I'll do my best and see what happens. Reviews are welcome and appreciated, anonymous or not!

As I begin to walk away from the local high school, I wave to a few friends leaning against the double doors and loosen my uniform tie. It's getting close to the end of my senior year, and I can't wait to finish all of the last few tests and exams and prepare myself for college! I walk through the usual streets, running my fingers through my black, curly hair and thinking of what I plan to do in the future. Doctor, lawyer, scientist? The possibilities are endless for me. I'm in the prime of my life, and my generation is ready to take the nation by storm!

I grin, clutching the handle of my book bag tighter and taking the usual turn on the usual street. Then I stop, glancing back at something I almost didn't notice. I turn to face it. It's that new book store that just opened up, the one my parents have been ranting on about all the time lately. It was rumored to only sell weird, goth books, things to "corrupt children's minds." That kind of thing isn't really for me, but I have to admit, I'm curious to see what kind of corrupted material they sell at 'the cheapest prices,' as the yellow sign in the window advertises.

I look around. There's only a few people walking down the road. The flow of traffic is thinning quickly, the sky growing dark. After a moment of confusion as to why it was already so late, I remember that I had stayed after school to make up for a test. I was sick the day it was given. So, naturally, it's darker than it would be for any usual walk home. I laugh slightly at my forgetfulness and shrug, throwing my bag over my shoulder and walking closer to the shop. It's small and short, stuffed between a pizzeria and a Halloween store. Its outer walls are dark, mossy brick and its sign is dull and uninteresting.

A rusted bell rings over my head when I push on the splintering wooden door, and a middle-aged man at a desk by the wall looks up. He smiles, revealing rotten, yellowing teeth. It takes all my willpower not to gag. I manage a closed-mouth smile back, nod at his friendly, rough-voiced welcome, and begin to browse the shelves. "He really shouldn't smoke..." I mutter under my breath once I'm out of earshot.

The books in the store are stuffed with things like spells, monsters, and other weird mythical legends. But, the titles are interesting. Some of the more ridiculous ones make me laugh. I don't mean to judge people who believe in all these things, but vampires? Werewolves? Aliens? Ghosts? Things like this are just way too crazy to be real.

I read all of the titles, taking an almost sadistic enjoyment in the pure stupidity of it. Soon, I reach the last shelf, in the Z's. The store is strangely organized, ordered by subject instead of author, or even title. There isn't much in this shelf, most of it is just carried over from the X and Y sections. Then, at the very bottom, positioned so that you can't see the title, is a dusty, dull blue book. I would've completely overlooked it if it wasn't so dusty. How could something in a brand new store be dusty? Then again, the bell above the door looked old and used, too. And so did the door itself.

I reach for the book and gently lift it from its place on the shelf, surprised at the silky texture of the cover. I turn it around and brush some dust off to read the title. The Order, it says.

"The Order?" I say to myself. I have a bad habit of talking out loud when it really should just stay in my head. "What could this be about, in the Z section?" I open the book to shift through the pages. I skim through the first chapter, but it doesn't make sense, nor does it have any words that start with Z. It just rambles on about some type of uniform, or whatever, and some 'Basic Rules of The Order.'

I shake my head and put the book back where it was, then change my mind and bring it up to the man at the counter. His skin is wrinkly and pale, his eyes look irritated, and his hair is pure white, bald in the middle but shoulder-length at the sides.

"Um, excuse me," I start. "This book, I think, was in the wrong place."

He grins, once again revealing his apparently neglected teeth. I refuse to breath in until he's finished his sentence, just to save myself from the breath that's likely to be foul.

"What book, boy?"

I hold out the book with one hand, reaching the other into my pocket to silence my vibrating phone. I'll call them back later. I look away from my pocket to bring my attention back to the man, but he's stiffened, and his face is paler. I wouldn't have thought that was possible.

"Are you okay?"

He suddenly looks angry, and reaches out for the book, which I quickly pull away out of instinct.

"That book is not supposed to be in your possession. Give it back."

"No!" I refuse. "I...I'd like to buy it, actually." I pull out my wallet and reach for a ten. Most books in this store are around five bucks. I try to hand him the bill, but he keeps staring at the book in my other hand, sweat breaking out on his wrinkly forehead. It doesn't help his overall appearance.

I look around, trying to think of what to do. Before he sees it coming, I drop the bill on the counter, tighten my grasp on the book, and run out of the store, ignoring the man's yells. I drop the book and my wallet into my bag and zip it shut. I keep running down the street, legs moving as fast as they can, just in case the old man tries to follow me. I slow down after a moment, but speed up again once I hear him behind me. I turn down random streets, trying to lose him. Soon, I'm sure I have, and I realize my lungs won't work anymore.

I stop in the middle of a dark road, bending over and panting. I straighten up, throw my bag back over my shoulder, and look around. I think I'm lost. I try to remember which turns I took while I was running, but I can't. I decide to look for some kind of public place to go into and ask for directions, and start walking in a random direction.

As I pass a dark alley a ways down the road, I hear a voice. At least, I think I hear a voice. I hide behind a corner of a wall and peek in. I can't see a thing in the darkness, but I can hear quite well. Someone gurgles. There's a slicing noise, a gasp, then nothing. A slight splattering sound. I feel something wet on my face, and I'm not happy. Whatever's going on in there, I do not want it on my face.

I wipe it off with my finger and try to see what it is. It's dark, but my eyes are slowly being able to see more. The wetness on my finger is dark, and starting to dry. My eyes widen as I recognize it as blood. I look back in the alley, now able to see a bit more. A dark figure is crouching over another one on the ground, and a sharp object is clearly visible; it reflects light. The crouching figure rises, wiping off the object (more than likely a weapon) and stretching it's arms.

I step out from behind the corner to stand in the middle of the alley opening, clearly visible now. Obviously a stupid move on my part, but I'm too shocked to think rationally. The figure somehow hears me and turns quickly, its weapon at the ready. It looks like a man, slightly older than me, but he's not what I'm focusing on. What I'm focusing on is the dead body lying on the ground behind him.

It looks like a young girl, with silky black hair and blue-ish skin. Probably choked, then stabbed. She reminds me of a girl in class, who's been out of school for a few days. My focus goes back to the man with the weapon. He's staring at me, his expressionless face splattered with blood. He's about to reach for something, but the sight of the blood puts me over the top. I fall and hit the ground, my sight already faded. I hear footsteps, then I'm gone.

I sit up in a bed, groggy. The room is dark. I stretch and yawn, then remember what just happened. I smile and shake my head. No, not happened. It was probably just a dream. Or a nightmare. A vivid one. Yesterday had been just another normal day.