Evading Death

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Wick:

It's midday, just after lunch. I'm sitting in AP Geometry, which is on the second floor, ignoring most of what my teacher is saying, but still being able to answer any question on the topic.

I'm staring out the window, looking at the new mattress firm being built across the street. The architecture of the building bewilders me. It seams like they're cutting as many corners as possible! There aren't any pillars connecting the overhanging roof to the ground, the door is above a common collapse point, and the windows are in awkward places, making it hard to look in through the windows.

My eyes are pulled from the building and brought to a strange, dark figure, standing next to a tree. As I look closer, I realize that the figure is floating ten feet of the ground! I shake my head, rub my eyes, and look back to the tree. The figure wasn't there. I guess my lack of sleep is getting to me. I think to myself.

I go back to looking out the window, trying to get the thought of the figure floating off the ground out of my head. I want able to get a good look at it, but it still made my skin crawl.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

I sat in class for what feels like an eternity, waiting for the bell to ring. I look at the clock. It reads 1:27, still 13 minutes until next period which was English. Could this day go any slower!? I ask myself.

Suddenly, the fire alarm goes off. The teacher, Mr. Scott, stops talking, quickly dashed to his desk, and looks through his papers.

"There wasn't a fire drill scheduled for today," I heard him whisper to himself.

A few other people must have also heard him because many of my fellow students started to panic. They were talking to their table partners in agitated tones.

"Everyone, calm down. Let's be safe and do follow procedure," Mr. Scott said to the class.

Most of the class ignored him and ran out the door toward the exit, tripping over each other as they go. Five students, including myself, stood up and quietly walked to the door. Mr. Scott thanked us and walked out the door. We followed him down the stairs and out the exit.

When we were at the front of the school, I looked back. I could see purple smoke pouring out the window of the first-floor science room. One of the freshmen must have not have followed, the science teacher, Mrs. Kennedy's instructions properly.

Laughing to myself, I saw a tall, muscular sophomore. His head was covered in red, curly hair with a face dotted in freckles. He was in a circle of about eight other people.

He was Eddie Van, a friend of mine. Me being an unpopular math nerd, he was the one who made me be social by getting me invitations to parties, convincing me to go to dances, and overall being a nuisance. That's why he's my best friend.

He waves me over to his group of friends so, rolling my eyes, I slowly sauntered over to him.

"Allow me to introduce the smartest person I know, Wick Daniels!" Eddie announced with his Australian accent. "He may not look like much but he's a bloody legend and one hell of an entertainer!" (He also made me learn party tricks)

Most of the group said "Yo. What's up?" to me and pretty much ignored me after that.

"You'll never guess what happened in the science lab!" Edd exclaimed. "Some sophomore nearly blew up Mrs. Kennedy! He was pouring in all these chemicals that he pulled from his book bag into one of the beakers, taped a lid over it, shook it, and threw it at the woman's desk. It was fair drinkum comedy gold!"

The group laughed hysterically. Some fell over with tears in their eyes from laughing so hard.

Mr. Cameron, the principal, walked to the front of the chattering group and with microphone in hand said, "Everybody settle down. As you may have noticed, the science room was attacked with a purple smoke bomb. Mrs. Kennedy was hit in the shoulder with a shard of glass. She is ok and has been sent to the hospital. We're currently on the lookout for anyone who might of done this. If you have any information on what happened, please email the counselor. You may now go back to your class and get your backpacks. We will be closing the school until we know who did it. You are dismissed."

Shouts of happiness were exclaimed by the group of students. The crowd funneled back into the school to get their backpacks and leave for home. After getting my stuff, I ran into Eddie in the halls on my way out.

"What's up, Edd? Where's your group?" I asked him.

"Eh. They're all going over to the volleyball game. I just don't understand that sport at all." He said. "Mind if I walk with you?"

"Not at all!" I said with a smile.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

We walked over to the local Soda Shack to get a drink and talk. On our way towards my house, we continued to talk.

"I swear, these freshmen get dumber and dumber as the year goes on." Eddie said with a laugh. "Today, they blew up the science teacher. By the end of the year, they'll have blown up the school!"

I give a chuckle. "I know, right? I can't imagine that we were ever that young and careless, even if we were freshmen  last year."

We started to pass the mattress firm that was under construction. "Edd, I saw something over here before the fire alarm went off." I said to him. "It was some dark figure by that tree," I pointed to the tree.

"What kind of 'dark figure?'" He asked me.

"I don't know," I responded. "I couldn't get a good look at it. The strangest part was that it was floating about fifteen feet in the air. When I rubbed my eyes and looked back, it was gone!"

Eddie looked up at the tree. His face turned pale and stopped walking. "Could the dark figure have worn a cloak and had a skeleton body?" He said without turning to look at me.

Stopping and looking at him I said, "What makes you say that?"

He pointed a shaking hand at the tree. "L-l-look!" He shouted.

I followed his finger with my eyes and looked where he was pointing. I could feel the blood drain from my face as I stared in absolute horror.

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading the first chapter of my first book!
Right now in the story, Wick and Eddie are standing in front of the under-construction mattress firm, looking at something next to the tree.
What do you think they're looking at? Tell me what you think in the comments!
If you have any way you think I can improve on my writing skills, tell me in the comments!