The Four

Chapter Eight

AMANDA

I parked my car and trudged inside. Mum was slumped over on the table. I walked past her and into my bedroom.

                          ***

The next morning I sat at my desk in form. Mrs Smith droned on about the last staff meeting.

I glanced over at Zoe and Will. They were talking and smiling.

Emily was whispering to Harry who was sitting next to her.

And then there's me. All alone.

I know there are plenty of boys who would go out with me if I asked but I want a boyfriend who loves me for who I am and that I love back. I don't want to use people.

I was snapped from my reverie by the school bell.

I had Geography next. Getting out of my seat, I picked up my bags and made my way through the playground to D17.

When I got there, there was a crowd of people around the door. I pushed to the front.

Mr Chason was slumped at his desk with an empty box of aspirin clutched in his pale hand.

As I ran over to check his pulse, his head flew upwards, mouth foaming.

I leapt backwards and stumbled over the nearest chair.

His eyes were bloodshot and his whole body was convulsing. Some girls in the crowd outside were screaming.

I could see the tops of Will and Zoes heads pushing through the hordes of people now flooding through the door of the classroom.

A team of paramedics shoved me aside and loaded Mr Chason onto a stretcher. The crowd parted for them.

Suddenly Zoe and Will were at my side, closely followed by Emily.

Zoes eyes went black for a second.

"There's a demon in the school".

"Bonjour." I said.

"Amanda, it's not you."

Thank god.

"It looks like suicide. He had an empty packet of pills in his hand when I came in." I filled the others in.

"That definitely looked like symptoms of an overdose. What with the-the foaming, and the twitching and-and the bloodshot eyes." said Emily.

"How was his pulse?" asked Zoe

"Well... I didn't get close enough to actually take his pulse. But I expect it was pretty..." I made a wiggly gesture with my hands.

"He was probably just stressed." said Zoe "Hey Amanda! Will and I think we should try to find some vampires tonight. You could even use your super strength to slay some!"

I gave her what I thought was a vague, not really caring look.

"Sure, sounds cool."

It sounded more than cool, it sounded awesome. I could be a slayer!

                          ***

It was dark in the graveyard. Yes, the graveyard. Zoe decided that vampires were most likely to hang out in a graveyard. I thought it was a bit stereo-typical but I didn't say anything. And we all had stakes. Cold wooden stakes. I already had two splinters. I honestly don't know how Buffy handled it.

"Lets split up." said Zoe

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I watched Zoe and Will disappear into the darkness.

All of a sudden a shape jumped at me. It was a vampire!

I was shoved to the ground. Its face was millimetres from mine. I could feel its foul breath on my skin. I grabbed its arms and tried to push it off me. I managed to prise its hands off my throat and rolled him round to the side. I jumped on top of him and reached for my stake. Its body disintegrated underneath me.

Wow. First vampire. Adrenaline rush.

I sat down on a gravestone. I could feel the cold stone seeping through my shorts. My blood pumped through my veins.

Crack!

I leapt up, my grip tightening on the stake. I turned around and threw a punch. When the creature punched back I felt something cold and wooden in its fist.

"Hold on, hold on. I'm not a vampire!" I said stumbling backwards.

He lowered his stake, and I could finally see his face. He had pale skin, and dark brown hair. His eyes were chocolate-brown and he was wearing a long leather coat, with a t-shirt and jeans underneath.

I could feel my cheeks turning red. It was a good thing it was the middle of the night so he couldn't see me blushing. I suddenly felt underdressed in my shorts and hoodie.

"So... what is a pretty girl like you doing hunting vampires?"

Oh my god. Is it just me, or did he say pretty?

"Hm? What? Oh, just, you know... trying to rid the world of darkness."

Oh god Amanda. Is that the best you can do?

"I'm Alexander, by the way."

Alexander. Now I had a name. Names are good.

"I'm Amanda. Nice to meet you."

Honestly? Nice to meet you?

I was distracted by a flash of light from above. I guess all the hot weather had finally started a thunderstorm.

I felt the first few drops of rain on my face. After a few seconds there was more, and then I heard the first rumble of thunder shaking the sky. Then the heavens opened. It was raining so hard that I was drenched in seconds. This was going to be one heck of a storm.

Alexander grabbed my hand. His touch sent electric pulses through my body and I blushed again. His skin was cold and wet. We ran to the nearest mausoleum and he tried the door. It was locked. Of course. I shot him a smile and kicked the door in. We rushed in and sighed in relief. It was dry, and warmer than the storm outside. It was also dark, pitch black. Until, all of a sudden I swear I heard something. It sounded like-

Grrrrr.

That.

"Vampires. This must be a nest." Alexander said.

I could see them now. There were about twenty vampires, all fanged and smirking.

"We could run back outside into a thunderstorm. Or we could stay here and fight twenty vampires. Your call."

Alexander was smiling at me.

"I don't really like the rain"