Chapter One
I am running as fast as I can along the densely wooded forest floor. The ground beneath my feet is extremely rugged and all around me are many different trees, pine being the only one I am able to identify, but there is an abundance of others which I can not. The scraggly branches of the trees are catching my face as I run. I am sure that by now I look as if I have just gotten into a fight with a cat. I have many scratches on my face and arms. They are long and skinny matching the branches of the trees. I reach up and feel my hair. It is a mess, with many twigs and leaves caught in the long black strands.
As I run through the bushes and trees, I hear footsteps behind me. They are loud, pounding, footsteps. I continue running in the shadows of the trees, the sun peaking through the holes in the canopy above me. I look back over my shoulder and find the creature gaining on me. I look back in front of me in order to gather my footing. This creature is unlike anything I have ever seen. It is almost alien like, with tentacles and scaly skin. It is huge, bigger than any creature still in existence on Earth. It has what I believed to be wings, but I can’t be sure. I take a sharp right turn into heavier brush. The brush has become so thick with leaves and twigs it is almost impossible to see where I am going. I hope it is too thick for the creature to follow me. I run, and run as fast as I can still trying to get away.
Suddenly, above me, I hear a blood-curdling roar. I look up and realize this thing can fly and it is no doubt going to catch me.
I wake with a start, so thankful that it was all just a dream. I am drenched in sweat and shivering. I crawl out of bed and look in my mirror. I am ghost white. I grab some clothes out of my closet, my favorite pair of skinny jeans and a tank top with jewels on the neckline. The tight clothes compliment my tall, thin, figure. I grab my heels out of the bottom of my closet. It is only six forty-five but I head downstairs to eat breakfast anyway. My mom is already up and ready to go to work.
“Cassie, do you feel ok?” she asks.
“Yeah mom, why?” I reply.
“You’re so pale,” she says as she puts her hand to my forehead, “and you’re sweating and shaking.”
“I feel fine.”
“Go and take your temperature.” She tells me.
I do what she says. I know better than to argue with her. I go to the bathroom, grab the thermometer out of the cupboard, turn it on, and take my temperature. It is fine so I finish getting ready for school. I eat some toast and a fruit salad for breakfast, and then comb my hair. I braid two braids and pull them around to the back of my head and tie them together with a small ponytail holder. After all that is done I brush my teeth.
I am glad I’m not sick. I have a date with my boyfriend tonight. It is our three year anniversary. I grab my textbooks for lit, calculus, and advanced chemistry and put them in my bag. I head out the door to my car. It is a cute little car, though it’s not the coolest most expensive car, I only paid fifteen hundred for it but it is really reliable. It is a ’97 Grand Prix SE. It is white and has necklaces on the rearview mirror, along with a dolphin air freshener.
I have one stop to make on my way to campus. I pull up in front of the college bookstore. I go inside to get some art history books for my art class, to my surprise Issac is there too.
“Nick! What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Hey babe, I have to get some books. My lit professor can’t make up his mind on what books he wants us to read right now. I swear by the time I am done buying books I will have paid my tuition for this year. He just keeps adding books onto the list he already gave us.” He says.
“Wow, you need to tell him to make up his mind.” I laugh.
“Yeah, so are we still on for tonight?”
“Yes, definitely.” I say.
“So I’ll pick you up at seven?” he asks.
“Sounds great. I better go. I will see you tonight. I love you hun, bye.”
“Bye babe, love you too.” He says as he gives me a kiss.
After a long day of classes, I have two hours to get ready for my date. I take a nice, hot, relaxing bath for a half an hour. After my bath I get dressed in my cutest outfit. It is another tank top like the one I wore today except it is red and the jewels are a little different. I pull a cardigan over it and grab a skirt out of my closet. It is a black pencil skirt that comes down just below my knees. It had flowing lace ruffles along the bottom. I go to the bathroom and do my make-up. I have to use a very tan foundation because I have extremely tan skin, then I do my hair. I curl my hair then pull it back half up using bobby pins. Curling my hair is not easy because it is long, straight black hair. It comes down past the middle of my back. At about six forty-five I am finally ready.
At seven Nick pulls up in his red Aston Martin Virage. He has many times offered to buy me a better car, but I would not accept. He steps around and opens the door for me. His car is brand new and still smells that way. It is completely clean on the inside, unlike my car. We both buckle up and we take off on our date.
He takes me to the most beautiful and amazing restaurant. When I walk into the restaurant I am greeted by the most amazing aroma, the restaurant smells of fresh baked bread and Italian herbs. In the waiting area is a huge crystal chandelier. The tables have beautiful, silky, white and maroon table clothes and napkins. The dining room is dimly lit with candles. There is a violinist playing beautiful melodies, going around and standing in front of tables.
We are escorted to our table and order our food. The restaurant serves mostly authentic Italian foods. We talk and eat. The food is amazing. It definitely tastes as good as it smells. It is definitely the most amazing date yet.
After we are done eating, I excuse myself to go to the restroom. I cannot believe what it is like. There are two separate comfortable looking chairs. There is a vanity with a stool pushed underneath. The next room is toilet stalls. The stalls are painted a dark gold color. There are many sinks, one in front of each stall. The sinks are a beautiful copper color down inside a marble counter. I fix my make-up and go to the bathroom. When I get back and sit down, Issac says he needs to talk to me. I am nervous that it is going to be bad, nervous that he is breaking up with me.
“Cassie, I love you very much. This has been the best three years of my life. I want the rest of my life to be like these last three years,” he says. He gets down on one knee and pulls out a little black box, “Cassie, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”
I am in complete disbelief. I had not seen it coming at all. I am speechless, unable to get the words in my mouth that I know I want to say.
“Yes, yes, I will mar…” right in the middle of my sentence I feel extreme pain in my stomach, like someone is stabbing me, “Agh.” I scream out in pain.
“Cassie? Cassie! Baby what’s wrong?!”says Issac in a panic.
“My…my…stomach…it…hurts…ss…so…bad!” I stutter. I wish Issac didn’t have to see me like this.
“Quick, somebody, call 911, help her please!” he screams.
The couple next to us pull out their cell phones and call 911. Issac sits down on the floor next to me and pulls me up on his lap and holds me. It isn’t long before the paramedics arrive. They put me on a stretcher and hook me up to morphine immediately. It starts to make the pain go away.
“Please let me ride with her?” Nick asks.
“Sorry son, family members only.” Says the paramedic.
“I’m her fiancée. I just proposed to her maybe fifteen minutes ago.” He argues.
“Alright, fine, hurry up and get in.”
Nick hops in the back and grabs my hand. He slips on the engagement ring. “I’ll never leave you. I will be right by your side for the rest of your life.” He tells me as I drift to sleep.
