Infection

Chapter One

   I felt a stab of pain in my left hand. I looked down over my sunglasses at my moon-bleached porcelain colored skin to see a dark red scratch running from the knuckle of my index finger to where my thumb connects to my hand.

   I quickly jerked my hand out of the water before the chlorine could get in the scratch, causing ripples to spread out across the length of the pool in my backyard.

   My parents are rich, like super-star-celebrity rich. They'll buy me and my younger brother, Tyler, whatever we want. For example, they bought me the new designer bikini I'm currently wearing for my 15th birthday last week. To top it off, they almost paid off the designer to stop this style bikini in production, but sadly, they were unsuccessful. So, until it goes on shelves next month, I have a one-of-a-kind bikini!!

   The water dripped from my hair as I grabbed my towel from my chair beside the pool. It was nearing sunset, so it was about time for me to get out anyways. The one thing my parents won't give me and Tyler is time to swim after dark. We don't really understand it, but there are no other rules, so we don't question it.

   I quickly wrapped up my hair and slid on my flip-flops and my pool sundress. I crossed back over to where I got out and looked for something sharp in the water. Satisfied that nothing was there, I turned to the deep end of the pool where my 11 year old brother was flipping into the water.

   When he came up for air, I yelled at him. "Tyler," I called. "Come on, it's sundown, time to get out!" When he didn't respond I tried a different approach. "Julie's making chicken casserole." I sang.

   "Really?" he cried, pausing halfway to the ladder to shoot me a quizzical look.

   "Mhmm," I smiled. "Smells like it's almost done to." I knew he'd get out now, chicken casserole is his favorite food in the entire world. If only I could get him to move a little faster out the gate, then I could turn off the pool light and lock up. But how do I get him to move faster?!

   Just then, Julie came out on the back porch, an answer to my prayers.

   "Dinner's ready kids," she cried into the darkening yard. "Hurry in and wash yourselves off for dinner."

   That got Tyler moving. By the time I made i to the gate, he was racing up the back steps. I turned off the light and trotted after him. The gate clanged shut behind me.

   As I walked through the door, I could clearly smell the chicken casserole that my family would be eating, and the Thousand Island that topped my salad. As a child, I'd never been a big meat eater and when I entered middle school, I became a full vegetarian. Thus, my family eating a different dinner than me.

   I passed the dining room where Julie had already set the table for six, which meant we were expecting company for dinner tonight, and headed upstairs to my room.

   Unlike most teenage girls who decorate their rooms with posters of their favorite movie stars, the walls of my room are bare. The only two things on my wall are the bulletin board above my desk and the floor length mirror beside my dresser.

   My room is huge, it's hard to describe how big it is. The walls are painted midnight blue and the carpet is sky blue. In the center of the room is my canopy bed covered in queen sized violet sheets. Behind my bed next to the door way, is my desk which is currently covered in my homework. Across from my bed is my plasma screen TV, my beanbag chair, and my collection of stuffed animals from when I was a kid.

   The right side of my room houses the french doors that lead to my personal balcony. The left side contains my dresser and the mirror, as well as two doors. The door to the left goes into my enormous walk-in closet. The door on the right leads to my personal bathroom, my current destination.

   My bathroom, prior to my knowledge, was painted a pale pink and blue mix- kind of like cotton candy. The wall opposite the door held the wall length mirror and sink/counter. To the right was the giant bathtub-jacuzzi with detachable hose for quick rinse downs after swimming. To the left was the shower and the toilet.

   I dropped my towel and stepped over to the tub, grabbed the hose, and rinsed the chlorine from my hair. I wrapped my hair back into the towel and headed into my closet to find a change of clothes for dinner.

   While I searched for something suitable for company, I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

  "Closet!" I called to whoever had knocked.

   "Rayne," my mom sighed. "Aren't you ready yet? Our company will be here soon."

   "Almost," I replied as a pulled a pink polka-dot, strapless dress and black leggings off one of my many racks. "By the way, who's coming over?" I turned to face my mom.

   My mom's red painted lips pulled into a strained smile and her blue eyes steeled over. The french-twist on top of her head, plus the gray business suit made her look like a stern teacher. "Some of your father's work clients," she managed to choke out.

   I nodded and turned back to grab my favorite pair of wedges. When I turned back, my mom was gone. Sighing, I exited my closet and went back to the bathroom. I hung the dress on a hook on the back of the door and pulled my hair dryer out from under the sink.

   When my hair had completely dried, I applied a little mascara to my eyelashes before slipping on the dress. Stepping into the wedges, I threw my sundress and towel into the hamper in the linen closet by the sink. I checked my make-up one more time in the mirror and was ready for dinner.

   As I stepped into the dining room, I noticed that Julie had laid out the second best china (the first is for family gatherings only.) The plates were cream colored with a lacy blue design and the edges, the glasses were simple- no designs what-so-ever- and my salad bowl was blue with a solid cream ring circling it.

   Just then my father walked in.

   "Such fancy, formal plates and dishes for such informal food," I noted. When my father finally noticed my presence, I looked at the tear drop chandelier hanging directly above the center of the dining room table. The light danced off the recently polished cherry wood designs.

   "Hmmm..." he pondered. "I do believe you're right. But since our guests won't know what our 'just us' plates look ike, they'll think these are it."

   "Maybe you're right," I sighed.

   "I always am," he said as he turned left me in the dining room.

   SPLASH!!!

   The sound came from our pool. I turned and ran to the back door, flicking on the lights before I stepped onto the back patio.

   No one was outside, everything was still. Yet, I felt like something was moving in the shadows of my vision, watching. I took a step towards the pool...

   "Where 'ya going?" Tyler called, causing me to jump in alarm.

   "No where," I answered. The feeling of eyes on me disappeared, along with the need to head down to the pool. I stepped back inside and shut the door.

   "Oh yeah, mom sent me to tell you our guests have arrived."

   I switched off the lights.