Magnolia General Hospital

Prologue: Demons

All Rights and Characters Belong to Hiro Mashima

                The rain was falling hard as my feet hit the pavement at an uneven run. I held the book I had been reading over my head to protect myself the best I could from the rain. The book was no use as I had already been soaked through from my clothes and hair to my skin, I could feel myself trembling as I ran straight for home. I had stayed late at the library without realising and new I would be in trouble once I made it home. Father would be furious, I’d have been a disruption, making him and my mother worry like that, while my mother would be teary eyed and just about to call the police to search for me, although I was never anywhere else but the library. They would both scold me for my attire, a dress and sandals, saying that I should have been prepared. I could start to feel the familiar roads as I got closer to home, I could smell the lavender that grew in the park five blocks from our estate. I tried to lift my head to see where I was going but my blonde hair fell into my face. I let one hand down from above my head to wipe the strands off my face when I collided with stone.

                “Ugh,” I rebounded from the rock and landed on my backside in a puddle of mud. I unwillingly let go of my book to push all of my hair off my face to see exactly what I had run into. Through the haze of the rain I lifted my head and squinted to make sure I was seeing right.

                “What is your problem?!? Do you always just go running into people? I mean come on! Watch where you’re going shorty!” It was a boy! He looked like he stood a head or so taller than me, so maybe a year or two older? Maybe seven or eight? It was hard to make out his features in the rain and it didn’t help that he was wearing a hoodie underneath his jacket with the hood pulled up over his head. Though by the tone of his voice I could tell he would be scowling. He started walking away to a nearby tree and leaned back against it. I stood and wiped the mud off my dress though really I was just spreading it. I looked over to the boy, he was a stranger and I should always stay away from strangers but I could have hurt him. As a polite young lady I would go and apologize. I started off towards him and was thankful for the relief from rain the tree provided. I could see his face now and that was definitely a scowl.

                “Excuse me, but I would like to say sorry for bumping into you and I hope that I didn’t hurt you,” I said with a smile.

                “Well I would be surprised if you didn’t hurt me with that big head of yours!” the boy sneered at me.

I had planned to apologize and leave but my mother always said my pride always got the better of me, “Excuse me?! My head isn’t that big! And my mom says that the only reason it would be is because of all the books I read and how smart they’re making me!”

                “Are you sure? ‘Cause I would expect it’s big because of all the air you have to hold in there!”

                I could feel the heat rising in my face despite the cold. “I’m smart you big jerk! You’re just stupid so you make fun of me like the big jerk that you are!”

                “Oh? I’m the one who’s stupid? Where’s your coat? Aren’t you freezing? Wouldn’t a smart person be wearing a coat or something? Looks like the shoes on the other foot now don’t it?” the boy continued mocking me.

                “I didn’t know it was going to rain! And I am wearing shoes! You’re- You’re just a big, mean and stupid jerk! Now go AWAY!” I screamed at him. He was making me feel small and silly and I hated it. I turned to start running back home when I felt something hit my back. I turned to yell at him for being such a bully when I saw he wasn’t wearing his jacket, it was in a pile at my feet, “I don’t want it you jerk face!” I turned to go again when he grabbed my arm.

                “You need it more than I do if you’re going to run back out into the rain, plus I’m just gonna stay here and wait for my friends, no really, take it and go you little runt,” he picked up the jacket and placed it in my hands. I could feel my face heat up but not from anger. I put my arms into the jacket and saw that it was way too big but continued to put it on anyways. I lifted my head to say thank you and saw that he was at least a head and a half taller than me. I opened my mouth to thank him but he firmly placed his hand on my head and mumbled a ‘don’t worry about it’, turned me around and pushed me forward. I was so flustered that I started running again and didn’t look back. It was another ten minutes to get home but it was less than that to be surrounded by our staff.

                “Miss! Miss, your mother is in such a worry, you were expected home hours ago! And your father! Oh is he every agitated! Quickly now, let’s get you inside and make you presentable for- where on earth did you get that jacket!?! It is unbecoming on you miss! Come one now, get inside before you catch a cold.”

                I was ushered in doors only to see a teary eyed mother, “Lucy, sweetheart! I was so worried!” in the mess of all the adults fussing over me, I stretched my arms out of the sleeves of the jacket and pulled the collar up to my face and took a deep breath. The fabric smelled of fresh rain and bonfires. “Lucy! Did you hear me? Where is your book?”