MythEye *On Hold*

MythEye-Chapter 1

I sat up and smiled. It was the last day of school. I rolled over to look at the clock; 6:20 a.m. If I didn't get up now I'd surely miss the bus. 

I did my usual morning routine, skipping breakfast, and raced out the door to wait for the bus. I had my own bus stop at my house, so I just sat on the porch steps. 

When I looked over to the flower garden, that I'd forgotten to weed, I saw that it was abuzz with fairies. Ever since I was little I could see them, but no one knew my secret. That is, no one but my best friend Nina.  

I'd tried to let her be able to see them too, but everything I've tried proved unsuccessful. Somewhere I read that me being able to see these things is called MythEye. Which obviously means that my eyes can see the things that people call "myths."  

The bus pulled up as I was walking towards the garden. I immediately changed course and ran over to the bus instead. I sat down next to Nina, who lived not 5 minutes away from me. "Where?" she whispered. "The garden." I whispered back. We waved to the fairies, who surprisingly waved back.  

We drove past a creature who had been changed to stone by the sunlight. I wasn't sure what it was, and I didn't really want to find out. "Look away from the window." I told Nina. After she had, she looked at me expecting an explanation. I sighed, but told her anyway, making sure no one else was listening. Her eyes sparkled as I explained.  

Afterwards she took out her iPod and was about to put in her headphones when I grasped her arm. She turned to me, startled. "What?" she asked. "Something's wrong." I mumbled. I turned around and saw why. It was an empusa-sort of like the vampires of Greek mythology. They are servants of Hecate, (the Greek goddess of magic.)  

The empusa's hair was in flames and she had one bronze leg, but the other looked like it belonged to an animal. She saw me looking and bared her fangs. I whipped around in my seat, shaking. "What was it?" Nina asked. She turned around and immediately spotted the new girl. "What do you see?" I asked her. "Well, she has really red hair, almost orange, and it's really frizzy." she said. "Go on." I encouraged. "Well, she's wearing brown pants and wait, she's smiling at me now." Nina stated. "Okay, you can turn around now." I said. "But she's coming up the aisle." Nina protested. I turned to look and saw her hobbling up the aisle, as Nina had said. I shut my eyes and turned around, pulling Nina down from her standing position. I felt the air grow hotter all of a sudden. "We have to get off the bus." I told Nina. She nodded to show she understood, but she was smiling at something behind me. I felt the empusa sit down next to me. "Hello." she said. I turned around and saw her smiling, showing off her sharp-looking fangs.  

I managed to stop shaking thanks to Nina's reassuring smile. "Hi." I replied, as calmly as I could. I couldn't stop staring at her fangs and I didn't like that they were so close to me. "Can we help you?" Nina asked. I was glad I hadn't told her what this girl really was. The empusa stuck out her hand, "I'm Ellie." she said. Nina took it, "Nina." "And you are?" she asked me. "Marie." I said, warily shaking her outstretched hand. I was anxiously trying to think of a reason we could get off the bus, but I couldn't think of a believable reason.  

"So, why did you come on the last day of school?" Nina asked. "Hec-" she began, "I mean my mom thought it would be better to move on the last day of school so I have more time to hang out with any friends I meet." Ellie said. That made no sense to me, but I didn't argue. "What were you gonna say?" I asked. "Ya, something about heck?" Nina agreed. "Oh that was nothing, just my mom's name." she said discreetly. "What's your mom's name?" I pushed. She gave me a fiery glare and I shut up. "I said it was nothing." she shot back.  

We pulled into the school parking lot, but Ellie didn't get out of the seat. "Excuse us." Nina said. She still didn't move. "You guys have never waited to get off last?" she asked innocently. After everyone passed, she still didn't move. "Excuse us." Nina repeated. Oddly, the bus driver left too. I wondered if maybe he was under the influence of the empusa. 

Ellie looked back at us seeming satisfied. "Maybe you two could be my first friends." she said, putting a little too much emphasis on the word "friends." I faced Nina and saw the worry on her face. She'd noticed the extra emphasis on friends too. "What is she?" she whispered in my ear, not taking her gaze off the empusa. "Me?" the empusa said, "Well your about to find out." she said.  

Then she backed up into the seat across from us. "What?" I began. I was interrupted by her lunging straight at us, fangs bared.