Brace For It

Chapter One

  It was around midnight on a Tuesday night. Crystal laid awake desperately trying to sleep, as she had a huge math test the next morning.

PLING

  She always kept her phone's ringer on just in case something happened in the middle of the night and someone needed to get a hold of her. It rarely happened, and was usually just Hunter texting her about something completely random or useless. But he was her best friend so she always answered. She didn't want to get up, but she did.

GUESS WHAT!!!! I'm getting my BRACES taken off in 3 WEEKS!!!! FINALLY!!!

  Hunter was a big fan of exclamation points, and capital letters. Crystal rolled her eyes.

Congratulations. Here's your trophy. Now go to sleep. We have that math test tomorrow, remember?

How am I supposed to sleep when I know that in 3 weeks I'm gonna look even hotter!!!??

 (He also loved question marks)

You're right. I'm sure the guys will be all over youThe girls too... I'll just make sure they get brushed right off!!

Hunter.

Crystal 

Goodnight

No! 

Goodnight

Aw you're no fun!!

Goodnight

Fine! Enjoy your sleep!!!

Will do. Goodnight.

Goodnight!! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
   Crystal took a deep breath walking off the bus the next morning. She brushed her waist-length black hair out of her face and tightened her fists. You've got this, she kept telling herself. Her bus arrived early, so she still had 25 minutes until the bell rang, and about 5 minutes before Hunter's bus arrived. She set her stuff down by their "spot", a lonely table in the corner of the courtyard. It was in the shade, and no one ever went there, so it was their go-to place. She pulled out her math book, and just started studying when, 

  "Hello stranger!" Hunter practically yelled, throwing his backpack across the table and onto Crystal's math book. 

  "Aren't you at all nervous about this test?"Crystal said as she rolled her eyes.

   "Nope!" Hunter adjusted his glasses and smiled at her, with his crooked teeth and pink braces. 

   "Are you wearing lipstick?" Crystal asked, observing his face. His lips looked pink, and his blue eyes' lashes seemed to be lined with mascara. His hair was overly gelled in a comb over. He smacked his lips.

   "Are you surprised?" He raised one eyebrow.

   "No." 

    "Well, someone's gotta be the pretty one! And you're obviously not!" Hunter says, looking down at Crystal's blue tank top and yoga pants. She wasn't wearing any makeup, yet her blue eyes seemed to pop out of her tan face. Her straight, long black hair was parted to the side, constantly falling into her face. She wasn't trying, nor did she care, she was just naturally beautiful. 

   "Right. Okay. Enjoy your pink lips. I'm sure they'll do you well during the test." She looked back at her book. 

   "You're no fun!" Hunter said as he twirled his white scarf around his finger. Crystal rolled her eyes. "Well if YOU'RE studying," Hunter placed his math book on the table. Crystal glanced at him, and looked back at her book. 

  Hunter squeezed her arm, "You got this," he whispered, even though there was no one around to hear him. His pink brace-y smile gave her reassurance.

    BRRRRINNNG the bell rang. Hunter winked at Crystal. They both packed up their stuff. 

   "Bye," Crystal said, swinging her backpack over her shoulder. 

   "Wait!" Hunter ran over. "Make me proud," he whispered. He blew her a kiss as he ran the opposite direction. Crystal chuckled. 

   "He's so gay."

    They took their spots in their homerooms when: "All students please report to the bus ramp; All students please report to the bus ramp, thank you." The principle said into the intercom. Everyone was  looking around confused and murmuring. 

  "Please take all of your belongings and find your bus, immediately! Grab a mask on your way out, and don't stop for ANYONE!" The teachers instructed. Hunter ran to Crystal's homeroom. He fought against the tide of confused teenagers to try to find her. 

   "Crystal!" He shouted through his mask

   "Hunter?" Crystal heard his cries. They met up in the hallway and hugged. "Are you okay?!" She asked, out of breath. 

   "Fine! You?"
   "I'm okay. What's going on?!"

   "How am I supposed to know?!"

   "Whatever! Let's just get out of here!" 

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

  An hour later, Crystal got home.

  "Aunt Carrie?" Crystal yelled through the house. "Aunt Carrie?" She asked as she opened her Aunt's bedroom door to find her dead on the carpet. Her skin had wrinkled. Her face was nearly yellow. Her hair was faded to grey. She gasped. 

  "Oh my god! AUNT CARRIE!!!!" She screamed. She felt for a pulse, but there was none. Then, through her weeps, she started noticing movement from her aunt. Her hands started twitching, her legs started shaking. She grabbed on to Crystals arm, and her eyes opened. Crystal shrieked, and ran to her room, locking the door. She called 9-1-1.

    "9-1-1 what's your emergency?"

    "My aunt... Carrie Box... she was dead and now, now she's... she's not! Help! She's trying to break down the door!!" 

    "It's the new strand of bubonic plague. The only way to stop her is to kill her again. This, is the start of the apocalypse."