One by One

1

"Olivia, give it a rest. The rumors about this Basement crap isn't real. It was probably just made up by some kid," I say to my best friend, Olivia Haleys as we walk down the hallway to get to science class. Olivia has straight, dirty blond hair that stops at her elbows. Her olive green overalls make her hazel eyes pop.

I'm a junior in high school. I'm short for my age, even with heels, but I don't care. But this kid in my grade, Jake, towers over me, making me feel small. No joke. At least I'm not alone. Olivia's shorter than me.

"Oh, come on! Of course it's real! It's where all the missing people end up when they disappear," Olivia says, whispering the last word.

I playfully nudge her. "Shut up," I tease.

I hear the bell ringing.

"Oh, great. Now I'm going to be late," I groan.

"Maybe you can say you just escaped from the Basement," Olivia says.

I chuckle. "Yeah and maybe I'll pass my science test," I sarcastically say as I playfully roll my eyes.

We exchange our goodbyes and I hurry to class.

"You're late," my science teacher, Ms. Vinnie, says.

"I know, I'm sorry," I apologize as I take my seat in my desk.

"Really?" says Ms. Vinnie, "If you don't have a pass next time, you're going to the office!"

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Ms. Vinnie's one tough teacher. I'd never make it out of the class alive if I even dreamed about disrespecting her.

"Heh, just like the people in the
Basement never escape," I think. Well, at least she doesn't notice when my eyes glaze over from not listening to her go over the test procedure for the 15,000th time.

When she passes out the test, however, I start to chew on the end of my pencil nervously.

I was only getting a C in her class, and I needed to get my grade up so my parents even consider letting me have a social life anymore.

I look down at the test. What are the major differences between iron and silver? That's an easy one.... For once, I whiz through the test.

By the time I'm on the last question, I'm fairly confident that I know everything on it. I'm not so confident that it will stick with me after the test, but oh well. The only reason I'm doing so well this time is because I actually studied.

I look at the last question. Geez, it's a long one! I hope it's not an essay, I freaking hate those! The question reads:

One day, two students, Jen and Joseph, decide that they want to take a walk through the woods to look at the fall foliage. They stay there for a long time. So long, in fact, that they don't notice when it turns dark. And then, they panic when they realize it's 8:18pm on the second Tuesday of that month. Is realizing the date and time an observation or an inference? Explain your reasoning.

I clench my teeth and feel my face turn red. How dare she? I mean, I know I make jokes about that, but I'd never actually.... Does she even care that people are actually disappearing?! No matter where they go, it's still a crisis!

I only made jokes about the absurdity of the Basement, not the disappearance of actual human lives! This was a huge wake-up call for me, though.

I now knew that I had to do something, anything! I turned even redder thinking about how much of a jerk I've been. Why did I ever make jokes about this? Did I even bother to look at the names and locations of the victims that flashed so often on the television screen?!

I look around me in a panic. Anyone I know could be taken next! Even I could be taken! Well, I won't let that happen, I think, but I need to find out why these people are being taken. I'll even listen to those stupid rumors about the Basement!

~~~~~

I know. It's a miracle.

I finally posted.

I only have four chapters of this story pre written (not including that prologue) so I won't be updating this so often.

What did you think of the chapter? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Comment and let me knew!

My friend Sara helped me write about half this chapter!