Hybrid

~Getting Ready~

                                            Holly's Point Of View

I could smell the smoke. I didn't know where I was. My eyes opened and I was laying on the ground. I picked myself up and looked around me. There was fire everywhere. There were dead trees all around me and they were burning. Where was I? How did I get here? I spun around looking for an exit.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" I yelled out as loud as I could. It was really hard to yell when I was coughing from inhaling so much smoke. I couldn't breathe. Then I started to hear footsteps. It sounded like they were getting closer to me.

"Hey! Can you help me?! Where am I?" The footsteps stopped right before I could see who it was. The smoke was so thick that I could hardly see a foot in front of me. I want to get out of here. I started to get nervous about the person that came up to me. They didn't say a thing and just stood there. The fire seemed to not affect them at all. A breeze came in and started to clear away the smoke. I could start to see that it was a guy. Just then there was a huge bang and I jumped.

"OAKS!" Mrs.Pex yells waking me from my sleep. I was really relived when I found out it was just another dream. "You got an F! Next time, study harder before you come to school" She said as she slammed the paper on my desk and walked to the board. I hardly ever get bad grades. Stupid tenth grade economics..plus this town is so dull. I mean who names a town Destoc? I put my head back down on my desk, and rushed out of the classroom once the bell rang. I was at my locker getting my stuff for the next class when Ryan came running up to me.

"Hey! Holly, wait up!" My friend Ryan yelled. I stopped so he could catch up to me.

"Hi Ryan." I said to him as he was catching his breath.

"Did..you..know.. that.." said Ryan as I cut him off.

"Ryan, why don't you tell me when you can at least talk without pausing."  I said giggling. Ryan is my best friend. We have been friends since we were little children. I heard Ryan take one more deep breath and then he began talking again.

"Anyways, as I was saying. Did you know that Lacey Revey is throwing a party? It starts tonight. She invited me and you." He said.

"Um, yeah. I have and I'm not going." I replied.

"I was just thinking that well, maybe.. never mind Holly" Said Ryan as he looked down.

"No Ryan, tell me. I want to know." I responded.

"Will you go to the party with me?" Ryan asked. I didn't know what to say, Ryan has never really asked me to go with him to a party before.

"Yeah, umm, sure. I'll go with you" I said smiling. Ryan sighed of relief and smiled back at me. The rest of the day went by slowly. I just wanted it to end. That party was tonight and I was a little excited to go to the party with Ryan. At the end of the school day I met up with Ryan and we started walking home. Since the town was small not many of us needed to take the bus home. So me and Ryan walked home regularly.As Ryan and I were making small talk I heard someone call my name and I turned around to see who it was.

"Holly!!" God it was my sister.. She yelled down the street as she was running to catch up with us. She was running towards us and it didn't look like she was stopping. I started to panic a little as she got closer. Then when she reached us she full on ran into me! She hugged me tightly like I hadn't seen her in years and almost knocked us both to the ground.

"What...are you doing? I can't breathe..." I said breathlessly as she squeezed the life right out of me.

"Oh silly Holly." She replied. She didn't let go of me yet and my chest was starting to hurt. "Oh hey Ryan." She said as she glanced over. "How have 'ya been?" He started to reply but I cut in.