Saving Beauty

Chapter 1

A bright flash. And that's how it ends.
Nothing ever comes after that. My dream always ends that way when I have it. A chief and his wife disappearing into the light. It's ironic that I'm having it today since it's my eighteenth birthday because I always have that dream when something important will happen. The day I met my best friend, the day I was almost abducted, and the day I found out I was adopted. I mean, I kinda already knew considering my parents were both white and I'm half Apache.

Ever since I was little, I knew I was different. I was a go-getter, everyone liked me but I didn't know why. I wasn't the prettiest girl in the town, instead I was the opposite. It didn't help that I was adopted but everyone accepted it. So when the "popular" people would ask me to go do social events with them, I was always skeptical. I always questioned why they did it. Maybe it was my lovely personality or maybe it was because the prettiest girl in town, Octavia Knox was one of my best friends.

Octavia wasn't just the prettiest girl in the town, she was probably the prettiest girl in the state. Most people would think she was the daughter of a god or that she was a goddess. Every guy wanted to date her and every girl wanted to be her...including me. We've always gotten along even when we were little. There was something that brought us together; it was like we were destined to be friends.

Today was a normal day at school besides the fact that it was my birthday. As me and Octavia are walking to our American History class, she says, "I have a surprise for you." "What is it?" I say trying not to sound really excited like I was on the inside. She pulled out a Tiffany blue box with a sapphire ribbon tied around it. "Ooohhh!" I exclaimed letting the excitingness escape. I opened it with caution not wanting to ruin the box or ribbon. I pull away the tissue paper and I catch my breath.

Inside was a silver bracelet with a Thunderbird and crossed arrow charm on it. "I know that you love anything that has to do with your culture so when I ran across this in Tucson last week I thought it was perfect." "It is!" I exclaimed and gave her a hug.
"You do know what they stand for right?" she asked with a little doubt in her voice.
"You're really doubting me now?" I asked with the sarcasm strong in my voice. Before she could answer I say, "The Thunderbird is the symbol of the Bearer of Happiness Unlimited and the crossed arrows means friendship!"
"Your extensive knowledge of Apache culture never ceases to amaze me."
"I know. I just do a lot of research."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

We make it to class right before the bell rings. We quickly take our seats in the middle of the class. Mrs. Lury, our teacher says "Glad you ladies made it on time. Class, today we are going to learn about the New Deal." She then starts to lecture and all of us slowly take out our notebooks and pencils. The way she goes on about things you would think she was actually there. "Melissa," Octavia whispers about halfway through Mrs. Lury's ranting.
"Yeah?" I whisper back.
"Something feels wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"I feel as if something bad is going to happen."
As soon as that last word comes out of her mouth, there's a knock at the door. Mrs. Lury goes to open it when Octavia yells, "Don't open the door!" Everyone turns to look at her and Mrs. Lury says sarcastically, "And why shouldn't I Miss Knox?" But she didn't get to hear her answer because at that same time the door comes off it's hinges and hits the back wall.

Three men come in with all black clothing and some type of oxygen-looking masks covering their faces. The biggest says in a gruff voice, "I've got a reading of two of them in here! Find them!" The others start looking around the room and lock their sights on Octavia. "Found one!" one of the other two yells. They immediately start rushing across the classroom to her. One pulls out a weird looking object that lights up when he pulls it out of his pocket. All the while Octavia is sitting there stunned like the rest of us and the men get over to her and the one with the object places it on her forehead where she instantly goes limp.
"Take her outside!" the big guy says as he points to one of the men. "Yes, sir!" The man says as if he is a soldier and carries her out the door.

The main man who I'm gonna say is a Sargent and the other study the rest of our faces. We're all to stunned to even say anything because everything is happening so fast. This whole ordeal has only lasted about a minute. Even Mrs. Lury is just standing there in silence which is pretty shocking on its own. The Sargent then tells his comrade in a sort of ruff whisper, "The other must of been cloaked by Lostian." He then takes out his "reader" which looks like a really fancy, expensive radar. He looks to where Octavia was sitting. "Hmmm. The reading is still strong there." He then locks his eyes on me. The next words he says shock me. "Is it your birthday today?"