What waits for us after the sunset?

Chapter 1

I have been floating in this Darkness forever. Floating, flying through it, without any thoughts in my head. I knew I was alive only because sometimes I could hear others screaming, mainly their agony. Others... We were not able to see each other; I can't say that I really regret that. Also, we truly didn't care. No feelings, remember?

I could tell you the date and time if I knew, but it is Darkness...Let me explain to you. This place was like swimming in a pool full of ink. Only bloodcurdling screams, vibrating in the air. Nothing really to describe. Subsequently, my owner and I will talk about it along with an example of an unborn baby.

So what was I saying? Yeah, date and time when that appeared...the picture.

***

Oksana walked in the school library, the school librarian looked at her, wire-rimmed glasses hanging on silver chain midway to her chest. Her face is serious: no smiles allowed. The place, always like this, feels like a shelter of refuge. Warm, abiding and accepting. Oksana knew when she came, she must find comfort to the way the library was. That's how it is. The fact that few people were present in the library delighted her. The library was quite immense, it contained a variety of sections and Oksana preferred section C. Oksana made her way to Section C.

She pulled a chair and sat, resting her head on the table. The smell of dusty books didn't annoy her a bit. She lifted herself and started to examine the books, the bookshelf was a dark brown old style kind of one, the books weren't arranged neatly. Before Oksana could pick a book a group of preppy kids approached her. She wouldn't want to be a source of entertainment so she grabbed her plaid backpack from the top of the table.

"Psycho" one of the girls chanted with an annoying mouse-like voice. Rest of the teens supported her, chanting after her and drumming on the tables around them, so soon all of them were chanting and screaming "Psycho". They completely ignored 'Keep quiet and respect the book' poster. Oksana tried to push them away, but they were surrounding her, making a circle, besides, they wouldn't let her go away easily. "Psycho" Male and female voices collided screaming this one word.

Their eyes were glowing with hatred, their voices echoed in her head, like a broken radio. What was going on was more like a ritual. Hate ritual. They hated her, they were scared of her, and they feared that cave people had the fire they couldn't control. Oksana held back her tears. "Don't show them your weakness, they are not allowed to."

While they were busy chanting, she knelt and grabbed a book that was on the floor. With no hesitation, she slapped one of the teens using the book.

Silence. The volume has been turned off. They didn't see that coming.

The boy lay on the floor, groaning with pain. He covered his ear and right side of the face.

"Great," Oksana thought and walked away, this time, no one stopped her, but, she saw it in their eyes, the hatred grew even more.

As Oksana passed the school librarian looked at her, this time, she smiled. Oksana couldn't help herself but smile back. She felt accomplished.

She walked out the school library; the book that she got from the floor was still clutched in her hand, shaking along with her whole body.

***

Oksana ran out of the school, her steps getting quicker while her chest rose and fell with rapid breath. She ran until she was a few blocks away from the school. She leant against the park's fence, trying to catch her breath. It wasn't just the words and voices that collided with each other that pushed her to do such a thing - it was their eyes, their hatred, and desperation to be happy at the expense of her. She wouldn't bother to weep about it; she is too busy figuring out life.