Chapter Two

Sleep didn't come easy that night. It all began with dreams of little demons clawing their way at my shirt, trying to get at something around my neck. But, the scenery soon changed. This dream, it felt almost too real.

I was in a large room, circular, with old stone blocks surrounding the circumference. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the stones had old skulls poking out of them at odd angles. Some were larger than others, but they all smelled of death. Part fo the chamber broke off into a long hallway.

A part of me started screaming that this was the part in the horror movie when the stupid girl explores the tunnel, only to meet a bloody, gory end just before the final steps of the tunnel.

So I started walking.

Perhaps it wasn't the smartest idea, but as I kept walking, the tunnel began to lighten slightly, until the tunnel finally dropped off. Literally.

The end of the tunnel opened into an amphitheater, at least twenty feet above the ground. no way could I jump down without seriously damaging myself.

A voice to my left caught my attention.

"We've found her, master." the voice came out in a hiss. I felt like shadows were crawling across my skin when I heard it.

Around a large pillar, I could see a figure. He wasn't exceptionally large, but darkness rolled off his robes like smoke from a campfire. Slowly, the smoke curled away, before dropping to the floor and like mist on an early morning, started away from the figure.

In front of him, was the creature. Something so hideous I couldn't focus on it.

It was all black, and its form continued to shift, growing between a bear, to a cat, to monsters I had only heard of in fairy tales. But all the while, it still did not move its bowed head.

"Did you now, Grimm?" The cloaked figure asked. His voice was nothing like I might expect it to be. It was gentle, soft, pleasant. it sent a warm tingle across my skin, quickly followed by goosebumps. Slowly, the figure stood from a cement throne, and paced around the amphitheater. When he came close enough, I ducked back into the tunnel, still listening, afraid of being seen.

When he had passed, only then did I dare sneak another look.

He had passed quickly by, and now stood over the creature. "Yesss, Master." It's voice hissed lightly over the words, steam escaping from its mouth.

"You know very well that I cannot allow you to leave this room now, Grimm." The cloak grew and changed, tiny feathers fluttering off into the glove of the cloaked man. Quickly the feathers changed in shape, becoming long and black.

"But-" The creature known as Grimm had only a moment to beg for forgiveness, before he saw the blade form in the Master's hands. By then, it was already too late. He changed forms, into that of a bird, the same one I had seen crash into my window. He took off, squawk with fear, unable to flap fast enough to keep his body in the air.

Just when it seemed he would fall with his own weight, he disappeared. My eyes hadn't been able to keep up with his movements. But, now, he was pinned to the wall by the long sword the cloaked figure had been holding only moments before. Now, it vibrated with a sickening humm from the chest of the bird. Slowly, the shadow formerly known as Grimm melted away, along with the blade in its chest.

I sobbed. Although I don't know why I felt sorrow for the creature, to be killed in such a fashion just seemed wrong.

It was a bad idea to make a noise.

The cloaked figure turned on me, and instantly his gaze zoomed in on me. I couldn't move. I was frozen in place as he jumped, taking flight in my direction, a new blade forming in his hand as he closed the distance between us. Just before he could slash his sword of darkness and end my misery, I woke up. Covered in a film of sweat, my chest heaving with fear, I tried desperately to remember the face of the boy beneath the cloak.

*****

The sound of a car honking loudly, repeatedly, from our driveay was the first sign that I had once again overslept.

I had tried to fall back asleep last night, but instead, had only continued mulling over what I remembered of my dream. There wasn't much.

Finally, about four in the morning, I managed to fall asleep. Sitting up, I looked at the clock. I wanted to beg Eddie to go to school without me. But, it hadn't worked yesterday, I knew it wouldn't work today.

I flew through my morning routine, almost poking my eye out with a toothbrush, and falling down the long set of stairs while I tried to pull on a pair of jeans. In just a few short minutes, I had my ipod shoved back into my ears, pumping mindless screams out sounds into my ears as I rushed out the door, my hurried goodbye to Nelle dying on my lips when I see Eddie's car.

His parents don't have much money. He'd told me that he bought the car from a junkyard, and had been fixing it up ever since. But, it looked like it was about to fall apart even before I got in.

Looking at it never made me actually want to ride in it.

We took off through the suburbs on our way to school. It was maybe halfway there when Eddie noticed I hadn't been paying attention to a single word he said.

A loud honk from the car, and I was forced to pull them out.

"What is your problem?" I yelled. I didn't mean to. But, lack of sleep had never helped my temper.

"Sorry." He instantly became sheepish. But, it only lasted a moment, before a large grin spread across his lips. He was like a puppy. No matter what, he still came back looking for a pat on the head.

"What's so funny?" The car felt a lot colder. It was rare I got emotional enough to actually feel my own energy.

"You should have seen how high you jumped." He said, grinning at me. His eyes were decidedly taken away from the road, yet somehow he never seemed to hit anything. Jerk.

Rather than dignify his jab with words of my own, I threw my headphones back into my ears and placed my head against the glass of the car. It was cool, thanks to it still being early. I preferred the cold. It wasn't so much I hated the heat. Just, something about the cold felt comforting these days.

Finally, after what felt like must have been an eternity, we pulled into the parking lot of the school. Most of the spaces were already taken. All but one of the best ones right near the front steps that led up to the school. I could feel Eddie press down gently on the gas, gunning the car forward, racing through the traffic to get to the spot first. But, he couldn't have seen what I did.

Out of the corner of my eye, another car entered. Smaller, sleeker, and with windows tinted so dark I almost wondered if the driver was a member of the mob, or a vampire.

Eddie also didn't see the way the car seemed to speed up, pushing eighty, to beat him to the spot. Everything had happened in a blur. One second the car hadn't been there, the next, Eddie was slamming the brakes and fishtailing to keep from running into the guy and ruining his nice paint job.

 Instantly, I jumped from the car. I already had a string of profanity ready on the tip of my tongue, ready to start flying off, when I instantly became shy. The car door opened, and I swear, a supermodel walked out. Okay, maybe not a supermodel.

His face had high cheekbones, and a strong jaw. His eyes were hidden behind a medium length curtain of ebony hair. A slightly cocky smile tugged at the corner of his lips, like he had just beat his only competition, and was almost trying to be humble about it. Almost.

But, it didn't very well stop me from running up to him and wanting to slap him.

"Are you nuts?" I asked. My ipod was forgotten back in Eddie's car, left there in my storm of anger. But, thoughts of other people's emotions were so far from my mind, I didn't even think about it.

The kid with the nice car, and now that I noticed, very expensive preppy clothes, laughed lightly under his breath. it was a cold laugh. But, even when he did, I noticed something in his eyes. The way he looked at me, staring daggers so sharp, they nearly stabbed me in the gut.

"Hey Darlin'." He said, adapting a southern accent that admittedly sent chills straight to my stomach. But, I was still livid.

"You can't just come flying in here like that." I said, clenching my fist. My emotiosn were boiling over, and I could already feel a headache forming in the back of my mind, pressing in on my vision. "Who are you?"

His gaze fixed on me tighter. I could see his eyes now, as he closed the space between us. I could have counted the molecules of air that separated us.

"Oz. Don't you remember? We met on the first day of class. I grew up here." A wave of heat washed over me at his words. I blinked. I blinked again.

"What?" I asked, my voice breaking.

"I said, my name is," I cut him off before he could continue.

"I heard what you said." My voice pulled. I realized I hadn't talked this much since the accident. I also hadn't experienced this much emotion, either. "I've never met you before in my life, Oz."

I turned on my heel, and stormed away from him. It might have been impressive, if I hadn't tripped over my own feet. Thankfully, Eddie was there to catch me. He threw an angry look at Oz over my shoulder. It was only then that I noticed the rush of emotions were returning, pressing on me like the weight of the ocean. Eddie's anger at the new guy choked in my mouth like heavy smoke, making me cough violently and push him away. I think I managed to mutter a small thanks to him.

I retrieved my ipod and pushed the earbuds back in, before letting Eddie lead me up through the front doors. I barely noticed the daggers he sent in Oz's direction with a simple look.

We made it to my locker in record time, where he leaned against the one next to mine. His was on the other end of the school. Somehow he would have to make it all the way there and back to class before first bell.

I felt a hand pull an earbud out of my ear, and had to bite my tongue hard to keep from sighing.

"Man, that Oz gets under my skin." Eddie said. I whirled on him with surprise. He knew Oz?

"How'd you know his name was Oz?" I asked, my voice careful. I could almost sense his curiosity about Oz and my conversation. But, he didn't ask about it.

"What are you talking about? He's gone here forever." He said, his eyebrows knitting tightly with confusion. But, before he could probe me, a tiny form pounced on me from behind. I almost landed in my locker.

"Nicole! Why didn't you call me last night. I remember you promising me that you would, once you finished unpacking." Carli pouted out her bottom lip, her eyes getting all big and watery. I sighed, turning to hide my face in the locker.

"Sorry, I kind of fell asleep." I turned to look back at her. Already, the pout was gone. She was beautiful, by anyone's standard. she had long, straight black hair, and her tiny frame gave her a cuteness that few could hope to pull off. If it weren't for the fake vampire fangs she always wore, or the outrageous outfits, she might have already ruled the place.

today, her outfit consisted of a tutu looking skirt, with frill and lace, and poofy. A pair of heels that brought her just high enough to reach the upper shelf of the locker beside mine. And a shirt that just screamed how much help she needed mentally. No need to clarify.

Carli was babbling on for a good five minutes, she's good like that, before I caught something in her words that scared me.

"Oz?" I asked.

"Yeah. You know,the guy out front." She siad, pointing to the front doors like I was crazy.

"It's weird, everyone acts like they know him." I said, putting my head in my locker to find my favorite pen. At some point, it had disappeared.

"We do  know him." She said, giving me a look like I must have come from the psych ward. "He's been going to this school since we were little. I met him in like, the second grade or something."

Now it was my turn to give an odd look. It was okay for Eddie to play jokes. He did it all the time. But, now Carli too? There was something going on here, and Oz seemed to be at the center of it.

"Speak of the devil." Carli said next to me. Instantly, the feeling returned. Like I was sitting in front of a camp fire with a nice cup of hot chocolate.

I spun around, my hair flying in front of my face. I tried spitting it out, and by the time I had, he was right in front of us. Oz had a small crowd, mostly comprised of girls, following right behind him. As soon as he saw me, he came over, flipping his hair lazily out of his face. Once more, I found myself drawn to those eyes. They were shocking blue, so deep and full of color, I almost wanted to question whether he was human.

He stooped down in front of me. I thought he must be tying his shoes. But, when he stood up, my pen in his hand, I couldn't help the way my cheeks reddened. Part of me wanted to thank him. The other part wanted to slap him.

"Here ya go." He said, handing it over. I swiped it from him fast, giving him an amused scowl. I could see so easily through his charm it wasn't even funny.

I'd seen too many of his kind in the past to fall for his petty little tricks. I tried to hold back my anger as I threw my locker door shut, tucking my books close to my chest and storming away. Behind me the gaggle of girls laughed, and I could have sworn Oz's voice among them mutter, "Hope she trips again. i'd love to be there to catch her." I wasn't sure who he was talking to, but my face burned brighter and I picked up my pace to put some distance between myself, and the mysterious Oz.

Reviews

[Monkeybananers]

hahahaha man, I love her poise. is pretty accurate if i do say so myself..so i'm sure now that i know who the cloaked figure is... though it might be too quick for me to assume... maybe.. .and oz. gah! no comment, i can't.. lets just say that i grinned like a mad woman by the time i finished reading this. totally should have made her slap him though. xP

[Monkeybananers]

who is the boy beneath the cloak?! -mumbles something about cliff hangers- ^_^ This is so far, a very gripping tale. It grabs the reader along for a journey. ^_^