Chapter One

Stars. So many of them streamed across my vision. It was as if an endless amount seemed to pour out from the heavens and made me able to gaze at them all. The sky was pitch black, so that all I could see in the brilliantly vast sky was the shooting stars. I wasn't fascinated with space or stars or anything like that, but I could appreciate when something amazing was happening in front of my eyes. All I could seem to see where the billions of stars, the world around me disappeared. Then, suddenly, a random star out of the bunch caught my eye. It was burning with intense and hot blue flames. It skyrocketed downwards. It grew bigger and bigger, and It was then that I realized it was going to land near me. I jumped up instantly, not having any hesitation in running far away. I turned to look behind me periodically, making sure that I was out of the line of fire.

I could see my surroundings turning a light blue, matching the intense fire flaming on the star. I gulped and pushed myself to run faster. I could barely hear my winded pants as the sound of a loud and long whistling pierced my ears. Darkness stretched out before me. Even though I was running, I just was moving forwards. I couldn't see one single thing in front of me. All I knew, was that if I didn't run fast enough, I was going to be hit by a spray of large space rock. I tripped over my own feet in my own frenzied panic and saw that the star was so much larger then I thought. Up close, it was the size of a large monster truck, but on fire.

I stared at it in pure fear, paralysed. I couldn't even move a finger. I could see it spiralling downwards to just about where I had been before, or at least, where I think I was. With incredible speed, it shot down with a loud boom. For some reason, not a single piece of rock went flying, nor did any debris pick up and spray out. The only thing I could see was the blue flames still licking on the rock, seeming to call out to me to go and investigate. My instincts told me to just get up and keep running, but a much larger part of me was so curious.

It was just so abnormal, so unusual. Everything about it screamed mysterious, and I just couldn't turn away. I slowly got up and walked towards it. Still unsure, but knowing I wasn't going to turn back. I was still shocked by how dark it was. It was as if there was nothing around me but the star. I was a couple metres away from it when I stopped. The big hole I'd expected wasn't there, making me even more curious. How could a star that had gone at such a high velocity from space, not make a huge crater in the earth? I inched towards it, an always magnetising force pulling me closer and closer towards it.

I mentally made myself stop when I was only a few feet from it. It looked so magical and beautiful. It was as if the flames were a part of the rock as it flickered against it. For an unexplained reason, I wanted to reach out and touch the flames, to see how they felt. I chastised myself and pushed the ridiculous thought away. I mean, it was fire! I would have burned my skin with just the slightest touch! But even though that was going in my mind, that same feeling I'd felt earlier just wanted to reach out. Some weird part of me was almost willing my hand to just touch it. I bit my lip, trying to fight the stupid part of me.

I was like the kid on those tv commercials that showed kids not to drink the bad stuff under the sink. But this time it was to not to touch the flaming star. Suddenly, people began to come into my vision out of no where. People I'd never seen before. They just seemed to walk into my sight and stare at the hulking piece of rock with awe and fascination. Not one person looked once at me, or at anyone else that came either. It was like I was invisible to these people. Which struck me as odd since you'd think they'd have asked me why I was there and what I'd saw. But no, they just kept staring at the star. I wanted to call out to them, but when I opened my mouth to talk, no voice came out.

I grabbed my throat and tried to yell but not one sound rang out. I was completely mute and invisible to these people. I felt so helpless. I looked at the star once more and that same pull imprinted into my mind. Whispering in my ear to just touch it once. I gritted my teeth and shock my head, unwilling to scorch my hand for nothing. A boy then came from behind me. Very unexpected since everyone up until that point had been coming from my side or in front of me. I simply ignored him, assuming that he wouldn't be able to see me either. He stood beside me and looked at the star, same as everyone else.

But he too looked as if he was battling inside himself. From the outside you wouldn't be able to see it, but when I looked into his startling emerald eyes, there was a war waging inside of him. His light brown messy hair was parted sideways and he'd constantly flick it back. He was skinny but muscled and just the right shade of tan coloured skin. He looked like some model you'd see on the cover for People or something. His handsomeness shocked me, but not as much as the giant star did. I peered at him from the corner of my eye, wondered what he thought of this whole thing. Suddenly, he looked right at me, every person that I'd seen come also turned to look at me.

They looked impatient and irritated, as if I was supposed to do something. I stared back at them all, wide eyed and confused. What in the world was happening?

"How much longer will this be?" Someone asked from the crowd. Others mumbled in agreement, all still locking their eyes on mine. One again, I tried to tell them I had no idea what in the world they were talking about, but my voice just wouldn't answer. All I could do was watch and listen as they interrogated me and asked me a bunch of questions that I couldn't answer. My eyes locked onto the beautiful boys and he simply stared back.

"This is your future." He said in a rough and masculine voice. I wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but then everything around me began to get blurry and hazy, like a tv turning off.

I reached out, wanting someone to grab me and pull me back, but they just kept bickering among themselves, not paying any attention to me any longer. The last thing I saw was the beautiful and intense emerald gem like eyes.

I woke up from my sleep with a large gasp and sweat covering my entire body. I sat up alert and looked around my room. The same peach covered walls and white carpet, the same hd flat screen tv I'd bought with my own hard earned money. The same little black dresser with products and cluttered and scattered everywhere on top of it. The same brown wooden desk in the corner of my room with the large matching bookcase next to it. The same random painting of a bouquet of lilies that my grandmother had gotten me as a birthday present. Everything was the exact same as when I'd first gone to sleep. But the dream...it had seemed so real. As if I had actually been there to see the magnificent sight of the stars and that blazing blue inferno that had been a falling meteor.

Those mystifying green eyes...I smacked my face lightly, reminding myself that it was just a dream and that I shouldn't be so freaked out by it. Dreams where just that, dreams. Stuff conjured up in your subconscious to make sleep more exciting. I pulled my large purple comforter away and got up. I stretched and yawned widely, not feeling refreshed at all. The dream must have taken more out of me then I had thought. I sleepily walked over to my door and pulled it open. I walked down the small hallway and into the simple and modern kitchen.

My mom liked to keep the kitchen with a theme, fruits. So the entire kitchen was cluttered with jars and other junk related to fruit. Even the clothes we used had fruits on them. I sighed as I sat down at the round table and looked down at the green, plastic oval shaped place mat with a basket of arranged fruits in them. In the morning, I was always the first one up. My parents didn't wake up until 8 while I woke up at 7. My mom worked as a journalist, a job that I too hoped to get into when I was older. While my dad worked as a site contractor, building houses or new buildings.

Today was my dad's day off so I knew I wouldn't be seeing him until I came home from school. My mom always woke up right at 8, and then rushed around to try and get ready on time. It was a wonder that she even looked appropriate at how late she got up at every morning. I reached over and took an apple from the basket that we kept placed on the table. I nibbled on it absentmindedly, still waking up slightly. Although the dream had given me more of a jolt, I still needed a couple more minutes to fully wake up. When I finished my apple, I got up and began to get ready. I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth and then quickly put some purple eye shadow on and topped it off with black eye liner. Then I blow dried my hair and polished off my look with a quick run through with the straightener and then walked out of the bathroom where my mom was waiting for me.

"It's all yours." I told her and walked back over to my room, rolling my eyes. It was always the same routine. She always looked like she was going to pee her pants when I opened the door, her little petite face crinkled as she danced lightly in place. I closed the door to my room and began to ruffle through my dresser. I never really bothered with clothes too much. I liked to wear what I thought was comfy. Wether that was PJ pants or duckie slippers. If I don't feel right wearing something, why bother? It's not like I have someone Im trying to impress other then myself.

I ended up picking some black jeggings with a light gray blouse and a black cardigan to put over it. I added my purple dinosaur earrings, a black spiked belt and ruby heart necklace just for fun. Ever since I'd first gotten my necklace, I'd never worn any other necklace. My mother had given it to me for my previous birthday, my sixteenth. She told me that it was an old heirloom from back in the day. She didn't tell me exactly how far back, but by how old the silver chain looked and the faint look of age from the priceless ruby itself, I could tell it was old enough. I put on some black flats to match and picked up my overly large and full bag.

With how much stuff I shoved in it constantly, I was surprised it didn't rip and tear from just instant contact by that point. I didn't really like to use my locker, it was just a hassle to me to go and leave stuff in there and having to go back and get it later when I could just keep it with me. Besides, I thought it was better that way anyway. What if Justin Beiber were to come to your school and all of a sudden it started raining and he really needed an umbrella and you were the only one near him that could give him one? But nope, it was in your locker...okay, I know that was a big leap but still, it could happen. And then I'd be able to help out the Beibs with my impeccable handiness.

I walked out of my room and into my living room. My house was set up pretty basic. When you first walk in through the simple windowed white door, you find yourself in the living room. If you walk straight until you reach the wall, there's a wooden door that leads into the first bathroom. If you turn a little to the left and there's a large arch and that leads into the kitchen. And then there's another arch that leads into the hallway that has, in order, my parents room, the second bathroom (on the opposite side) and then my room on the end. It's a small house, but hey, at least it's nice. I threw my bag down onto the black table and plopped into our velvety green love seat.

I grabbed the remote from off the table and switched on the cable box and began to watch TV. I always felt like the living room was too dark. The walls were a dark evergreen with pictures of my family and us cluttered along with a few odd paintings here and there. The carpet was a dark tan and had collected many stains over the years. There was a computer and desk on the wall on the side of the love seat and then a couple of plants scatted about, but not in a messy way. It looked organized and nice, but very dark. The lights were very dim for some reason and the only window was a large one beside the door. I didn't like to come in here too often, and not just because my dad hogged the Tv while my mom hogged the computer.

I silently watch the random reality show that was playing. It was about how this crazy family goes around and does weird things to their neighbours or friends or family, kinda like a prank show except different. For some reason, I always had an interest in watch reality Tv. I suppose it's that it's not my life and it's intriguing to look at how someone else lives and what they do with their families. I watched that for about 20 minutes before my mom came breezing in, just a bit breathless.

"Ready to go?" I rolled my eyes and flicked off the Tv.

"I was ready long before you were." I told her and grabbed my bag. She grumbled something I couldn't hear and then walked towards the front door. I rolled my eyes again and smiled a bit. She was such a child sometimes.

After we locked up the house, we got into her Mitsubishi Mirage. It wasn't the fanciest car, but it was sturdy and it ran. Who needs a fancy expensive car anyways unless they want to show off or boost their self confidence? I sat back in the tan material seat and stretched out my short and stumpy legs. I wasn't the tallest girl around and yeah, I could loose a few pounds or so, but I didn't care so much. Like I said, I'm not impressing anyone and I could care less what anyone thinks of me except me. My mom turned on the car and then began to drive out of the driveway. All of a sudden, a cat moved in front and my mom halted from moving forwards.

She honked the horn and it got scared jumped in the air and ran away. My mom began to grumble again and pull forwards. I watched as the cat took off and was surprised that it hadn't moved very far. It sat on our front lawn, looking at the car. Actually, to be more precise, it was looking at me. I looked back, a little confused. Was this normal cat behaviour? It's sleek and glossy midnight black coat shone as dawn was beginning to rise. It's eyes were sharp and intense, intelligent even. But most of all, the eyes are what caught my attention more then anything else. Usually, I've seen black cats have light green eyes or maybe black or golden.

But this cat's eyes were nothing like what I've ever seen before. They were a dazzling dark candy apple red, staring at me unblinkingly. I felt like I wanted to turn away but the eyes were just so captivating. I'd never seen eyes like that on an animal anywhere in my entire life, and I volunteered at a local pet shop all the time so I've seen a lot. It felt like hours that I stared at that cat, but it was really only a few seconds since my mom turned onto the street and drove away. Even on the drive there I couldn't get over the cat's beautifully strange eyes. They seemed to be almost...calling to me. But that was just crazy. Eyes can't talk and cats don't have red eyes. It was probably just the fluorescence from the sun rise.

The more I convinced myself, the further away I put it into the back of my mind. Just like the dreams. Dreams were just dreams and could be scarily realistic, just as the sun plays tricks on the eyes all the time. Clearly my mind's been picking up strange ideas from all the fantasy books I've been reading. I shook my head and leaned against the car and looked out the window. Maybe I'd have to take a break or something, need to keep fantasy for books.

My mom pulled out right in front of my school, like she always did. I went to Ridgeview Crest High. The school wasn't very big, only approximately 1000 kids attended. There was 4 floors in total, including the basement. It had rectangled shaped floors with beige tiles with little coloured flecks in them and brown brick patterned walls. Sometimes in a random hallway it would switch and become a blue like tile and a red brick pattern. Yes, it was a little weird. No, I didn't care, a school was a school. Collections of other students work and displays were placed all over the school, to give it a more spacious look I'd imagine. I climbed out of the car and waved to my mom goodbye.

I shut the car door and she drove off, leaving me alone again. I sighed and began to walk towards the entrance. Eyes followed me, I could feel them as if I had an internal tractor placed into my brain. Some people were sitting out on the grass, admiring the beautiful sunny days before exams arrived. Some people were sitting next to their cars with their friends or making out with their boyfriends and girlfriends. But no matter what anyone seemed to be doing, people always took their time to stare at me. I was labelled a freak ever since grade 9.

It was about a month since I'd first started high school. I had made lots of new friends and I'd felt like I'd fit in somewhere, was part of something. It was last period, my drama class. I loved drama so much, just the fact that you can act and be someone else for a short while is fascinating and exciting. The teacher had assigned us to do a small monologue. We were to write one for the period, then when it was the last 20 minutes, we would all present what we'd wrote. I was always shy about presenting my work, so I wasn't sure. It wasn't like I could back out, and all of my other friends were making up silly stuff and getting into it. I didn't want to seem like a chicken.

So I decided I'd make up something, whatever would flow out of my brain, I'd say to the class. Before I really knew it, I'd dozed off. I'd stayed out very late with my friends that night so I was only running on 3 hours of sleep. It didn't surprise me that I passed out, but I was worried since I had nothing to present to the class and teacher. When it was my turn, I slowly got up and stood there awkwardly. I didn't know what to say, what to do. But then, suddenly, words spilled out of my mouth. Words I didn't even dream of or think of ever saying. I could hear myself saying them, but I myself wasn't saying anything. My back had straightened up and I could taste blood on my tongue.

My voice resonated through everyone with something I don't think anyone could describe.

"Heed ye be hearing

Darkness, blood, pain, destruction

Star from above, heros.

Salvation or doom

Heros made from sky must unite

To defend us all"

When I'd stopped talking, the room went quiet. I just stood there, unsure of what just happened myself. After a few more minutes, the bell rang and everyone rushed to get out, away from me. No one would talk to me after that. Not even my friends would look at me in the eye anymore. Word had gotten around and i'd been labelled the creepy chick who was dark. I didn't care anymore about what people said, they could talk all they wanted. Although I could never forget the words I'd said that day. They seemed to bounce around my head every time I thought of them. Looking back, they seemed to be said prophetic, but that could be just my current break down talking.

I sighed and just walked on through the doors and through the hallways. I could catch the words people whispered under their breaths, thinking I couldn't hear them. Freak. Weirdo. Creep. Fucked up. Insane. Things I'd heard for the passed 3 years. I almost wished they'd get original. I made it to my locker, on the second floor. I turned the lock and opened up my locker. Not to my surprise, someone had shoved a voodoo doll into my locker along with some fake black spiders. I just shook my head and threw them to the side, thinking how childish people were.

I put my sweater and put my 4th and 5th period binders into my locker and them locked it up. I caught a couple girls off to the side, bursting with laughter to each other as they watched me. I sighed and, as I was walking off, gave them the middle finger without turning to look at them. I wasn't sure if they swore at me or anything since I'd already passed through the doors, feeling that I shouldn't have done that, but a little happy inside that I had.