The Book of Plot Twists

The Beginning of the End

Tanya had accomplished many things in her life. She got her school and other local schools to replace the nasty milk at lunch with healthy and delicious apple juice; she saved her best friend from many dangerous situations ; she took down one of her biggest enemies without a fight; and she did her part to save her planet in ways other than recycling. Most would say that she was a rather brave human being.

She would say that she was just as cowardly as anyone else, she just didn't show it. Well, most of the time, that is.

A good example of her cowardice is the day that everything went south. For awhile, the good guys had the upper hand in the war. Everything was going according to plan and only the evil lives were lost. But then a betrayal and a few mistakes finally brought the enemies two steps ahead. To say it was all Tanya's fault wouldn't be true, but to say it wasn't wouldn't exactly be a lie either.

It all started when her and her closest friend Emily got into something they knew they shouldn't have.

***

"Rules schmules- I've got a better idea," Emily's partner said as she happily ran up to the front porch.

Emily lagged nervously behind. Tanya's "ideas" never worked out in the end. One of two things was bound to happen: A) It would much more time and effort than doing it the right way would and the end result wouldn't be worth it, or B) Everything was going to collapse and fail miserably. Emmy didn't want to be around for either.

But alas, they were best friends and she had made a promise to trust Tanya. So she had no choice but to follow, even though it was against her better judgment.

The house that sat on the gloomy hill was the only forbidden place when it came to Hunters. Though it had been a long time since it was last inhabited, it was still rumored to hold evil powers that they worked so hard to get rid of. Opening the door would let them out into the world.

"Tanya, wait!" Emily called out to the girl already climbing the porch steps.

Tanya turned around and stared at her friend in confusion. "Wait for what?" She asked.

Emily nervously glanced around her to make sure that there wasn't anyone else around. If anyone caught them breaking in, they were as good as dead. "Maybe we should just go home and let Wanika take care of things just like she promised she would," Em suggested.

Tanya chuckled at the fear in her voice. "Just trust me, okay? I know what I'm doing!" She declared.

Again, Emily nervously agreed to trust her even though she had a feeling that she shouldn't. She followed Tanya all the way up to the door, but she couldn't will herself to go in. She grabbed her friend's hand the second it reached for the handle.

"You've heard the rumors," she whispered in hopes that Tanya would realize how stupid she was being.

But she had no such luck.

"They're just rumors, Em," Tanya said, turning away from her, "that's all." Then, she twisted pressed down on the handle and pushed open the door.

Emily covered her face in preparation of whatever was bound to come out of that place. They may have been rumors, but all rumors had some truth to them. When the head cheerleader is rumored to be pregnant, it's because someone knew she had unprotected sex with her boyfriend. When the "loser" loner is rumored to be abused at home, it's because someone saw some questionable bruises on their skin. Even if she's on birth control and he's just clumsy, there are reasons these "rumors" start.

So what did someone see to start the rumors about this house?

Tanya walked in without a care in the world. Though nothing came rushing at Emily, something unsettling was definitely in the atmosphere. Apparently, Tanya either didn't feel it or didn't care about it. She had a plan and she was sticking to it.