The Corruption Stones

Chapter One: Ms. Marston and the Experiment

　　

　　I hate small towns, I hate that feeling of being walled in, I hate feeling like I'm the only person in an entire community that has absolutely no friends. Everybody knows everybody here, and everybody has the same opinion on newcomers. It's not like they go out of their way to be cruel, but I can definitely tell that I'm viewed as an outsider.

　　Marsh Hollow, Oregon is an exceptionally rainy town with a population of 500 max. Everyone here supports the local football team (The Otters, seriously, that's the mascot they chose.) with a near fanatical devotion. Everyone is wholesome, and American as apple pie. So when I show up with my nails painted black, my clothes always a size too big, and my eyes the weird purple color they are people tend to avoid me.

　　I'm hardly intimidating being 5'00 tall on a good day and weighing 100 lbs soaking wet, but still, I'm different and Marsh Hollow doesn't have any room for different.

　　"Ms. Rayne!" the rough voice of my history teacher, Mr. Crawford forced me out of my mental shell, I felt my throat tighten as all eyes turned to me. I was sure that Mr. Crawford knew how awkward I felt being the center of attention and that he was always calling on me because of it. I fixed him with a glare and he smiled that big, dorky country boy smile he always wore. "Who were the first Germanic people to become Christian?"

　　"The Goth's" I answered dully, ignoring the chorus of chuckles that had erupted at my expense. Mr. Crawford's smile grew and he nodded enthusiastically

　　"Right you are Ms. Rayne, it'd be nice to see your hand sticking up every once in a while if you know the answer."

　　That wasn't bloody likely.

　　Mr. Crawford turned around to resume his lecture and I buried myself in my thoughts, ignoring the stares and snide comments. Before too long I felt my eyes getting heavy and I propped my head up on my chin. There was nothing in Mr. Crawford's lecture that wasn't in the text book, so it wasn't such a big deal if I napped a little, besides his voice was so monotonous, it was almost like a lullaby...

　　When I woke up the classroom was empty. Panicked, I checked the wall clock and nearly screamed in frustration, class had been over for 15 minutes. With a resigned sigh I gathered up my things and prepared to leave the room when I heard a sharp cough from behind me. I spun around and fell landing hard on my backside. My binder flew out of my hands and clattered to the floor scattering paper all over the place.

　　Cursing under my breath I reached out to grab my things but stopped when I noticed somebody else already was. I looked up and into the amber eyes of a boy. Now as I've said, in a small town everybody knows everybody and I certainly knew this boy. His name was Caelan Lovell and he narrowly skirted the line between popular and abhorred. He was attractive in a shaggy, intimidating kind of way, and he always wore the same leather pilots jacket everywhere. He smiled a crooked smile when his eyes met mine.

　　"You need to watch where you're going Newbie," he handed me the stack of papers. I took the papers from him, eyes trained on the floor.

　　"I've been here for six months now, I'm hardly a newbie."

　　He chuckled, a deep throaty chuckle that made goosebumps rise on my neck. "I'm sorry..." he fished out a crumpled scrap of paper from his pocket and held it up to his face "Ms. Odette Rayne..." he cocked an eyebrow at me "Odette? Like the..."

　　"Swan Princess, yes I know," I rolled my eyes theatrically. "Wait a second...why do you have a piece of paper with my name on it?"

　　"Ms. Marston wanted me to give it to you," He handed it to me and watched as I turned it over.