“I think I see it!” the boy yelled, his light blue hair bouncing wildly atop his bandana as he raced down the dim hallway, a sense of both anticipation and fear overwhelming him.
“Really? Where?” screamed his companion, a tall, lanky boy of about fourteen, as he struggled to keep up. “Shade! Dude, I can’t see you! Where’d you go?!”
“I’m up here, James,” Shade called, trying to motion his friend on, although not stopping even slightly.
“Where!?”
Shade sighed. “Don’t worry about it! I’ll catch it myself. Here... you stay here and keep watch in case it comes back through!”
“Here... in the dark... alone?”
“C’mon, dude, it’s just the third floor of our school... without the lights on. Don’t worry about it! I’ll see you in a bit!”
He rounded a corner (it was surprising to Shade that he was able to remember where this corner was in the dark... he had been fearful that he might’ve misinterpreted it and instead slammed headlong into a row of lockers) and continued down the narrow corridors of Millard Fillmore Middle School. See, this night happened to be the annual school lock-in. And, although the attendants were not permitted to enter the third floor of the school (since there was no real reason for anyone to venture up there anyway), James and Shade had decided that it was a good idea to do so... for, from the second floor stairwell, they had viewed a shady figure leering at them from the top of the stairs, and then darting away as soon as it had been spotted. Now, the two friends KNEW that something was amiss here... and who knew– it was possible that this person... or thing... could be some kind of child-stealing pedophile. And that’s never a good thing to have in a school... especially at a lock-in.
Once Shade was sure that James had ceased following him and had taken his post a few yards down the other hallway, he paused for a slight moment.
“I’m never gonna catch this thing,” he said, “...as a human.”
And with these words, Shade was engulfed from head to toe in a solid block of ice... then the ice broke away, revealing a light-blue dragon in his place.
“Yeah... now we’re in business,” laughed Shade, and with that he beat his blue wings twice and soared into the air, his eyes now adjusting much better to the darkness... just in time to see the figure he was chasing turn into a distant classroom...
“Got you now,” he grinned triumphantly, and slowed his pace a bit. He had to keep quiet– God forbid he be heard by James, who didn’t know about Shade’s dragon powers. And he couldn’t know... at least not now...
(End)
“Guys, I’ll be back in a second,” announced a short, black-haired girl at around the same time.
“What’s up? Where you going, Raffi?” asked one of her friends.
“Um... bathroom.”
“On the third floor?”
“Uh... all the other’s are... filled,” Raffi said, growing more impatient by the second.
“We’re not supposed to go up to the third floor, though...”
“Aw, c’mon, it’s not like you guys’ll tell on me... right?”
“Whatever, Raffi,” another friend said. “Just hurry up and... do your thing... and get back before the chaperones realize you’re gone.”
“Thanks,” nodded Raffi, turning on her heel and sprinting up the stairwell that connected the second and third floors of Millard Fillmore Middle School.
She, too, had seen the shady figure... like the one James and Shade had discovered... although at the other stairwell, on the opposite side of the school.
She reached the top of the stairs... to see the figure standing a few paces away from her.
“Hey!” she yelled.
(End)
“Did someone just say something?” Shade whispered, still standing about 100 feet from the classroom through which the other shady figure had just entered.
(End)
“What was that?” James asked himself, moving from his former location in the opposite hallway. “Was that Shade? He might be in trouble!”
He shut his eyes tight, whispering, “Eye of the dragon.” And when he reopened them, they glowed a brilliant red.
“Much better,” James said. “Now... let’s see what’s going on, shall we?”
He rounded the hallway corner...
(End)
The shady figure in front of Raffi turned and ran toward the nearest classroom... the same one that the other figure had entered.
“Get back here!” she said, chasing after the black shadow-like figure.
(End)
“What’s that?” Shade exclaimed, seeing two more figures enter the classroom. “There’s more of these things? This oughtta be fun...” He, too, sprinted inside the classroom.
(End)
“What’s that?” whispered James, seeing a huge black figure turn into a classroom. “That doesn’t look like the thing we saw earlier... I’d better check it out!”
(End)
When Raffi entered the classroom, she found that she could see even less than before. But, since she had been in this classroom before, she knew where the light switch was.
She flipped it on... to find three black figures standing by the windows on the other side of the room... and another girl, around her age.
“Um... hello?” Raffi said.
“Raffi... is that you?” the girl turned around. It was Ashleigh... another girl from her school.
“Yeah, um, hey...”
“Yeah, hey...”
“What are you doing up here?” she asked awkwardly.
But before she could answer, someone else burst into the room... Shade.
“Now I’ve got you- whoa!” he yelled. He wasn’t expecting... his classmates.
“...a dragon?” Ashleigh said, wide eyed.
Shade froze. “Um... you’re just seeing things! This is all a... dream!”
But then, before anyone else could say anything, Ashleigh was engulfed in a dark blue flame... before reemerging... as a tall, dark blue dragon.
“Well... this is... unexpected,” Shade said, extremely confused.
“You guys... are dragons?” Raffi asked in disbelief.
The two dragons turned toward her... trying to find the words to say.
“Cool! So am I!” and she, like Ash, was covered in a blue flame... and soon, a light blue/lavender dragon stood in her place.
Then the three just stood there... in complete silence... and awe.
“Well...”
“Um...”
“This is kinda awkward, isn’t it?” asked Shade sheepishly.
“Haha... yeah, it is,” replied Raffi. “You’re... Shade, right?”
He nodded.
The three of them, somehow, all seemed to remember then that there were three shady figures right in front of them. They all turned toward them... to find three adults, all clothed in black suits. Two were male, while one appeared female.
“Um... who are you?” Ash asked.
One- a brown haired, well-built male- smiled. “We were wondering when you would finally notice us... let’s see, there are three of you. There’s supposed to be one more...”
Just then, James, glowing red eyes and all, stepped inside. “Shade... you in here... WHOA!” He saw the three dragons before him. “I guess not...”
“Is that him?” asked the woman.
“Yes,” said the brown haired man. “Welcome, James.”
“Um... hey,” said James, his eyes reverting to their normal color. He stared over at the other dragons. “Who are these guys?”
“It’s me, James,” Shade laughed. “Shade. And this is Ash and Raffi... from our school, remember?”
“YOU’RE a dragon, Shade?” exclaimed James. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well... I didn’t think you were too...”
“Quiet,” the man spoke again. “I cannot speak much here. You four– you must come with us. It is urgent that you do so... without question.” He held out his hand, raised it, and a door formed from the ground up.”
“Please enter, and you shall know more.”
The four all glanced at each other. Shade shrugged, walked forward and entered through the door. The other three followed... and then the three adults entered, the last one closing the door behind him...
(End)
“Jay... c’mon, stop it!!!” the girl giggled wildly, bounding across her living room.
“Laura, get back here!” her boyfriend gave chase, tackling her to the couch. “Here’s the deal... I’m gonna tickle you, you’re gonna like it, and that’ll be the end of it.”
“Noooo!” she squealed.
“Yes!” he laughed, kissing her on the cheek.
“Noooo!” she giggled, writhing free from his grip once more.
“Sneaky one, aren’t ya?” Jay smiled. He began to give chase once more... but was suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Laura stopped laughing. “What? Jay, what is it?”
“Um... it’s not Halloween, is it?”
“No...”
“Tell that to the guy standing at your front door...”
Laura turned to look out her front window... to see an African-American man in a black suit standing at her front door. He kind of looked like Will Smith in Men in Black... only bald.
“...who is that guy?” she asked.
“Dunno... better answer the door, though...”
Laura nodded, walked over to the door, and opened it. “Um... may I help you?” She asked, with a hint of uncertainty.
“Is this the residence of Laura Bellamy?” the man boomed.
“Um... yeah, that’s me...”
“Is, by any chance, Jay Hughes here with you?”
“Yeah... he’s over there,” she pointed over at Jay, who simply waved.
The man took out what appeared to be some kind of walkie-talkie. “The boy is here. Cancel search of the boy’s home.”
“Um...,” stuttered Laura, “what’s this all about? Can I help you with something?”
“I cannot explain now,” said the man, “but I need you both to come with me.”
“Wha? No!” exclaimed Laura, her face twisting into fright, “We don’t even know who you are! We’re not just gonna leave with you!”
“You will if you want the magical world to live on...”
Laura froze. “The magical world?... what do you mean?”
“Ms. Bellamy, we know you’re a dragon. And we also know that, without you, the world as we know it may soon perish. That’s all I can explain now. I need you– rather, BOTH of you– to come with me now.”
Laura turned slowly toward Jay, who just stood there in confusion. “Um,” she said, turning back to the man, “Jay... he’s a normal human. Why... does he need to come.”
“Ms. Bellamy, maybe I did not make myself clear before– there is no time for explanation right now. Rest assured, all shall be revealed soon. But until then... it is imperative that you come with me.”
Laura sighed. “Jay... c’mon.”
“Laura... what’s this all about?”
“I... can’t explain right now. You need to come right now... both of us do. It’s... something we gotta do. There’s... there’s something I gotta tell you... about me.”
And, although reluctantly, Jay finally did come to her side. The man stepped aside, revealing an open door– swirling, blue shapes on the other side.
“Laura, what is...”
She clutched his hand. “Jay... just come on.”
And together, the two of them walked through the door, both in confusion and anticipation.
(End)
The girl’s computer chair squeaked loudly as she turned to her computer, her face wet with tears. She pushed her long blond hair out of her face, sniffling as she did so. She began to type. “I hate my life...,” she read aloud as she typed. “Matt, why did you have to leave me...”
She slammed her fist onto her computer table. “Dammit, why did you have to go?” she cried out, sending various papers flying all over her dimly-lit room.
She sighed, and began to type again. “By the time any of you read this... I will be gone... gone to a place where all this hurt, all this pain, will be gone. I will miss many of you... but this is for the best...”
She paused, for she thought she had heard something.
“You know... suicide isn’t the answer...,” said a voice from inside the room.
“Wh-what?” she asked, looking around. “Who’s... there?”
“Right over here... look over by your window.”
“Wha...?” she turned to see a black figure standing by her window. “Who are you?”
“Who I am is of no importance,” said the figure, stepping out of the shadows and into the light. It was a woman, with shoulder-length red hair, with a black suit on. “All I’m saying is... suicide isn’t the answer... believe me, I tried once.”
“Then what is?” the girl sniffled.
“I dunno... ever watched SpongeBob Square Pants? Always seems to work for me...”
“WHO ARE YOU?!?!?!” screamed the girl. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM?!”
“Calm down, Kate. I can explain... you just gotta come with me.”
“Come... with you?! What do you think I am, crazy? I’m better off here!”
“Here? You’re better off dying?”
“Well...”
“Look,” the woman sighed, “It’s... complicated. But... believe me, Kate, you DO have something to live for... I’m not sure what happened between you and this Matt boy, but let me tell you this– relationships suck anyway. But if you come with me... we can make it all better, I hope. You just... gotta believe me.”
Kate stared at the woman for a moment... before nodding. “Sure, I’ll go with you. I mean... why stay here?”
“That’s my girl,” the woman smiled. She raised her hands, and a door appeared. “Just follow me, and everything will be answered.”
(End)
The room was crowded. That much was for sure. There were, at that point, seven children, all in about the age range of thirteen to sixteen. And when Kate finally entered with the black-suited woman, the meeting could finally begin.
The five adults that had brought them to this place stood nearby, whispering to each other in an indistinct manner. Meanwhile, the eight children all stood around, either talking to each other or sitting alone– there was first Shade, Ash, Raffi, and James, who were excited to share with each other about their dragon powers. (The former three had reverted back to human form.) Kay had made her way over to Jay and Laura, who were talking about... who knows what... although Jay still had no idea as to what was going on. And then there was Kate, sitting off by herself idly, staring at all the commotion, and wiping the tears from her eyes that were still wet from her encounter at her home.
A hushing soon fell over the room, as a new person had just entered the room.
It was a man, with graying hair and the familiar black suit. He seemed quite old... but on the other hand, he also seemed very healthy– as if he could just get up and run a marathon right then and there.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “allow me to introduce myself. My name is Atticus Stevenson.”
He glanced around at the eight teenagers that sat around the room. “And I’m here to speak to our future... for you eight are our... “saviors”...”
“The eight of you are going to, in time, save the magical world.”
END CHAPTER
OMG DIDN"T THAT LIKE ROCK?
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